Global E-commerce Marketplace expert, Valeria Garcia, has published an article on Medium to highlight the role and influence of e-commerce platforms in facilitating global trade and expansion. 

Valeria, who possesses a wealth of experience in e-commerce and digital marketing says she is passionate about developing small to large businesses to favorably compete in emerging markets and handle cross-border global commerce.

In her article, Valeria posits that the pandemic has greatly affected the trade climate and completely redefined the nature of business and shopping in general. The dusk to dawn curfews and lockdowns that were imposed by many governments across the globe, left many consumers with no choice but to turn to online platforms for access to goods and services.

And despite the gradual reopening, a 2021 study by Consumer Research Report revealed that 43% of customers are considering continuing shopping online rather than going back to the pre-pandemic way of shopping.

Coupled with the incredible advancements in information technology and the availability of internet-enabled devices even in the most remote corners of the world, more and more people are opting for contactless transactions as a much better alternative to the traditional system of purchasing goods and services in physical locations.

The massive exodus of consumers to online platforms has made immersive technology a must-have for online stores and businesses that aspire to stay ahead of the trend.

“Cross-border trade is continuously growing. It is projected to expand to over 2 trillion dollars by 2024, accounting for 45% of total e-commerce retail sales globally. During the pandemic, many brick-and-mortars shifted their business online to continue their business operations. But brands that have been able to tap international markets during the pandemic have achieved significant business growth in cross-border digital sales. Case in point: U.S. brands selling online to global customers enjoyed an overall 106% sales rise in early June 2020.”

According to a report by Juniper Research, the value of global eCommerce payment transactions is expected to grow by 55% in the next five years, climbing from US$4.9 trillion in 2021 to exceed US$7.5 trillion by 2026 – with much of the growth attributes to businesses that offer omnichannel retail experiences.

Despite the incredible opportunities that abound, Valerie insists that businesses need to first and foremost conduct extensive research on the viability of their models before advancing into the global stage. 

One factor which she puts forward as a key determiner of a business’s success in online cross-border trade is its ability to offer a personalized service with localized user experiences.

“CSA Research shows that 65% of consumers prefer content in their language, while 40% will not buy in other languages. However, taking a business worldwide isn’t just about translating website content and providing customer support in different languages. It’s also about providing localized user experiences to keep shoppers coming back to the brand.”

Valarie maintains that by offering personalized experiences, merchants can motivate the changes and inspire loyalty without hostile offers and advertisements. The growth of social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok and the evolution of technology, has made it fairly easier for brands to engage and arouse passionate answers during the creation of video content for marketing and advertorial purposes.

The E-commerce expert has hinted that going forward, the digital layout will be an important part of the online shopping experience and greatly drive traffic much more than the common brand marketing and vending posts. Citing Melissa Kandel, a member of the Forbes Communications Council and CEO who posits storytelling about a brand to be a major part of retail labeling, allowing brands to advertise their products in a wholly fresh and new light. Valerie writes that products that tell stories on their content will have the ability to summon emotional answers that will move customers over the shopping journey.

The payment platforms are also not left out as the increasing number of brands that provide accessible mobile payments such as PayPal, Apple Pay, and Amazon Pay mobile shopping is expected to advance the same way mobile trading is advancing to the accord of extending rates of close to 5399.6 billion by the year 2026, (Mordor Intelligence).

Price comparison and bargain buys during the recess period are other factors Valerie insists businesses need to plan for as half of the shoppers’ have confessed to comparing prices online over various retailers before buying.

“According to a survey by Bizrate Insights, the interviewee said they utilized a recess discount, and 44% of the interviewee said they looked for a unique deal in the time of Black Friday. Bizrate Insights further discovered that 74% of customers believe it or not do choose to purchase through a mobile gadget or tablet. In contrast, they would choose to buy from their mobile gadget to enjoy a discount. This data by Bizrates Insights provides a clear picture. As brands arrange for recess season, it is important to provide recess discounts.”

Perhaps the chief of all factors which also happens to be one of the hallmark features of E-commerce is convenience. As such it only follows to expect that brands and businesses with the most convenient service will get the most market share. And with holiday periods being the busiest and most inconvenient time to access physical stores, online stores will enjoy massive surges in traffic and sales volumes. The latest Bizrate Insights finding revealed that 49% of the interviewees said they would purchase for recess gifts online to evade jam-packed, traffic, and restricted parking places.

To conclude, Valerie clarifies that despite the rise of E-Commerce, there is however no data to suggest that physical stores will become obsolete anytime soon. Instead, many of these stores will have to evolve or completely redefine and restructure their operations to make themselves more appealing to shoppers who desire the experience of walking down aisles and surfing through shelves. 

To read the full article on medium, simply click on the following link or reach out to Valerie via the contact information below to get more information: https://medium.com/@valeriagarcia13/e-commerce-platforms-are-making-global-expansion-easier-b70798fccf1b

Media Contact
Company Name: Pangaea Holdings
Contact Person: Valeria Garcia
Email: Send Email
Country: United States
Website: https://medium.com/@valeriagarcia13