International ecommerce: How to prepare for Santa and beyond

The most successful ecommerce companies offer their customers the best shopping experience. It consists of, for example, user-friendly website functions, great customer service as well as flexible delivery options.

With the help of these features, SMEs have the chance to be successful in these challenging times and even to expand internationally. It has never been as easy as today to sell products to customers worldwide with the help of the right online platform and the right online strategy.

Our online shipping tool MyDHL+ is the perfect example for it. Not only can companies create waybills fast and easy but also book pick-ups, prepare customs documents and trace their shipments in real time. All with just one log-in!

Many retailers now face the challenge of individual delivery desires of their customers. Today customers expect everything “on demand,” any time, any place and anywhere. They expect to stay in control of their shipment at any time. Make sure you choose the right partner so you are able to provide this to all your international customers.

That’s why we established our innovative service ODD (On Demand Delivery) to allow customers to plan the delivery individually. The consignee receives information on the expected delivery date and time and can choose between six different delivery options.

This service is already available in more than 165 countries and 40 languages. An absolutely customer centric approach regarding the customers’ demands is the crucial factor to become successful globally – and to stay successful.

Therefore, every opportunity and tool supporting customer satisfaction is worth considering.

Two great examples of how offering DHL Express service turned out to be the right decision: The British company Gymshark, selling fitness gear and accessories online, and German online shop mybudapester.com, one of the leading online retailers of luxury goods.

Gymshark  became one of the fastest growing brands in Great Britain. After offering DHL Express as a delivery option, their revenue grew by 210% with 50% of their customers willing to pay for the express delivery.

German online shop mybudapester.com has also experienced a success story after implementing DHL Express service. Their online orders had a growth rate of 50% while customer service queries declined by 95%. So, offering express service has been the right tool to reduce the number of queries significantly and to increase customer loyalty. It has enabled the online shop to fully meet their customers’ expectations as they are looking for the fastest possible delivery of the exclusive products.

November, maybe even mid-October, marks the start of the peak season heading to Christmas shopping: Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the top events in ecommerce.

Originated in the U.S., both shopping days have become a global phenomenon and campaigns for them are now an important part of marketing strategies all over the world – with impressive results. And if you are dealing with Chinese customers don’t forget Singles’ Day. 

This year at DHL Express we are expecting an all-time high in global ecommerce trade. We already have experienced around 35% ecommerce volume growth in 2020 in our network and are expecting higher shipment quantities, above a 50% increase, compared to last year’s peak season.

2020 will certainly be different with less queues in front of shops in the cities and even more people in front of laptops and mobile phones ordering online. So, how do ecommerce shops have to prepare for this expected growth in online orders?

First and most importantly: Prepare in advance and not the last minute for the specifics of international seasonal business. Shipping internationally can be tricky – make sure you know about customs regulations and clearance as well as different shipping times in international ecommerce.

Clearly communicate cut-off dates multiple times during the order process to ensure your customer knows when to expect delivery. Be aware of different deadlines for national and international shipments. Almost half of the customers leave their online basket if delivery options are not clearly mentioned! A calendar or a simple infographic can be enough especially regarding on-time Christmas deliveries.

Moreover, do not just communicate a delivery date once but make sure your customers get regular updates on the status of their shipments. And also make sure to ask your customers for feedback: Learning about their opinion, for example, with the help of reviews or post-purchase surveys, can give you useful insights into how you can further improve your online store.

All in all, getting ready for peak season gives you the perfect reason to check everything from your stock all the way to the customer journey you’re offering.

Make sure that your website is in a perfect condition. Personalized customer experience and customer interaction, for example, with individually created shopping suggestions or with chat boxes, increases sales.

In the past, the focus was on websites made for desktops. People searched for articles in the “lighter” version of the websites on mobile phones but then ordered on their desktop. However, this trend has changed and customers now want the perfect shopping experience on all devices.

Product videos have become much more important, too. Customers prefer to see a video instead of reading instructions. Think of all the unboxing videos in social media – details of the product become clearer and are being tried immediately. If the consumer can’t touch, feel and try the product, at least someone else does it and tells about it. Therefore, make sure to implement videos in your webshop and present your products convincingly.

A convincing social media appearance can further boost your online shop. Also ensure that inventory, fulfillment, shipping, and staff are prepared very well. You always need to know what’s in your inventory.

Prepare for peak season and, in case something sells out, you need to update the information on your website immediately. Don’t disappoint your (potential) customer with outdated information. 

Fulfillment is the core of your business, so make sure it all runs smoothly. Picking, packing and labeling are the basics that always need to be done correctly and in the right time frame.

Moreover, the calculation of the prices of shipments to almost anywhere in the world always needs to be up-to-date. If you realize that these basics need to be reviewed, do it now and you’ll also profit from it after peak season.

Once your stock becomes bigger than your basement or living room, fulfilment centers are there offering to take over. They get your shipments ready in a minimum period of time with the help of more and more automatization. If you store your inventory in more than one center in your country or even in different countries, delivery to your customers can happen even quicker.

Plans and processes need to be clear and looked after, but one thing stands above all: the people. It all starts and ends with them.

When you start your shop because you are convinced of your products, you’ll find people who’ll love them, too. Maybe you even start your ecommerce business as a one-man company doing it all on your own.

When growing, it is important to surround yourself with the right team and look for the right customers you want to reach out to with your products. It’s the love and passion for the product that will differentiate the people in your sales team and in your customer service from people in other sales teams and customer services.

If they are as passionate about your products as you are, you’ll be successful together. And our international specialists at DHL Express are there to help taking your great products to more than 220 countries and territories.   

These are my key takeaways for international ecommerce during peak season:

1. Planning: Make sure to start planning for peak season early in advance. Your learnings and conclusions will make sure your online shop is up-to-date regarding your stock as well as regarding current trends, and then also ready for a successful 2021.
2. Personalization: Your customers have to enjoy their own customer journey in your online shop. Your website has to guide them through it and has to offer interaction. Moreover, take care of their personal preferences regarding delivery options and make sure to offer great customer service and feedback options.  
3. Preparation: Get ready for constant changes and other innovations to come. Customers’ desires and demands do not end with the trends of 2020. Therefore, don’t hesitate to always try new tools and options to adapt your online shop. However, don’t be afraid to exclude options that don’t have enough benefit for your customers.    
4. Progress: Digitalization will further shape ecommerce. As trends such as 5G and AI enhance online shopping experiences, current mobile shopping experiences as well as fulfillment solutions, shipping and delivery options will enhance, too.
5. People: It all starts with a product and an online platform. But to become and to stay successful it needs the right team. Their love of the product and their customer centricity are what it takes to manage a great online shop and to ensure a great customer experience. 

The future of international ecommerce will certainly be exciting and full of changes and innovations. This year we call it “the mother of all peaks” but the next years will for sure make this peak look like a walk in the park. To be successful you need to always be open-minded and prepared for – now somewhat uncertain – future scenarios. But if you stay close to your customers they will stay close to you, as you grow from record to record.

Published: November 2020

Image: AdobeStock