What are the best practices for serving multilingual customers in e-commerce?

E-commerce is a global business, and customers from different countries and cultures expect a smooth and satisfying shopping experience. If you want to reach and retain multilingual customers, you need to adopt some best practices that show respect, understanding, and convenience. Here are some of the most important ones.

1 Choose the right languages

The first step is to identify the languages that your target market speaks and prefers. You can use tools like Google Analytics or your own customer data to find out where your traffic and sales come from. Then, you can decide which languages to prioritize and invest in. Don't assume that everyone speaks English or that one language covers a whole region. For example, in Europe, there are many variations of Spanish, French, German, and other languages.

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Montserrat Cano

Global growth through digital project management, international SEO & digital brand strategy | Search Awards Judge | Author & speaker | Google WTM Ambassador
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The first step needs to be deciding the target market the business should focus on according to their commercial targets and resources. Then, we decide on the languages to optimise for and on everything else that needs to be localised, eg, functionalities or pictures. In Switzerland, there are four language regions, with varieties of languages spoken elsewhere in the world.

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2 Provide quality translation

The next step is to translate your website content, product descriptions, marketing materials, and customer service messages into the chosen languages. Don't rely on automatic translation tools or low-quality services. They can result in errors, confusion, and loss of trust. Hire professional translators or agencies that have experience and expertise in your industry and niche. They can ensure accuracy, clarity, and cultural relevance. Also, make sure to update your translations regularly to reflect any changes or updates in your products or policies.

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Montserrat Cano

Global growth through digital project management, international SEO & digital brand strategy | Search Awards Judge | Author & speaker | Google WTM Ambassador
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It is useful for businesses to be familiar with three concepts linguists and marketers doing localisation use: - Translation, overall concept where we adapt a message - Localisation, adapting an experience - Transcreation, adapting an experience further An example of transcreation is KFC's "Finger-licking good" campaign, which had to be transcreated into Chinese language to avoid it sound like "eat your fingers off".

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3 Optimize your website design

The third step is to make your website design user-friendly and accessible for multilingual customers. This means that you should offer a clear and easy way to switch between languages, preferably with flags or language codes. You should also adapt your layout, fonts, colors, and images to suit different languages and preferences. For example, some languages are read from right to left, some use different alphabets or symbols, and some have longer or shorter words than English. You should also consider the loading speed, mobile compatibility, and navigation of your website for different devices and locations.

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Montserrat Cano

Global growth through digital project management, international SEO & digital brand strategy | Search Awards Judge | Author & speaker | Google WTM Ambassador
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A website as a product tends to be a reflection of how the business think about their customers. Take the time to research your target audience: functionalities, content and image types, etc.

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4 Accept multiple currencies and payment methods

The fourth step is to enable your customers to pay in their own currency and with their preferred payment method. This can reduce friction, confusion, and abandonment at the checkout stage. You can use tools like currency converters, geo-location, and payment gateways to offer this option. You should also display the prices, taxes, fees, and shipping costs clearly and transparently in the customer's currency. Moreover, you should provide a range of payment methods that are popular and secure in different markets, such as credit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, or local alternatives.

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Montserrat Cano

Global growth through digital project management, international SEO & digital brand strategy | Search Awards Judge | Author & speaker | Google WTM Ambassador
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Localising every aspect is key. Research the preferred payment methods in your target market, so that you know that there aren't any legal or other barriers that could affect the number of conversions on that market.

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5 Offer local delivery and returns

The fifth step is to provide local delivery and returns options for your multilingual customers. This can increase customer satisfaction, loyalty, and retention. You can partner with local or international couriers, logistics companies, or fulfillment centers to handle the shipping and delivery of your products. You should also offer tracking, insurance, and customer support for the delivery process. Furthermore, you should have a clear and fair return policy that allows customers to return or exchange products easily and affordably. You should also communicate the return process and conditions in the customer's language.

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6 Provide multilingual customer service

The sixth step is to provide multilingual customer service for your customers. This can help you resolve issues, answer questions, and build relationships. You can use various channels and tools to offer customer service in different languages, such as phone, email, chat, social media, or chatbots. You should also train your customer service agents or hire native speakers to handle the communication. Additionally, you should create a multilingual FAQ page, help center, or knowledge base that covers the most common topics and queries that your customers might have.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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What are the best practices for serving multilingual customers in e-commerce?

1

2

3

4

5

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1 Choose the right languages

2 Provide quality translation

3 Optimize your website design

4 Accept multiple currencies and payment methods

5 Offer local delivery and returns

6 Provide multilingual customer service

7 Here’s what else to consider

E-commerce

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What are the best practices for serving multilingual customers in e-commerce?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Choose the right languages

2 Provide quality translation

3 Optimize your website design

4 Accept multiple currencies and payment methods

5 Offer local delivery and returns

6 Provide multilingual customer service

7 Here’s what else to consider

E-commerce

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