Global retail e-commerce sales are expected to hit $5 trillion by 2021; so how did it all start?
Internet commerce ─ or electronic commerce, or e-commerce ─ has invaded our everyday lives in the form of selling and buying of products and services through the internet.
This revolutionary model of commerce has actually evolved into the wonderful lamp of Aladdin for a variety of stakeholders ─ including large companies, small businesses, startups, and independent freelancers ─ making it possible for all of them to sell their services and products and on a massive, global scale.
E-commerce localization: localizing your e-commerce website. This is the most effective answer. Ok, but what exactly is e-commerce localization?
In a nutshell, e-commerce localization is the translation of your online profile, online store, product descriptions, database-driven content, graphics and images into the various languages of your multiple new target audiences – while taking into account the local and cultural habits of these new audiences.
Benefits of e-commerce localization services
Most business experts believe that e-commerce localization is a treasure, citing many benefits. So, let’s look into some of these advantages.
- When an e-shop embarks upon localizing their content or marketing materials, they will be able to expand into new markets, and will thus boost the global sales of their retail brand.
- When you localize your website, your products will be shipped relatively quickly, your inventory costs will be reduced – which leads to reducing your overall business costs.
- There’s no doubt that customers are more likely to put their trust in a product whose descriptions are in their own language. Therefore, your e-shop is more likely to reach a wider audience.
With this said, let’s admit that when you use the proper e-commerce localization services, you’ll consequently boost your customers’ satisfaction, increase your website usability, increase conversions and, subsequently, your revenue.
But are these just theories?! Are there concrete examples of e-retail brands that have used e-commerce localization services to successfully conquer new markets?
Yes, millions of brands, but the king is Amazon!
Amazon the paragon of e-commerce Localization
Amazon is the clearest example of the e-commerce company that has successfully localized its content to reach new markets.
Significantly, Amazon had understood what works best in each market, then endeavored to make this happen. Amazon created a different design for websites in each market and focused on highlighting specific product categories in specific markets.
When it comes to the one-size-fits-all business strategy, Amazon said “big No”, and that’s clear if you checked Amazon UK and Amazon Mexico.
5 tips for e-commerce localization:
As you see, e-commerce localization is a holistic process that requires preliminary market research and strategic planning. In fact, e-commerce localization services lie far beyond mere translation tasks that are concerned only with linguistic matters. Here are some tips on how to successfully localize your e-commerce business and tap into new lucrative opportunities.
- User interface: The shopping experience must be fully optimized to match your target audience’s needs and preferences. From small shopping icons to photos and visual designs, your platform’s user interface may require some changes to fit in the new market. This might also extend to separate software localization services so you can provide a fully satisfactory experience to your new shoppers.
- Payment gateway: Needless to say that it is essential that you link your online commerce business to one or more reliable payment methods. When localizing your e-commerce solution, you might need to partner with some local banks or payment gateways. Prices and exchange rates should also be displayed in the currency of your target market and in line with its economic fundamentals.
- Legal and taxation systems: Never launch your e-commerce business in a new market before you check on its legislative and taxation frameworks. Financial laws and regulations usually vary from one country to another, and you should pay close attention to this to ensure that your business adheres to the market legislative rules.
- Customer service and technical support: It is highly recommended that you hire one or more native customer relationship specialists so you can communicate with your new clients in their own language. Customers tend to trust businesses that speak the same language, especially when it comes to e-commerce.
- SEO & SEM: Search engine optimization and search engine marketing are now deemed major parts of digital marketing and short ways to acquire new clients. These digital marketing activities also need to be localized. When your website content is offered in a completely new language, keywords must be different and highly dependent on the search queries of the local version of the search engines.
To ensure all these points are covered and make the most out of e-commerce localization services, you have no option but to partner with a native and reliable translation vendor that has what it takes to localize your business at the highest standards.
Why Future Trans?
When all is said and done, we think it’s the right time to say why Future Trans has evolved, over the years, into the e-commerce localization services partner that is often selected by hundreds of global e-retailers.
At Future Trans, we partner with our clients and help them to go global, increase sales and compete on a global scale. We, at the end of the day, achieve this by helping e-commerce companies to provide global buyers with an online shopping experience that distinguishes them from the competition in the large global e-market.
Our first and foremost strength is our team of expert translators and engineers who have long, solid, hands-on expertise in thinking globally and acting locally – with the purpose of increasing our client’s global e-commerce sales!
When it comes to standards, we monitor all aspects of quality across all the stages in our rigorous e-commerce localization process.
Moreover, Future Trans has earned a reputation for seamlessly providing all pieces of the e-commerce localization project in one single integrated solution. We, therefore, localize online shopping websites and mobile commerce applications professionally, affordably, and with the fastest turnaround time in the industry.
That’s why we’ve become the choice of top e-commerce businesses across the globe. Is the time to go global today? Contact us now for a free quote.
