Table of Contents
- Introduction
- How to Create an International Ecommerce Strategy
- Localize Your Website
- Market in Your New International Markets
- Manage Your Business Internationally
- Conclusion
- FAQ
Introduction
In an increasingly connected world, the opportunity for businesses to expand beyond local markets has never been more accessible. With 35% of Shopify traffic coming from international visitors, it’s clear that global commerce is a significant growth area. But how do you take your online store from a local gem to an international powerhouse? Shopify's platform makes this transition seamless, offering tools and features designed to help your business thrive globally. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to successfully sell globally online, from creating an international strategy to localizing your website. By the end of this blog post, you'll have a comprehensive understanding of how to leverage Shopify to break into international markets.
How to Create an International Ecommerce Strategy
Breaking into international markets involves more than just making your products available overseas. It requires a strategic approach to ensure that your expansion is both sustainable and profitable. Here’s how to craft an effective international ecommerce strategy.
Identify International Target Markets
Start by understanding where there's existing demand for your products. Use Shopify’s analytics to view your sessions by location. If certain countries already show traffic or sales, they might be good initial targets. For completely new markets, consider those with similar purchasing habits or languages to your current market. For instance, if you’re based in Canada, the United States is a logical first expansion due to proximity and shared language.
Make It Easy for International Customers to Pay
A significant part of expanding internationally is ensuring customers can pay in their local currency. With Shopify Payments, you can offer prices in buyers’ local currencies, enhancing conversion rates. Install Shopify’s Geolocation app to automatically adjust the currency based on the user's location. For long-term stability, consider setting manual foreign exchange rates to avoid price fluctuations due to market changes. This feature is particularly useful if you're on the Advanced or Shopify Plus plans.
Set Up International Shipping
Shipping can be a dealbreaker for international sales. Create specific shipping zones for your target markets and develop a detailed shipping strategy that includes tailored rates and options. Consider partnering with international logistics companies to ensure reliable and cost-effective delivery. Offering options like express shipping and free shipping under certain conditions can also remove friction and improve the buying experience.
Localize Your Website
Localization goes beyond language translation. You need to make sure that your website feels native to your international customers. Let's delve into how you can achieve this.
Use International Domains to Target Specific Markets
An international domain name not only signals to customers that they are on a localized site but also enhances SEO. With Shopify, you can set up subdomains or top-level domains for different regions. For example, if your primary domain is johnsapparel.com in the US, you can set up a subdomain like uk.johnsapparel.com for the UK market. Shopify's domain management tools make this process straightforward, automatically setting hreflang tags to indicate region-specific content to search engines.
Translate Your Store and Online Materials
Research shows that 80% of international customers prefer to shop in their native language. Start by translating high-traffic pages, product descriptions, and legal information. You can use Shopify’s multilingual capabilities and compatible translation apps to manage this efficiently. For initial expansions, machine translations can suffice, but as you grow, consider investing in manual translations to ensure cultural nuances are respected.
Display Taxes Appropriately
Different regions have different tax expectations. In North America, prices are usually listed without taxes, which are added at checkout. In contrast, European and Asian buyers expect prices to include taxes. Shopify can automatically adjust your prices to include these taxes based on the buyer's location, preventing any surprises at checkout and increasing the likelihood of completing a sale.
Market in Your New International Markets
Expanding globally requires an equally global approach to marketing. Here’s how to effectively promote your products in new regions.
Use Localized Advertising Campaigns
Rather than just recycling your existing ads, create new campaigns tailored to your international markets. For instance, in Facebook Ads Manager, split your global campaigns by region and adjust your copy and visuals to reflect local culture and language. Highlight incentives like fast shipping to the target country to drive more engagement.
Retarget International Audiences
If you’re using dynamic retargeting ads on platforms like Facebook, Google, or Pinterest, ensure these ads are localized. Create product feeds from Shopify that support multiple currencies and languages to display accurate pricing and content. Tools like DataFeed Watch can help manage this process, ensuring that your ads resonate with international audiences.
Leverage Social Media
Consider creating separate social media accounts for different markets, allowing for more targeted and relevant content. Each region-specific account can address local trends, preferences, and customer service inquiries, fostering a stronger connection with your international audience.
Manage Your Business Internationally
With new markets comes the need for efficient management. Shopify offers a suite of tools to help you track performance and streamline operations.
Track Sales, Orders, and Analytics
Shopify’s robust analytics tools allow you to monitor sales, track orders, and measure overall performance across different regions. Use this data to refine your strategy, understand buying patterns, and identify areas for improvement.
Inventory and Order Management
Managing stock levels for multiple international markets can be challenging. Shopify’s inventory management tools help you keep track of stock, forecast demand, and ensure that popular products are available in all your target markets. It's crucial to avoid overstocking or stockouts, which can negatively impact customer satisfaction.
Customer Insights
Understanding your international customers is key to providing a tailored shopping experience. Use Shopify’s customer insights tools to gather data on buying behavior, preferences, and feedback. This information can guide future product offerings, marketing strategies, and customer service improvements.
Conclusion
Expanding your online store to serve international markets can transform your business, providing significant growth opportunities. By leveraging Shopify’s comprehensive suite of tools—from payment processing and localization to marketing and management—you can create a seamless shopping experience for customers worldwide. Strategic planning, localized content, and effective marketing are the cornerstones of successful global ecommerce. Ready to take your business to the next level? Start your journey with Shopify today and reach customers across the globe.
FAQ
What is Shopify?
Shopify is a comprehensive ecommerce platform that allows you to start, grow, and manage your online business. It provides tools for building your website, selling products, managing inventory, and more.
How do I start selling internationally with Shopify?
Begin by identifying target markets, localizing your website and pricing, setting up international shipping, and crafting localized marketing campaigns.
Do I need to create multiple Shopify stores for different languages?
No, you can use Shopify’s multi-language support and translation apps to offer a localized shopping experience from a single store.
How can I manage taxes for different regions?
Shopify automatically adjusts prices based on regional tax expectations, including or excluding taxes as necessary to match local norms.
What are the benefits of using international domains?
International domains can improve SEO and provide a more localized experience for your visitors. They set pricing and language defaults according to the region, enhancing user experience.
Expanding globally may seem daunting, but with strategic planning and the right tools from Shopify, you can tap into a world of opportunities. Start your free trial with Shopify today and explore how you can grow your business internationally.
