Taking your business global: your essential guide to international success
This article is provided by BRC Associate Member, Ecommpay.
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In today’s digital-first economy, taking your business global isn’t just a bold ambition – it’s becoming a strategic necessity. With international consumers actively seeking trusted, high-quality products, British brands are perfectly positioned to meet demand.
But expanding overseas is about more than just switching on international shipping. Success in global markets requires smart planning, local insight, and the right tech infrastructure.
Ecommpay’s full report breaks it all down in detail, but here’s a preview of what it takes to grow beyond borders:
Understand where the growth is happening
Emerging markets like India, Vietnam and Indonesia are experiencing rapid e-commerce growth, with millions of new online shoppers every year. These consumers aren’t just looking for more options – they’re looking for better ones.
Build your technology foundation
Going global starts with a scalable e-commerce platform that supports multi-currency, local content, and language packs. Mobile-first design is essential in many regions, especially Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Add in tokenized payment methods and digital wallets like Wero, and you’ll reduce friction at checkout and improve trust.
Localise more than just language
True localisation means offering familiar payment methods (like AliPay in China or iDEAL in the Netherlands), adapting your website’s design to local tastes, and providing region-specific customer support. Shoppers expect a brand that speaks their language – culturally and literally.
Stay compliant across borders
From GDPR to local tax and payment regulations, compliance is complex but non-negotiable. Getting it right builds trust and avoids costly mistakes. Using a Merchant of Record (MoR) to handle tax collection and legal responsibilities can make global operations far easier to manage.
Manage your FX and payment strategy
Foreign exchange fees, poor conversion rates and payment failures can chip away at your margins. Payment orchestration platforms help you route transactions through the most cost-effective providers and boost authorisation rates. The result? Better performance and a smoother customer experience.
Rethink fulfilment and delivery
Slow, expensive shipping is one of the quickest ways to lose a customer. Centralised fulfilment from the UK may work for nearby countries, but for real global reach, consider regional hubs or third-party logistics partners like Global-e or Zonos. Fulfilment should feel effortless to the end customer – wherever they are.
Adapt your brand to each market
A strong global brand stays consistent but adapts locally. That could mean shifting tone of voice, reworking creative assets, or tweaking product positioning. What works in the UK may fall flat in Japan, Brazil or the Middle East – tailoring your approach is key.
That’s just the start.
In our full report, we dive into:
- How to pick the right international markets
- The role of local entities and when to set one up
- Navigating fraud, refunds and regulatory risk
- Lessons from brands already succeeding globally
- And the biggest pitfalls to avoid when scaling overseas
🚀 Ready to expand with confidence?
Download the full guide and unlock your step-by-step checklist to international success – packed with expert insights, practical strategies, and real-world examples.
The global opportunity is huge. Let’s make sure you’re ready to seize it.
