Ian
In the age
of internet shopping, you always see someone from international
territory interested in your products online. After all, your online
shopping site and products are only a Google search away. Talk about
one degree of separation here! So, as a smart seller, you need to
make sure you. With access to foreign markets, many American
companies are looking to expand overseas and to sell internationally.
So, what are the challenges that ecommerce sellers face when they
venture into international space?
Cultural
Complexities
Knowing
your customer across boundaries is important. When it comes to
shipping from abroad, people expect certain things. For example, the
lady in Japan who looks forward to her online purchase from the US
would expect her product to her at the promised time. She would be
highly irked if the product arrives later than promised. The Chinese
man who browses your site would like it if your site can be
translated to comprehensible Chinese. So, people from different parts
of the world and walks of life have different values and priorities
on different products. Research says that currently, online sales are
highest in the U.K, China, Finland, Norway, South Korea, and Denmark.
So, a smart seller would like to expand into these territories. It
makes sense to look at shipping partners who can handle logistics in
these countries.
Date
and time differences
While the
US follows the MM/DD/YY format to write dates, the UK follows
DD/MM/YY format. So, if you promise to deliver a product by the 10th
of November when you mention 11/10/2016, the British citizen thinks
his product will arrive by the 11th
of October. And he is going to be angry if the product doesn’t
arrive on that day! So, change date formats according to country.
Mention such details very clearly lest problems and miscommunication
arise. Tailor information according to country from which the
shopper originates.
Shipping
Costs, Duties, Taxes, Export Laws and Regulations
Legal
entanglements are very rampant when it comes to shipping
internationally. There are laws that you have never heard of in
mainland USA. But when you ship to a country as close as Canada or
Mexico, you will face several detailed legal regulations and
constraints. You will see a whole new world of plus plus costs,
duties, taxes, regulations, and export and import laws.
There are
also several restrictions across borders. Shipping powdery stuff will
be checked, regulated or banned across borders for fear of narcotic
traffic. A simple children’s toy you sell and ship might be seen as
an offensive object elsewhere. Returns processes are also frustrating
when you deal with overseas markets. You might not be able to promise
free returns, no questions asked returns policies when you sell
internationally.
