Why International Shipping is Crucial in eCommerce

For much of history, retailers had no way of expanding their business beyond their geographical borders. But thanks to the internet, technological advances, and the rapid rise of the eCommerce industry, that’s changed in recent years.

In the modern world of eCommerce, your brand has the potential to reach customers all over the world—but only if you have the fulfillment logistics to actually get your products to them. So, being able to offer international shipping is essential if you want to grow your business and expand your customer base! 

5 Stats That Prove the Power of International Shipping in eCommerce

Here are some key stats that show just how crucial international shipping is if you want to have a thriving eCommerce business!

1. It’s estimated that there will be 2.05 billion global digital buyers in 2020. With a global population of around 7.7 billion people, that’s nearly 25% of the world’s population shopping online! This number is only continuing to grow, and is expected to hit 2.14 billion global digital buyers by 2021.

That’s a lot of potential customers for your business! If you aren’t able to offer international shipping, you could be missing out on a lot of revenue—revenue that you can then invest back into your business to keep growing and expanding even more.

2. By 2021, it’s estimated that global B2C eCommerce sales will exceed $4.5 trillion—nearly double the $2 trillion done in 2018. In that same time span, global B2B eCommerce sales are expected to increase from $7.7 trillion in 2018 to $17.6 trillion. 

This growth will only continue as global technology infrastructure continues to improve. As more people have access to modern technology, more people will be capable of making purchases online. This means even more potential customers and revenue for your business!

3. 57% of consumers say they’ve made an international purchase online in the past six months. 

When your customers are spread across the world, your eCommerce fulfillment needs to be too. If it isn’t, they’ll simply go to another eCommerce retailer who does have the fulfillment logistics in place to get their products to them.

4. Statista has the average order value of an international sale at $147 USD, which is 17% higher than the average domestic sale.

Being able to maximize the average order value of each sale can widen your profit margins and boost your overall revenue! So, offering international shipping can have a huge impact on your bottom line.

5. Retailers who offer premium international shipping grow 60% times faster than those who don't.

Modern consumers expect faster shipping speeds than ever before, so offering premium fulfillment logistics—specifically high-speed, time-definite international shipping—can help your brand align with these consumer preferences. 

The bottom line here? Offering international shipping creates an opportunity for eCommerce retailers to sell to a much larger audience. In such a saturated online market, being able to expand your customer base and drive additional revenue can give you the competitive edge you need to see success!

Make International Shipping a Breeze by Partnering With the Right Order Fulfillment Provider!

Despite the massive opportunity for business growth that international shipping can provide, many eCommerce sellers face challenges while trying to take advantage of this opportunity. Between the lack of reliable global fulfillment providers, complex shipping regulations, currency fluctuation and more, there’s a lot of planning that must be done before entering an international market. 

But when international shipping is done right, it can provide value to your customers and be very lucrative for your business! That’s why it’s so important to choose a fulfillment provider who can provide fast, reliable international shipping and deliver on the shipping speeds your customers expect. 

That’s why we offer international shipping with full visibility, and ship from 14 shipping facilities around the world so that your products can reach your customers quickly. What’s your global fulfillment strategy? If you don’t have one or aren’t satisfied with your current fulfillment provider, it’s time to speak to The Fulfillment Lab!