International Ecommerce: What You Should Know Before Starting It

By 2040, up to 95% of all purchases will be made online. Here, you'll learn what you should know before starting an international ecommerce

By Claudio Pires
Updated on September 9, 2022
International Ecommerce: What You Should Know Before Starting It

By 2040, up to 95% of all purchases will be made online. Ecommerce is growing more and more every year. So if you want to get into a profitable industry, eCommerce is a perfect choice. And if you’re selling online, one of the biggest benefits is that you can sell to an international customer base. In this article, you’ll learn what you should know before starting an international ecommerce business.

International-Ecommerce-What-You-Should-Know-Before-Starting-It

Not all eCommerce stores are international, but if you want to find success outside of your home country. Increase your customer base, and keep scaling your business, international selling is the best choice. Before you start an international eCommerce store, here are some things you should know.

Understand your market starting international ecommerce

One of the most important things you should do before you take your business to the international level. So, is to think about the market you’re trying to expand to. Your biggest goal needs to be finding out in which countries. So, regions your products/services are in demand and how you can sell them there.

You also need to know who your target customers in that market are. If you’re already catering to customers in your country, you know what to expect. But buying habits and preferences are different from country to country. So it’s best to know what to expect before you start.

For instance, if you choose a Japanese market. Learn as much as you can about it and find the right platform for the Japanese eCommerce market. That way, you will have the necessary knowledge and be able to sell to millions of new customers. Whose buying habits and preferences do you understand.

Understand currencies, payment methods, and taxes

International eCommerce can be very hard at times. Because you need to adjust how you handle the financial side of the business. After all, you’re doing this to make a profit. You can only do that if you handle these three financial aspects right:

  • Currencies. Nobody wants to waste time on an eCommerce website converting a price shown in US dollars to their local currency. To avoid frustrating your shoppers. Support as many currencies as possible and make it easy for them to convert the price to any currency they like.
  • Payment methods. Every eCommerce store should have multiple payment methods. But when you’re selling to an international customer base, you should include methods that people trust worldwide. One of the most popular ones is PayPal, which currently has 361 million active users worldwide.
  • Taxes and regulations. Tax laws and regulations differ from country to country. If you don’t want to get in trouble with the tax authorities of the countries you’re selling to. It’s best to do some research. Figure out the best way you can include taxes in the overall product cost for each individual country.

Enable multiple languages on your website starting International Ecommerce

Something you definitely shouldn’t disregard is language. A lot of website developers think that everyone speaks English and that it’s unnecessary to include multiple languages on their site. But doing this as an international eCommerce merchant could harm your business.

There are many online stores that offer multiple languages. So if you don’t do it, you won’t appeal to the international market. And it’s not enough to just include translations, those translations need to be accurate and coherent. That’s the best way to show you’re a trustworthy professional.

Find the best marketing strategy for every country


Without marketing and good advertisements, you will never be able to get your business off the ground. But keep in mind that what works for one market may not work for another. International customers are used to different types of strategies than what you’re probably used to.

For instance, numerous businesses have an online presence and build their brand through ads on social media. Such as Facebook and Instagram. However, paid social media would be a waste of your resources. If you’re trying to advertise to a market that prefers traditional TV commercials.

While you’re researching what type of advertising is typical in your target market. Make sure to do research on other eCommerce stores in those countries and find out what their advertising strategies look like. That way, you can find out what marketing channels give the most opportunities.

And if you know what the rage is in eCommerce worldwide, it will be much easier for you to market your business.

Final thoughts starting international ecommerce

Starting an online store is a good idea by itself, but taking it to an international level is one of the best ways to be profitable. Selling to a worldwide market may seem difficult at first, but as long as you know how to handle customers and their buying habits no matter where they’re from, you will find success.

Claudio Pires

Claudio Pires is the co-founder of Visualmodo, a renowned company in web development and design. With over 15 years of experience, Claudio has honed his skills in content creation, web development support, and senior web designer. A trilingual expert fluent in English, Portuguese, and Spanish, he brings a global perspective to his work. Beyond his professional endeavors, Claudio is an active YouTuber, sharing his insights and expertise with a broader audience. Based in Brazil, Claudio continues to push the boundaries of web design and digital content, making him a pivotal figure in the industry.