Avensia : 7 Tips for Successful International E-Commerce

Ensure Your Platform is Apt for International E-Commerce

If your current platform is not a viable option for internationalization, you should upgrade if you are serious about succeeding. Don't go for the 4-week cheap platform option just to try. Go for the platform that will bring you success.

It's like trying to sell a car by having your potential buyer test-drive a junker! Your customers will feel the lackluster foundation of the platform, and that will affect performance.

Many platforms allow for multiple currencies, localzations, languages, etc. But can they manage feature adaptations per market? Different types of integrations depending on the market, different assortments, personalization per market, etc, etc?

Modern platforms that have a certain level of composable capabilities will allow for adaptations per market making entry to the nex market even easier, and the next, and the next, and so on.

Research Your International E-Commerce Market

It may sound like we're stating the obvious, but we really can't over emphasize the importance of thorough research into an international market.

The reality is that the same tactics that are bringing you the big sales numbers in your home market might not work at all in another locale for a different demographic. Not just that, but a misread on your part could completely backfire and work against your business.

A famous case that comes to mind is when Pampers tried to sell its line of diapers in Japan. Instead of thoroughly researching the market, the brand simply tried to reuse their existing marketing materials that featured a stork carrying a baby in diapers. Well, in Japan there is no folklore about storks and babies, so the result was a lot of confused, and maybe a little concerned, shoppers who avoided the brand completely. This basically resulted in Pampers falling on their face in their Japanese efforts.