Your guide to exporting to the US

Jul 23, 2019

With the US making up the largest economy in the world, taking advantage of the large population and seasonal extravagancies (such as Christmas, Black Friday and Halloween), it should be definitely be considered as part of your expansion plan. E-commerce revenue is growing at an annual rate of 7%.

We have pulled together a little list of things you should/need to consider when exporting to the USA.

Top things to consider when exporting to the USA:

• Competitors. E-Commerce in the US isn’t an unknown thing, it’s very well established, so you are bound to bump into a competitor or two. You will have to plan and execute compelling marketing campaigns to get your message out to customers.
• Time differences. As the time zone differences are fairly big, your customer support services will have to be top of the game. Considering extended customer service hours (especially in busy periods) may put you above the rest.
• Customs. Parcels travelling to the US and surrounding areas may be subject customs and have prohibited items, which may restrict what and where you can sell in the US. Check beforehand that your products can enter the country.
• Returns. With the large population and economy, returns rates may be higher than expected in other areas of the world. Having a planned out and reliable returns service should show benefits in the long run.
• Be up front about shipping costs to avoid cart abandonment and offer options for those who are happy to pay for expedited shipping
• Using reliable, recognisable payment gateways for American customers will not only make your process smoother, but also helps build trust between yourselves and the customer. This should be considered throughout the whole process of the shipment (e.g. Paying Customs/Duty fees)

Whilst all of these ‘should’ and ‘consider’ recommendations may seem daunting, you can take some of the stress away by having a reliable partner, such as wnDirect & Asendia. All of our services are tailored to suit the needs of your business, so it doesn’t matter if you already have thousands of parcels going to the US, or are just starting out on your e-commerce journey, we can be flexible and help you get started.

For more information about our international services, contact us here.