Shipping internationally is a natural progression if you’re looking to tap the global market. Expanding beyond your borders opens up your market to a whole new world. But deciding to target an international audience is more involved than slapping a label on your product and sending it to Shanghai. 

International commerce requires your company to meet certain rules and regulations. And these rules and regulations vary from country to country. So because you meet the criteria to do business in one country doesn’t necessarily mean you know what it takes to do business in another. Know there are plenty of resources to help you navigate the complicated landscape of international business.  

Shipping Internationally & Protecting Your Business

Given over 30% of small businesses find international commerce profitable, global expansion is important. A simple way to track current demand is to keep an eye on your site traffic. 

Determining which countries you see traffic coming from is a good means of determining where to do business. But there are rules certain countries strictly enforce that you may never have realized. But ignorance of the law is no excuse… and it could cost you heavily in fines. 

Whether your international shipping operations are well underway or you’re just in the preliminary stages of weighing your options, Export Development Canada provides excellent tools. In addition to a risk rating scale, the EDC provides deep insight on restrictions to countries around the world. Additional resources the EDC offers include an expert knowledge database and optional risk management

Targeting The International Audience

The term “international” is pretty all-encompassing. The phrase classifies China in the same category as Mexico. In reality, these two countries couldn’t be more different. And the same goes for any two countries around the world. 

Beyond what the governing bodies will allow you to import, knowing the market in different countries is also fundamental to success. The resources Alliance Experts provide allow you to conduct your due diligence when it comes to market research. This way you can make a sound decision before channeling too much capital and marketing. 

Arm your operations with market knowledge to penetrate certain markets. And with 70% of online buyers shopping internationally, these are worth getting familiar with if you want to compete on the international stage. 

Once you’ve established your global expansion plan, make sure you’re partnering with the right shipping service. The ShipTime search engine aggregates data to find you the best shipping rates available. Working with the most accredited shipping providers, they also help you take the hassle out of your shipment operations with customer-centric services. 

Finding you the best possible shipping rates, ShipTime provides all relevant shipping information on one screen. The ShipTime dashboard speeds your shipping quote with predefined box sizes. 

The ShipTime dashboard solution also provides predefined incentive rewards and the “My Pickups” functionality, allowing you to see scheduled pickups and times. They cover all your bases when it comes to efficient tracking and delivery.  

Learn more here.