Why Your Business Should Sell Internationally and How To Do It

In our world of connectivity, where convenience and choice are king, more small businesses than ever are choosing to expand their horizons and sell their products internationally. Gone are the days where consumers don't look further than their high street for essential or luxury goods, the world has gotten smaller and it's easier than ever before to jump into the global marketplace.

Interparcel ship thousands of parcels all the way around the world, daily, so we know a thing or two about global markets. If your business is considering opening its doors to a wider audience then let us help you take that leap!

Why should I sell internationally?

Well, one reason is that businesses that sell products internationally generate much more revenue! International businesses are predicted to bring in over £527 billion by 2022, as consumers frequently rely on online marketplaces to purchase goods.

If the thought of a huge pay day isn't enough to sway you, here are some other benefits to consider:

• Access millions more potential customers
• Keep up with your competitors - you can be sure they are selling internationally
• Be seasonal every day - you can sell suncare products all year round if you are global
• Enhance your brand image - selling internationally makes your business look professional and progressive
• Increase your company's stability - you are no longer reliant on one market for income

With product prices and shipping costs of international businesses becoming more affordable, shoppers don't hesitate to buy from different countries online. Not to blow our own trumpet, but at Interparcel, we've helped many international businesses deliver orders internationally without a hitch.

Aside from some of the cheapest and fastest international shipping, your business can benefit from:

• Advanced shipping manager: collate orders from multiple platforms in one place
• In-built address verification and correction, no more manual errors
• New branded tracking, create a seamless brand experience when customers track orders
• Despatch hundreds of orders in just a few clicks
• More time to keep selling!

Integrating your international business with our Shipping Manager is free - all you need to do is create an account with us and connect to your store. With Interparcel you can have orders sent to the USA and Canada, Australia and New Zealand along with India, China and Japan in no time!

Now you know the why, let's get into how to sell internationally online, and some important considerations you'll need to think about.

Is there an international demand for your market?

There's no point selling abroad if there's no demand! First things first, you need to do your international selling homework. Using software like Google Analytics can tell you what countries your customers come from to see if international expansion will be worth it.

You can also try SimilarWeb which assesses traffic sources on your competitor's websites to see where they are and aren't selling to, so you can fill those gaps!

You'll need to think about a few things:

• Is there a demand for what you're selling and why?
• Do you have multiple competitors globally?
• How can you stand out in a global market?
• Is your pricing the best it can be?

Opening up to a global market can be very beneficial for small businesses, but making sure your pricing is airtight, shipping strategy is seamless and your customer service on form.

That last one shouldn't be ignored either - customer service can put you miles ahead of the rest. Customers want to feel heard and appreciated, so by providing ways for them to contact you and have questions answered can be the winning difference between you and a competitor.

At Interparcel, we always want our customers to be able to ask questions and have them answered promptly. That's why we have email, telephone, and live chat channels for our customers to contact our parcel experts!

Are you using the most appropriate courier?

So you want to sell overseas, but how can you get your products there? You need to be using a shipping solution that has established international courier partnerships, cost-effective delivery prices, and the capacity to handle customs documents!

Well, wouldn't you know who that describes - Interparcel! Our long-standing internationally trusted couriers like UPS, TNT, and Parcelforce allows our customers access to reliable and affordable parcel delivery. Although we could, (and do), go on and on about this, we'll quickly go over why this is important now.

Every day we successfully send thousands of parcels internationally to over 250 countries and territories, so your small business is in good hands. With us you can:

• Provide your customers with fast, reliable and affordable shipping to any country in the world
• Provide a seamless, branded tracking experience with our new tracking portal
• Easily generate customs documents as part of the booking process to avoid delays

Interparcel gives you flexibility to be able to sell your products internationally the cost-effective and convenient way!

Do you have a returns policy?

Although you may not think about returns and would prefer to imagine it all running smoothly, you need to put in place a way to handle them.

Returns are something that put off lots of new or small businesses from offering International shipping, but it doesn't need to be difficult. We advise clearly stating your returns process on your eCommerce store. If you offer something like a 30 day returns policy, state that customers will need to contact you to arrange the return.

Interparcel don't just ship abroad, we also arrange imports from abroad and so you can simply book the return parcel through your Interparcel account. By doing it this way, you can use our services to cheaply generate a returns labels and arrange the collection from your customer - allowing you to monitor and track the parcel coming back to you. Why pay for a costly returns management software that will charge you per order plus a subscription fee? Using Interparcel's services is only payable when you need it, so in the event of returns, we have your back!

Have you got payment methods accepted internationally?

Unsurprisingly, PayPal is the most popular payment method for eCommerce stores in the UK. But for the US, the credit card is key and in Europe Visa, Mastercard and American Express do the job.

You'll need to take into account (literally and figuratively) foreign currencies when looking to sell internationally online. You'll be missing a trick if you only offer one currency at checkout or throughout your store.

This problem can be easily fixed by paring with an eCommerce website builder that can provide you and your customers with multiple currency options. Platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce both have features in place to support over 130 currencies so no one will feel left out! Each of these platforms can walk you through exactly how to set up a range of currencies so you can sell products internationally like an absolute pro.

Although it may feel far and distant, expanding your business internationally is definitely within your reach! With a good plan, a supportive shipping solution, and a positive attitude, your business can go around the globe in mere days and you don't even have to leave the house!