VD2: 3 Questions to ask before launching internationally
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Deciding to expand internationally can be daunting for many e-commerce stores. The fear of the unknown along with potential costs associated with shipping internationally can stop small businesses from offering international customers their products.
When launching a product internationally it is important to understand market’s logistical and cultural considerations.
There are 3 simple questions you should ask yourself before launching internationally:
1. Determine how easy it is to ship to specific country you are interested in going business with Cost effective and hassle free shipping is extremely important to launch products internationally. You’ll need to understand market’s specific shipping costs structure. UPS has a handy tool that calculates cross borders, shipping cost, taxes and regulations. By just entering the origin/destination of your product, the tool will spill back documentation or requirements needed to ship to specific countries worldwide.
2. Assess countries willingness to shop abroad Research your potential customer’s online spending habits. Perform a simple market research by reviewing data from trade publications such as Emarketer. Learn about countries specific needs. In Hong Kong for example, the population purchases wine and fine art online, while in Australia & Germany, fashion apparel.
3. Research countries social media platform of choice
Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest have become universal platforms in most countries except for China, Russia, and a few others. You want to research where your specific demographic is spending the most time so you draft your marketing campaign accordingly.
Conclusion: Do your research and make sure there is a need for your product in your country of interest.
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