One thing that most online sellers can agree on is that going global is beneficial to your business. For many, though, it’s a classic case of being easier said than done; expanding globally requires additional set up and ongoing work. Learning more about the possible markets that you could break into could help you decide when and where to start.

In this blog, we’re taking a look at the French online sellers’ environment, but some of the areas we look at would apply to other countries into which you might be looking to expand.

What is the landscape of the French online sellers’ market?

In France, there are 64.3 million people, about 86% of which are online. Many French citizens live in urban areas and they have a slightly youthful population. France is the third largest eCommerce market in Europe, and the sixth largest worldwide. It’s always important to take a look at how big of a market you’re looking at, and the most prevalent demographics.

How popular is online shopping in France?

The French are definitely fans of online shopping, with 89% of all internet users buying goods and services online – that’s 33.8 million people! e-Commerce sales in France totaled 51.1 billion dollars last year – that’s a big pie to take a piece of. An online sellers’ landscape with lots of customers is great news; it means you can have more specialization, a bigger potential client base, and a large platform on which to build a recognizable brand. It also, usually, means that there are more options as to which marketplace specifically you could use. More on that later.

What Other Factors do I Need to Consider?

Language: Translating your marketplace to the local language is always a good idea. It instantly makes you more trustworthy to clients and makes it much easier for them to shop around on your platform. There are plenty of third party companies that specialize in helping merchants translate their website and communicate with their customers. In France, this is a big deal as most of the population shops exclusively in French.

Taxes and regulations: you should also familiarize yourself with any laws, regulations, or extra taxes (such as VAT).

Which Marketplace Should I Sign up For?

For some online sellers, it makes sense to simply expand into another nationality of a website you already sell on, which is usually eBay or Amazon. However, it is worth looking into any local marketplaces or other options. In France, for example, two of their biggest online marketplace are called Cdiscount and PriceMinister, and with an unrivaled level of popularity in France, have an outstanding reputation in that market. Figuring out how the local marketplaces work could be the key to reaching your customers.

France is a wonderful place to start your international expansion, but no matter what country you decide to venture into first, just be sure to do your research!

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