Most retailers recognise that there’s a big opportunity to extend the reach of their brand by selling online to key mainland European markets.

However, there is a fair degree of complexity and things to consider before doing so. As a result, a number of retailers have simply ‘switched on the buy button.’

This will only have very limited success as consumers in EU countries want to select from a range of products that is tailored to their local market needs, they want to view your proposition in their local language, and they want to buy in their own currency.

They also want to buy using local market payment methods and that includes by bank transfer and direct debit, the most common online payment methods in Germany.

If you’re going to fulfil the order from the UK, you need to find a good delivery solution where you can still offer delivery within one to two days. And if there’s a problem, they want to speak to someone in customer service who speaks their language.

If you can’t deliver all of the above, then why would a consumer in a mainland European country buy from you? The only compelling reason would be if they couldn’t buy your products anywhere else locally. And even then, they’d be more inclined to switch their attention to another brand that did satisfy the above criteria.

Don’t waste your budget playing at Internationalisation, if you’re going to do it, then do so properly.

Written by Martin Newman, leading e-commerce consultant (www.martinnewman.co.uk)