International ecommerce is something that many businesses aspire to but that few have truly mastered. Unsurprisingly, Amazon is one of those that has become synonymous with global success. In Loqate’s International Retail Index, Amazon is in the top spot, but what is it that makes Amazon the marketplace giant that everyone knows and loves? Let’s take a look at the key things that businesses can learn from the colossal retailer about going global.
Understanding the online world
Interestingly, Amazon has a relatively small physical presence. However, their online presence is so enormous having taken complete advantage of the rise in online shopping. With years of experience in ecommerce, the team at Amazon has honed its skills over the last two decades, and continues to influence many retailers around the world. Whether it’s through the wide selection of products it sells or the technology it uses to improve the user experience, Amazon continues to stay one step ahead of the rest, remaining the masters of the online world.
Dedicated research
The teams at Amazon spends a lot of time researching the markets they are considering entering into. This means having a great understanding of seasonality, holidays, tax, regulations, lifestyle, and much more. Amazon is king when it comes to going global but acting local - which means that they are able to successfully sell to non-domestic shoppers, while delivering a local experience thanks to local knowledge, language and advice via team members.
Regional Advertising
According to the gargantuan business, Amazon advertises widely in the regions that they are extending into. This means starting from scratch, using local knowledge to create effective campaigns, and understanding the most effective way to advertise in each country and territory. This is a great way to build interest and grow loyal customer bases and has shown to be extremely effective in countries such as China and India.
Delivery options
When it comes to online delivery, Amazon is the winning choice for many, and in fact, the retail giant delivers to over 200 markets and territories worldwide. And not only does Amazon deliver to so many countries and territories, but the company also offers a great range of delivery options that are now influencing many other retailers. For example, ASOS now offers a delivery option similar to Amazon Prime, in which shoppers pay a small fee that allows them to receive unlimited next day delivery. Amazon is also way ahead when it comes to quick delivery, offering sub-90 minute delivery in many markets through Prime Now - catering to shopper convenience.
Smooth checkout
Delivery to so many countries and territories can have its challenges if you don’t have the technology and data to make fulfillment possible, but Amazon has this covered. They use international address verification to ensure that shoppers around the world can quickly and easily enter their billing and delivery address details into the checkout without frustration, and ensures that the international address data that is captured is accurate and can be delivered to the correct address.
Amazon’s global store enables both domestic and non-domestic customers to conveniently purchase products imported from the US, providing a seamless end-to-end shopping experience, and their success looks likely to rise even further due to their dedication to implementing great technology and researching the market.
Discover more about Amazon and its international success in Loqate’s International Retail Index.
