The rainbow nation, the Motherland, or as we know it, Mzansi. Whatever you call it, South Africa is a country unlike any other. We’ve seen floods, droughts, and fuel costs go higher than some people’s rent, and who can forget the daily dose of load shedding? However, the people of this nation are resilient and continue to push for success through higher education, entrepreneurial endeavours, and innovative creations. Still, with so many issues affecting consumers’ buying power and business operations, it might be a great idea to start thinking bigger. Think global sales.
What if you expanded your business internationally? Wait, we are not saying you should go big and open branches of your business in 25 new countries. We are saying, consider selling to more countries without opening stores in those countries. Expanding does not need to involve expensive projects that require lots of time, big budgets, and going through a lot of red tape. In actual fact, all you need is a well-thought-out strategy and a powerful (and customisable) eCommerce solution to sell across borders.
Going international has its perks
We know: expanding your business to other countries seems expensive. It is if you choose to expand it through opening more brick-and-mortar stores in more locations. However, that is only one example of business expansion. There is a more cost-effective way to become an international brand, which we will discuss further. Regardless of how you go about it, selling across countries can improve your business and even solve some challenges you may be facing currently.
Here are a few advantages of global sales:
- Reach a larger, diverse market
- Gives you access to foreign currency
- Opens your business to foreign investors and opportunities
- Competitive advantage
- Demand exists throughout the year (for seasonal products)
The strategy to have
Running a business in an area you are familiar with is easier as you know the language, habits, tastes, and preferences of that market. You also have an added advantage of knowing the most effective delivery methods, payment options, and businesses processes to satisfy your local customers.
Despite this, it can be challenging to sell in a different country, especially if you are running all the sales activities online from outside that country. You will need to conduct great research on the best way to successfully sell your product in that area. You’ll also need to create a strategy that helps you achieve this. Things you will need to consider before you start doing business in a different country include:
- Currency
- The language you’ll use
- Payment methods available
- Delivery
- Product preferences
The powerful eCommerce solution you need
The secret to globalising your business without moving your headquarters or opening doors elsewhere is an eCommerce platform. This allows your business to become accessible to anyone around the world without having to visit your premises. Digitrade eCommerce Platform, for instance, allows you to customise your website to have the appropriate currencies, payment methods, languages, and more factors. Enabling you to deliver quality experiences to diverse customers through features that support you with:
- localisation
- managing multiple currencies and local tax rates
- product translations (in French, Dutch, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese)
- all possible languages
- managing site registration, shipping, and billing configurations
- automated tax calculations for transactions
Go from local to global sales today
You started your brand and brought it this far. Now it’s time to take your business to the world with our eCommerce solution, Digitrade. We’ve told you how you can do it, but we would rather show you. So, book a demo with us (no obligations, just a conversation) and let’s show you just how far we can take your brand.