After a strong adoption of electronic commerce by Mexicans during the pandemic, this industry begins to evolve and the next stage in its growth is internationalization, where countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom are the main buyers of national products, of according to a global study conducted by PayPal.
For Mexican SMEs, the United States is the most important international market because consumers in that country are more comfortable with cross-border purchases, especially when businesses try to target them.
Where does Mexican e-commerce sell?
A factor that is influencing in attracting more foreign customers is the simpler return processes by businesses; however, the report points out that it is a point where brands should focus their efforts, prioritizing processes in which customers should not spend more.
The United Kingdom is one of the countries with the highest number of sales from Mexican businesses, as this market is interested in acquiring accessories or handicrafts of Mexican origin, as well as clothing and educational services, such as digital classes to learn Spanish.
Luigi Forestieri, senior marketing manager for PayPal Mexico, highlights in an interview that Spanish or yoga courses were among the most sought after by this country in Mexico and were maintained even after the pandemic. “These are specific courses, soft skills that are important today, especially since Mexico has become an attractive country for digital nomads,” he explains.
Social networks, the ally of cross-border trade
Businesses, Forestieri recommends, should take advantage of the potential and reach of social networks. “If you make yourself known outside the borders, people will look for you. It is important to have the vision that you can reach other places thanks to the internet”, comments the expert.
For brands, this means taking a multi-channel approach, from having a website to social networks with greater reach, which allows them to have better participation and attract more international buyers from certain demographic groups.
In this regard, from eBay they provide advice to businesses that want to export their products, among which are analyzing the potential of the product, that is, determining if it really has possibilities of being sold abroad and defining the most viable countries to export, such as United States and United Kingdom.
The company points out that a vital aspect for businesses is understanding the fees and commissions when shipping their products to other nations, which is directly related to analyzing the best shipping options, both public and private.
Security, the value that everyone seeks
Forestieri also points out that if businesses want to grow their sales abroad, they must pay attention to protecting themselves, but also delivering resources to their consumers.
It highlights that chargebacks can be one of the main problems; however, it recommends maintaining an open stance to seek agreements between both parties to the transaction.
He mentions that businesses must be transparent, clearly communicate their contact details and respond quickly to customers, as this builds trust in them, while the last resort is to appeal to the support of digital platforms that can investigate cases.