As ecommerce continues to grow every year, cross border ecommerce grows even more quickly. It's a good time to take stock of your response to international buyers and try to keep them coming back for more. Here we'll cover 5 key ways to give your international buyers a better experience so that next time they won't hesitate to buy from you
1) Respond quickly and clearly to acknowledge their order. Buying from a new retailer online can still be daunting for many and there's an added uncertainty when the seller being from another country. This is one of the reasons marketplaces are gaining market share as they offer a trusted platform even if the retailer is unknown. It's important when you get a new order from an overseas buyer that you're messaging is clear (thanks for your purchase of x) and quick. If possible, follow up to let them know how long they should be waiting for the order. The personalised approach puts a human behind the retail experience and gives confidence to your buyer. People trust people, not websites.
2) Ideally provide end-to-end tracked shipping. There's nothing more unsettling than not knowing where your purchase is and this is more of an issue with international shipments. Deliveries often change hands and service providers a few times when shipping overseas so try to let your buyer see where their order is.
3) When the order has been delivered reach out to make sure your buyer received their parcel. This extra touch will bring you much appreciation from your buyer and helps to build trust for the next order. If your buyer tells you there's an issue with the order, do everything you can to help them get over it quickly.
4) Provide a discounted shipping voucher for their next order. Its more difficult to swallow the cost of shipping into the product price when sending overseas so you may not have free shipping. A discount voucher can give an extra incentive to make the second purchase.
5) If the buyer wants to return and item make sure you offer a great return policy that's both legally compatible with the local laws and is also at the level they buyer is used to. Make it easy to return and offer a system that lets them return locally, if possible.
6) Think about a special benefit for international buyers if they share their experience on social media in their own language; maybe a discount voucher or a small free gift. This helps to build up a base of online trust in the buyers local market. If others can see that someone from their own country had a great experience they're less likely to be put off with your store not being domestic.
7) In a similar vein, make sure you have a review section on your site. This is pretty standard today and if you can get reviews from buyers in multiple countries it will add further evidence to a potential international buyer looking to make sure you're a safe bet to order from.
You need always need to make sure your buyers feel they are in safe hands ordering from you and it's extra important for overseas sales. A great order and delivery experience will give you extra credit from international buyers!
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