Guest post: Digital Marketing and Ecommerce for 2015 – Part 2

In part 2 of a 3 part series, James Bradbury of DSN Marketing is looking at what you can be doing slightly further afield to improve your sales and grow your business.

Pouvez-vous traduire ceci (Can you translate this)? – Interpretation vs. Translation
There’s been a rush over the past couple of years to get your products online all-over the world. This is great – globalisation and easier access to these markets is one of the best things about online retail. However, so far it’s been a quantitative rather than a qualitative race; get all your products onto different locales and translated as quickly as possible. Going forward, this isn’t going to be enough. We don’t even use the word translation anymore – we use interpretation.

The increased results you can achieve by using native speakers and copywriters (especially those with digital marketing experience) is absolutely phenomenal. More than just copywriting, having local knowledge and an understanding of market cultures can give you really valuable insights. Together, this is a great way of setting yourself apart from the rest of the crowd, and will let you truly compete on global marketplaces.

If you can’t afford to take on a full time member of staff to work on your respective global accounts, it might be worth thinking about using an agency. And always remember, getting the sale is one thing, but don’t forget to consider how you get the item there, and how you deal with the customer service at the other end – Google Translate is only going to get you so far and isn’t going to help you grow your brand reputation.

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket – Additional Marketplaces
So you’re already selling on Amazon and have eBay covered too. Business is going well and all you need to do is sit back and reap the rewards. Right? Not quite! Whilst eBay and Amazon are key marketplaces and a great starting point, where would your business be if one or both of your accounts were suspended (or worse, closed!)?

With stringent rules on both marketplaces this is a reality that needs to be taken into consideration in order to protect your business. The recent collapse of the courier, City Link, serves as a very current reminder of the potential pitfalls of having all of your eggs in one basket when it comes to your business structure. If you rely on one faction, things have the potential of going very wrong, very quickly.

Having a diverse portfolio is key. You can reduce risk and help safeguard your business by expanding your reach and selling on different marketplaces-there is a whole world out there beyond Amazon and eBay! Different platforms can present new opportunities and challenges and expose you to varied audiences.

For example, online auction site MadBid may be your go to marketplace if you’re interested in targeting the more price conscious consumer, whereas a marketplace such as Etsy might be for you if your focus is on bespoke handmade items or vintage delights!

If you have a brand name that you want to protect, it is also important to consider how you wish for it to be perceived. Selling your items for low prices may not be for you if you’re concerned about presenting an image of quality. On the other hand, it could be a good way of clearing end of the line stock!

More than just ‘protecting’ yourself, expanding onto different marketplaces and locales can offer fantastic new opportunities for growth! With a little research and experimentation you can find what works best for you.