With internet accessibility making it relatively easier for potential clients to browse for products and purchase them online, more internet-based service providers have joined the market in the past few years. The retail eCommerce sales worldwide amounted to 4.28 US dollars in 2020 and were expected to reach almost 5.4 trillion by the end of 2022. And with rising competition, there emerged a need for businesses to offer superb shopping experiences to customers to improve consumer engagement and retain their sales.
Businesses need to identify their client base and increase their eCommerce conversion rates to stay in the competition. A great way for businesses to evaluate their customer base is by analyzing customer trends and optimizing their website accordingly to attract and improve customer engagement. Furthermore, increasing the conversion rate also impacts your revenues positively and helps retain customers irrespective of their location.
Here are some practical ways for you to improve the conversion rate of your international store.
1. Using Culturally Specific Imagery for Products
In the present times, business models are usually structured on a global scale than specific to a country or a region. However, it’s also important to be able to attract and engage local visitors and clients.
Using specific products, imagery, and wording derived from the cultural norms of a particular region goes a long way in attracting potential clients from that region. Furthermore, it’s also beneficial in generating an awareness of the cultural differences that exist between communities, which can be further implemented in marketing initiatives to increase the conversion rate of your international online store.
2. Provide Detailed Product Descriptions
Various online shopping websites don’t provide product information at all. Unlike brick-and-mortar stores, customers can’t touch the product nor ask questions. Therefore, you should ensure that you describe the products in detail.
Product information should contain interesting, informative, and useful content that will engage your customers in your product and website and encourage them to make the purchase. You can also add a product video or demonstration for enhanced impact. All these can prevent returns and maximize conversion rates.
You also need website SEO. Driving high traffic to your website is essential to boost the e-commerce conversion rate. Therefore, better website SEO will optimize the traffic to your website and improve your SEO ranking.
3. Understanding Restrictions Based on Products for Specific Regions
Most countries impose export and import criteria, which you are expected to be aware of while operating on an international level. Understanding these country-specific restrictions on products will also allow you to serve your client better. Countries like the USA prohibit their residents from importing a range of items from countries abroad and are strictly upheld by the Customs and Border Protection Agency.
4. Applying the Appropriate Currency Rates for Countries
International customers often face the problem of interpreting currencies provided in a non-native format. Most websites operating globally offer USD (US Doller) as their default currency without offering other currency options for international clients, which can be confusing and deter the decision-making process.
Instead, using appropriate currency rates or conversion systems can save the clients from the additional effort of having to convert the price to their native currency. It also helps maintain customer engagement and prevents them from leaving the site without making a purchase.
5. Providing Store Translations for Potential Customers Overseas
In-store translation services and multilingual content can be incredibly helpful while running an international eCommerce store. So, you might want to look into providing your international store with multilingual content to be able to attract clients from the nations you are operating in.
By allowing region-based website translations for clients residing abroad, you can ensure a greater consumer engagement from a wider geographical area. Implement multilingual websites for different locations simultaneously by automatically redirecting to a local site based on the customer’s geographic location.
You can give the customer a way to choose their language manually. Adding a strategically placed language switcher can redirect the customer to the desired localized site. Or you can implement both these tactics simultaneously, making your website more personalized and user-friendly. However, you’ll need to ensure flawless execution of the website translation process for each language choice to do so.
6. Complete Transparency on Custom Fees and Duties
Website transparency is among the major factors influencing customer engagement in eCommerce platforms and requires careful attention. Most clients tend to back out from online purchases upon discovering hidden custom fees and duties charged during the checkout process.
Though additional costs like shipping, taxes and service charges tend to inflate the total cost of a product, it is a better way of approaching your customers with transparency and improving the Customer Lifetime Value (CLV). It can go a long way in winning your customers’ trust.
7. Providing Customers with Precise International Delivery Information
Most countries worldwide impose high shipping charges for overseas deliveries, so providing your customers with precise international delivery information can be really effective in maintaining transparency and increasing the conversion rate of your international online store. Additionally, remember that fast shipping is important for customers, and most customers are even willing to pay additional charges for it.
8. Offering Multiple Payment Options
You can take your eCommerce website a step ahead by offering multiple payment options for your customers. With payment options preferred by specific countries depending on their accessibility, your clients abroad are more likely to make online purchases without ordering through currency conversions and exchanges.
9. Improving Your Website with Country Redirections and Language Switchers
An eCommerce website with several localization elements appears more appealing to international clients. Hence, a wise decision for improving your conversion rates is by accommodating country redirection features for your website, which allows your clients to be automatically redirected to a localized website. A language switcher can also help make your website more easily accessible to your customers.
10. Live Chat Customer Service
Customers located abroad might face challenges interpreting the range of products and services offered by your website, so easily accessible customer service can be greatly helpful for them to overcome confusion and answer questions that require a prompt response. A live chat customer service can be extremely beneficial in this regard.
Conclusion
Using the above-given tips, you can begin engaging your clients abroad meaningfully and establish your business worldwide. In addition to being aware of the trends and preferences of your local and global clients, it is also important to pay attention to individual customer needs and expectations. With these ten ways, you can increase the conversion rate of your international online store.