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Originally published on September 26, 2022, updated May 23, 2023
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Many international online sellers are unable to successfully grow their businesses in Europe. They launch in the UK and other European countries and get some sales, but the volume is not there and they become unhappy with the results.
Fundamentally, sellers not seeing the sales they had hoped for comes down to one key reason: they treat Europe as one country instead of nine separate and distinct marketplaces.
Those of you who have lived in or traveled to Europe will know that every country there is unique. However, if you have had little experience with Europe, it is very easy to assume that it is one gigantic marketplace, similar to the US being comprised of multiple states. After all, that is how companies like Amazon market the opportunity. But the reality is that every country within Europe functions quite differently and has its own language, culture, and experiences.
For the sake of this article, let's assume you have done your due diligence in the following areas:
But even with these important business triumphs, you're still struggling to generate sales. What can you do? Here are four quick ways to boost your traffic and bring home more revenue as an Amazon Europe seller.
Amazon has the Build International Listings tool within Seller Central that helps you create and update your product listings from one marketplace to another. The tool will manage the price based on the source price and pricing rules entered and adjust prices periodically to reflect currency conversion fluctuations. It will also attempt to translate the listing for that specific marketplace.
While managing everything from one marketplace sounds good in theory, in practice, many Amazon Europe sellers have experienced issues.
This task is often far too complicated for a single tool. Taking the manual approach by setting up international products from scratch requires more time and resources at the start but in the long run, it does guarantee greater accuracy and control over the content and pricing.
Assuming all Europeans speak English or that machine-based translated copy will suffice is a big mistake. Customers will not be enticed by poorly written content. Keywords will also get lost as they don’t translate well. In one language there could be numerous ways to name a product that won’t be captured from a direct translation, causing you to miss major keywords and receive less exposure in Amazon's search results.
Plan to get content optimized for each country you enter so products have the opportunity to reach their full potential in that marketplace.
Content includes copy on images, A+ Content, and videos. Don’t try to cut corners with machine-based translation tools as they can only translate, not optimize. Use native translators or people who are proficient in that language to translate and localize all product content. (This includes the UK, which may surprise you, but there are so many words in the US that do not translate well in the UK.)
This also means researching local search terms so customers can find your products better. Translators should adapt the content to appeal to the native audience, something a machine definitely can't do!
When you list the same product with the same barcode that is used in another marketplace, as long as the ASIN is the same, the customer reviews should automatically carry over. However, for items where a new barcode is required, e.g. an electrical item or food supplement that has been adapted to comply with European legislation, you will need to generate reviews from scratch. Consider using the Amazon Vine program to kickstart your customer reviews and tools such as FeedbackFive to help generate reviews and build your seller ratings.
Advertising software will run automatic campaigns to identify and harvest keywords if you are unfamiliar with the language. But like with all automatic campaigns, they won't run as efficiently as manual campaigns. We also recommend using a proficient speaker of the language to manage your ads. However, if the budget is tight, use a proficient speaker to help with the keyword research for the initial keyword list and let the software manage it after that. (Having someone being more hands-on with your ad strategy is preferred, but this will do in a pinch.)
Selling into Europe does require an investment of time, resources, and money. It is not a cheap initiative to get more sales. Investing in the right areas at the start will help set your business up for success in the long run and drive a positive return on investment.
If you want to learn more about becoming an Amazon Europe seller, reach out to eCommerce Nurse. We have years of experience working with US Amazon sellers expanding into Europe and have dedicated partners that can assist with all aspects of the journey.
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