Tune Into Buyers’ Preferences

Still, some strategies can be the same across multiple countries. Some internet norms are the same from place to place — e.g., the location of menus and the use of carts. Oftentimes the back end of a website can remain basically the same from country to country.

Pay Attention to Shopping Habits
Western businesses can't just assume that the same dot-com model that's worked so well in the U.S. will enjoy similar success in the BRIC marketplace. Just as an American might turn up his nose at escargot served at a French bistro, a Russian consumer might be turned off by an online strategy that works wonders in India or the Philippines.