Global e-commerce is continuing its unstoppable rise, with sales expected to reach nearly $3.5 trillion this year.

Last year saw millions of ambitious e-tailers joining the market for a share of the phenomenal profit, contributing to an impressive 18% rise in global e-commerce. Is there a secret to online success?

Often, what separates successful e-tailers from those that struggle is commitment to the right objectives. The following are 6 common goals shared by e-tailers who know what’s needed to guarantee global success.

• Top user experience

Too many online retailers spend all their time focusing on who they are and what they sell that they often forget the most important piece of the e-commerce puzzle: the customer. Perfecting the customer experience should be very high up in your list of priorities. This means improving the customer journey, enhancing accessibility, and boosting engagement.

Make sure your website is user-friendly even to shoppers from other countries; this means providing a localized shopping experience to consumers in other countries so that the language, currency, payment methods, clothing and shoe sizes are all relevant to the shopper. Remember that the user experience doesn’t end when the transaction is complete: ensure you have excellent shipping and returns solutions, and that your customer service is outstanding.

• Brand Awareness

Brand building is all-important when you’re trying to establish your organisation in your chosen market. One of the best ways to stand out from the competition and raise awareness of your brand is with a direct mail campaign – especially in a world overflowing with electronic communications. When compared with email, direct mail is perceived as a more trusted, personal form of marketing. Think about your brand message and how you’d like to express it to your customers, then get in touch with a marketing mail expert like Asendia to help you spread word about your company.

Another way to increase brand awareness is to master SEO. After all, how can customers shop with you if they can’t find you? Learn all the tricks that will bump up your company in search rankings such as publishing content, focusing on keywords, and updating metadata. Don’t be intimidated by SEO – as long as you keep your website compliant with Google’s evolving standards, you should have no problems.

• Mobile optimisation

With mobile sales predicted to reach over $4.5 billion by 2023, the universal expectation is that mobile commerce will rule e-commerce very soon. It’s clear to see why m-commerce is fast becoming the preferred way to shop online: greater convenience, faster purchases, a smoother customer experience. Simply speaking, m-commerce is a contemporary lifestyle choice.

Smart e-tailers think mobile first. They design their websites to be compatible with small screens, while making the visitor experience fast, enjoyable, and easy on the eyes. Consider investing in a retail app and introducing features that make the user experience slicker, such as single-touch checkout. If you can get your business completely ready for m-commerce, you won’t miss out on profit.

• Global reach

Most, if not all, e-tailers ‘dream’ of going global and selling to international markets. But is it really just a fantasy? The truth is, selling to overseas markets can be incredibly straightforward – especially if you partner with a delivery specialist like Asendia. Things like unfamiliar customs regulations, duties and taxes, or shipping restrictions are nothing to worry about once you bring an international expert on board.

Going global will allow you to diversify and capitalise on new opportunities in exciting markets. The potential for growth is enormous as you’ll be tapping into a much larger pool of online shoppers from around the world. With thorough research and a keenness to understand your new customer base, you can take your brand to a whole new level.

• Simplified returns

Don’t make the mistake of many online retailers who feel they’ve gained success because they start selling in big numbers… but then drown in returns. For the modern e-shopper, returns is a vital part of the e-commerce experience and the simplicity of your returns process could be the deciding factor in whether a customer stays loyal to your brand or shops elsewhere.

Customers want simple, fuss-free returns. Successful e-tailers ensure they have a solid and easy-to-use returns solution in place, especially when selling to international customers. With e-commerce companies around the world experiencing higher returns rates than ever before, exceptional returns management will protect your global reputation. Asendia takes the stress out of international returns management for you – our new returns range will help you streamline costs and satisfy your customers.

• Gaining shoppers’ trust

Trust is critical for online retail, but you’ll be surprised at how few businesses make it a top priority. To secure repeat customers, you need to project trustworthiness as much as possible, particularly in international selling where there is a greater fear of fraud, identity theft, stolen data, and lost shipments. Think about how transparent you are in your communications and how authentic your brand voice is.

It’s more important than ever to prove that shopping on your website is safe and secure for potential customers. This is why all Asendia customers now have free access to a gold membership with Safe.Shop, the global e-commerce trust mark. Safe.Shop was launched by Ecommerce Foundation, a key partner of Asendia, with the aim of improving customer confidence and boosting worldwide trade. Registration is easy and an excellent step towards instantly securing shoppers’ trust.