Episode One : An Introduction to Global E-commerce Experts
As part of a brand-new outreach campaign we are delivering a series of webinars all about e-commerce expansion, focusing on; how to navigate through EU marketplaces, how to overcome some of the common challenges brand owners come across and what tools they need to successfully expand their e-commerce brand seamlessly!
With so much to cover in the coming weeks, it seemed apt to start with an introduction to GEE – who we are, what we do, and how we have become a leading authority for sellers looking to expand into the EU and the UK.
Who are we?
Our senior team is made up of Riki and Andy who bring over 40 combined years of eCommerce experience to the business. Here at GEE we pride ourselves on being a one-stop-shop for all eCommerce brands looking to expand into EU marketplaces. Pair that with our knowledge of the American trade market, the individual skillsets and expertise of each member of the wider team, we collectively share a passion for serving and guiding business owners through their expansion pathways.
How we can help your business
Working with sellers across all industries and specialisms, we understand how complex and challenging it can be to take a product from the USA and deliver it to a UK and EU market. How? Because we’ve done it ourselves!
Combining our own experience with our knowledge of the market and how marketplace sites differ across different countries and regions, our job is to support sellers as they position themselves in new online locations, capture their target audience, market their wares, and successfully handle the logistics of sale through to delivery.
A big part of what we do is helping sellers to protect themselves and their business whilst scaling, ensuring that they are operating within regulations, and benefitting from the most cost-effective suppliers and logistics providers. We strive to take the pressure off our clients when considering the market they want to expand into, by carrying out feasibility studies and account health checks that can determine the success of your products on the market and the current performance of your accounts.
Expanding your e-commerce business: our tips
First thing’s first, if you’re going to expand into Europe you need to recognise that Europe is made up of 28 different countries – all of which operate under different laws, boast different ways of living, and prioritise industry in all manner of different ways. And within those 28 countries, you have regions and areas which have their own local ways of working, selling, and buying.
To expand into Europe is to recognise the incredible diversity of the area – not just as an opportunity for your business, but as a pinch point in your marketing and customer outreach activity.
As a seller, the three main challenges that you need to be aware of and overcome are:
- Compliance, and making sure that your business is compliant with local laws and regulations. That means everything from labelling to product storage, marketing, and more.
- Have you thought about the complex logistics involved with warehousing and delivery in your target country?
- Identifying the best marketplace or platform to sell on.
Luckily, GEE are primed to offer advice and end-to-end support to those sellers and businesses who need it – both through our personalised packages and partnerships, and through this webinar series which is set to cover all of the main touchpoints that you need to be aware of as a marketplace seller.
And the advice doesn’t end there.
With our commitment being to deliver solutions and problem solving services to sellers keen to expand into Europe specifically, we have come to know a great deal about the various opportunities available in terms of supporting logistics and the details which support successful business growth. With expertise in every area and touchpoint of the journey, we have so far worked with over 2000 sellers on everything from minor compliance details to sourcing full warehousing solutions and more, and have picked up the following tips…
- Move through the expansion steps in some sort of order which will allow you to track your progress and understand what needs to be done in order to be fully compliant and successful
- Research is the number one thing you need to do before anything else, to understand if there is genuine market demand for your product in the new region or country
- Translation needs to come sooner rather than later, as it is an integral part of your compliance checks and launch marketing. Not to mention, getting an authentic and localised translation is key to getting your products noticed for the right reasons
- Don’t remain exclusive to one platform, for example Amazon, because different regions use different platforms. Amazon is most popular in the USA but in different European countries there are other, equally as popular, platforms. Keep an open mind to avoid alienating big customer group
To hear more about Riki and Andy’s thoughts on e-commerce expansion around the world, including stats on the top marketplaces in each region and more on the journey from local to global, check out the full webinar here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cG90fm-GEq0
Join us every Thursday to learn how we can make you the next big e-commerce category giant. We look forward to providing you with the toolkit you need to build a successful e-commerce business!