One of the major goals for companies engaged in e-commerce is to sell their products worldwide. Companies that enter e-commerce with the right infrastructure can achieve this goal. However, the aspect that requires attention is the logistics operations that need to be managed after the product sale. Although international shipments are handled by various courier companies, the rules you must follow change based on both the target market's country and the regulations for shipping to that country. In this article, we will cover what you need to know about international cargo shipments that you will need to handle due to international sales.
Preparing an International Shipping Strategy
Strategies are roadmaps that vary according to a company's internal dynamics. When preparing an international shipping strategy suitable for your company, you need to consider both your company's resources and past experiences. With this in mind, you can find some effective suggestions below:
Which Regions Will You Ship To?
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Set Small Goals
International e-commerce can be highly profitable. However, if you try to run before you walk, you might face disappointing results. Therefore, initially consider selling to geographically closer markets. -
Monitor Existing Demand
Monitoring demand helps to expand the scope of supply. Therefore, what you need is the visitor statistics for your website. By analyzing these statistics, you can precisely determine demand and develop solutions accordingly. -
Target Language Work
Once you have identified the market you want to address, you need to enhance communication with the people within that market. Working in-depth on this topic will directly impact your sales.
Which Products Will You Ship?
Not every product may be suitable for international markets. You need to classify the products you offer on your e-commerce site based on their weight, shelf life, and demand quantity and make arrangements for sales outside the country accordingly.
Researching Legal Processes and Regulations of Countries
You should examine the rules imposed by the country where you plan to sell regarding international cargo shipments. Since these rules vary from country to country, a package that is easily accepted in your country might be rejected elsewhere. For example, if you attempt to send untreated wood to Australia, the package may either be returned or discarded.
Shipping Costs
International cargo shipments are significantly more expensive than standard shipping rates. Therefore, it is important to display the current shipping costs for your products on your pages. Consumers should clearly know that they will incur this cost when making a decision. Otherwise, unexpected charges encountered at the payment stage can lead to the sales process being interrupted.
Packaging
International cargo shipments often undergo a challenging journey before reaching the consumer. Therefore, to ensure that your products arrive in good condition, you should pay attention to packaging and use packaging materials that prevent breakage and deformation. Otherwise, since no one wants to buy a damaged product, you might end up having to return the package in the simplest case. This situation means covering the cost of damage during shipment and the return shipping costs.
Shipping Costs
When it comes to international cargo shipments, shipping costs are a factor that directly affects prices. Therefore, you need to find various solutions to offer your products at optimal prices to consumers and avoid unnecessary cost increases. Different courier companies have different pricing policies for each country. Pricing is determined based on the size, weight, and distance of the product.
We can provide you with the infrastructure you need to present your products to the world and boost your e-commerce sales through Comwize. If you want to learn more about Comwize, which offers a comprehensive range of services for managing e-commerce processes and integrating with the required logistics company, feel free to contact us at any time.
