<\/p>\n
Many ecommerce businesses sell products that do not fit in a flat-rate envelope, so to speak.<\/p>\n
Fitness equipment, safes, arcade machines, specialty furniture, and other freight-grade items are heavy, expensive, and complicated to ship domestically, let alone abroad.<\/p>\n
Nonetheless, Robert Khachatryan, founder and CEO of Freight Right, argues that some of those merchants may have international demand they are not serving.<\/p>\n
Learning if a product or company has overseas appeal<\/a> can be as simple as reviewing the analytics. A U.S. merchant, for instance, could check visitors\u2019 locations, such as the United Kingdom, Australia, or Canada.<\/p>\n Selling to those would-be customers at just half the domestic conversion rate could generate significant revenue.<\/p>\n Robert Khachatryan<\/p>\n<\/div>\n A second indication of an untapped, cross-border profit opportunity<\/a> comes in the form of freight quotes. A merchant\u2019s website says it ships 800-pound kayak trailers only within the United States, but in reality, shipping to, say, Latin America is comparable in cost.<\/p>\n Visitors from Latin America who checked the U.S.-only shipping policy likely looked elsewhere.<\/p>\n Thus if international visitors express an interest, decide if the cost of delivery makes a sale worthwhile.<\/p>\n For example, Khachatryan was not suggesting that any bulky, awkward, or heavy item is a candidate for global ecommerce. The math only works when the product has enough margin to justify freight, duties, and taxes.<\/p>\n \u201cNobody pays $700 or $1,000 to ship a $500 product,\u201d Khachatryan said.<\/p>\n Yet bulky products are often candidates for international shipping when their selling price reaches into the thousands.<\/p>\n Such high-ticket purchases are common in B2B<\/a> transactions. Need a high-speed laser welder in Idaho? Order it from Germany. It\u2019s worth the freight.<\/p>\n The same may be true for select B2C or D2C cross-border items. Examples include commercial-grade fitness equipment, arcade machines, and even above-ground pools, a U.S. product marginally popular in the U.K.<\/p>\n Locally scarce goods can imply demand.<\/p>\n Commodity products rarely work. \u201cPeople don\u2019t buy a couch from another country. They buy from their local Ikea,\u201d Khachatryan said. If a comparable product is readily available locally, international freight becomes difficult \u2014 even impossible \u2014 to justify.<\/p>\n As a final check, would-be ecommerce exporters need to ensure a product is legal, usable, and compliant with safety and consumer regulations in the destination country.<\/p>\n Common differences are voltage and plug standards. Others are less obvious. Mattresses, according to Khachatryan, can have different requirements in Europe than in the U.S., for example.<\/p>\n Investigate whether incompatible or noncompliant products are easy to modify. Would a relatively small change open a promising cross-border market?<\/p>\n Regardless, shipping heavy wares internationally can be easier than expected.<\/p>\n Freight forwarding services will do the quoting, logistics details, and even white-glove delivery. Many, including Khachatryan\u2019s Freight Right, have a Shopify App and an API to calculate freight at checkout.<\/p>\n Moreover, freight forwarders usually manage cross-border taxes and regulatory compliance.<\/p>\n Returns, in contrast, can be the most challenging aspect<\/a> of cross-border selling. Return shipping is expensive, and recovering taxes and fees can take time.<\/p>\n The key, says Khachatryan, is having a plan.<\/p>\n He noted that products in good working condition could remain in a local warehouse until the next order.<\/p>\nProper Products<\/h3>\n
Local Scarcity<\/h3>\n
Compliant<\/h3>\n
Returns<\/h3>\n