The Benefits of Ecommerce Localization
When successful local ecommerce companies aim for higher growth, they often venture into new markets, broadening their audience and evolving into international market businesses. On the surface, entering a foreign market may seem straightforward. With an established website, knowledge of promotional tools, and confidence in the demand for your products, it appears to be a simple task. However, the reality is that transforming into a thriving international business involves more than meets the eye.
This transformation necessitates adapting to the demands and conditions of the new market, a process known as e-commerce localization. This involves a series of crucial measures to ensure your business is embraced by the new audience. In this article, we’ll delve into the concept of ecommerce localization and provide practical advice on why localizing your online business is important.
Understanding the E-commerce Localization Process
E-commerce localization is the process of adapting an online store to cater to the specific needs and preferences of a new market. For example, if an American brand decides to expand its presence into Europe, thorough research into the European market becomes essential. This involves studying user habits, economic conditions, and preferences prevalent in that region.
To successfully navigate the new market, adjustments need to be made at various levels. Initially, the online store’s language must be multilingual and tailored for each country, offering both an English version and a localized one. Furthermore, product descriptions and details should be aligned with the local language and cultural nuances, either manually or through automated means. In some cases, businesses may need to create new product images to align with design trends specific to the target market.
The significance of this process becomes evident when considering the potential consequences of overlooking these steps. Neglecting to adapt payment methods or using unfamiliar options can deter customers from completing orders, leading to an increase in the shopping cart abandonment rate. The use of foreign measurement units might create confusion regarding product size, length, or weight for potential buyers. Additionally, an online store that lacks customization may repel visitors instinctively, making them uncomfortable while exploring products and increasing the likelihood of them leaving the site in search of a more user-friendly option.
7 Things to Localize in Your Ecommerce Store
Shoppers are more likely to purchase from an online store that they are familiar with.
Local Currency
It’s crucial to prioritize customer experience by defaulting to the local currency on your ecommerce website. This eliminates the hassle for potential customers who might otherwise need to navigate through exchange rates, ensuring a seamless and satisfying shopping experience. Additionally, considering potential transaction fees, especially if the payment is processed by a foreign bank, is essential to prevent any customer dissatisfaction.
Images
Acknowledging and respecting cultural nuances is vital in the digital realm. By understanding that images can be interpreted across different countries, it’s beneficial to conduct experiments with localized product images. This not only demonstrates cultural sensitivity but also enables you to tailor your visuals to better resonate with diverse audiences.
Payment Options
Diversifying payment options based on regional preferences is a strategic move. Conducting thorough market research helps identify the most popular payment gateways and methods, ensuring your ecommerce store aligns with the payment habits of the target audience. This, in turn, enhances the likelihood of successful transactions.
Customer Support
Enhancing customer support through AI-powered chatbots is an innovative way to cater to a diverse clientele. By allowing interactions in multiple languages, these chatbots can bridge language barriers effectively. Additionally, employing AI-driven translation tools for client reviews further personalizes the user experience.
Pricing
Striking a balance between maintaining profit margins and aligning with local living standards is pivotal when localizing pricing. A comprehensive understanding of regional regulations, taxes, and logistics is necessary to make informed decisions about entering new markets. This approach safeguards your business from unnecessary risks in potentially unstable markets.
Domain
Tailoring your domain to specific markets demonstrates a commitment to local identity. Whether it’s through country-coded top-level domains, subdomains, or subfolders, this customization enhances the user experience by providing a sense of familiarity and localization.
Product Descriptions
Meeting the demand for information in the native language is crucial for customer satisfaction. Ecommerce localization not only caters to this demand but also streamlines the process through automated translation tools. This not only saves time for content managers but also minimizes the risk of errors associated with manual translation.
The Benefits of Ecommerce Localization Best Practices
Seamless Global Shopping Experience
Continuous localization is a game-changer for delivering a consistent ecommerce experience worldwide. This method involves translators collaborating with developers as soon as content becomes available. By seamlessly integrating this process into the existing development workflow, businesses can ensure that product content is created, localized, delivered, and maintained rapidly across diverse markets. This approach, reliant on centralized data, automated processes, and timely human expertise, guarantees a top-tier user experience for customers, irrespective of their location and language.
Efficient Global Merchandising Planning
Successful global merchandising demands a robust ecommerce localization workflow. This is particularly evident when accommodating the unique needs of ecommerce merchandising teams in different markets. Centralized ecommerce localization platforms empower merchandising teams to swiftly localize, edit, and publish product information. This agility ensures that the right products are available to customers at the right time, in the right place, and in the appropriate language, fostering effective and efficient global merchandising planning.
Consistent Global Brand Messaging
Maintaining a consistent brand message across markets is a pivotal aspect of effective localization. Achieving this consistency is not merely a creative pursuit but rather an operational task. Centralizing efforts through an ecommerce localization solution facilitates complete continuity between departments. This unified approach, coupled with automation, becomes a natural conduit for brand consistency. By reducing human error, aligning stakeholders, and enhancing overall operational efficiency, businesses can drive trustworthiness and reliability in their brand messaging.
Improved Customer Satisfaction Across Markets
Satisfied customers are not only likely to return for future purchases but also become brand advocates, sharing positive experiences with their network. When venturing into new markets, ecommerce localization plays a crucial role in replicating the levels of customer satisfaction enjoyed by domestic customers. Offering immediate customer care in the native language is a key element that significantly influences the likelihood of customers repurchasing from a brand.
Steady Increase in International Sales
Ecommerce localization serves as a strategic avenue for achieving a consistent and steady increase in sales by tapping into new markets and reaching a broader customer base. Making content available in local languages, complemented by international SEO best practices, enhances discoverability. This approach is valuable for businesses of varying scales, from small e-tailers expanding into new markets to established e-retail giants managing thousands of ecommerce pages. The key to avoiding a fragmented or poorly localized ecommerce site lies in leveraging the right technology tailored to the unique needs of each business.
Simplifying Ecommerce Expansion with Localization Tech
Localization technology streamlines the intricate process of managing ecommerce content, providing businesses with the necessary tools for consistent and prompt localization. To build a localization-friendly tech stack for ecommerce, seek a solution that seamlessly integrates with your preferred software, addressing all localization needs across your organization from the start. Key features to consider for an effective localization solution in your tech stack include the below.
Translation Memory
A database of previously translated and approved content. Saves time, enhances consistency, reduces costs, and speeds up the localization process by reusing translated content.
Term Bases
A central repository of approved terms. Streamlines terminology management, reduces the need for human oversight, and allows quick retrieval of brand-specific terms for future projects.
Content Integration
A solution that seamlessly syncs with ecommerce systems throughout the localization process. Minimizes disruption, lowers errors, and speeds up the process by automatically updating content.
Design Integration
Requires connectivity with design software like Figma or Sketch. Saves time for designers by allowing direct content upload and translation back to the design environment.
Project Management
Features robust project management tools. Facilitates task assignment, progress tracking, deadline management, and proactive identification and resolution of potential bottlenecks.
Quality Assurance
Features automated error-detection tools (spell check, grammar check, etc.). Ensures high quality despite high volumes and short turnaround times associated with ecommerce localization.
AI-powered Machine Translation
Capable of leveraging the latest AI-powered machine translation technology. Accelerates content delivery, particularly for user-generated, time-sensitive, or large volumes of content like product descriptions.
Reporting and Analytics
Features detailed reporting and analytics tools. Provides insights into translation quality, project turnaround times, and translator productivity, aiding informed decision-making and goal achievement in your ecommerce localization project.
Conclusion
Don’t overlook a significant opportunity by excluding e-commerce localization from your market approach. This strategy enables you to reach new markets, potentially boosting sales and revenue. When executed effectively, it enhances the online shopping experience, fostering repeat customers and brand loyalty.