Subscribe & Follow

Advertise your job vacancies

Jobs

Order Processing Specialist Cape Town
Multi-Channel Product Listing Specialist Cape Town
E-commerce Sales Assistant Cape Town

How e-tailers can take on the whole world

11 Nov 2009

The majority of global markets are growing significantly faster than the United States. Bill Gates has even stated that in the 21st century, a business must use e-commerce to survive. In this economy, thinking outside the proverbial box and expanding a company without taking on significant overhead or structural changes means selling beyond geographic borders.

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Using the Internet to lower communication costs and reduce time to market for exported goods and services makes international e-commerce a viable platform for businesses engaging in international trade. Nonetheless, the relatively seamless, cost-effective integration that a Web solution company performs by enabling a merchant's site to process international orders pales in comparison to the challenges of ensuring that both the seller and consumer are protected against fraud, as well as the tedium of high-maintenance customer service and compliance regulations. These hurdles are the primary reason that fewer merchants are making their products available to foreign markets, leaving potential profits, new customers and worldwide demand unfulfilled.

International e-commerce is within reach of every retailer large or small, even those without a global brand. However, merchants must ensure they are positioned to manage the multiple issues surrounding international shipping or they risk jeopardizing their identity in foreign markets. There is a wide variety of front-end and back-end operating models, as well as third-party international shipping companies, that specialize in cart-to-cart integration and are equipped to both manage and capitalize upon industry opportunities.

Read the full article here.