International expansion represents a major opportunity for ecommerce companies. In Southeast Asia, for example, the ecommerce market is set to grow threefold over the next three years.1 Meanwhile, in Africa, the number of active online shoppers is set to pass 500 million in 2025.2
Free from the need to build bricks and mortar stores in different countries, online retailers should be able to reach global customers with ease.
But are shipping and logistics challenges holding them back?
A recent survey found that:
- 5% of global business owners face challenges navigating customs requirements
- 37% of business owners struggle with cross-border logistics
- 5% have problems with cross-border returns
- 5% have issues managing delivery expectations
- 5% have had problems tracking deliveries3
We’ve developed three strategies to help online retailers and webshops overcome these challenges:
- Create the right carrier connections. Shipping internationally requires relationships with carrier companies that serve the relevant territories. Having to establish these carrier connections takes time and limits retailers’ ability to maneuver. This is best overcome by using delivery management software that offers ready-made connections to a large number of carriers
- Prioritize the customer experience. When shoppers are ordering from a vendor that has only recently entered their market, they must be assured that their delivery is in safe hands. Regular and relevant communication to the customer during the shipping process is an essential means of building trust. If this communication is branded and user-friendly, it also creates opportunities to remarket to the customer at a time when they are most engaged with the brand
- Make returns easy. Some shoppers might be nervous about buying from a retailer outside their country. But if they can quickly see that there is a clear and simple returns process in place, they may be more likely to purchase.
By following these strategies, businesses can overcome the shipping and logistics challenges of international ecommerce expansion and deliver a positive customer experience.
nShift’s carrier library contains ready-made connections to over 1000 carrier companies around the world. We make it easier to manage shipping rules and calculate international freight costs. With our range of solutions, we enable growing ecommerce companies to create a great customer experience from checkout to returns. With nShift, retailers can keep the customer updated at every stage of the delivery journey.
2https://ecommercedb.com/insights/african-ecommerce-user-growth-beats-asia/3488
3https://www.bigcommerce.co.uk/articles/ecommerce/global-commerce/
