For many eCommerce brands, international expansion feels like a must-do that lingers on the roadmap, untouched quarter after quarter. The ambition exists, but the complexity of too many variables and too many unknowns seems overwhelming. The stakes are high if you mess it up.
Yet, staying put is risky, too. Customer acquisition costs climb, home markets tighten, and playing it safe starts to feel more dangerous than venturing abroad. Cross-border expansion isn’t a quick fix, but it’s a vital step forward.
In the latest eCommerce Explored session, Chloe Thomas sat down with three experts who guide brands through the global maze, from first steps to full-scale operations. Their insights offer a practical guide for resource-smart teams to grow overseas in 2025.
Meet the Experts
- Emma Jones (Department for Business and Trade) is a digital commerce specialist who guides UK brands to sell globally, drawing from her experience in building international brands.
- Rebecca Griffiths (Primis) is the founder and CEO of Primus, specialising in post-purchase experiences, using data and technology to enhance the final mile for global retail brands.
- Max O’Brien (Global-e) is the Enterprise Sales Director at Global-e, helping brands simplify cross-border selling with solutions for localisation, logistics, and compliance.
Why You Should Consider Cross-Border Markets
Stagnation haunts many eCommerce businesses. Sales flatline, customer acquisition costs soar, and the room for mistakes shrinks daily. The solution isn’t another ad campaign; it’s a new market.
Emma championed B2B eCommerce, saying, "If you're a D2C brand already selling via your website, then you should be looking at marketplaces and low entry fruit there, lower costs there." She said that B2B eCommerce is "exploding internationally" and is also backed by 90 countries signing the WTO agreement to improve digital trade.
Max highlighted cross-border eCommerce’s rapid growth, stating, "It’s growing still really, really quickly. I mean, still twice the pace of domestic eCommerce sales." He pointed to markets like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Poland, and Mexico, some of which are growing in the high double digits.
Rebecca observed that brands often hesitate, preferring to "dip their toe" with B2B models first, like selling on Zalando or Vogtle Closet, to test demand. She explained, "A lot of brands will always say to us, 'We just want to dip our toe.' We’re going to start doing a B2B model first... because I think a lot of retailers are still very scared of going into new regions unless it’s not backed up with data."
Cross-border isn’t about reckless growth. It’s a strategic move to unlock potential when local markets stall.
Don’t Start with the U.S.
The U.S. seems like the obvious choice—English-speaking, huge, and familiar. But it’s also saturated, complex, and costly, making it a tough first step for new exporters.
Emma urged brands to focus on Europe, saying, "It’s still Europe... Germany is really growing at the moment, and there is a big appetite as well for UK brands." Germany and France offer simpler logistics and a strong demand for UK products.
Rebecca spotlighted overlooked markets like the Nordics and the Middle East. She noted, "The Nordics... It’s a market that everyone goes to. Okay, I need to do cross-border. Let’s do the EU first... but everyone doesn’t look at the Nordics as a region as well." For the Middle East, she added, "Saudi alone has 42 million consumers who are tech-savvy in the digital age."
Max echoed the Nordics’ potential and added, "Poland is still our fastest-growing eCommerce market at the moment... and Mexico. Those two are our fastest-growing. And then the Middle East is Saudi and the UAE."
Localisation Builds Trust
Many brands view localisation as optional, something to tweak later. That’s a mistake. In global markets, customers give you one chance to get it right.
Emma stressed, "You have to Arabize your content." And you have to understand the cultures there." Localisation isn’t just language; it’s about cultural fit, from imagery to pricing.
Rebecca emphasised tracking in local languages, saying, "There should be a choice that they can track their parcel in localised language in real-time." She called for hyper-personalisation, including local currency and delivery options.
Max noted that in markets like the UAE and Saudi Arabia, brands must handle dirhams and riyals, translate websites into Arabic with right-to-left reading, and offer local payment methods like payment on delivery.
Treat localisation as a trust builder, not a cost, and you’ll set the stage for growth.
The Hidden Cost of Shipping & Returns
Shipping and returns can crush cross-border ambitions, especially without expert support. The panel laid it bare.
Rebecca flagged returns as a hurdle, noting that for apparel brands, an "average of around 30 % of their outbound is coming back through returns." " In the Middle East, though, returns drop to 15% because returns are one of those." "No, I feel rude sending it back." So I’m just going to gift this to somebody else."
Emma tackled supply chain issues, stating that in regions like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, "you have to have stock in the market," demanding legal compliance and strategic stock placement.
Max pinpointed shipping costs as a dealbreaker, saying, "50% of shoppers still find it hard to transact with international brands because of the shipping cost."
These costs of lost sales, reverse logistics, and payment complexities lurk in poorly planned operations.
Don’t Copy-Paste Your Strategy
Assuming your home strategy will work abroad burns budgets fast. It doesn’t translate.
Emma cautioned against treating the U.S. as one market, stating, "All the states, for example, they’ll go, 'I’m going to do the states,' and they treat it like one place, whereas it’s like 50 different markets."
Rebecca pointed out regional differences in returns, noting Middle Eastern customers rarely return items due to cultural norms.
Expansion means unlearning old assumptions and building strategies rooted in local insights.
Simplify Your Ops
Brands often overcomplicate cross-border operations with new warehouses and teams. There’s a smarter way.
Max advised, "If you are looking at going international, it doesn’t always mean putting stock in a local market. You can ship internationally quickly." For D2C brands, express shipping from the UK or Europe often beats local options.
Rebecca suggested consolidation centres for returns, stating, "There are obviously ways of having consolidation centres, or partners can do that for you, bringing that stock back in from Australia and landing it in Dubai."
Emma urged UK brands to use free resources, saying, "Reach out to DBT if you’re a UK company because it’s free advice."
Scalable teams focus on the right moves, outsourcing or automating the rest.
Influencers Are a Risky Shortcut
Creators can help improve your visibility in new markets, but only if your operations are solid. Rebecca warned, "You’ve got to be very specific about which creators you work with to represent your brand." Misaligned influencers can harm brand trust.
Just Start, But Do It Right
You can’t research forever. At some point, you must act. The experts urged intentional, strategic starts.
Rebecca encouraged, "If you don’t start, you’ll never know." She advised brands to "just dip your toe in" with the right partners.
Max stressed, "Everyone agreed, as I said earlier, that it’s an essential part of a successful eCommerce business growth plan for next year and, obviously, years to come." He pushed brands to "take that leap" without excessive caution.
If you’re stuck planning, start small, start smart, and start now.
You can watch the full webinar replay here for direct insights from Emma, Max, and Rebecca. For more exclusive content, sign up for future sessions with our eCommerce Explored series.
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