Discover how to expand beyond North America
Going global with online marketplaces
In today's interconnected world, international expansion is not just an option - it's a necessity. With third-party (3P) online marketplaces now accounting for over 56% of global ecommerce sales, understanding how to leverage these platforms is key to accelerating your brand's growth.
Online retailers that manage to scale their business nationally understand that growth requires hard work, technological know-how, marketing savvy, strong products, and impressable customer service. However, once a brand has maxed out its domestic expansion and starts looking to enter international markets, the challenges become larger in today's interconnected global world. However, brands must maintain an international presence to boost their online visibility to remain relevant and continue to grow their revenue - and their company.
"Globalization has been accelerating faster than ever before and therefore is one of the biggest trends that retailers need to pay attention to. Americans love buying European products, and Europeans love buying American products. But it's really hard to get your brand out there in a new region."Jordi Vemeer | VP Revenue, North America
The opportunity for retailers isn't just in sentiment. With the European fashion market projected to reach a market volume of US$258.8bn by 2027, American retailers would be remiss to keep their strategy local. The evolving landscape of online shopping and the rise of direct-to-consumer brands created a new path for many retailers to conquer such growth.
As large retailers are less interested in holding inventory, those brands are finding success going straight to consumers via marketplaces. Their approach to online expansion has changed as well. Rather than starting with a brick-and-mortar store in a key international city before moving to digital sales, retailers are now taking the opposite approach: introducing their products to international markets through online marketplaces first to build out the initial brand presence, whilst slowly building out their own branded web presence.
"The shift to marketplaces and third-party sales channels means that a brand’s own web shop or sales channel is becoming less relevant. They can build their brands through the channels instead and reach their targets and numbers.”Neils Floors | VP of Strategic Development
4 benefits of marketplaces
Best practices for a marketplace expansion Strategy
Tapping into international marketplaces requires a focused, tactical approach that takes time. A successful expansion may start small with only one or two markets at first. By expanding slowly, brands can figure out what works — and what doesn’t — without overextending themselves in terms of either bandwidth or capital.
“Selling across borders is not a side hustle. You need to really take it seriously and have someone local who is managing that business in the new region.”Neils Floors | VP of Strategic Development
While the specifics of any brand’s marketplace strategy will vary depending on their products, customer base, and goals, there are several best practices that apply to nearly all sellers:
Expand beyond North America with confidence!
Unlock the full potential of international growth by getting this guide in a PDF format.
Discover proven strategies to overcome the challenges of global expansion, including:
- Navigating local regulations and cultural differences
- Leveraging top marketplaces for growth
- Best practices for expanding your brand internationally
- Overcoming common technical, legal, and logistical hurdles
Fill in the form to get your free PDF and start your journey to global success today!
