Get Ready for Cross Border eCommerce. Glocalization?
For cross border sales success, the key lies in Glocalization, which is a combination of Globalization and Localization.
The goal of glocalization is to deliver a seamless shopping experience for customers in your target geography. In order to successfully sell in the international market, it is important to customize your products, services, and branding message for the local market. With glocalization, cross border eCommerce can prove to be a step in the right direction for any online business.
Components of Successful Glocalization
1. Language and Currency Translation
Yes, you have read it right. Language can be a big barrier between you and your target audience in the international market. It is imperative to translate your website text and all marketing communication into the local language so that your target audience is able to comprehend your message clearly. It also helps to use the local format for dates and prices as well. After all, you have got to create an impression of being very much local. Also remember, word-for-word translation might not always help. You don’t want to ignore the cultural nuances.
2. Payment preferences
In order to make a purchase online, customers must have access to a preferred payment method. Not all countries allow online shopping via PayPal. This means that you ought to offer customers multiple payment method alternatives, including credit card, debit card, bank transfer, cash on demand, and e-wallets, among others. If you want people to improve your chances in cross border eCommerce, you must offer local payment options.
3. Transparent pricing
Hidden charges do not make any customer happy. It’s important that online buyers know in advance if they need to pay extra for shipping, import duty, or customs fee. So make sure they are already aware of any extra charges before they click on the buy now button.
Related: Pricing Psychology to Boost eCommerce Sales
4. Local fulfillment options
Of course no customer is happy with delays in the delivery of their orders. While DHL, UPS, FedEx, and U.S.P.S. are the preferred shipping options in the US, international customers have to rely on their local carriers and courier services. Glocalization requires providing reliable delivery options that deliver the goods on time, efficiently and cost effectively.
5. SEO and personalization
Search engine optimization is an important element of your online marketing strategy. But it’s important that you know the keywords and key phrases used in the local language by consumers to search for your offerings. It might help to use those key terms and words on your website and in your marketing communications. Though Google is the leading search engine, it is important to know about local search engines used by your target audience. The keywords and phrases should be incorporated into your social media marketing strategy as well with an aim to improve your chances of success in cross border eCommerce.
6. Customer service
Customers everywhere want quick resolution of any issues they are facing with an online retailer, whether it is about problems navigating the eCommerce site, placing an order, canceling an order, or requesting for a replacement. When it comes to selling in the global market, it’s important that international customers get high quality customer service, with immediate solutions to their problems. This will serve two purposes – protect your brand reputation and give you customers for life. Ideally, a live chat option is the best way to communicate with foreign customers. You can also provide a highly visible local phone number, with an efficient customer support desk always available to respond to customer queries. It’s also very important that the customer executives are knowledgeable about your products and policies.
Related: Excellent Customer Service
7. Easy returns
If an international customer isn’t too happy with a product, they must be able to return the merchandise conveniently. Localized customer service can come to your rescue and handle the returns, reclaim any taxes paid on it, and help you retrieve the product and update your online store accordingly.
For certain products, it’s more cost effective to just mail a replacement to the customer and not ask the customer to return the item already delivered to them. This will depend on your cost factor.
Related: 3 Tips for Better Returns and Exchanges
8. Mobile purchasing
You cannot ignore mobile eCommerce in the international market, since a large section of your target audience uses mobile devices to buy a product online. Make sure this section of the audience is able to access your website seamlessly on their mobile phones.
So Where are the Cross Border Power Shoppers? Which Countries’ Shoppers Do More Cross Border Shopping Online.
Image courtesy of crossborder-ecommerce.com
CrossBorder-eCommerce.com has a good article that breaks it all down. Read it here.
Bottom Line
With high quality glocalization, you can improve your chances of success in the cross border eCommerce arena and offer a great shopping experience for your international customers.
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