3 Reasons for Internationalization in eCommerce Business

 

Expanding Your
Global Reach

International markets offer companies the opportunity to expand their target audiences and acquire new customers.

Diversification and
Risk Minimization

By expanding into different countries, companies can reduce their dependence on a single market.

Exploiting global
growth opportunities

International markets, especially in emerging countries, offer tremendous potential for revenue growth.

Your guide to global success

Why internationalization in eCommerce?

The internationalization of eCommerce businesses offers numerous benefits to companies. According to DHL's eCommerce statistics (2021), businesses can generate up to 15% more revenue in the first year through internationalization and achieve twice as fast growth compared to purely national trade. This is especially true in Europe, where smaller home markets prevail, creating a stronger drive to expand into international markets. But what exactly does internationalization mean, and how can businesses effectively navigate the challenges and opportunities?

Why is internationalization particularly relevant in Europe?

In many European countries, smaller home markets dominate, forcing companies to tap into international markets for sustainable growth. At the same time, adapting to regional preferences and cultural differences enables an optimal customer experience that ensures success on a global scale.

[Translate to Englisch:] Consultants besprechen das BSFG

Internationalization in the German Mittelstand

Many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face the challenge of adapting their internationalization strategies to the specific requirements of the global market. The German Mittelstand benefits from structured approaches that minimize both costs and risks. Our solutions support SMEs in achieving their goals by:

  • Currencies & Payment Methods: Consideration of local preferences and security standards.

  • Legal Framework: Compliance with country-specific laws, such as data protection or tax regulations.

  • Product Range & Pricing: Adaptation to regional preferences and purchasing power.

  • Shipping & Returns: Development of reliable logistics solutions that meet customer expectations.

  • Website Design: Localization of layout, fonts, text direction, and content to provide a seamless user experience.

  • Cultural Adjustments: Optimization of the product offering for international customers and the use of culturally appealing assets and visuals.

 

 

FÖRCH

[Translate to Englisch:] FÖRCH

Multisite approach for successful internationalization

Smart Commerce supports FÖRCH holistically as an eCommerce partner. This includes ensuring that FÖRCH provides consistent and high-quality eCommerce experiences on an international level.

  • FÖRCH decided on a multisite approach to scale the new system landscape internationally.
  • The unified data structure simplifies future adjustments and country rollouts.
  • After the successful German go-live (2021), further rollouts followed in Austria, Italy, and Spain, with the goal of covering over 20 countries.
  • Existing country-specific websites will gradually be replaced by shops based on the German framework.
  • Features can be customized and quickly integrated per country, including multilingual support.

Learn more

fischerwerke

[Translate to Englisch:] fischerwerke

Visibility increase and conversion rate optimization

Thanks to the support of the Digital Consulting Team at Smart Commerce, fischer has seen consistently growing organic visibility and organic traffic:

  • Together, fischer and Smart Commerce optimize the German and international country pages
  • through the implementation of a comprehensive SEO content strategy
  • to enhance the user experience and, consequently, critical conversion rates, ensuring sustainable organic growth.

Learn More

Helukabel

[Translate to Englisch:] Helukabel Logo

Comprehensive support for Helukabel

Smart Commerce supported Helukabel in successfully implementing a global eCommerce solution. Starting with the development of a central strategy for internationalization to the implementation of concrete measures:

  • Centralized platform: Development of a unified eCommerce platform that can be flexibly adapted to the requirements of 36 countries.

  • Communication & planning: Close collaboration with local subsidiaries to consider regional specifics, overcome language barriers, and ensure clear, efficient communication.

  • Process optimization: Building a central solution that enables long-term time and cost savings while avoiding individual island solutions.

Learn More

FÖRCH

[Translate to Englisch:] FÖRCH

Multisite approach for successful internationalization

Smart Commerce supports FÖRCH holistically as an eCommerce partner. This includes ensuring that FÖRCH provides consistent and high-quality eCommerce experiences on an international level.

  • FÖRCH decided on a multisite approach to scale the new system landscape internationally.
  • The unified data structure simplifies future adjustments and country rollouts.
  • After the successful German go-live (2021), further rollouts followed in Austria, Italy, and Spain, with the goal of covering over 20 countries.
  • Existing country-specific websites will gradually be replaced by shops based on the German framework.
  • Features can be customized and quickly integrated per country, including multilingual support.

Learn more

fischerwerke

[Translate to Englisch:] fischerwerke

Visibility increase and conversion rate optimization

Thanks to the support of the Digital Consulting Team at Smart Commerce, fischer has seen consistently growing organic visibility and organic traffic:

  • Together, fischer and Smart Commerce optimize the German and international country pages
  • through the implementation of a comprehensive SEO content strategy
  • to enhance the user experience and, consequently, critical conversion rates, ensuring sustainable organic growth.

Learn More

Helukabel

[Translate to Englisch:] Helukabel Logo

Comprehensive support for Helukabel

Smart Commerce supported Helukabel in successfully implementing a global eCommerce solution. Starting with the development of a central strategy for internationalization to the implementation of concrete measures:

  • Centralized platform: Development of a unified eCommerce platform that can be flexibly adapted to the requirements of 36 countries.

  • Communication & planning: Close collaboration with local subsidiaries to consider regional specifics, overcome language barriers, and ensure clear, efficient communication.

  • Process optimization: Building a central solution that enables long-term time and cost savings while avoiding individual island solutions.

Learn More

Goals and challenges of an internationalization project

Challenges we solve for you

  • Country-specific requirements: Each country has individual demands regarding payment, taxation, and legal frameworks.

  • System architecture complexity: A scalable IT infrastructure must meet the needs of different countries.

  • Cultural differences: Local preferences and cultural specifics must be considered in marketing and product strategies.

  • Data migration: Existing data must be integrated into new systems securely and efficiently.
[Translate to Englisch:] Consultants am Whiteboard

Our internationalization strategy 

1. Goal definition and requirements gathering

In a kick-off workshop with your stakeholders, we define the goals and framework of your internationalization strategy:

  • Presentation of your company structure and your sales and marketing strategies.
  • Prioritization of countries for the rollout based on relevance, revenue volume, and potential.

  • Creation of a basic feature set for the initial rollout and further expansion stages.

eCommerce Consultant at work

2. Analysis and strategy development

Our experts analyze the requirements and create a country-specific roadmap:

  • Preparation of requirements and clustering by country groups.

  • Impact-effort analysis for prioritized rollouts.

  • Consideration of functional and non-functional prerequisites such as payment, security, legal, and hosting.

eCommerce internationalization experts in discussion

Implementation and roadmap development

Together with experienced Solution Architects, we develop a scalable strategy for the rollout:

  • Planning the IT landscape and interfaces.

  • Data migration and persistence of existing data.

  • Documentation of a prioritized rollout plan.

Internationalization workshop in a conference room

4. Presentation of results and transition to implementation

Final presentation of your internationalization strategy:

  • Presentation of results in a 2-hour meeting.

  • Handover of documentation and discussion of next steps.

eCommerce consultants planning at the conference table

Further services

Digital strategy and eCommerce consulting

Discover our unique consulting approach for your eCommerce success.

Managed Cloud Services

Modern public cloud solutions with maximum automation for the operation of efficient eCommerce systems.

Our principle

One thing always remains the same with us: good planning, solid technology, secure operation, and continuous optimization. All for your success in eCommerce.

We are happy to assist you!

We would be glad to provide advice and support on your journey to long-term eCommerce success. Our eCommerce experts are eager to hear about your project!

Phone Number:
+49 341 99 15 36 00

E-Mail:
hello@smartcommerce.de

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