Tailoring campaigns for international markets

More and more UK retailers are opening up their websites to international customers. Some, like discount apparel cataloguer M and M Direct, bicycles and accessories retailer Wiggle and entertainment products etailer Zavvi, are using local-language sites in order to enable them to better market their products overseas. Others, like Asos.com, are planning to, or already using, affiliate marketing and PPC ads to drive traffic to their international websites. But if the promotional copy used in those ads, or if the main messages on your international website are the same as in your home market, you may be missing an opportunity to really connect with your customers and their needs.

Although according to a survey by Sterling Commerce, the top two concerns across the board for European online shoppers were “always having accurate product stock availability” and “easier ways of ordering and receiving items”, another survey, by affiliate network Affilinet, found some more subtle differences between European consumers. Did you know, for example, that UK consumers are the most cost-conscious in Europe? Affilinet commissioned Toluna to ask 2,000 respondents in the UK, France, Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands about their online shopping habits. Seventy-one percent of UK consumers cited price as a major factor when making a purchasing decision compared with only half of French consumers (53 percent).

For consumers in France, highlighting the product’s features was the most important factor, marked by 76 percent of respondents. The Dutch also placed the emphasis on product features (41 percent), whilst Spanish consumers were most receptive to personal recommendations via online channels such as email and social networks, with more than a third (35 percent) highlighting this as key.

To put this in context, look at your paid-search advertising. What are you telling customers? For instance, a search for entertainment products etailer Zavvi, part of The Hut Group, on Google.co.uk brings up a sponsored ad promoting a summer sale with discounts of up to 70 percent as well as free UK delivery (above). Search for Zavvi on Google.es and you’ll find a similar offer with the copy advertising low prices and free shipping. If Affilinet is right, perhaps an advert that promoted a “top sellers” or “highly recommended” landing page would work better in Spain?

When it comes to the biggest obstacle consumers face when ordering online, nearly half (47 percent) of European consumers said that trying products for size is a major concern. Security of payment was the biggest obstacle for French and German consumers when purchasing online, with 57 percent of respondents from both countries citing this as a perceived problem when carrying out transactions. Lack of face-to-face service time was the biggest issue with Dutch consumers when buying on the internet, with 28 percent of their respondents citing this as a major obstacle.

And although 44 percent of UK consumers said that not having opportunity to try on products was a purchasing barrier, 22 percent of Brits had no problems at all shopping online. This could be attributed to UK marketers working hard to underline their security credentials and making it easy for consumers to return goods. If you’re selling overseas, make sure that you prominently display your no-fuss returns guarantee—providing you have one, of course. Perhaps look into setting up a local distribution centre to handle returns—and reinforce messages that you’re a safe and reputable retailer.

Translation may be a relatively simple process, but localising your marketing campaigns, may require a bit more effort. It’s not about one-size-fits all; taking the time to adapt your message to appeal to new markets should help you reap more rewards from your expanded audience.