Your Guide to Global Ecommerce: How to Expand into Foreign Markets and Increase Ecommerce Sales

Ecommerce has truly transformed the retail landscape, allowing brands to reach shoppers worldwide while offering consumers a fast and convenient way to purchase anywhere — a win-win for both.

According to Statista, global retail ecommerce sales are projected to exceed $8 trillion by 2027, a huge leap from $2.3 trillion in 2017.

This rapid growth reflects the importance of ecommerce in total retail sales, making it clear that online brands need to tap into international markets to effectively scale.

If you’re unsure where to start — don’t worry. We’ve compiled everything you need to know to seamlessly enter new regions so you can grow your online business.

What is global ecommerce?

Global ecommerce is the process of selling products or services online across geopolitical borders to customers in foreign countries. Compared to local ecommerce, where a retailer only sells within its country of origin, global ecommerce allows merchants to expand into non-native markets and reach new customers. 

With so many ecommerce platforms, marketplaces, and digital solutions available, there are practically no limits for brands looking to sell online, which makes it easier than ever for businesses to go global.

Global ecommerce growth and statistics

Ecommerce retailers have faced their fair share of hurdles over the past few years, with shifting consumer behaviors post-pandemic and countries like the US facing economic uncertainty. Despite these obstacles, global ecommerce sales have still managed to climb.

In fact, US retail ecommerce sales will see a 10.1% increase in 2024. Meanwhile, China continues to dominate the global ecommerce market, with 2024 sales expected to exceed $3,230 billion.

The United Kingdom (UK) ranks third globally, with sales projected to reach $220 billion in 2024, reflecting a steady annual growth rate of 5.3%. In Latin America, retail ecommerce sales will reach $160 billion by 2025, with Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina accounting for 67.06% of the region’s ecommerce market share in 2024.

Setting up your international ecommerce strategy

Ecommerce is a great opportunity to dip your toes into foreign markets before launching a new brick-and-mortar store abroad. But before diving headfirst into your global expansion, it’s important to understand that every country is different and requires its own unique strategy. 

Here are a few key areas to evaluate when considering international expansion.

1. Areas of expansion: Determine which countries present the best opportunities for your business by analyzing factors like market demand, local competition, and any logistical challenges. 

2. Payments and fulfillments: Create a plan for how you will accept international payments and seamlessly fulfill orders. Hosting your online store on a platform that supports international payments and shipments is the best way to streamline this. Tools like BigCommerce offer a variety of integrations designed to simplify your international business.

3. Localize based on region: Ensure you tailor the shopping experience for each region. This means translating your site into local languages, adjusting the currency, and offering region-specific payment methods. Thankfully, tools like BigCommerce offer multi-storefront and multi-currency options, which make creating a localized experience as efficient as possible.

Identify potential markets.

Before expanding internationally, it’s crucial to identify which markets offer the most potential for success. Start by analyzing key factors such as market demand, economic conditions, and local competition. It’s also important to consider consumer behaviors in each region, including shopping preferences, common payment methods, and digital engagement.

Evaluating market leaders like Walmart’s international presence can help provide insights into successful strategies for reaching global customers. 

Additionally, by using SEO tools to track search activity, you can measure how often foreign customers visit your site and which products your target customers purchase most often in their home countries.

Assess internal operations. 

While there’s no need to hire an entirely new team or establish all new processes, you must ensure that your existing resources can handle international expansion. Team members should have international experience or be willing to expand their skill sets. It may also be beneficial to build separate teams and budgets for domestic and global operations.

Understand payment, tax, and fulfillment requirements.

International expansion means navigating various payment, tax, and fulfillment complexities in each market. Different countries have specific preferences for payment options — such as digital wallets, bank transfers, or cash on delivery — so it's important to accommodate these options. Tax regulations also differ globally, requiring compliance with local laws. 

Be sure to conduct research when it comes to regional laws and regulations, as well as standard payment methods before entering a new market. BigCommerce offers a wide range of payment gateways and tax management tools — like Avalara — that allow you seamlessly cater to global customers.

Scope of expansion. 

Clearly outlining the scope of your expansion will make it easier to take tangible steps toward success. Define your business needs, such as whether you need to open a new brick-and-mortar store or simply adapt your web design or payment methods to meet the needs of your new market.

Test out markets.

Before fully committing to a new market, consider running low-cost tests to gauge interest and identify potential challenges. A great way to start is by launching targeted ad campaigns in specific regions to see how your products resonate with local audiences. By analyzing the performance of these campaigns — such as click-through rates, conversions, and customer feedback — you can determine whether a market is worth pursuing further.

Establishing your global ecommerce platform and integrations

Now that you have your international strategy in place, it’s time to start adapting your ecommerce software to meet the needs of your new audience. Each global marketplace requires its own planning and consideration, so make sure you’re taking the time to prepare your ecommerce store accordingly.

Here are six areas to consider when launching your business abroad.

Multi store functionality.

With BigCommerce’s multi-storefront feature, you can seamlessly create localized storefront experiences for each new market — all managed from the same backend account.

This capability allows you to tailor shopping experiences for each region based on language, local currency, and product selection while keeping your brand consistent across the board. By offering this personalized experience, you can foster stronger relationships with international customers, building brand loyalty.

Product pricing.

When expanding globally, getting your product pricing right is crucial. Not only do you need to consider currency conversions, but it’s also important to tailor pricing to each market’s economic conditions. Setting competitive prices that align with local expectations can make a big difference in customer adoption.

Another factor to consider is how different regions perceive pricing. For example, in high-context countries like China, India, Brazil, and Argentina, products sell better when prices end in zero (such as $10.00), and in low-context markets like the US, Australia, and Norway, customers respond better to prices that end in 9 ($9.99).

Additionally, don’t forget about tax implications. Different countries have their own tax requirements, and ensuring that you’re compliant is essential for smooth operations. Make sure you’ve done your research and are using tools that automatically adjust tax rates based on location to avoid any legal or financial headaches down the line.

Payments.

Preferred payment types vary based on country. For example, debit cards are the most popular online payment type in the US and UK, while online payment services — like PayPal and Google Pay — are most common in China.

This goes to show that customer payment preferences differ from country to country.

While it may be easy to overlook something as simple as how people pay, these details can be the difference between making a sale and losing a potential customer. Instead of defaulting to credit cards, do some research and ensure you’re catering to your target audience's preferences.

Customer service.

Just because your customer base lives abroad doesn't mean they should be out of sight and out of mind. Customer service is equally as important for your global markets as for your domestic market. 

When expanding into international markets, great customer service is a must. People in different regions have different expectations, whether it’s about how they like to communicate, how fast they expect a response, or which support channels they prefer. Offering support in multiple languages is a smart way to make sure everyone can quickly get the help they need.

Additionally, consider offering 24/7 customer service to account for different time zones, ensuring customers can reach you whenever they have a question or issue. Having localized support teams or using chatbots with built-in language capabilities can help you respond faster and more effectively across multiple markets.

Shipping and returning logistics.

According to Statista, the majority of challenges that supply chain professionals face in cross-border ecommerce are related to shipping and logistics.

Customers expect fast, reliable, and cost-effective shipping options, no matter where they are. Make sure you’re working with carriers that offer dependable international shipping and can provide transparent tracking updates along the way. Thankfully, BigCommerce partners with third-party apps — like ShipperHQ and Shipstation — which can help streamline international shipments.

Returns are another key factor in customer satisfaction, especially in international markets where return shipping can be expensive and complicated. Make the process as easy as possible by clearly communicating your return policy upfront, including who covers return shipping costs. Partnering with local return centers or logistics providers can also simplify the process and reduce costs for both you and your customers.

Connect with other back-end software.

Integrating your platform with back-end software is essential to keep your global ecommerce operations running smoothly. Systems like Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), accounting software, and Product Information Management (PIM) tools are crucial for managing everything from inventory and financials to product data across multiple regions.

It’s important to explore whether your ecommerce platform — like Shopify or Adobe Commerce — lets you integrate these tools. Softwares like BigCommerce allow you to seamlessly connect these outside technologies so you can save time and efficiently expand into new regions.

Global ecommerce trends

It’s no surprise that the pandemic had a huge impact on the ecommerce industry. Brands had to quickly adapt to doing business solely online, and now they’re navigating the return of in-store shopping. Global ecommerce has undergone major shifts over the past few years — and many of these changes are likely here to stay.

Below are a few ecommerce trends you can implement into your global ecommerce store to ensure you’re set up for success.

Supply chain resilience.

Undoubtedly, one of the biggest wake-up calls of COVID-19 was the impact on global supply chains and the consequences on global marketplaces. An unprecedented disruption, the pandemic forced ecommerce companies to rethink their processes and start building supply chain resilience.

To build resilience and mitigate future disruptions, you should strengthen supplier relationships, increase digitalization, and take advantage of emerging technologies.

Online shopping outside borders.

The beauty of global ecommerce is that you don’t necessarily need a significant global presence to be found by audiences abroad — many online shoppers already search for products and services outside of their home countries.

This means you don’t need a brick-and-mortar store in another country to gain a following. By implementing a social media marketing strategy, you can connect with international audiences more easily than ever before. 

Social platforms — like TikTok and Instagram — not only help drive product discovery across borders but also allow businesses to engage directly with potential customers, including leveraging influencers to build a global community without needing a physical presence. These tools also allow you to implement a social commerce strategy, allowing browsers to make online purchases through these apps.

Another way to seamlessly attract global online shoppers is optimizing the customer journey across all devices. With many consumers preferring to shop on mobile devices, such as Apple smartphones and tablets, offering a world-class mobile commerce (m-commerce) experience is essential.

China and APAC market expansion.

As one of the world’s largest economies with enormous spending power, China holds significant revenue opportunities for online retailers looking to expand globally. According to eMarketer, the Asia-Pacific region (APAC) will account for 60.8% of global retail ecommerce revenue by the end of 2024, with China making up 83.5% of the region’s sales.

Given the sales opportunities China presents, you may want to explore expanding your business into the APAC region.

Below are a few key tactics you can use to enter the Chinese market. 

• Partner with local, established vendors.

• Create a team that’s based in China, whether it be for marketing, engineering, or sales purposes.

• Build an online presence. While China does not allow social or advertising content on sites like Facebook or Instagram, brands can establish themselves on local third-party marketplaces — like Amazon, eBay, and Alibaba — or branded ecommerce sites.

Localized language.

This one may be a no-brainer, but don’t assume all your customers speak English, and make sure your site is in your target market‘s local language.

By localizing your site language, you’ll be able to communicate better with your customers and help your site rank higher on search engines — which means more eyes on your products and more opportunities for sales.

While the goal should be to translate your entire website to your audience’s local language, there are a few aspects of the shopping experience that are especially important — like the checkout process, product description pages, and customer reviews.

Examples of global ecommerce websites

Many brands have successfully expanded into international markets with the help of BigCommerce. We’ve gathered a few examples of customers who have built a strong global presence so you can discover what tactics would apply best to your online store.

View our case study library to view the success stories of brands that expanded internationally with BigCommerce.

The Beer Bat.

Case Study: The Beer Bat

Entrepreneur Sam McGee saw the opportunity for a baseball souvenir cup. Thus, The Beer Bat was born. Fast forward to today, and the brand has evolved into a global business selling B2B and DTC.

BigCommerce allowed The Beer Bat to tap into international markets with its multi-storefront feature. With this tool, the brand can seamlessly build regional storefronts and manage them from one backend account.

“BigCommerce’s multi-storefront worked out perfectly. I don’t need to be technical or have any of the know-how for each one of these different regions. All the tools are there for me,” explained Sam McGee, President of The Beer Bat.

Black Diamond Equipment.

Case Study: Black Diamond Equipment

Black Diamond Equipment has grown into a global ecommerce success since its establishment in 1989. 

As a brand looking to cater to multiple markets, BigCommerce’s headless solution enabled them to house their US and EU sites on the same account, seamlessly serving customers across different regions. The brand also connected their ERP through an API, allowing them to manage operations for their European and American business.

“BigCommerce really gave them an ecosystem to work globally,” said Penny Porterfield, Vice President of Business Development at The ZaneRay Group. “Working with just APIs, it was very straightforward to connect their ERP system, and they were able to do that for both Europe and the US.”

Coco Republic.

Case Study: Coco Republic

Since 1979, Coco Republic has offered B2B and B2C shoppers quality homeware and furniture. With an international presence in Australia, New Zealand, and the US, the brand needed an ecommerce tool that would allow it to easily cater to these markets at a low cost of ownership.

Since moving to BigCommerce, the brand has been able to efficiently manage 28,000 SKUs for the three countries it sells to at a significantly lower TCO.

“We pushed the envelope of both design and technology to end up with an elegant but effective global solution that is easily maintainable and has a reasonable total cost of ownership,” remarked Jack Kiefer, Global Chief Information Officer and Chief Technology Officer at Coco Republic.

AS Colour.

Case Study: AS Colour

AS Colour started in 2005, creating high-quality clothing blanks for the music industry. Now, they operate five warehouses in four countries and have expanded into the B2B space.

With BigCommerce, AS Colour can seamlessly manage their international business by localizing content and the shopping experience based on region.

“While the overall look and feel of each site is the same, there are very specific backend tweaks that we make to suit each region,” explained Joe Sharplin, Head of Design at AS Colour. “It’s really important to us that we can easily make changes to local pricing and currencies.”

How BigCommerce helps business sell internationally

BigCommerce offers a range of tools to make selling across borders easier and more efficient. One of the standout features is multi-storefront, which allows you to manage multiple localized storefronts from a single backend. This feature lets you tailor each store’s language, currency, and product offerings to meet the needs of specific regions, ensuring a seamless and personalized shopping experience for international customers.

Beyond multi-storefront, BigCommerce also supports cross-border selling with native ecommerce solutions and third-party applications for handling global payments, shipping, and tax requirements. In addition, the platform provides access to features and providers that can streamline operations and improve the customer experience so you can successfully scale into different markets.

The final word

As technologies continue to advance and our global village becomes ever more interconnected, international expansion will be not just a choice, but a necessity. Thankfully, platforms like BigCommerce are here to aid brands looking to expand across borders and scale their businesses exponentially. 

While “global ecommerce” may sound daunting, features like multi-storefront allow you to tap into new territories and boost online sales seamlessly. With the right tools and approach, you can meet the demands of international markets and build a thriving, globally recognized brand that resonates with customers worldwide.

FAQ about global ecommerce