How to reach and sell to international customers in 2024

Ever wonder how to level up your ecommerce game by selling to international customers? The answer lies in understanding the current global ecommerce landscape and tailoring your strategies accordingly. In 2024, business isn't just about being local anymore. 

Let's delve into various strategies - from overcoming cultural barriers to leveraging local marketing tactics - that can transform your ecommerce venture into a truly global phenomenon.

• Identifying and understanding your target international market is instrumental to successful ecommerce trade. This may be achieved through thorough market research.

• Linguistic and cultural adaptations of your product or service might be necessary to resonate with international clients.

• Localized marketing, customer service, and streamlined payment options could enhance your global ecommerce business.

• Using global networks such as Gelato's global print on demand can help in producing and delivering products locally, making operations more cost-effective and efficient.

• Legal and regulatory challenges in the international ecommerce landscape need careful navigation, along with building a positive international reputation and the constant evaluation and adaptation of strategies.

Let's get right to the point: If you really want to tap into the ever-growing international market, you have to understand the international ecommerce landscape. It's vast, diverse, and competitive, but don't let that frighten you. Instead, see it as an exciting challenge, a chance to build your business and meet customer needs on a global scale. 

The global ecommerce market

The global ecommerce scene is really fascinating. On one side, you've got developed countries that are all about the latest tech trends in online shopping. On the other, emerging markets are making huge strides digitally, catching up fast. 

Understanding these differences is key if you want to tailor your strategies to succeed in various places around the world. According to a survey conducted in 2024, it's projected that global retail ecommerce sales will surpass $6.3 trillion, with expectations for this number to climb even higher in the subsequent years.

Trends driving international ecommerce

A few key trends driving international commerce include: 

• Mobile commerce: Smartphones have become the preferred medium for online shopping. A mobile-optimized website is not merely an option; it is a necessity in today's market.

• AI-driven personalization: By leveraging Artificial Intelligence and Big Data, businesses can provide personal shopping experiences that cater to individual customer preferences.

• Chatbots: Chatbots are streamlining customer service and interactions, proving to be an invaluable resource in scaling customer communications and service.

• Sustainable ecommerce practices: An increasing number of consumers prioritize sustainability. Incorporating eco-friendly practices into the business can bolster the brand image and influence buyers.

Know the customer

When you venture into international ecommerce, it's essential to remember that every market is unique - different cultures, languages, payment preferences, and buying behaviors. Therefore, building a detailed persona for your international customer can prove invaluable in crafting an effective strategy for the markets you intend to target. 

"Success in international ecommerce is not about what you sell; it is about how and where you sell it." - Michael Evans, President of Alibaba Group

Tapping into the foreign market is a game-changer, but it requires a compelling strategy. We will delve into the effective measures for reaching and selling to international customers, providing your business with a definitive guide to conquer new frontiers in 2024.

1. Conduct market research

Stepping into international markets requires careful planning and a deep understanding of the cultural, economic, and political landscape of the target region. That's where market research steps in.

• Local consumer behavior: Prioritize understanding how local consumers in these markets make purchasing decisions. Know their likes, dislikes, demands, and expectations. Utilize online surveys or social media analytics for direct input from your target demographic.

• Competitor analysis: Identify who your direct and indirect competitors in the market are. Analyze their strategy, market positioning, sales process, and customer interaction models.

• Economic indicators: Investigate the economic environment and identify factors like growth rate, stability, regulations, and exchange rates. These will have a significant impact on your costs, pricing, and strategy.

• Trade regulations: Familiarize yourself with any laws, regulations, or potential restrictions that might affect your ability to sell in these markets.

2. Thoroughly understand your target market

Your global expansion success largely hinges on having a thorough understanding of your target market. It involves in-depth knowledge of their habits, preferences, and buying patterns. Here's how you can get a grip on this: 

• Site analytics: Make use of site analytics to understand the behavior of your visitors. Discover information such as how they found your site, their average session duration, and their bounce rate.

• Customer feedback: Regularly gather and review feedback to find your product's pros and cons as perceived by your target market.

• Create customer personas: They help visualize your typical customers, making it easier to tailor your products, services, and marketing efforts toward their needs.

3. Overcome language and cultural barriers

Overcoming language and cultural barriers is truly essential for successful international retailing. Firstly, consider website translation into the languages of your target markets. Ensure that you're not just translating words but also localizing content to suit local idioms, expressions, and metaphors.

• Language localization: Seek help from native speakers or professional translation services to guarantee accuracy.

• Content customization: Couch your content in the context of local traditions, customs, and colloquialisms in your marketing messages.

• Visual content: Images, colors, and symbols may mean different things in different cultures. Make sure to customize these for each market.

• Communication style: From formal emails to casual social media posts, your communication style should match your audience's cultural expectations.

4. Adjust products and services for your target audience

When delving into international markets, tailor your offerings to resonate with the local consumers. This consideration goes beyond just language and currency. It's about understanding and adapting to cultural preferences, buying habits, and demand patterns. 

Here's how to go about it: 

• Product localization: Customers around the globe have distinct needs and preferences. Adapt your product features, packaging, and branding to cater to individual market needs. This serves to make your offerings more appealing and market-fit.

• Service adaptation: This may imply modifying your offering or delivery times, implementing new customer service practices, or even adapting your business hours to suit different time zones.

• Value proposition: Modify your value proposition to be culturally relevant, emphasizing different aspects of your product or service depending on the needs and desires of the local market.

5. Leverage localized marketing strategies

Engaging your international customers requires a much more localized marketing approach. Here are strategies for achieving this: 

• Use language to your advantage: Incorporate the local language into your collaterals, site content, and advertisements to create an immediate connection with the local audience.

• Research local celebrations and holidays: Capitalize on these events by tailoring your marketing campaigns around them.

• Local influencer partnerships: Partnering with local influencers can provide an authentic voice to promote your brand to the community.

• Localized SEO: Research and use local keywords and phrases that your target audience uses to search for your products or services.

6. Provide international customer service

When it comes to serving the international market, customer service inevitably takes on a whole new level of importance. Handling queries, resolving issues, and ensuring customer satisfaction across time zones and languages is no small feat. 

Here are a few tips to achieve this: 

• Offer multilingual support: Investing in multilingual support can drastically improve customer experience. This doesn't necessarily mean having a 24/7 call center. Even well-translated FAQs and chatbot support can go a long way in serving international customers.

• Utilize local agents: Think global, act local - having customer service agents familiar with regional customs and etiquette is always advantageous. They’ll be able to navigate cultural nuances with ease.

• Streamlined communication channels: Providing multiple, easy-to-access communication channels like email, chat support, and a direct phone line caters to differing preferences and increases accessibility.

7. Streamline international payment options

You can make considerable strides by focusing on the following areas: 

• Global payment methods: Ensure your online store accepts leading international payment methods. Popular online payment options vary by country, so it's essential to integrate a variety of options, from credit cards to local digital wallets.

• Multi-currency functionality: Try to offer a multi-currency display where customers can view products in their local currency for better transparency.

• Fraud prevention: Invest in secure systems that minimize fraud, enhance the user's trust, and improve the overall customer experience.

By creating smooth, secure payment processes that serve international customers' preferences, you can enhance your international sales significantly.

8. Utilize global networks for local fulfillment

Indeed, local fulfillment via global networks offers an efficient and cost-effective way to reach international customers. It's time to tap into this strategy to enhance your market reach in 2024 and beyond.

• Partner with local entities: Local retailers and delivery firms have an in-depth knowledge of the market terrain and can help you navigate the local logistics seamlessly.

• Adopt international fulfillment services: Services like Gelato’s global print on demand network can help you produce and ship products locally across different countries. This system not only speeds up the delivery process but also significantly reduces costs.

• Leverage technology: Implement automated systems to manage stock levels and delivery schedules efficiently. A well-integrated system will ensure that your products are always available and delivered on time to your customers.

9. Navigate legal and regulatory challenges

As you grow internationally, you'll encounter differing legal landscapes and regulatory frameworks. To smoothly sail through these challenges, having a comprehensive understanding of the laws and regulations in your target countries is vital. 

Here's how you can go about it: 

• Research local laws: Get acquainted with the laws that govern product safety, labeling, and data privacy in each of your target countries.

• Hire expert help: Legal experts or consultants in international trade can help you navigate complex legal frameworks. They can help keep you compliant.

• Stay updated: Laws change. Regularly monitor updates to the legal and regulatory environment in the regions where you do business.

10. Build a positive international reputation

In order to build a positive international reputation, it's critical to ensure that your business values echo across the diverse markets you target. This means your actions, products, and interactions should seamlessly portray trust, integrity, and quality.

• Deliver quality: Never compromise on the quality of your product or service. Poor quality taints your image and sours relationships with your customers. High quality, on the other hand, cultivates trust and loyalty among your international audience.

• Customer service: Empower your customer service team with the cultural and linguistic knowledge needed to interact positively with your global customers. Defusing issues and providing useful solutions contribute significantly to your reputation.

• Social responsibility: Show that your business is not just about profit - commit to making a positive impact in the communities you serve. This could be through sustainable practices, philanthropy, or social initiatives.

• Transparency: Be open and honest about your business practices. Transparency breeds trust, and trust is pivotal in shaping a solid international reputation.

11. Evaluate and adapt strategies

What works today may not work tomorrow, and remaining open to adaptability can keep you sailing smoothly across the international ecommerce sea.

Here's how you can stay ahead of the curve: 

• Analyze performance: Regularly assess your sales data, feedback, and reviews to understand what's working and what's not.

• Understand market changes: Markets are constantly evolving. Keep an eye on the customer's changing preferences, competitor strategies, and new technologies.

• Impart agility: Build agility into your ecosystem to quickly respond to these changes. Adapt your product, marketing strategies, or even payment and delivery methods when needed.

• A/B test: Experiment and test variations of your strategies to find what best resonates with your audience in different markets.

Expand your reach with Gelato's global print on demand. We offer an array of products, from personalized t-shirts, mugs, wall art, and phone cases to photo books, catering to diverse customer preferences. This network allows you to produce and ship products locally across different countries, making your brand truly international.

Plus, our Platinum subscription offers exclusive benefits like volume discounts, expedited delivery, and much more. 

So, why wait? Sign up for Gelato today and tap into new markets with their efficient and cost-effective solutions.