Major brands work with cross-border leader ESW to reach global shoppers as company ranked #2 in Digital Commerce 360’s Top 1000 E-Retailers
For the second year in a row, ESW tops the list of International Ecommerce Services Vendors in Digital Commerce 360’s Top 1000 E-Retailers. The report is the industry’s guide to the top e-retailers in the world, and ESW has been ranked #2 for the second year in a row. The report is the definitive guide for e-commerce retailers to find technology solutions providers.
ESW CEO Tommy Kelly spoke to Internet Retailer on the occasion of the company being placed second in the Top 1000 E-Retailers about the effect of COVID-19 on e-commerce, and how enabling cross-border ecommerce is key to a successful recovery.
How would you describe the current state of global ecommerce?
Cross-border is here to stay. Over the past few months, our own internal data has shown e-commerce growth of up to 600% from brands that have just scratched the surface of cross-border selling but haven’t even fully adapted to shopper preferences by country. Those are peak-level increases. Retailers must provide a seamless and consistent user experience, no matter where the customer is and how or when they engage with a brand.
What mistakes have retailers made trying to enter global markets?
As online demand during the pandemic skyrocketed, retailers recognized the potential of expanding globally. However, many lacked the tools needed to execute a genuinely global e-commerce strategy properly. They simply localized the currencies and added duties and taxes, but still presented a U.S.
experience in a foreign market. This half-baked approach results in a below-average shopper experience and low conversion rate.
How can they overcome these challenges?
Executing a seamless, omnichannel, cross-border customer experience is extremely complex and every market into which they expand is different. Retailers must start by establishing a presence or having a partner with boots on the ground in each prospective region to fully understand the local consumer and the behavior of each market. They need sophisticated, cloud-based order management systems enabling ship-from-store or warehouse inventory to expedite shipping times and reduce costs. They also need user-friendly fulfillment options, such as buy online, pickup in store, and simple returns, as well as localized communications.
Read the rest of Tommy Kelly’s insights into the future of cross-border ecommerce and the full Internet Retailers 2021 Leading Vendors to the Top 1000 E-Retailers report.
