It might seem simple, especially if you’re already successful locally, but selling internationally comes with its own set of challenges. You’ll need to deal with additional regulations and face intense competition from established sellers in those regions. To help you succeed globally, this guide covers everything you need to know about selling internationally on Amazon. Let’s dive right in.

Which Marketplaces Can You Sell On?

As of 2024, you can sell to 21 international marketplaces. This includes:

• United States (Amazon.com)
• United Kingdom (Amazon.co.uk)
• Mexico (Amazon.com.mx)
• Canada (Amazon.ca)
• Spain (Amazon.es)
• Brazil (Amazon.com.br)
• Italy (Amazon.it)
• France (Amazon.fr)
• Germany (Amazon.de)
• Singapore (Amazon.sg)
• India (Amazon.in)
• Japan (Amazon.co.jp)
• United Arab Emirates (Amazon.ae)
• Saudi Arabia (Amazon.sa)
• Turkey (Amazon.com.tr)
• Australia (Amazon.com.au)
• Netherlands (Amazon.nl)
• Belgium (Amazon.com.be)
• Poland (Amazon.pl)
• Sweden (Amazon.se)
• Egypt (Amazon.eg)

Which Marketplace Should You Select?

Before you choose a marketplace, there are a few things to think about.

First, think about how much traffic the marketplace gets. As of 2024, the top marketplaces by number of monthly visitors are the USA with 3 billion, Germany with over 605 million, the UK with over 569 million, and Canada with 231 million.

Second, consider the different tax regulations and whether you can sell your products in the chosen country. Some countries have more extensive rules, so make sure you’re knowledgeable and prepared to comply.

Third, check the average income in the countries you want to sell in. This is measured by something called GDP PPP per capita. Generally, higher income means more online spending.

How to Sell Internationally on Amazon

Selling your products internationally is a good idea if you already have an established and successful product in one marketplace. But before you go global, make sure to do your research to confirm there’s also demand for your product in the new market.

Once you’ve confirmed demand, your next step is to find a reliable freight forwarding company. Look for one that has experience in shipping products specifically to Amazon’s fulfillment centers, as they have unique requirements for labeling, packaging, and appointment scheduling. Failing to comply could result in your products being rejected and sent back, with you bearing the full cost. 

Once you’ve handled this, it’s time to enroll in either NARF or Amazon’s Global Selling Program:

• NARF: If you’re operating your Amazon business in the US and want to expand into Mexico and Canada, NARF is a great option. This program allows you to sell in these markets while keeping your products in US fulfillment centers. When customers from these countries place an order for your product, Amazon will handle the cross-border shipping for you.

With NARF, you’ll also automatically get access to a tool called BIL (Build International Listings), which duplicates your US product listings onto Amazon Canada, and Mexico without you having to do anything.

To qualify, you need to have a Professional Selling account and a North American Unified Account, which you can set up by going to the “Upgrade to a Unified Account” page in Seller Central.

Selling in your local market is usually easier than selling overseas. If you’re new to a foreign market, here are some helpful tips to ensure success:

1) Be Aware of Each Country’s Regulations

When selling internationally, the first step is to understand the regulations of the country you’re targeting. In the EU or UK, for instance, there’s a long list of legal requirements you must meet. Here are a few examples:

• Register for VAT: VAT (Value Added Tax) is a mandatory tax on goods and services in the EU and UK. Registration procedures vary, but generally, you’ll need to fill out a form and provide necessary documents like business proof, ID, and financial records.
• Apply for an EORI Number: An EORI (Economic Operators Registration and Identification) number is essential for customs declarations. Before applying, check if your company already has one, especially if you’re VAT-registered. If not, you’ll need to provide detailed company information to the customs authority where you plan to import goods into.
• Ensure EPR Compliance: If you’re planning to sell in Germany or France, you’ll need to obtain an EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) number from the appropriate PRO (Producer Responsibility Organization) to prove that your products, including packaging, are sustainable and recyclable. Common EPR categories cover products like batteries, electrical and electronic equipment, and furniture. Without this number, Amazon will suppress your listings.
• Get a WEEE Number: If your products are covered by the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive, you’ll need a WEEE number to show your commitment to correctly handling and recycling electrical and electronic waste. To obtain this number, check if your products are covered under the directive and contact the appropriate authorities in the EU country where you plan to sell.

If you want to sell to other international marketplaces besides the EU and UK, you’ll need to comply with additional regulations specific to each country.

2) Use BIL to Duplicate Your Listings

If you have a Unified Account or Linked Accounts, BIL can be an extremely helpful tool to use. It helps duplicate your current listings onto the marketplace where you plan to sell. All you need to do is link the source market (i.e., where you’re currently selling) to the target market (i.e., where you want to sell).

Here’s how to set it up:

Step 1: Go to Amazon Seller Account > Inventory > Build International Listings > Get Started.

Step 2: Choose your source market or primary market.

Step 3: Select your target marketplaces.

Step 4: Select your pricing rules. You can choose from four different options:

• Same price as source marketplace
• Percent above source marketplace
• Percent below source marketplace
• Fixed amount above source marketplace

Step 5: Wait for Amazon to process your request. This can take up to 4 hours. You’ll receive an email once it’s done.

3) Translate and Adjust Your Listings

If you’re selling to a country where English is the primary language, find out if they use British or American English and adjust your copy accordingly. Also, use the vocabulary that locals are familiar with, especially if you’re selling products that may have different names in your target market. For instance, if you own a clothing brand in the US and want to enter the Australian market, instead of using American terms like “sweaters” or “pants”, use the Australian equivalents which are “jumpers” and “trousers”.

If you’re entering a market where English isn’t the main language, you’ll need to translate your listings to the local language there. While online AI tools can be helpful, it’s better to hire a professional translator to ensure your copy makes sense and includes the keywords you need in the target language.

4) Hire a Full-Service Amazon Agency

If the thought of going global is stressing you out, you can always consider hiring a full service Amazon agency like Enso Brands. With Enso Brands, you’ll have access to a team of experts who will guide you every step of the way. We’ll help duplicate your listings using BIL and choose the right program, whether that’s NARF or Amazon’s Global Selling Program. We’ll also optimize your listings for search visibility to boost sales internationally. Plus, we’ll keep an eye on your entire catalog to ensure it’s performing its best and make changes as needed to stay ahead of the competition.

Summary

Expanding your business internationally with Amazon Global Logistics is a great way to reach new customers across the world. To ensure success, make sure to choose the right international marketplace based on customer traffic and GDP per capita in that area. Also, consider using tools like NARF and BIL to easily manage your listings across different countries, and make sure you comply with each country’s regulations before you start selling there. Lastly, if you’re selling in a country where customers speak a different language other than English, make sure your product listings are in that language. This might mean hiring someone to translate them for you or using AI tools. If all of this seems overwhelming, you can always hire a full-service Amazon agency like Enso Brands.

The post Amazon Global Selling: An Advanced Guide for FBA Sellers on Selling Internationally appeared first on Unicargo.

So what’s the best way to actually invest in freight forwarding? For many ecommerce sellers, outside financing can help you leverage their services while also maximizing your inventory management so you can turn more product more quickly and set your business up for long term growth.

With that, here’s everything you need to know about financing your international inventory management:

General Financing Tips:

• Prove your product(s). First and foremost, you want to continue selling products that are in demand and will actually make you money. It makes no sense to invest in something that you either aren’t sure of or that has already been a challenge for you sales-wise. In fact, you should really only consider financing if sales are skyrocketing, which leads us to our next tip…
• Watch for sales spikes. As a growing business, you’ll know you’re ready for financing when sales spike quickly and you have a hard time meeting demand. Not only that, if demand is consistently higher than your supply, you may need financing to invest in larger inventory orders. Along these same lines, if a busy season is approaching, you should plan ahead by bulking up on inventory.
• Time things right. Buying overseas can be complicated, what with language barriers, cultural differences, customs processes, longer shipping times, etc. So if you know you’ll need an inventory order in-hand in six months, start thinking about your order and how you’ll fund it well in advance. Fortunately, your freight forwarding service can help you come up with the right timeline so you don’t have to worry about gaps in stock or gaps in sales.
• Update your financial & business records. Lenders will want to see your business and sales performance, so make sure you have the latest reports ready. Depending on the lender, this could include sales volumes, balance sheets, profits & losses, assets and debts, future projections, inventory reports, etc. Most of this information should be updated in real-time in Seller Central or another third-party accounting service you might be using.
• Use an FX service. You can transfer money to different currencies to pay for suppliers and yourself using an FX service such as OFX. This is a lot cheaper and easier than using your bank for international transfers.

Financing Options: Term Loans

In general, with a term loan, you borrow a specific amount of money and have fixed payment terms — meaning you pay it back in fixed dollar increments over a certain period of time. These days, there are several types of term loans, including traditional bank term loans and short term loans, and the “terms” for each are quite different:

• Traditional Bank Term Loan. Bank term loans tend to be large dollar loans with long payment terms — think $1 million loans over several years. Interest rates tend to be low, but the bank loan process is tedious and approval rates are extremely low, especially for ecommerce businesses. In fact, unless you have a thriving and established business with a robust physical presence, years of experience, and a track record of stellar (and continuing) growth, you shouldn’t expect to get an approval.
• Short Term Business Loan. Some lenders offer shorter term loans as an alternative to a bank’s longer term loan. For small and ecommerce business owners, this can be an attractive option, especially when you have a fast-approaching ROI. For example, if you’re looking to invest in inventory that you can turn for profit within a month, it doesn’t really make sense to use a loan for it that you’ll still be paying back after a year. Not only are these loans shorter term (as low as three months), they’re also smaller dollar (five- and six-digit amounts), and more expensive.

Lines of Credit

Lines of credit essentially act as a revolving pool of funds that you can draw from as you need it — similar to a credit card, only you’re dealing with actual cash, not credit. You would pay interest on what you draw and, in some cases, a fee to keep your line open.

Inventory Financing

Because most retailers use financing to invest in inventory, there are actual inventory financing lenders that loan money to businesses for the expressed purpose of buying inventory. In many cases, that inventory is then used as collateral against the loan.

Ecommerce Financing

Last but not least, there are financing options designed specifically for ecommerce sellers like you. One such company is Payability, which offers a variety of solutions to help you bridge cash flow gaps and invest in inventory as you need it.

With Payability, credit checks are not required, collateral is not necessary, and terms line up with your actual needs. What’s more, the application process is simple (including an assessment of your sales performance and business health) and funding is nearly real-time (you could get financing in as fast as 24 hours).

Here’s how Payability’s financing options work:

• Payability Instance Advance: Payability buys up to $250,000 in your future receivables up front and at a discount, giving you a large lump sum of cash. Use this cash to invest in your overseas inventory and/or logistics service, without putting any such inventory up for collateral.
• Payability Instance Access: Get daily marketplace payouts on your prior day’s sales. So if you make $1,000 on Monday, you’ll get access to $800 of it on Tuesday (the rest of kept on temporary hold in case returns or chargebacks occur). Imagine what you could do with daily access to your own cash.
• Payability Seller Card: Get 365/24/7 access to your income, including on weekends and holidays as well as when you’re on the go. Enjoy 2% cash back perks, too.

At the end of the day, Payability understands how Amazon and other marketplace sellers do business and their solutions are designed to help you take better control of your business and its growth. Just ask one of the 2,500+ sellers that have benefited from Payability, like Wild & Gold Distributors, who grew their Amazon business by 50% in one month after her first Instant Advance.

To make smarter inventory investments overseas and really take your business up a notch, visit http://go.payability.com/Unicargo to learn more about their exclusive discounts for high volume sellers and get a $250 sign on bonus.

The post Financing Options for International Inventory Management appeared first on Unicargo.