Cross-border e-commerce – what is it?

The term "cross-border" in the context of running an online store refers to foreign sales and developing operations in many markets. Cross-border trade in itself is not new, but recent years have shown the great popularity of this phenomenon. It's hardly surprising.

Although selling online abroad requires appropriate preparation in many respects, it is also a huge opportunity for growing profits and business development.

Online sales abroad – why is it worth it?

The benefits of cross-border trade are many. New markets and new customers mean obvious sales and growth potential for the company, which enable business scaling.

But it is not everything. According to the e-Chamber report "Cross-border e-Commerce. "Brand Without Borders" from 2024, Polish e-sellers indicate the main reasons for foreign expansion, among others:

• willingness to sell products at higher prices on foreign markets than on the domestic market,
• business development and extension of the offer,
• investment diversification and financial stabilization,
• exposure of own brands on the global market.

It is worth adding even less obvious benefits of cross-border e-commerce, i.e.:

• optimization of business processes – thanks to refined cross-border websites that offer advanced content management, sales, payments and logistics functions,
   
• greater competitiveness – online sales abroad are not only an advantage in themselves, but also pose challenges that push the company towards innovative solutions.

 Read the case study  and find out what our client gained after implementing the cross-border e-commerce platform! 

What are Cross-border Solutions?

If you are wondering how to sell online abroad and how to prepare well for it, Cross-border Solutions is here to help. It is a comprehensive set of solutions (tools, applications and services) that make conquering foreign markets easier and bring the intended results.

Online sales abroad require a holistic approach that takes into account all areas of the company and flexible adaptation to the rules of the game on international markets. All these needs are met by Cross-border Solutions, which include:

• cultural aspects - adapting to cultural differences and translating texts (including the language version of the e-store, product descriptions, regulations),
   
• legal aspects – compliance with local laws and regulations (taxes, product certification, personal data protection),
   
• financial aspects - taking into account local forms and methods of payment, currencies, exchange rates, optimization of payment and settlement processes,
   
• logistics - defining the conditions of logistics service that will ensure fast and reliable deliveries, handling returns, complaints and inventory management.

IT solutions for cross-border e-commerce

The rapidly changing needs of business in terms of online sales abroad are equally quickly responded to by technology that provides solutions that allow you to operate faster, more effectively and achieve more. In the field of IT, Cross-border Solutions is primarily software that supports online business on many markets, including:

• multilingual e-commerce platforms,
• content management systems,
• specialized software for supply chain management and compliance with local regulations.

Do you need a platform that will help you develop your e-commerce abroad?  Check what we can do for your business  

E-commerce platform for selling abroad

It is, among other things, appropriate technological infrastructure that allows e-sellers to conduct effective online sales. In the case of cross-border e-commerce, the bar is set even higher. In addition to efficiency and data security, the platform must be adapted to conduct foreign online sales. Certain functionalities of the platform will help with this, including:

• multilingual option,
• necessary integrations, e.g. with the ERP system, local payment gateways and suppliers,
• convenient management of prices, payments, promotions, tax rates and exchange rates freely for each market,
• GDPR compliance,
• adaptable to international SEO.

What to do if the current platform is not suitable for online sales in the international market? Or is it not flexible enough and you already know that it will make it difficult to scale your business in the future? This is a good time to consider migrating to a modern and advanced e-commerce platform that will take into account cross-border and allow you to achieve more.

Cross-border e-commerce implementation – what is worth remembering?

The basis of the cross-border strategy is a thorough analysis of the target market and a well-thought-out plan. Below you will find the most important steps that are worth taking into account at various stages of the project:

Market analysis

Before you start wondering how to sell online abroad and what technological functionalities are necessary, determine the sales potential in a given market. Look at your products from the perspective of demand, trends and consumer sentiment of the country in which you intend to operate.

In other words, answer the question whether entering a specific local market is a good move for your online store and whether consumers in a given country may be interested in your offer. Then analyze the competition and think about your differentiators in the context of the local markets to which you intend to target your offer.

Strategy

At this stage, create an e-consumer profile, analyze behavior and adjust the assortment to local needs (they may be different in different countries). It is equally important to refine the price offer, as well as specify payment and delivery methods.

The strategy also includes standard business-related strategic activities, i.e. defining goals for the coming months and establishing key performance indicators (KPIs). Thanks to this, you can easily measure the results of your cross-border e-commerce activities and quickly introduce the necessary changes.

This is also a good time to consult with an e-commerce expert who will help you verify compliance with local legal conditions and plan effective international logistics.

Launch of a foreign e-shop

An important step is to choose an appropriate e-commerce platform that will be cross-border compatible and adapt it to the needs of your business.

Smooth entry into new international markets requires, among others: taking into account local legal requirements, preparing the necessary translations, creating a team to provide customer service in the local language, defining the terms of logistics services and planning marketing activities.

Summary

Entering the cross-border e-commerce market is a step that means new opportunities and potential profits for your online store. There are also many challenges and the need to pay attention to issues that are obvious in the context of e-commerce conducted only on the Polish market.

How can you make this process easier for yourself? Choose Cross-border Solutions and dedicated IT solutions from Ideo Software, and then successfully reach foreign customers and scale your business.

Do you want to develop your e-commerce abroad and increase sales?  Check how we can help you