Taking Your BigCommerce Store Global: A Guide to International Ecommerce

Taking Your BigCommerce Store Global: A Guide to International Ecommerce

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BigCommerce: A Platform Built for Global Scale

The world of ecommerce is no longer confined by borders. Businesses, regardless of size, are realizing the immense potential of expanding into international markets, and BigCommerce emerges as a robust platform perfectly suited to facilitate this global expansion.

BigCommerce distinguishes itself with its unique open SaaS platform, offering a combination of flexibility and scalability that many other solutions lack. This hybrid approach provides the power of open APIs, allowing for extensive customization and integration, coupled with the stability and reliability of a SaaS infrastructure. Whether you’re a small startup testing international waters or a large enterprise aiming for global domination, BigCommerce can adapt to your growth trajectory.

This commitment to customization and control extends to every facet of your store. You’re not limited to a single Content Management System (CMS), payment provider, or front-end user experience. Instead, BigCommerce empowers you to craft a truly unique store, tailor-made to resonate with each specific international audience you target.

Furthermore, BigCommerce boasts a comprehensive ecosystem designed to support global ventures. From expert design and development agencies specializing in international ecommerce to integrations with essential tools like translation services, currency converters, and international shipping providers, you’ll have access to everything you need to succeed on a global scale.

Security is paramount in international ecommerce, and BigCommerce takes this responsibility seriously. With robust security measures and certifications like ISO/IEC 27001:2013 and PCI DSS 3.2 Level 1, your store and your customers’ data are protected, fostering trust and ensuring compliance with international standards. Should you encounter any challenges, BigCommerce’s 24/7 global support team is ready to provide assistance, wherever you are in the world.

Multi-Storefront: Your Gateway to Multiple Markets

BigCommerce’s Multi-Storefront feature is a game-changer for businesses with international ambitions. This powerful tool allows you to create and manage multiple, unique online storefronts, all from a centralized BigCommerce dashboard. This simplifies operations, giving you the control and efficiency you need to navigate the complexities of selling in multiple markets.

Let’s look at how Multi-Storefront benefits different business models:

  • Multi-Brand: If your company manages a portfolio of distinct brands, you can create dedicated storefronts for each, tailoring the look, feel, and product selection to appeal to specific customer bases in different countries. Imagine a company targeting “bigcommerce korea” with a K-Beauty focused brand and “bigcommerce india” with a storefront highlighting traditional Indian fashion.
  • Multi-Segment: Businesses targeting different customer segments, like B2C and B2B, can establish individual storefronts with unique branding and messaging. A B2B storefront could feature bulk discounts and specialized product information, while a B2C storefront could focus on personalized recommendations and lifestyle imagery.
  • Multi-Region: With Multi-Storefront, you can seamlessly cater to different geographical regions or countries. You can offer storefronts localized for different languages, currencies, and even product catalogs. For example, your “bigcommerce india” storefront might offer products in Indian rupees, while a European storefront would use Euros and specific European languages.

The customization capabilities of Multi-Storefront are impressive:

  • Unique Settings: Each storefront can be configured with its own distinct settings, including logos, currencies, domains, contact information, and, crucially, languages.
  • Product Management: Tailor your product offerings to local demand by creating global or individual product lists, categories, and filters for each storefront.
  • Pricing and Promotions: Apply global pricing strategies or implement unique pricing structures, promotions, and discounts based on specific storefront and market dynamics.
  • Theme and Layout: Choose themes and customize page layouts to match the design preferences and cultural sensibilities of your target audiences in different regions.
  • Communication: Build strong customer relationships by tailoring transactional emails, abandoned cart sequences, and other communications to each storefront’s language and brand voice.

BigCommerce’s Multi-Storefront doesn’t just empower you to create localized experiences, but it also provides tools for centralized management and analytics:

  • Unified Order Management: Manage all orders from all your storefronts from a single location within your BigCommerce dashboard, simplifying order processing, fulfillment, and customer service.
  • Customer Segmentation: Gain valuable insights into your international customer base by viewing and segmenting customers based on their storefront.
  • Analytics and Tracking: The BigCommerce analytics dashboard provides a comprehensive overview of each storefront’s performance, complemented by seamless integration with Google Analytics for in-depth data analysis.

Unlocking Multi-Language Checkout

One of the keys to international ecommerce success is providing a smooth, localized checkout experience. While looking for a “bigcommerce international checkout app,” merchants might find that a separate app isn’t necessary. Instead, BigCommerce offers a built-in solution for a multi-language checkout experience. This feature is especially valuable for “bigcommerce multichannel” strategies that include international sales.

The platform’s streamlined checkout flow comes pre-translated into numerous languages, including, but not limited to, English, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Danish, and Dutch.

These pre-translations are seamlessly integrated using Handlebars {{lang}} statements embedded within the checkout templates. These statements automatically render the relevant text in the language defined as your default storefront language in the BigCommerce control panel.

However, what truly sets BigCommerce apart is its commitment to flexibility. If you wish to go beyond these pre-translations or add support for additional languages, you have the power to do so. By working with the provided JSON language files, you can override the default translations or add new ones, ensuring every step of the checkout process, from shipping information to payment confirmation, is presented in the customer’s preferred language.

Step-by-Step: Building Your International BigCommerce Presence

Ready to take your BigCommerce store global? Here’s a step-by-step guide to get you started:

1. Planning and Research:

  • Market Selection: Identify your target markets, considering factors like market size, growth potential, and your existing customer base.
  • Market Research: Conduct thorough research to understand your target audience’s needs, preferences, language proficiency, and local regulations in each market. If you’re aiming for “bigcommerce korea”, your research would focus on the Korean market, while “bigcommerce india” would demand research into the Indian consumer landscape.
  • Localized Strategy: Develop a localized marketing strategy for each market, including website translation, marketing material adaptation, and SEO optimization for local search engines.

2. Setting Up Multi-Storefront:

  • Channel Manager: Navigate to the Channel Manager within your BigCommerce Control Panel and access the Storefront section.
  • Add New Storefronts: Create new storefronts for each target market, configuring individual settings like language, currency, domain, and logo.

3. Localizing Product Information:

  • Product Selection: Create global or individual product lists for each storefront, selecting items relevant to local tastes and preferences.
  • Translation: Translate product descriptions, names, specifications, and other relevant information into the language of each target audience. If you’re targeting “bigcommerce korea”, ensure all product details are accurately translated into Korean.
  • Pricing: Set unique pricing structures for each storefront, factoring in currency conversion, local market conditions, and pricing strategies.

4. Customizing Storefronts:

  • Theme Selection: Choose appropriate themes and customize page layouts to create a visually appealing and culturally relevant experience for your target audience in each market.
  • Localized Content: Leverage the Page Builder tool to create unique web pages with localized content, such as regional promotions, specific shipping information, or local contact details.

5. Integrating International Services:

  • Translation Services: Integrate with translation services to streamline the process of translating website content, product descriptions, and marketing materials into multiple languages.
  • Currency Converters: Connect with currency converters to automatically display prices in local currencies, ensuring accurate pricing for customers in each target region.
  • Shipping Providers: Integrate with international shipping providers to calculate and display accurate shipping rates, offering reliable and cost-effective delivery options to your global customers.

6. Testing and Launch:

  • Testing: Before launching, thoroughly test each storefront to ensure all functionalities, language displays, currency conversions, and checkout processes are working flawlessly.
  • Launch: Once you’re confident in your setup, launch your international storefronts! Promote your business to your new global audiences through targeted marketing campaigns.

FAQ

How do I handle multiple languages for my BigCommerce store’s checkout?

BigCommerce makes it easy to translate your checkout experience. The optimized one-page checkout process, accessible through your control panel, is already pre-translated into several languages. You can further customize these translations or add support for new languages by working with the JSON language files included in your theme. This ensures a seamless checkout experience for international customers, regardless of their preferred language.

Can I offer different payment methods for different international storefronts?

Yes, BigCommerce supports various payment gateways, allowing you to offer region-specific payment options. You can configure each storefront to accept payment methods popular in that particular market, whether it’s credit cards, digital wallets, or local payment solutions.

Does BigCommerce help with international tax calculations and compliance?

BigCommerce provides built-in features and integrations with tax calculation services to help you manage international taxes. However, international tax laws can be complex, and it’s always recommended to consult with a tax professional to ensure full compliance in each target market.

What are some tips for optimizing my international BigCommerce stores for SEO?

International SEO involves several key considerations. Translate your website content and meta descriptions into the local language. Optimize your site for local keywords and search terms relevant to each market. Consider building backlinks from local websites and creating localized content that resonates with your target audience.

How can I effectively manage customer service for customers from different time zones?

Providing excellent customer service across multiple time zones can be challenging. Consider setting up a multilingual support team, utilizing chatbots and automated responses, and clearly communicating your support hours in each storefront’s local time zone. BigCommerce also offers integrations with various help desk solutions that can streamline your support workflow.