Internationalization

How To Do Online Marketing in Japan: A Simple Guide

Categories Digital Marketing, E-Commerce, E-Commerce in Asia, Internationalization, Paid Social Media MarketingLeave a Comment on How To Do Online Marketing in Japan: A Simple Guide

Entering an Asian marketing can seem overwhelming for many, and online advertising in Asia is indeed different from online advertising in Europe and the US in several different ways. These differences can be attributed to cultural, economic, and technological factors that vary between the two regions. In this article, I’ll outline the largest differences between advertising in Asia and Europe/US, what to consider when advertising in Japan, and how the largest social network in Japan (Line) can be used for advertising.

How does advertising differ between Asian and Europe/US?

One of the biggest differences between online advertising in Asia and Europe/US is the level of mobile usage. In Asia, mobile usage is higher than in Europe and the US, with many consumers relying on their smartphones as their primary means of accessing the internet. This means that businesses in Asia need to focus on mobile-optimized advertising, such as mobile-friendly websites and mobile apps. In contrast, in Europe, desktop usage is still more prevalent, therefore advertisers may also focus on website advertising and less on mobile-optimized advertising.

Another key difference between online advertising in Asia and Europe/US is the platforms and channels that are popular in each region. In Asia, social media platforms such as WeChat, Line, and KakaoTalk are widely used, while in Europe and the US, Facebook and Instagram are the most popular. Additionally, e-commerce platforms like Alibaba and Rakuten are popular in Asia, while Amazon and eBay are more popular in Europe. These differences mean that businesses in Asia need to focus on advertising on these local platforms, whereas businesses in Europe and the US have more options and can also focus on global platforms.

Cultural differences also play a role in online advertising in Asia and Europe/US. In Asia, advertisements tend to be more subtle and rely on building trust with consumers over time. In contrast, in Europe, advertisements tend to be more direct and focused on creating a sense of urgency. Additionally, in Asia, it is important to respect cultural norms and be aware of the social and economic climate when creating ads, whereas in Europe and the US, the cultural differences are not as significant.

Language is also an important consideration in online advertising in Asia. Many Asian countries have their own languages, and businesses need to ensure that their advertisements are translated and localized to effectively reach their target audience. In Europe and the US, there are many languages but most of them are spoken in small regions, whereas in Asia, there are fewer languages but spoken by a larger population. In Europe and the US, most people do also communicate in English, meaning that you can target consumers across various marketing with English ads – this is not possible to the same extent in Asia.

What is important to consider when doing advertising in Japan?

Online marketing in Japan is a rapidly growing industry, with businesses of all sizes leveraging the internet to reach consumers. The main online marketing channels in Japan include search engines, social media, e-commerce marketplaces, and e-mail marketing.

Search engines are one of the most popular online marketing channels in Japan, with Google being the most widely used search engine. Businesses can use search engine optimization (SEO) techniques to improve their search engine rankings and drive more traffic to their websites organically, or by doing PPC advertising on the search engines. Yahoo is, however, also widely used in Japan, meaning that you should ideally be using both search engines to get the full reach of the population through this respective channel.

Social media is another popular online marketing channel in Japan, with platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram being widely used. Businesses can use social media to engage with their target audience, build brand awareness, and drive website traffic. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube are also popular among the younger generations. However, Line, a messaging app, is commonly used in Japan and can be utilized for businesses’ messaging and customer service. This is the most locale social network in Japan that you should be aware of, and should be a channel that you explore from the very beginning if you are to enter the Japanese market.

E-commerce marketplaces is also a key online marketing channel in Japan if you’re optimizing for visibility, with platforms such as Rakuten and Yahoo! Shopping being widely used. These platforms allow businesses to sell their products directly to consumers, and can be an effective way to increase sales and revenue. E-commerce websites can also be used to gather customer data, which can be used to improve marketing strategies.

E-mail marketing is another popular online marketing channel in Japan, with open-rate and click-through rates being higher than what you on average see in Europe and the US. Businesses can use e-mail marketing to stay in touch with customers and promote new products or services. E-mail marketing can be used to create targeted campaigns, which can be segmented based on demographics, purchase history, or other data.

In addition, Influencer Marketing has recently grown in popularity in Japan. Many Japanese consumers trust influencers and celebrities more than what you see in European countries and the US, so brands often collaborate with them to promote their products and services. Influencers can create sponsored content, review products, and host giveaways, which can help to increase brand awareness and drive sales.

Overall, online marketing in Japan is a dynamic and rapidly evolving industry, with new technologies and channels emerging all the time. Businesses can use a combination of these channels to reach and engage with their target audience, build brand awareness, and drive sales. However, it is important to note that each channel has its own unique set of benefits and challenges and it is important to select the right channels based on the target audience, budget, and goals of the campaign. Line and Yahoo! are the two largest, local platforms that you should be aware of, and in the next section I’ll also add a small deep dive on how you can use Line for advertising.

Different ways to use Line for promoting your business

Line is a popular messaging app in Japan, with over 81 million active users. As such, it has become an important platform for businesses to reach their target audience. Here are some ways businesses can use Line for advertising in Japan.

  1. Line Sticker Ads: Line offers businesses the opportunity to create and promote their own stickers, which are animated images that can be used in conversations. These stickers can be used to promote a brand or product, and can be a fun and engaging way to reach users.
  2. Line Official Account: Line also allows businesses to create an official account, which users can follow to receive updates and promotions from the business. This can be a great way to build a following and stay in touch with customers.
  3. Line Live: Line Live is a live streaming feature that allows businesses to connect with their audience in real-time. This can be a great way to showcase products, host Q&A sessions, or provide behind-the-scenes access to a business.
  4. Line Ads: Line also offers a variety of ad formats, such as sponsored messages, home screen ads, and sponsored stickers. These ads can be targeted to specific demographics, interests, or behaviors, and can be a great way to drive sales or website traffic.
  5. Line Campaigns: Businesses can also create campaigns on Line, which can include a combination of different ad formats, such as stickers, official accounts, and sponsored messages. These campaigns can be used to promote a specific product or event, and can be a great way to reach a large audience.

It is important to note that Line’s advertising platform is only available in Japan, so businesses outside of the country will not be able to advertise through the platform. Additionally, Line’s advertising platform is only available in Japanese, so it is important for businesses to have a good understanding of the language and culture in order to effectively reach their target audience.

In conclusion, Line is a powerful advertising platform in Japan that can be used to reach a large and engaged audience. Whether through Line Sticker Ads, Line Official Accounts, Line Live, Line Ads, or Line Campaigns, businesses can use the platform to promote their brand and drive sales. However, it is important to understand the language and culture of Japan and tailor your strategy to the local market.

The Case for Incorporating More Marketplaces in Your Marketing Mix in 2022

Categories Digital Marketing, E-Commerce, General Marketing, InternationalizationLeave a Comment on The Case for Incorporating More Marketplaces in Your Marketing Mix in 2022

If there is one thing the last couple of years in Digital Marketing has taught us, it is that relying solely on one or two marketing channels, is a bad (and potentially disastrous) business strategy.

Therefore, one must not sit and wait until CPC and CPM prices on marketing channels reach the sky, but rather consistently and vigorously test and explore alternatives to the already established marketing channels. Otherwise, what will eventually happen is that your margins will become their margins, due to the very nature of the auction-based systems.

The purpose of this post is to introduce you to a variety of marketplaces that can be incorporated into your marketing mix to both fuel growth and make your business less dependent on the big advertisement players in e-commerce (Facebook, Google, Amazon).

The Case for Online Marketplaces – in General

First and foremost, let’s take a look at why being present on online marketplaces (Amazon included) can be highly beneficial for your brand in the first place.

  • 47% of digital purchases worldwide happened via online marketplace platforms. (Statista)
  • 14% of consumers would prefer to shop at an online marketplace for a first-time purchase. (Statista)
  • 37% would prefer to make repeat purchase at an online marketplace. (Statista

Now that shall be enough to convince any e-commerce owner or marketeer that taking a closer look at online marketplaces may not be a bad idea.

4 Online Marketplaces to Look Into Today (Amazon excluded)

ASOS

With distribution in over 235 countries and over 1650 brands listed on the platform, ASOS is very interesting marketplace to look into for fast-fashion brands. The median price of all brands on ASOS is USD $26, making it lucrative for brands those audience is looking for fast-fashion. The top categories on ASOS is jumpsuits, accesories, and shorts

Zalando

Another lucrative marketplace in the fashion space is the most visited marketplace in Europe with an average of 380 million visitors per month, namely Zalando. Although they are “only” distributing to 17 countries, the median price is relatively higher than on ASOS, at USD $48. The top categories on Zalando are shoes, dresses, and jumpsuits

Zalora

If you are looking for a stronger presence in the East, Zalora might just the marketplace you are looking for. It is the biggest marketplace in Southeast Asia and serve an average of 2 million customers month. They offer a wide range of categories from sportswear, fast fashion, to ethnicwear. The median price is at the same level of ASOS, at USD $26

Ebay

Moving a bit out of the fashion category, there is the second largest marketplace in the world, namely Ebay. The platform was initially focused on auctions and peer-to-peer selling, before transitioning to a model of online shopping similar to Amazon. The best-selling categories on Ebay is mobile phones & accesories, video games, health & beauty, and home & garden – so there is definately an opportunity to grab for brands in categories other than fashion here.

On a final note, there are many more marketplaces out here, and there is surely one or multiple marketplaces which your brand can benefit from – even though your product might serve a very niche category. As with everything else, remember to do your own research on the marketplaces and make sure that you are choosing the ones which are right for your business.

10 Largest International Online Marketplaces For Selling Your Products Globally

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Before the COVID-19 epidemic, internet marketplaces were already thriving, and they’ve only accelerated their growth since. According to a recent survey, 62.5% of global online spending occurred on international marketplaces like Amazon and eBay last year.

If you want to sell items online internationally, you have never had a better time. From personal skincare and cosmetics to apparel, interior design and electronics, there is a market for virtually everything you might want to offer online through marketplaces.

In this publication, we’ll look at some of the greatest international marketplaces to sell your items as well as how you can make the most of your efforts.

Are you unsure where to begin your search for the best global ecommerce marketplace? Let’s take a look at some of the industry’s major players. Even if none of them are suitable for you, you’ll have a point of reference to build on.

1. Amazon

Amazon is the most well-known E-Commerce marketplace in the United States, pulling in more than $125 billion in revenue during the last quarter of 2020. Amazon provides a large delivery range for selling internationally by having an amazing shipping infrastructure that sends to over 100 countries across the world. The marketplace also has various local stores, allowing you to target consumers in specific markets through a more localized approach. They do, as an example, have a website for Japan (www.amazon.co.jp), for France (www.amazon.fr) and for Mexico (www.amazon.com.mx), meaning that using the standard .com isn’t necessarily the only way to go.

Amazon provides a variety of tools to assist sellers. You may fulfill orders yourself or choose Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) and have Amazon handle all product storage, packing, and shipping for you. You also have international sales management tools, such as tax collection.

2. eBay

While Amazon is the most well-known online shopping site, eBay is the second largest internal marketplace in the United States. While it lacks the same number of followers as Amazon, if you’re selling niche items that are meant to appeal to consumers who frequent eBay as their preferred market, this might be useful. The demographics on which eBay thrives include people

One of the benefits of selling on eBay is that fees are lower than those charged by other global marketplaces, making the platform ideal for businesses on a tight budget. On average, eBay’s fees amount to 10% to 15% of your total sales volume.

3. Cdiscount

Cdiscount is a rapidly expanding France-based online market that now has ten million active users. Vendors may use it to establish a shop with no start-up costs and no sales restrictions. In addition, you can list new and used items in various categories, with no limit on the number of goods in your catalog.

Cdiscount provides on-demand fulfillment where you deliver the items to their warehouses when a new purchase is made. The company then sends the order through its logistics system in 24 hours. Cdiscount is a fantastic choice for internet retailers looking to expand into France because of all this.

4. Zalando

Zalando is a German ecommerce firm with operations in 23 different nations throughout Europe. Fashion is the most popular area for Zalando’s online marketplaces, which offer a diverse range of items in many categories.

Zalando also has a professional, multilingual support staff to assist with seller registration. Shop setup and product listing are straightforward and quick with their help. Merchants may use Zalando Fulfillment Services (ZFS) to tap into Zalando’s global connections, expertise, and markets. ZFS is composed of comprehensive warehouse locations across Europe and has logistics and operations partners in various European countries.

5. Rakuten

Rakuten is an e-commerce company that sells to over a billion clients worldwide and operates in more than two dozen nations. As a result, it has earned the moniker “the Amazon of Japan.” Rakuten has a number of features that set it apart from other foreign marketplaces.

R-mail – Rakuten’s proprietary e-mail tool – helps sellers create and maintain relationships with buyers globally so that they can become loyal customers over time. The site offers a help center with an ecommerce consultant who can assist you in your seller’s journey. The marketplace also has a cashback program called Super Points that may help boost customer loyalty on the site.

6. T-Mall

T-Mall, a subsidiary of the E-Commerce website Taobao, was founded in 2008 under the Alibaba Group. Its primary target market is B2C (Business to Consumer). T-Mall’s goal is bold and prudent, as the platform allows both Chinese and non-Chinese firms to sell their items in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. T-Mall distinguishes out from the competition thanks to its rigorous standards for quality and reputation.

When we consider the rankings of China’s top websites based on traffic volume, it is apparent that T-Mall leads the pack, even compared to China’s most popular search engine, Baidu. Chinese consumers spend an average of 7 minutes per day using the app, which is more than twice as long as they spend on JD.com, which is one of T-Mall’s major competitors in China.

7. Flipkart

Flipkart is a prominent ecommerce business in India that made $4.6 billion in revenue in October 2021. The site began as an online bookstore before expanding into other product categories like apparel, furniture, grocery, and travel.

Flipkart offers a number of reasons to sell on its market. It has a simple user interface and charges nothing to set up a merchant profile. When you list an item, you may reach out to over 200 million users. You won’t have to worry about how you’re going to deliver items to your clients when you sell on Flipkart. Flipkart’s fulfillment network of 10,000 delivery agents and 200+ pick-up locations guarantees quick delivery of your items while also allowing you to protect yourself from losses through its Seller Protection coverage.

8. Mercado Libre

The most popular ecommerce platform in Latin America is Mercado Libre. Mercado Libre receives over 650 million monthly visits, with Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico accounting for 80% of those visits, according to a Web Retailer study.

Mercado Libre is an all-around internet store that features a wide range of items. It enables merchants to sell products in more than 150 categories, including fashion, electronics, sports goods, house and garden, and smartphones and accessories. It is possible for foreign companies to take payments in US dollars and provide services in local currency. Accepted members of Mercado Libre’s Global Selling program can receive these benefits and more by listing and collecting payments in US dollars.

9. Lazada

Lazada is a major online marketplace in Southeast Asia that was established in 2012. It is available in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

As the leader in the E-Commerce ecosystem in Southeast Asia, Lazada has 155,000 merchants and 3,000 brands serving more than 550 million consumers through its marketplace platform. With more than 300 million SKUs available, Lazada has the most comprehensive selection of goods in numerous categories including consumer electronics, household items, toys, fashion, sports equipment, and food.

10. Blibli

Blibli is one of the most popular online marketplaces in Indonesia, with thousands of items available to purchasers from across 15 different categories. Because to its emphasis on selling genuine, branded items, it’s recognized for being a reliable vendor.

Blibli has a worldwide seller program to assist international vendors expand their operations in Indonesia. You may list products for free, but you must have a valid business registration and bank account to join the program. As an international seller, you can ship your items to Blibli’s fulfillment center, which delivers throughout Indonesia and provides 24 hour local-language customer service support.

Local E-Commerce Payment Methods To Consider When Internationalizing

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Understanding the best payment options for online enterprises targeting a global audience is critical, yet in order to sell in certain local areas, you must first understand how preferences differ from one region to the next. Some markets, for example, have a stronger preference for cards, whereas others prefer eWallets.

There are numerous methods of payment which are used globally, which aren’t necessarily similar to the “usual suspects”, which I’ve written an article about here.

In a country, local payment methods can vary from 10% to 50%, so keep that in mind when building an E-Commerce presence in a new market, especially if it’s an “exotic” territory compared to your home market.

Europe

In general, most European buyers prefer cards or eWallets for their online purchases, with different markets showing distinct preferences for certain online payment methods.

PayPal is popular in Germany, with 32% of online consumers using it. In comparison, just 16% of French customers use PayPal. Germans are also quite fond of SEPA Direct debit, which they utilize for one-time and recurring payments alike. SOFORT and Klarna is also very popular in the German market.

In the Netherlands, iDEAL is the most popular payment option, with 44% of consumers selecting it as 2Checkout’s 2019 digital benchmarks report shows. It comes as no surprise that online customers like iDEAL, a standard internet banking-based payment method with a high adoption rate on the internet.

By contrast, in countries with a lower banking penetration, such as Russia, eWallets are more widely embraced. In Russia, payment methods include Qiwi wallet, Yandex Money and WebMoney.

Shoppers in France, which has a high degree of banking penetration, may pick their cards. However, as a merchant, you must still be aware of their preferences. According to 2Checkout’s benchmark research, 14% of customers here prefer Cart Bancaire, a local payment option that is only available in this market.

In Turkey, 17% of consumers prefer local credit cards, but they do so because these local credit cards have installment capabilities. Here, 80% of card transactions are done using installment cards.

North America and Latin America

In the Americas, credit cards and debit cards continue to be the most popular online payment methods, with over 50% market share in each region. Beyond cards, however, preferences differ considerably.

Most North Americans use their PayPal or other preferred digital wallet, whereas most South Americans rely on a local credit card with installments. In Brazil, for example, almost a third of internet buyers opt for local credit cards with installments. If you’re selling on the Brazilian market but haven’t set up Boleto Bancario payments yet, it’s time to call it a day. Brazilian consumers use a variety of alternative payment options, with 13% paying with their Boleto Bancario and 28% utilizing local credit cards that include payments. Only 20% of the cards in use here support foreign currencies, so unless your payment provider accepts these payments, you’ll need a Brazilian business partner to have a strong positioning in the market.

Asia Pacific

In the Asia-Pacific region, mobile/digital wallets are preferred by more than half of all online transactions.

When it comes to digital wallets, and shopping through mobile, Chinese consumers are the most enthusiastic, with AliPay and WeChat Pay taking up the majority of the entire market. They have over 1 billion users, a penetration rate of over 90%, and a market share of well over 90% between them. Alipay has 520 million active users; WeChatPay has 300 million active users per month, meaning that if you are to operate in the Chinese digital space, it is a prerequisite to have one or both of these payment methods. Asia Pacific’s second-favorite method is bank transfers, which follow cards.

In Japan, more than 5% of people prefer Konbini, a cash-based payment method that allows customers to place orders online and then pay in a convenience store. This is in particular a payment option which is used by individuals who don’t hold a credit card, as they can pay with cash in their local convenience store. The convinence stores include – but are not limited to – 7/11, FamilyMart and Lawson. JCB payments are also very popular among the Japanese consumers, with the card’s large usage – more than 55 million JCB cards are in use in the country.

Africa

Due to the fact that a large part of African internet customers do not have access to conventional banking services, mobile payments and e-wallets as an alternative online payment approach are becoming more popular in these areas.

Mobile wallets are popular among buyers in Africa who purchase online, yet cash on delivery is preferred in countries like Egypt, while others still use prepaid cards.

The 7 Most Common Online Payment Options

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One of the most important – and to many, most difficult – task you’ll face as a business looking to expand into E-Commerce markets in different geographical locations is determining which online payments are used most often. Knowing which online payment option is best for each respective market you want to enter is critical, since customers are substantially more likely to complete a purchase if they’re offered the right payment methods

I am sure you’re aware of how popular credit cards and PayPal are, but can your organization really satisfy the demands of all audiences you’re seeking to reach? If you only take the aforementioned two payment methods into considerations, then I can assure you that you won’t fulfill all customer expectations when it comes to payment methods.

Let’s take a deeper look into the best payment options online to see if you’re making any mistakes, or if you’re fully covered.

International E-Commerce payment methods

Consumers nowadays want to see a variety of payment options available on the websites of online retailers, so they can pick the one that best fits their needs. To appeal to the broadest audience, you must ensure that your site offers support for the most popular payment methods online – both on a global level, but also in markets where more localized solutions are a must.

If you’re casting a wide net and want to include any of the planet’s 4.6 billion internet users, your payment option list should certainly include:

1. Credit & debit cards

Credit and debit cards are still one of the most popular online purchasing options across the world, although their market share has been declining in recent years due to eWallets. Cards made up more than 35% of all E-Commerce transactions worldwide in 2020 and are expected to decline towards 2024 according to Statista. Cards have a stronger preference in longer established E-Commerce markets such as Europe and North America.

The popularity of cards as online payment methods was helped by the security benefits they offered – card transactions have been governed for decades by global and regional compliance standards as well as consumer protections enforced by payment processors, such as those upheld by Mastercard, American Express, and Visa.

In Western markets, credit cards have a slightly more obvious preference vs debit cards, owing to their additional capabilities. Some consumers are encouraged to use credit cards to participate in bank reward programs, for example. In the US, particularly, credit card spending influences a user’s credit rating and adds to the incentive of using it as an online payment option.

Card’s position as the number one solution in consumer preferences for E-Commerce payment methods has been challenged substantially in recent years, which will also be outlined in the following sections.

2. eWallets

eWallets, also known as digital wallets, are a type of online payment method that is quickly becoming one of the most popular ways to pay for goods and services across B2C E-Commerce sites all around the world. By 2022, eWallets are expected to account for half of all global eCommerce sales.

Using an eWallet, you can pay for items without applying your credit card. Instead of customers have to enter their bank account information, they are redirected from the checkout to the eWallet’s site where they simply has to log in using their username and password to finish a transaction.

PayPal (mainly in the West), AliPay (particularly popular in Asia Pacific), ApplePay, GooglePay, WeChat, or Venmo are the most common digital wallets. eWallets may also be used with mobile wallets to take advantage of a smartphone’s biometric capabilities, which allow consumers to authenticate faster and complete their transactions faster.

3. Bank transfers

Customers may pay using their bank account and funds directly. It is seen as having a higher level of security because transactions are authenticated through the user’s bank. In essence, when chosen as payment option during checkout, a bank transfer sends the customer to their internet banking site, where they must log in and authorize the transaction.

In 2020, around 8% of worldwide E-Commerce transaction volumes were paid with bank transfers, which was mostly used in Europe.

4. Buy now, pay later

Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) is a relatively new online payment method that has seen tremendous growth in the previous two years. This is a form of instant lending that more and more young consumers are seeking out.

Customers may choose to pay later, over time, without having to open a credit card for this when opting for this option. According to reports, availability of this choice at checkout has been able to persuade 30% more customers into finalizing a transaction that they would have otherwise abandoned.

Despite the fact that this alternative payment approach is still in its early stages, with just over 2% of global E-Commerce transactions in 2020, it is anticipated to grow rapidly in the coming years. Some of the payment providers which offers this payment options include SplitIt, Klarna, Bread, Viabill, and Afterpay. For more information about, I encourage you to read the following article.

5. Prepaid cards

Alternatives to credit and debit cards include prepaid cards, which are popular among unbanked people and minors, allowing users to choose a specific amount of money on the card that they can spend online when shopping.

Prepaid cards are yet to experience significant penetration in the E-Commerce market, with just about 1% of all global E-Commerce transactions currently using them. Some of the most popular prepaid cards chosen by customers include Mint or Paysafecard, which have a limited usage among users. Gaming is one industry where this payment method has seen increased use.

6. Cash On Delivery

A “cash on delivery” transaction is one in which payment is made upon delivery rather than at the time of order. Although the term “COD” commonly refers to cash on delivery, it may also refer to collect on delivery. You do not have to provide a cash payment. You may offer the amount owed with any sort of payment that the merchant or delivery company accepts, such as a credit card or money order. The payment method took up a bit more than 3% of global E-Commerce transactions in 2020, and is expected to decline quite significantly in the coming years.

The payment method is especially used in developing countries, where the fraud rate on online transactions can be quite high in certain markets.

7. Electronic checks

Acceptance of e-checks, which are subject to ACH rules, entails drawing money from a checking account. The payment is authorized directly from the user’s internet bank account and carried out in the same manner as paper checks, but quicker.

Electronic checks are popular among American companies with large sales volumes and a high average order values, as they are seen as an inexpensive online payment option. E-checks were the first Internet-based payments used by the US Treasury to make major online purchases, which may explain their popularity in areas where the payment values are very high.

8 Things To Do When Internationalizing Your E-Commerce Business

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Internationalizing your E-Commerce business can sound like a substantial project, especially when you want to localize your activities in all the new markets that you are about to enter. However, due to the substantial improvements which have taken place from a operational and technological point of view in the past decade, creating a global infrastructure for your E-Commerce business does not have to be as complex as it may sound – and you (and your team) don’t necessarily have to even leave your current physical location to realize the project.

Things to Consider When Internationalizing Your E-Commerce Business

1. Bespoke Website for Each New Market

Similarly to other major successful E-Commerce business (e.g., Amazon, Zalando, Asos, THG) I definitely suggest that you should develop a localised website for each market in which your firm operates. By fulfilling various requirements for each website (which will be outlined in the next sections) the idea is to create localized consumer facing experiences which will make the customers comfortable as their shopping experience resembles the experiences of actually shopping on a local website from a national company. The localised setup will naturally increase confidence and trust, and thereby the appurtenant conversion rate on the website – even though that and your company might not be physically present in the country form which the consumer is from.

2. Local Languages

By launching a new country-specific website in the local language, it will be easier for the national consumers to navigate around on the site. Think about yourself: Assuming you are from an English speaking country, you would most likely not visit and shop on a website in an Italian or Spanish language. It’s the same mentality in most Non-English countries. Even though the English language in many ways is seen as an ‘international standard’, consumers from Non-English speaking countries still very much prefer to shop on websites in their local language. If you already have an English flagship website, then you don’t necessarily have to hire – say – a Spanish person to be able to launch a Spanish store. Your master information from the English page can easily be translated through freelancers whom you can create a close partnership with. In many countries where local marketing channels doesn’t necessarily have to be used to grow an online business, one English speaking E-Commerce Manager will be able to manage several localized stores through a network of external or internal translators.

3. Local Currencies

Adding the local currency does naturally increase the conversion rate as consumers always prefer to shop in their natural currency. It’s a habit. Even though the credit card fees might be the same, it’s almost certain that 10 out of 10 would always pick his / her national currency in a transaction, if it’s available. For this reason, it is always suggested to launch the local currency on every local sub-site which you may launch. If you only have one master store, then it is suggested to have multiple currencies on that store – ideally covering all the markets which the website has a present in.

4. Local Payment Methods

Similarly to the local currencies, local payment methods will also reduce the checkout abandonment, thereby increasing the conversion rate on your website. Alternative Payment Methods (APM’s) – also known as digital wallets – have become of substantial importance in the past years, and in some countries it is in fact close to impossible to build an E-Commerce business which only accepts credit cards and other more basic payment solutions like Paypal. In China, the majority of the transactions do as an example take place through Alipay, WeChat Pay and a few other APM’s – more than 50% of all transactions do in fact take place through APM’s. So regardless of where in the world you’re launching, make sure to implement the right APM’s from the very beginning, as this will enhance your conversion flow. A separate article will be written on APM’s at a later stage.

5. Local TLDs – Country Level Domains

So this one is actually tricky. Whether to launch a localized E-Commerce setup through Top-Level Domains (TLD’s) or subfolders have always been a large discussion point in the E-Commerce community. However, I’ve always been a strong advocate of a localized setup through TLD’s – and here is why. When using a country level domain structure (i.e., when a German website as an example uses the .de domain, a French uses the .fr domain, and a Korean uses the .co.kr domain) the presumption of consumers is usually that they are shopping from a national company. A foundation for the store is here created, where consumers can feel completely comfortable, as the domain structure doesn’t deviate from the local competitors. This is the absolute most important tricker to facilitate conversions; that is, trust. Having just one .com website, which then has several other languages in a dropdown is also a good solution, but will never be the same a launching a local store with a TLD. With people becoming more digital and e-commerce savvy over time, the importance of TLD’s will slowly vanish, but for now I would still very much do it. The main downside is of course, that you’ll have multiple stores that are separated from one another when launching them with local TLD’s, and this means that your SEO strategy in particular have to be executed on a more granular level.

6. Local Logistics Partners

As a function of the rapid adoption of E-Commerce in the past decade, consumers expectations towards your service level have also sky rocketed. In the past years, the delivery times have been reduced exponentially on a year on year basis, now reaching a level where many brands have same-day delivery in certain markets. Having a one week delivery time is simply just not acceptable any longer, which is why it is very important to establish an adequate operational infrastructure from day zero. The good news is that most international courier companies now have established a global infrastructure which allows them to ship goods cross-border from one day to another, meaning that local storage for fast deliveries isn’t a necessity anymore. Large brands such as Zalando, The Hut Group, and others, fulfill a global demand from just a few warehouses globally. In fact, I’ve once worked for a brand which generated +£100 million in a country, without having any local storage our people situated in the country. The point here is that you can create an international e-commerce setup with just a few warehouses globally – even one is enough in the beginning – the only requirement is just that you find a 3PL partner which has good agreements with courier partners that can deliver to all your core markets within a short time period.

7. Local Customer Service

Having a customer service function which is localized for your core markets is very important to consider early on in your internationalization journey, in the markets where the average English language skills of your target customers aren’t very high. Of course, if your brand primarily targets English speaking markets, as well as markets where the target consumers on average have adequate English language skills (e.g., Scandinavia, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, and the like) then an English speaking customer service agent can be sufficient. However, if you enter various different markets, where the target consumers don’t have adequate English language skills, then customer service agents for each of these markets will become important. If you are a part of a company which have limited capital, then it is recommended to use other functions internally for this work stream on an initial basis, where the “pressure” from the consumers isn’t very high. In case you have a Country Manager or Market Manager structure in your company, then these functions can manage the customer service work stream in the initially, whereafter local agents can be hired internally or externally when the amount of tickets / inquiries exceeds a certain level.

8. Local Campaign Strategy

A local pricing and campaign strategy can be crucial for your success when localizing, especially if you are internationalizing across multiple territories which are very different from a cultural perspective. Establishing prices for your product(s) / service(s) is more an art than a science, and the campaigns which you may be running from time to time will differ substantially if the markets that you operate in vary a lot.