As an eCommerce business owner who’s looking to sell products overseas, the idea of taking on a global platform can suddenly feel overwhelming. Breaking into the international market means strengthening your market share, enhancing brand awareness, and increasing your revenue, but only if you take the right approach.
When scaling your eCommerce business internationally, there are multiple elements to consider, including finding the right sales channels, payment options, tax rules and regulations, as well as getting to grips with an international returns policy. Not forgetting to build trust and ensuring that your customer service is world-class.
Want to know more? Let’s explore some helpful tips for selling your products overseas from your website.
Prioritise Simple International Payment Handling
When selling overseas, you’re going to be handling all kinds of new currencies, from dollars and yen to euros and rands – you’ll find more information on a multi currency payment guide, here. Getting to grips with international payment processing is easier when you have the right accounting requirements available. Your payment gateway provider will be able to handle all the currency exchanges and even list the prices on your website in the visitor’s chosen currency, making it much easier to shop with you. In addition, choosing a payment provider that has a strong global reputation for excellence and security will also give site visitors peace of mind.
Don’t Forget About Taxes and Regulations
When you sell internationally, you’ll also need to consider the varying tax and international regulations you’ll have to handle. Duties and taxes may affect the overall price of your items, so remember to make these charges (if any) as clear as possible from the outset. You’ll also need to consider your products’ journey through customs, which is much easier when you are following the guidelines around forms, documents and declarations. If you want your deliveries to arrive on time, then you’ll need to make yourself familiar with these practices to avoid disappointing your customers.
Be Clear on Shipping
When it comes to shipping, don’t overpromise and underdeliver (literally). Be as honest as you can with your shipping times and manage the expectations of your clients as early as possible. Ensure that all your delivery options and information is easy to find and understand on your website – the more transparent you are, the more trusting your customers will be.
Consider Your Returns Policy
An international returns policy sounds incredibly complicated and daunting, however, with the right information and approach, it can be handled well and strengthen the relationships you have with your international clientele. Of course, you’ll need to consider the basics of your returns policy, such as any return fees you may charge, time limits on returns, any options you might offer and whether you’ll be handing out full, partial or credit-based refunds. You’ll also need to explore local consumer laws within your chosen countries to ensure you’re managing returns efficiently and legally.
Final Thoughts…
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed at the idea of selling your products internationally, so consider the steps above to make the transition as easy as possible.
