Online retailers seeking to expand their international presence would do well to set their sights to Latin America now. The region is currently boarding the on-ramp to what forecasters see as a steep ecommerce growth curve ahead. In fact, Forrester Research estimates combined ecommerce revenue in Brazil, Argentina and Mexico will increase from $20 billion in 2013 to $47 billion in 2018.

But how can retailers take advantage of the Latin American opportunity, since ecommerce here is only beginning to emerge at this moment? Here's how.

  • Seize the moment. Now is the time to put your feet on the ground in Latin America, to capitalize on growth. Begin by establishing the right technology infrastructure for your brand-making sure you own the country code top domain in these markets, or using subdirectories.
  • Start local. Although geo-cloning may be tempting, the smart move is to avoid a "test, expand, repeat" model of international market entry. Instead, start small in each market, with country-specific approaches. Present prices in the local currency, tailor marketing messages to highlight shipping promotions and delivery deadlines, and translate key parts of your website such as shipping and returns policies. Also consider subdomains that cater to customers in each area, and Google meta tags for organic ownership. Profiling your customers will help you deliver the unique online experience they expect.
  • Know your audiences. When entering a nuanced region like Latin America, keep in mind both the similarities and differences in culture and language from country to country. For instance, on the whole, Latin American customers love multimedia advertising like videos, and celebrate cultural holidays like El Buen Fin (The Good Ending) the equivalent of Black Friday in the US and Singles' Day in China. Yet local dialects can mean that certain words have an entirely different meaning from one city or region to another.
  • Get support on the ground. Branding a regional entity can be a hefty lift, especially if you lack internal expertise in this market. You may do well to tap a local agency on the ground in Latin America, using their knowledge and understanding of cultural mores to appeal to local customers in an authentic way.

With a growing middle class that's taking advantage of Internet infrastructure improvements and going online, Latin America is winning the attention of large retailers. Taking a deliberate approach that recognizes the region's unique customs and customers will help you get in on the ground floor as online sales expand here.

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