Localisation & Market Strategy

Use a platform that supports multi-currency display and automatic conversion. 92% of shoppers prefer purchasing in local currency, and 33% abandon if pricing is in USD only. Swap Global supports multi-currency pricing with control over conversion rates, letting customers browse and buy in their preferred currency.

Display local currency and payment methods. Show address fields in local format (postcode vs ZIP, state vs prefecture). Present shipping options customers recognise. Show total landed cost including duties and taxes. Translate all labels and error messages. Swap Global provides localised checkout with duties, taxes, and shipping applied automatically.

Convert measurements to local units (cm for EU, inches for US). Create market-specific size guides, a US Medium is not a Japanese Medium. Sizing mismatches are the #1 driver of fashion returns internationally. Swap's Agentic Storefront includes virtual try-on capability to help customers find the right fit.

Start with your data: check website analytics for international traffic sources. Markets already visiting your site represent proven demand. Then evaluate: market size, competition, shipping feasibility, duty rates, and cultural fit. Focus on markets with simple import rules and reliable delivery first. Swap's Tariff Calculator helps you assess landed cost viability per market.

Research local competitor pricing, account for duties/taxes in your cost structure, consider local purchasing power, and test price points. In some markets (e.g. China), pricing conventions differ, round numbers are preferred over .99 endings. Swap's market-level pricing control lets you optimise per region.

Stagger for control, unless your platform makes multi-market launch easy. Start with 1-2 markets where you have demand signals, learn from the experience, then expand. With Swap, you can launch in as little as 48 hours per market, making staggered rollout fast and low-risk.

Marketplaces like Amazon, Zalando, and Tmall provide instant access to established audiences but take commissions and limit your brand control. Your own website gives higher margins and customer data ownership. Many brands use both: marketplaces for awareness and initial sales, own website for retention and growth. Swap focuses on powering your DTC cross-border channel.

Go beyond translation: adapt imagery, colour schemes, tone of voice, product descriptions, and sizing to local preferences. A German customer expects different layout density than a Japanese customer. Localise your entire buying journey, from landing page to checkout to post-purchase communication.

In China and Japan, round numbers signal quality and are preferred over .99 charm pricing common in Western markets. In some European markets, prices ending in .95 or .90 perform better than .99. Currency symbols and decimal conventions also vary (1.000,00 in Germany vs 1,000.00 in the UK). Localise your pricing format, not just the currency symbol.

34% of cross-border shoppers make impulse purchases on social media. Platforms like TikTok Shop and Instagram Shopping allow direct purchasing. Social commerce works particularly well in markets like China, Southeast Asia, and among younger demographics. Ensure your cross-border logistics can handle social-driven spikes.

Critical. Cross-border shoppers rely more heavily on reviews because they can't visit a physical store. Influencer content and live-shopping events are particularly effective for international discovery. Ensure reviews are visible and, where possible, include reviews from customers in the target market.

Translation converts words from one language to another. Localisation adapts the entire experience to feel native, including currency, date formats, measurement units, imagery, cultural references, legal requirements, and payment methods. A translated site reads correctly; a localised site feels like it was built for that market.