At PayPal, we talk to lots of small UK businesses and hear a great deal about the challenges of expanding their business to customers overseas. From developing an international website to setting up the right delivery systems and establishing the right payment platform, the path to fruitful international sales can often be long and daunting – no matter what industry you’re in.
Yet enabling customers from other countries to make purchases on your website also represents a fantastic opportunity. One that now, thanks to
PayPal PassPort, we hope to make easier to take than ever.
Launched in the UK this week, the new website is the perfect partner for any business looking to trade abroad.
For instance, did you know that on
Singles Day in China (11 November) shoppers spent more than US$8 billion in just 24 hours, six times the amount spent on
Black Friday? That’s just one of the valuable insights PassPort can offer to help you make the most of local traditions, major retail moments and sales peaks in all four corners of the globe.
And what about actually getting the products and services you sell to the people who want to buy them? PassPort has a host of hints and tools to help you navigate the complex world of international shipping, calculate sales costs and learn about foreign currencies and taxes.
What’s more, according to recent research, the stage is set too.
Our research with Ipsos Mori found that, overall, the UK is the third most popular shopping destination for international online shoppers (after the USA and China), showing the appetite for British goods is as strong as ever.
And there are plenty of examples of UK businesses that have had success selling internationally. Companies like fancy-dress shop
JEDI-ROBE.com, which now receives 75% of its sales from Star War fans overseas, and
Hawes & Curtis, the tailor, which currently sells products to 50 different countries online. You can also check out our website to read more about their story and other UK retailers such as the
Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group and
Internet Fusion to learn about how they unlocked sales opportunities abroad.
In short, there has never been a better time to set out on your own path to international business success. But just like with all the best journeys, our advice is don’t forget your PassPort or at least
check ours before you set out…
To put a world of knowledge at your fingertips and start exploring new sales opportunities all over the world, visit www.paypal.com/uk/passport