International transport : develop your online store

Today, developing internationally is a key strategy for e-merchants. In France, 60% of e-merchants have an international activity (1). Indeed, by developing your sales all over the world, you address a market of 2.48 billion e-buyers (1) and more than 4,938 billion euros (1). By focusing on Europe, also a very dynamic market, you can target 480 million e-buyers (1), for a turnover of 718 billion euros (1). 

When you see these figures, you quickly understand that an export sales strategy seems interesting. But developing your sales in Europe or elsewhere in the world means asking yourself a few questions: which products? which sales channel to use? Which delivery solution? What delivery cost policy? …

Upela and Delivengo easy, offer you to discover 4 advices to develop efficiently in the international market.

1/ Where to develop internationally: Europe or overseas?

This is a real question that you must ask yourself. First of all, you have to focus on the origin of the e-buyers, in which countries the French e-commerce sites are the most popular.

The countries of origin of e-buyers who buy on French sites are (2) :

• Mainly from neighboring countries:
• 40% of e-buyers from Belgium and Luxembourg
• 16% of e-buyers from Spain and Italy
• 14% of e-buyers from Switzerland
• 5% of e-buyers from the United Kingdom
• But also outside Europe
• 5% of e-buyers from China
• 4% of e-buyers from USA & Canada

The potential of neighboring countries, with a geographical and cultural proximity, is more important.

2/ How to address the international market from France?

You have several ways to develop your international sales.

• Your online store

Shipping internationally from your own e-commerce site is not reserved for the largest companies in the market. However, this strategy requires time and financial investment. There are several rules to respect: the translation of the site, make your site responsive, produce content adapted to your different markets, develop acquisition campaigns (SEA via Google Ads) specific to your export markets.

• Marketplaces 

Marketplaces are important levers for developing your international sales (141 billion in Europe (2). You can notably distribute your products on Amazon (1/4 of cross border e-purchases) and eBay which are the leading platforms in Europe.

Note also that for some countries, there are specific marketplaces where you need to be present. For example, in Belgium, 20% of e-buyers buy on the bol.com marketplace or Jumia in Morocco where 17% of e-buyers regularly make their purchases.

• Social networks 

These levers are becoming a very important sales channel and not only a lever of visibility and traffic to your site. Today, 10% of e-commerce is done via social commerce. The most purchased products through this channel are: clothes, decoration, and beauty.

3/ Which transport service for the international market?

Delivery is one of the last links of satisfaction for your customers.  It is also important to take into account that delivery costs are the first cause of cart abandonment for 44% of e-buyers. It is therefore necessary to take into account some important criteria when choosing your delivery solutions.

• Type of your packages and delivery method

Depending on your goods and the weight of your packages, several delivery solutions are available to you. In Europe, 83% of cross-border purchases weigh less than 2kg and 33% of purchases cost less than 25€ (2). 

Moreover, 44% of e-purchases worldwide can be delivered directly to the mailbox (2), due to their format. Moreover, 66% of e-purchasers want to be delivered directly to their home (2).

Delivengo easy delivery solutions are perfectly adapted to these products. With a delivery of up to 2kg directly to the mailbox, the Delivengo easy offer available on Upela perfectly meets the expectations of your customers.

• Package tracking

With 88% of e-buyers wishing to track the delivery of their parcel (2), it is important to offer at least one delivery solution that includes parcel tracking.

The various carriers on the market often offer parcel tracking as an option, at an additional cost. The Delivengo easy delivery offer integrates parcel tracking for more than 200 countries in the world at no extra cost.

4/ What is the shipping cost policy?

Shipping costs are the last lever or brake for your online sales. Indeed, too high these costs can slow down the buyer or cancel his intention to buy. It is therefore essential to think carefully about your shipping policy:

• Adapt the shipping costs and delivery solutions to the products sold

When you sell small goods (phone accessories, costume jewelry, clothes, beauty products...) with a low value, we advise you to propose low shipping costs. 

You can also offer several international road transport solutions with different costs. Your customer will have the choice of a simple and inexpensive delivery to an express delivery and expensive according to his needs.

• Offer shipping costs

This strategy helps reduce cart abandonment rates. When you can, we invite you to offer free shipping. You have several possibilities: offer shipping on your low-value products, offer shipping when the cart reaches a certain amount or offer shipping on one of your carriers for example.

Delivengo easy can be one of your shipping solutions. With shipping rates starting at 7.60€ HT for the European Union and 12.90€ HT for all other destinations, you can offer your customers a very competitive shipping solution with tracking and delivery in mailboxes.

Need support for your road transport of goods? Do not hesitate to contact us for further information.

Sources :

(1) Key e-commerce figures 2022, Fevad 2022

(2) IPC Cross-border e-commerce shopper survey 2021