Selling online

Now's the right time to sell online

The challenges of the last few years caused many companies across Scotland to start using or accelerate the use of ecommerce platforms as a way of reaching new and existing customers.

And the record performance of global emarketplaces such as Amazon and eBay during the pandemic, clearly shows that more and more businesses and consumers are turning to ecommerce platforms to meet their needs.

Trading online has also become much easier due to the range of ecommerce support now available. 

How to sell effectively online

• Ensure your website is set up to engage with your target audience and that transactions can be made digitally
• Ensure you have the capacity and stock in place to undertake online sales effectively to meet demand
• Look to translate your website into the target market language or, if this is too expensive or you don’t have language skills in-house, translate a simple landing page and keywords into the appropriate language 
• Look to register a domain name in the target language – for example, .de for the German market and .fr for the French market
• Consider local currency price points that can go up on your website, but make sure these prices align and don’t undercut the prices your export partner may be selling your goods or services at in market
• Ensure your website and any accompanying social media activity complies with local laws for online sales and data protection, and you have the terms and conditions of sale clearly stated on your website, including your delivery terms and any refunds policy

Building your customer base online

The next stage is to build your customer base online. Your website address should be on your business card and any marketing or point of sale material you have in place for your target market.

Using social media can be a very effective way of creating brand awareness and driving traffic to your website. It also allows you to engage with your customers and get immediate feedback on your product or service. Do your research into social media channels/usage for your target market and develop a social media strategy to support your marketing efforts.

Alongside more traditional forms of social media, such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, you might also consider using market influencers or bloggers in your target market to endorse your product or service.

More hints and tips for selling online

• Learn from experts at our free online ecommerce events  
• Have a plan for selling online into your target market – we can help you with this
• Ideally ensure your prices are converted to the local currency on your website
• Be clear about postage and packing terms, delivery times and insurance on your website
• Ensure you're compliant with distance selling legislation on the GOV.UK website opens in a new window  
• Consider putting a trustmark or accreditation on your website to help encourage and reassure online customers
• Research social media channels and usage in your target market and have a social media strategy to support your marketing plan

International online marketplaces

Read our guide to international online marketplaces