Many eBay, Amazon and online shops are having the option of offering their products to international clients. While it is obviously appealing to have more orders there are several factors to consider.
International Parcel Delivery
Not all products can easily be delivered internationally through a courier network. Parcels are usually placed on different sides of a box whilst in transit with other parcels being placed on top, They can even have small drops whilst being moved. Some items sold in a shop are therefore not suitable for international parcel delivery, they may be perishable, or need to be held the same way up or any number of other reasons not be suitable for courier to international courier delivery.Always check the cost of delivery into your new destination as cost of international parcel delivery is much higher than domestic courier costs and can therefore effect how competitive your product is in your new target market.
Packaging
If you think you product is suitable for international delivery I recommend that you add additional packaging to protect your contents. Obviously an international delivery takes longer and can move through more depots than a local one. All items need to be individually wrapped in bubble wrap and then to be placed a double walled card board box. You should drop a sample box off a table and check that your contents are still fine, before using an international courier service to be confident that your packaging is sufficient.
Know Your Destination
Is your product legal in the market that you are selling to. So if you are sending a parcel to Portugal, check that it complies with all EU laws as some countries have different laws on what products can be legally sold to others. This can include drugs and alcohol, through to electrical products.
Duty and Taxes
Always check if your product will incur import duty as this can greatly effect if your goods are priced competitively in that marketplace. Always advise your clients of the duty and taxes that they will be charged as positive feedback is very important in promoting your business.
Handling Queries
Obviously you want your business to be sent to get positive feedback, so being able to understand, answer and support queries in the language of the Country you are selling to is important.
Ensure that your instructions come in the language of the country you are selling into?
I hope that pointing out these points will help you consider some of the critical issues that are involved with selling internationally and stop you having problems that might otherwise occur.
