If you already have a successful online shop you might be wondering where to grow next! In many cases the answer is international expansion.
It’s never been easier to sell to customers all across the world. In a 2019 FedEx study of European SMEs 35% believe e-commerce sales will increase to other European markets and 32% believe e-commerce sales will increase to markets outside of Europe.
A forecast from 2017 by the research organization Forrester predicts that cross-border e-commerce sales will reach $627 billion by 2022 accounting for around 20% of total online sales.
So, there’s never been a better time to develop your cross-border e-commerce strategy. We’ve put together some tips to help get you started.
Take advantage of our welcome offers to try FedEx & ShippyPro international shipping services. Save 40% on FedEx account opening rates & use ShippyPro for free for your first 250 orders!
If you’re unsure about which countries to expand into, it’s worth considering the countries with the highest e-commerce sales volumes. In 2019 China was the leader, with $1,900 billion ecommerce sales followed by the USA ($586 billion) and the UK ($142 billion).
Find out the top 10 countries ranked by retail e–commerce sales in 2018/2019 as per FedEx study.
Marketplaces can offer large audiences from day one which can drive sales as you build up your direct-to-consumer channel. The most commonly used marketplaces vary from country to country, you choose the right one for your proposition.
Whilst some marketplaces are international, like eBay and Amazon, others are more country-specific. For example, many consumers in France use Fnac for online shopping. It’s a French company, so that’s to be expected – but did you know that it’s also a popular marketplace in Spain? It’s not, however, widely used in Italy.
So, what marketplaces should you consider?
Shopper demands are driving the meteoric growth of e-commerce, and their expectations will continue to change rapidly with every new technological advance or industry disruptor.
Shoppers expect to move seamlessly between physical and virtual spaces in their purchase journey. They may start with online research, then browse in-store. When shoppers complete the purchase, they want multiple delivery options: buy online for delivery, order online for in-store pickup, order online but return in-store, etc.
When going into a new market you need to understand these expectations and be able to meet them. You need to provide the right experience that speaks to the customer’s desires, expectations and lifestyle. To achieve this selecting the right logistics partner becomes crucial to your business success.
FedEx offers a range of international ecommerce services, including next-day delivery across Europe. They also offer delivery options to make shipping more convenient for your customers.
This includes delivery to retail points across the USA, Asia and Europe, so your customers can collect their package at a time that suits them.
Start shipping instantly whether you are an established business or just getting started. Ready to ship with FedEx on multiple sales channels?
ShippyPro offers integration with FedEx to make it simple to manage your international orders. The easy-to-use dashboard allows you to quickly bulk print shipping labels for your orders, and you can track deliveries from door-to-door, resolving any headaches about the status of your shipment.
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