International Sales: A world of opportunity? What it takes to sell internationally
At a time when it’s tough to increase U.S. sales, many online retailers are looking abroad. Blue Nile, Zappos and Casual Male already have created international web sites in the past year or started shipping internationally from U.S. sites. But eBags pulled out of the United Kingdom after four years of trying to build a base for expansion into Europe. It’s a lot harder than it looks to sell abroad, but there are hundreds of millions of online shoppers around the world buying on the web with growing frequency. This story will examine what it costs to establish a U.S. brand in a foreign market; how to handle language, payment and currency issues; what it takes to ensure delivery and provide customer service in ways that suit the local culture. And it will report on how some online retailers are profiting from international expansion, and where they’re going next.