Amazon marketplace has been a trusted and globally recognized marketplace with around 175 fulfillment centers across the world, around 16 country-specific marketplaces, and millions of shoppers active in more than 180 countries. Amazon’s global footprint alone should be enough to persuade any e-commerce seller to start thinking about expanding their Amazon business internationally.

You can also benefit from Amazon’s continuous growth and popularity by considering cross-border expansion and taking your business to the next level. Here is what you have to do to go international!

1.            Choose your marketplace and product

Before you hit any cross-border marketplace, research and choose which product you want to sell and which country you want to target. If this is your first time experiencing cross-border selling, then you should start by focusing on just one country to gain practical experience. Take help from professional Amazon consultants or other popular consulting firms to find out which marketplaces have the most potential.

The second step is to identify the right product to sell according to the marketplace you choose. It is essential to know that not every item can do relatively well in every country. Just because any product of yours is popular in the United States, doesn’t necessarily mean it will get you equal sales in Japan.

Make sure to consider different factors such as infrastructure, weather, and other cultural differences. Conduct thorough product research for every country you decide to market your products in.

2.            Learn about the legal framework and tax laws of each country

One key point that you might overlook is the regulations and local laws of every country. There are major disparities between countries in terms of their legal framework. Some products can be legal in the United States but are restricted in the European Union.

You can end up losing your business or a lot of money in fines if you sell prohibited or illegal products in the Amazon marketplace. If you are not sure that your product is appropriate for the country where you wish to sell it, seek advice from an expert. Make sure your product meets the local safety standards of each country.

You also must take care of tax laws as they are quite complex and difficult to comprehend for an average person. Tax laws also end up destroying the majority of Amazon sellers’ businesses, just because they fail to pay taxes on time or handle bookkeeping properly. Authorities do not care if you made a mistake by accident or on purpose, they are going to punish you by charging you a heavy amount of fines. Get in touch with tax experts who can help you understand the regulations and tax laws of specific countries.

3.            Choose the right fulfillment center and send your items to the warehouse

Now that you know what to sell, where you want to sell it, and all the legal standards you must meet; you must consider connecting with your suppliers.

If you are currently working with a Chinese manufacturer, and have a warehouse in a country whose language you don’t understand or speak, then there’s a good chance you will make a lot of blunders due to misunderstandings. Make sure to employ a dependable supplier and forwarder who knows your language and arranges the complete delivery procedure for you- from the factory where your product would be manufactured to the designated warehouse.

Also, find the most dependable fulfillment center to make sure your customers have a great buying experience with you and recommend your products to their friends.

Your fulfillment center must meet the following requirements:

• Quick delivery
• Reliable and easy return management
• Simple communication

4.            Promote your products!

After choosing the best fulfillment center and sorting out a way to get your products to the warehouse, it’s now time to start offering your products in the market. However, Amazon sellers must put their best foot forward when promoting their products on Amazon or other social media networks.

• The first thing that your customer notices is your product image. Make sure to upload high-resolution images that give customers an idea of how to use your product on a daily basis. Keep your background white and clear.
• Other than that, work on your product description. It must be well-written, appealing and should include all the high-ranking keywords. After all, your product is going to appear in the search result only when you include the relevant keywords in your title and description.
• You can also go for paid advertising. Run a PPC campaign and keep optimizing the campaign by adding the right keywords.
• Market your products on social media. It is a great way to let people know you are offering your product in different Amazon marketplaces and that people can easily avail your products.

5.            Use the right tools

You cannot handle every aspect of your business, especially when you are thinking about expanding your business internationally. It’s okay to ask for help instead of overburdening yourself. Get an inventory management tool to handle all your Amazon inventory present in different warehouses. Other than that, sign up with the best Amazon repricer for FBA sellers that reprices your products and keeps them competitive. However, make sure your Amazon repricer supports multiple marketplaces. You can also search for tools to assist you in listing optimization. In short, get help if you need it.

In Conclusion,

Going global is not easy but holds lucrative opportunities. Be sure to go through the guide mentioned above so that you don’t have a hard time. Understand the marketplace you want to sell in, and go through the laws and regulations before you decide on a product and its suppliers.