TL;DR: Le vendite globali di eCommerce sono destinate a raggiungere i 6,88 trilioni di dollari nel 2026 e l’eCommerce transfrontaliero rappresenta oggi il 31,2% di tutte le vendite online nel mondo. Per vendere a livello internazionale, devi scegliere i mercati giusti, scegliere canali di marketing efficaci, offrire opzioni di pagamento localizzate, rispettare le normative fiscali e definire una chiara politica di reso. I venditori che localizzano valute e lingue vedono meno carrelli abbandonati e più acquirenti abituali. Un helpdesk eCommerce come eDesk collega il tuo supporto a tutti i mercati e a tutti i fusi orari, garantendo tempi di risposta rapidi anche quando si scala a livello globale.
Se gestisci un negozio online e finora hai venduto solo a livello nazionale, stai lasciando dei soldi sul tavolo. Non lo diciamo per fare i drammatici, ma perché i numeri rendono difficile sostenere il contrario.
Quando abbiamo iniziato a lavorare con venditori di eCommerce che si espandevano in nuovi Paesi, la lezione più importante è stata sempre la stessa: la vendita internazionale non è un copia-incolla del tuo manuale nazionale. Mercati diversi comportano aspettative diverse dei clienti, abitudini di pagamento, regole fiscali e politiche di reso. La scelta di questi dettagli fa la differenza tra un’espansione redditizia e un errore costoso.
Questa guida illustra le cinque aree che contano di più quando inizi a vendere a livello internazionale. Abbiamo mantenuto un approccio pratico, con dati aggiornati e azioni specifiche da intraprendere in ogni area.
Perché vendere a livello internazionale è importante nel 2026
The global eCommerce market is not slowing down. Global retail eCommerce sales are projected to reach $6.88 trillion in 2026, a 7.2% increase from the previous year. By 2028, that number will climb to $7.89 trillion.
Cross-border eCommerce is growing even faster than domestic online retail. Cross-border sales are expanding at 26.4%, which is 219% faster than home-market eCommerce. The cross-border consumer market alone is worth an estimated $1.21 trillion in 2025.
About 33% of the world’s population now shops online, and 59% of shoppers worldwide have purchased from a seller in another country. For eCommerce businesses looking to grow, the international opportunity is hard to ignore.
But selling across borders requires more than setting up shipping to a new country. You need a plan that covers market selection, marketing channels, payment options, tax compliance, and returns. Here are the five areas to get right.
Come scegliere i mercati migliori per le vendite internazionali?
Start with research, not assumptions. Where your products sell best domestically does not always predict where they will perform internationally.
Identificare le regioni ad alta crescita
China remains the world’s largest eCommerce market, accounting for over 50% of global eCommerce spending. The United States follows as the second-largest market. But the fastest growth is happening elsewhere.
Southeast Asia continues to lead in eCommerce growth rates, with the Philippines showing 23.5% growth in 2024. India follows closely with a projected compound annual growth rate of 14.1% through 2027. Latin America is another region to watch, with growth rates above 12.2% year-over-year and Mexico on track to surpass US eCommerce penetration levels by 2026.
Europe’s eCommerce market is expected to reach $1.2 trillion annually, with the UK, Germany, and France leading regional revenue. For sellers based in English-speaking countries, European markets offer relatively low barriers to entry combined with strong purchasing power.
Africa is an emerging opportunity as well. Increasing smartphone adoption and improving internet access are creating a growing eCommerce consumer base across the continent. Mobile commerce drives the bulk of online transactions in African markets, so a mobile-first approach is essential for sellers targeting this region.
Valutare l’adeguatezza al mercato
Before entering a new market, answer these questions:
- Is there genuine demand for your product category in the target country?
- Who are your competitors in that market, and what do they charge?
- What are the local shopping seasons and cultural events that drive spending?
- Will you adjust pricing for local purchasing power?
- What product regulations apply in your category?
- What are the typical delivery expectations and logistics costs?
Spending time on this research upfront saves you from costly missteps. Sellers who enter markets without understanding local demand, competition, or regulations tend to burn through budget quickly with little return.
Scegli i marketplace giusti
Your choice of marketplace determines your reach. Amazon continues to lead globally for cross-border purchases. But regional platforms dominate in specific markets. In Southeast Asia, Shopee and Lazada lead. In Japan, Rakuten holds significant market share. In Europe, country-specific platforms like Allegro (Poland) and Bol.com (Netherlands) are strong players.
Research which platforms are most popular in your target location and what they require from cross-border sellers. Each marketplace has its own fee structures, seller requirements, and customer service expectations.
For sellers expanding across multiple marketplaces, managing customer messages from each platform becomes a challenge fast. We will cover how to handle that later in this guide.
Quali canali di marketing funzionano per l’e-commerce internazionale?
Once you have chosen your target markets, your marketing strategy needs to match local habits. What works in the US or UK will not always work elsewhere.
Adattarsi alla ricerca locale e alle piattaforme sociali
Google and Facebook dominate advertising in Western markets. But in China, Baidu is the primary search engine. In Russia, Yandex remains the main search advertiser. In Southeast Asia, social commerce through platforms like TikTok and Shopee is a primary sales channel.
Do not assume a single advertising platform will serve all your target countries. Research the top channels in each market before you spend. A marketing strategy that works for US-based customers will often need to be rebuilt from scratch for markets in Asia or the Middle East.
Content localization goes beyond translation. Your marketing copy needs to resonate culturally with each audience. 75% of shoppers prefer to browse in their native language, and 59% of non-English speakers never purchase from English-only websites. Investing in proper localization of product pages, advertising copy, and checkout flows has a direct impact on conversion rates.
Privilegiare il mobile
Smartphones account for nearly 80% of retail website visits worldwide. In Africa and parts of Southeast Asia, mobile commerce drives the majority of online transactions. If your eCommerce store and checkout process are not optimized for mobile, you will lose sales in these markets.
Test your entire purchase flow on mobile devices, from product discovery through checkout and order confirmation. Page load speed matters especially on mobile networks in emerging markets, where connection speeds are often slower than in Western countries.
Considera il commercio sociale
The global social commerce market is growing rapidly, with mobile and social-first shopping becoming the default in many emerging markets. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and region-specific apps are driving a growing share of international eCommerce transactions.
Building a presence on the platforms your target customers use is essential. Paid advertising on these platforms often costs less in emerging markets compared to saturated Western channels.
Livestream shopping has gained massive traction in China and is spreading to other markets. Sellers who adopt these formats early in new markets often gain a first-mover advantage before advertising costs rise.
Quali opzioni di pagamento si aspettano gli acquirenti internazionali?
Payment is where many cross-border sales fall apart. Offering the wrong payment methods, or pricing only in US dollars, will cost you conversions.
Localizza la tua valuta
This one is straightforward but critical: 92% of global consumers prefer to see prices in their local currency, and 33% of international shoppers will abandon their cart if pricing is only available in US dollars. Currency localization is not optional for serious international sellers.
Offrire metodi di pagamento specifici per ogni regione
Payment preferences vary dramatically by region:
- Europe: Visa, Mastercard, and American Express dominate eCommerce payments. Buy Now, Pay Later services like Klarna are also popular.
- Asia: Digital wallets (Alipay, Paytm, GCash) are the primary payment method. Cash on delivery remains common in India.
- Latin America: Mobile payments totaled $96.9 billion in 2024 and are expected to reach $106.8 billion by 2025.
- Global trend: Digital wallets accounted for 66% of global eCommerce value in 2024, up from 34% in 2014.
Offering too few payment options is a direct cause of cart abandonment. Work with a payment processor that supports the methods your target customers prefer.
Gestire l’aspetto tecnico
International payments bring added complexity. You will need to account for currency conversion fees, foreign exchange rates, and payment processing regulations in each market. Build these costs into your pricing so there are no surprises for you or your customers.
In che modo le norme e i regolamenti fiscali influiscono sulle vendite transfrontaliere?
Tax compliance is one of the trickiest parts of selling internationally. Get it wrong, and you face fines, seized shipments, or blocked marketplace accounts.
Modifiche all’IVA dell’Unione Europea
The EU has made significant changes to VAT regulations for eCommerce sellers. Key updates include:
- The Import One-Stop Shop (IOSS) threshold of 150 euros is being removed, which means IOSS will apply to all distance sales of imported goods.
- Online marketplaces are now required to collect and remit VAT on behalf of sellers.
- The 150-euro customs duty relief threshold is being eliminated, leveling the playing field for EU-based businesses.
VAT rates across EU member states range from 17% to 27%, averaging around 21%. If you sell into the EU, understanding the IOSS system and registering for it is essential. The IOSS system lets merchants collect VAT at checkout and remit it monthly, simplifying the process for both sellers and buyers.
For sellers who are new to EU VAT, consider working with a VAT compliance service. The penalties for non-compliance are steep, and the rules vary between member states.
Tendenze normative globali
Beyond the EU, several developments affect international sellers:
- Multiple countries have implemented digital services taxes that affect online sellers. These taxes apply in addition to standard customs duties and are changing how governments collect revenue from cross-border digital commerce.
- GDPR-style data privacy regulations are spreading globally. Countries including Brazil, India, and Australia have introduced or strengthened data protection laws. These regulations affect how you collect, store, and use customer data in each market.
- Product safety, labeling, and environmental compliance requirements are increasing across markets. The EU’s new sustainability reporting rules, for example, require businesses of a certain size to disclose environmental impact data.
Dogane e dazi
Every international shipment needs proper customs documentation. If your country has free trade agreements with your target markets, tariffs on your products are often reduced or eliminated. Factor duties, taxes, shipping, and handling into your landed cost calculation so you know the true cost of delivery to each market.
A common mistake is not calculating landed costs before pricing products for international markets. If your product costs $50, but duties, shipping, and taxes add another $25, your customer sees a $75 total at checkout, or worse, an unexpected customs charge on delivery. Either scenario damages trust and increases returns.
Consider offering Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) shipping options, where all customs charges are calculated and paid at checkout. This approach eliminates surprise fees for buyers and reduces delivery refusals.
Cosa deve coprire la tua polizza di reso internazionale?
A clear returns policy builds trust with international buyers. When customers order from a brand they do not know in another country, a transparent returns process reduces their risk.
Corrisponde ai requisiti legali locali
Different countries have different mandatory return periods. Some jurisdictions require you to offer full refunds rather than store credit. Your returns policy needs to comply with local laws in every market where you sell.
Key elements to define:
- Return timeframes for each market
- Who pays for return shipping
- Whether you offer refunds, exchanges, or store credit
- Any restocking fees (where legally permitted)
Ridurre i costi di restituzione
Cross-border returns are expensive. Consider these approaches:
- Partner with local returns centers or third-party logistics providers in your key markets.
- Use returns management software that automates processing and provides tracking.
- If selling on Amazon, explore their Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) program, which handles local return addresses automatically.
Fare dei rendimenti un vantaggio competitivo
83% of cross-border shoppers report satisfaction with delivery speed, but the returns experience is a bigger factor in whether they buy again. A customer-friendly returns policy differentiates you from competitors who make international returns confusing or expensive.
Come si inserisce il servizio clienti nella tua strategia internazionale?
This is the piece many sellers overlook. When you sell across time zones, customer questions and issues do not stop because your office is closed. And marketplace platforms like Amazon have strict SLA requirements for response times, regardless of where your customers are located.
Managing support across multiple marketplaces, languages, and time zones is complex. Logging into five different platforms to answer customer messages is not sustainable as you scale. Messages get missed, response times slip, and your marketplace ratings suffer.
An eCommerce helpdesk like eDesk brings all your customer messages from every marketplace and webstore into one inbox. eDesk integrates with every major eCommerce marketplace globally, including Amazon, eBay, Shopify, Walmart, and Etsy. That means expanding internationally does not mean multiplying the number of platforms you have to check.
eDesk’s AI features handle routine questions automatically while routing complex issues to human agents with full context. This keeps response times fast even when your team is not online, which is especially important for meeting marketplace SLA requirements across different time zones.
For sellers managing multichannel support, this single-inbox approach saves hours per day and helps maintain the service quality that drives repeat international purchases.
The cost of poor customer service in international markets is high. Negative reviews and slow response times erode trust with buyers who already feel uncertain about ordering from a foreign seller. Getting your support infrastructure right before you expand, not after problems appear, is how successful international sellers operate.
Inizia a vendere a livello internazionale con fiducia
International expansion comes with complexity, but the opportunity is too large to leave untapped. Cross-border eCommerce is growing at more than double the rate of domestic online sales, and the sellers who invest in proper market research, localized payments, tax compliance, and customer service infrastructure will capture the most growth.
The five areas we covered, market selection, marketing channels, payments, tax compliance, and returns, form the foundation. Get those right, and you have a repeatable process for entering new markets.
If you are ready to expand, start by solving the customer service challenge. Book a free demo of eDesk to see how our platform connects your support across every marketplace and time zone.
Domande frequenti
What is cross-border eCommerce?
Cross-border eCommerce is the practice of selling products online to customers in other countries. This includes selling through international marketplaces like Amazon and eBay, or through your own webstore with international shipping.
How big is the global eCommerce market in 2026?
Global retail eCommerce sales are projected to reach $6.88 trillion in 2026, making up about 21.1% of total retail sales worldwide.
What percentage of online sales are cross-border?
Cross-border eCommerce accounts for approximately 31.2% of all global online sales, with the market expected to exceed $5 trillion by 2028.
Do I need to display prices in local currencies to sell internationally?
Yes. 92% of global consumers prefer to see prices in their local currency, and 33% of international shoppers will abandon their purchase if prices are shown only in US dollars. Currency localization directly impacts your conversion rate.
What are the biggest challenges of selling internationally?
The top challenges include navigating different tax and customs regulations, offering the right payment methods for each market, managing returns across borders, providing customer support across time zones, and adapting your marketing to local platforms and consumer behavior.
How do I handle customer service when selling in multiple countries?
Use an eCommerce helpdesk like eDesk that integrates with all major marketplaces and centralizes customer messages in one inbox. AI-powered automation handles routine questions while keeping response times within marketplace SLA requirements, even outside your business hours.
What markets are growing fastest for eCommerce?
Southeast Asia, Latin America, and India are showing the fastest growth. The Philippines leads with over 23% growth, India has a compound annual growth rate of 14.1%, and Latin America is growing above 12% year-over-year. Mexico is on track to surpass US eCommerce penetration by 2026.
