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~ e-CROSS ~

THE NEW ERA OF

E-COMMERCE STARTS NOW!

THE ERA OF GLOBAL CONSUMER

TRENDS DEMANDS INNOVATION

Text: Rafael Sant’Anna // Photos: e-CROSS

We are in a new E-commerce era, brands and retailers across the globe are asking themselves:
How can we consistently increase revenue and profit during inconsistent times and after
pandemic period?

ooking at the variety of potential solutions, substantial investment into increasing their brand’s global
many prominent merchants and retailers are appeal, even if that wasn’t their original intention, thanks to
Lopting to increase investment in their inter- their investment in social marketing.
national online retail presence. Walmart, for in-
stance, is charting a five-year plan to double its gross Consumers around the world now have unprecedented
revenue from foreign markets, following similar exposure to the most alluring trends, brands, and products,
announcements by leading global brands such as regardless of their geographic location, thanks to social media.
Adidas, Nike, Hugo Boss, and others. In fact, our Latina America survey of thousands of e-commerce
Why are so many brands investing in their international online shoppers across six markets showed that an astounding 76% of
retail sales as a core revenue-generating strategy? respondents purchased a product from an international brand
after engaging with it on at least one social network.
Low Investment, Big Returns
In a challenging economy, brands are actively seeking the Moreover, countless brands have invested heavily in recruiting
path of least resistance — one that maximizes revenue while social media influencers to promote their products, thereby
effectively managing costs. Retailers need quick returns on their tapping into these influencers’ global fan bases in the process.
investments and quick time to market on what they implement
if they want to stay competitive. Simply put, brands have already made the marketing
investment to garner international demand — if companies can
The global B2C cross-border market is expected to reach a convert these potentially interested shoppers into customers,
staggering $7.9 trillion by 2030. This burgeoning opportunity they instantly open up a whole new world of revenue.
offers a dual advantage of both boosting sales and establishing
additional revenue streams. Easier Said Than Done
However, such international expansion through online retail
Even more importantly, substantial infrastructure investments doesn’t come without its challenges.
aren’t necessary, meaning international e-commerce offers
retailers a lower risk and less resource-intensive way of reaching The “LatAm market” isn’t a singular entity; rather it’s an
new customers across the world. amalgamation of dozens of markets. Each is characterized by
its own “flavour” of highly specific consumer preferences that
By embracing international e-commerce, retailers can optimize together create the consumer experience. To succeed across
their resources and minimize the financial burden associated borders, brands need to adapt to local market preferences,
with loans and capital investments, ensuring a prudent rather than expect their global customers to bend to their local
approach to sustainable growth. culture of operations.

The ‘Influencer’ Effect This means that when targeting different markets, brands
International e-commerce is not only appealing due to being should hyperlocalize — tweaking their offering to meet the
“resource light.” Quite often, retailers have already made a preferences of any respective region or else risk failing to

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