Cross-border Selling: A Complete Checklist

Does the term cross-border selling bring a hundred questions to your mind? Are you overwhelmed by the thought of selling across borders? Cross border eCommerce sales are not a big deal in this internet era. Just being active and building a good circle on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram will help you in cross-border selling.

There are a few things you need to study on before you go for cross-border sales. ECommerce sales are one industry that won’t restrict you to any border, provided you are equipped with all necessary strategies for your growth. The things you need to look into are, the manpower support, the products you are considering to be sold, and the right technology to support your plan.

Cross-border selling

Here are a few checklists you can look into before you start your ride:

1. Building a team

For international sales, you need to outsource a team for all the international services you do. There are various platforms like Upwork where you can get technical support or for the purpose of translation. Make sure you maintain your product standards when you start the sales and campaigning process. Get freelancer that fit into your need.

2. Product Restrictions

Have an idea of places where your product will be restricted or prohibited. The restrictions can be for any product like a particular type of clothing, a particular food item, health or beauty product, etc. Before hiring make sure you have made a survey on this.

3. Shipping Services

Look into the various cross-border shipping services. There are several options, but you need to find out which best fits your business. There are various options like FedEx Cross Border, GlobalShopex, UPS, Zonos, etc. Find the one suits you cost-wise, quantity, and safety-wise.

4. Export cost and tax

Always be aware of the delivery cost and the tax rates in the places where you choose to do your cross-border sales. Make sure the export taxes are within your budget before you commit and cross-border transaction.

5. Customize your online store

You may need to make few changes to your eCommerce website depending on the place you choose. For the customers to accept your site you need to localize them depending on the customs and traditions that particular places follow. You may need to make changes to the language options, content in your website, images or videos, and even the things you sell to some extent. You need to make changes in the rates keeping in mind their local currencies and the currency conversion. Your negligence can cost you a lot. So stay alert when you deal the money part in cross-border sales.

6. Rule Changes

Once you have established your cross-border sales, make sure you are aware of the changes in rules in that particular place. You need to keep yourself well updated, which you can get it from your hired freelancers too. You need to know when there are a market crash or currency rate fluctuations or and rule changes regarding international sales.