Selling products overseas used to be a complicated process. Not so much anymore.
The growth of global ecommerce and the boundless reach of online marketplaces have reduced the distance between your products and the international shopper.
Opting into international selling requires just a few simple steps. Even better, these online marketplaces will even handle some of the logistics for you.
Selling internationally can be a powerful way to grow your retail business, especially as ecommerce continues to gain popularity around the globe. Consider these facts:
- In 2015, 53% of consumers in Europe purchased something online, exceeding the European Commission’s Digital Agenda goal for technology adoption in the region.
- 9% of all retail purchases in China were made online in 2015.
- Amazon alone saw online sales grow 142% in Latin America during 2013.
Here’s a look at how you can start selling internationally on five of the largest and most successful online marketplaces. Of course, these marketplaces are not the only international channels available, but they are the top choices in terms of sheer size and relative merchant-friendliness. They are also compatible with GoDataFeed, making it simple for you to manage multiple marketplaces at once.
Amazon
Global Selling on Amazon can put your products in up to 11 retail marketplaces around the world, covering North America, most of Europe, and large parts of Asia. You can register for all 11 marketplaces or pick and choose the ones that seem best for your business.
Amazon also provides tools and guides to help you craft a strategy and make these types of choices. You can read advice on the types of products that are more likely to succeed (or not), take a look at how to set prices and create listings based on local norms, and decide whether or not to create your own distribution channels or use Fulfillment by Amazon.
Their system is robust while also providing clear and actionable information to sellers. If you are looking to sell in one of the international markets where they have a presence, Amazon is an important option to consider.
eBay
In recent years, the online auction giant has made great strides in also becoming an online marketplace giant. One important driver for eBay’s success in this area is the ability to sell to other countries. There are two ways to sell products internationally through eBay:
- The International Site Visibility Listing Upgrade. Here’s how it works. Certain products are eligible to be shipped to multiple countries. When you list a product that is eligible, the option to list it in other countries will appear before you submit it. You can choose to list it in multiple countries, and you will pay an additional listing fee for each one. It is also possible to choose shipping options for Australia, Canada, and the UK to let buyers from those countries know the exact cost.
- Put your listings on one of eBay’s 26 country-specific sites. U.S.-based sellers can do this simply – just go to ebay.com, scroll to the bottom of the page, and click on the American flag. When you do so, a list of other countries will appear. Click on the country or countries of your choice and you will be taken to eBay’s site for that country. Then click “Sell” at the top of the page and proceed to create your listing, just as you would for ebay.com. It should be noted that all eBay international sites are in the language of that country.
Iguama
Why do you want to sell on Iguama? Because it brings your products to the second-fastest growing ecommerce market in the world: Latin America. Moreover, many people in this market are already familiar with American products and culture, even watching many of the same TV shows and enjoying the same music. In other words, you may not have to work as hard to introduce them to your products.
How does Iguama work? When you register, you get your own store where you can customize everything from navigation and overall look to search features and promotions. Then you decide whether you want to use FPI, API, EDI, or File Upload, pick a product feed, and start selling. Iguama offers a set “total landed price” and handles payment. They can also help international merchants with pricing, shipping, customer service, and more.
Rakuten
With online marketplaces in Canada, Brazil, five European countries, and six nations throughout Asia, Rakuten can be a great way to break into a number of different international markets. Unlike many other marketplaces, Rakuten prides itself on being incredibly merchant-friendly, putting a focus on allowing you to build a unique, attractive, easy-to-use storefront, so your brand is featured just as much as your individual products. Registration and set-up is quick and simple, too. And they offer a wide range of tools to help you succeed.
The downside is that you have to register separately for each of their international sites, and that each site is in the language of that country. This can make the process prohibitive in some cases.
Newegg
As of May 2015, Newegg allowed merchants to sell in eight English-speaking countries outside the U.S. – Australia, India, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Singapore, and the U.K. – with the promise of additional markets as the service expanded.
The process is relatively simple though there are logistics to consider. To sell a product internationally, all you have to do is turn on the international product setting for that specific SKU and confirm that either Newegg can handle the shipping or that you can do it yourself.
To even get to this point, though, you have to make sure that the SKU contains all of the required international information (weight, dimensions, country of origin, and so on), the product is in compliance with both U.S. laws and those of the country in which you are selling, you define your return policy, and more. Newegg offers a valuable step-by-step guide to get you through the process.
Have you experienced success selling internationally through online marketplaces? Which ones?
