International Strategy

Trade War Not Projected to Stunt the Growth of E-Commerce
October 2, 2018 at 10:06 am

It's difficult to escape the ongoing news surrounding the U.S. president’s “trade war,” and what could potentially unfold. Recent headlines have left many e-commerce merchants feeling uncertain, as it's still unclear how cross-border sales could be affected. Regardless of the trade war we currently face, e-commerce growth rates around the world have skyrocketed in recent…

E-Commerce Without an Accent: Making International Selling a First Language
September 25, 2018 at 9:28 am

The world may be shrinking, but e-commerce opportunities are booming as global markets become increasingly interconnected. Just as the internet broke down global information silos, technological advances have ushered in a new era in which the sale of goods and services is no longer constrained by the barriers that stood just five years ago. Consider…

A Chat With Aaron Zagha, Head of E-Commerce, International, Teleflora
August 21, 2018 at 11:23 am

Aaron Zagha is the head of e-commerce, international at Teleflora, an online floral retailer. In this interview, Zagha shares his unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities of globally expanding an e-commerce company that has been in business since 1934. Holly Vander Wall: With operations in Europe, Asia, and the Americas, Teleflora is a major player in the…

Tiffany & Co., Kroger Partner With Alibaba to Sell Products in China
August 16, 2018 at 11:48 am

Two leading U.S. retail brands — Tiffany & Co., Kroger — announced this week the expansion of their businesses into China through partnerships with Alibaba. Jewelry brand Tiffany & Co. will release its latest “Tiffany Paper Flowers” collection in China exclusively on the Luxury Pavilion, Tmall’s invite-only platform for luxury brands. Tiffany will launch a virtual…

PayPal Cross-Border Trade Consumer Research 2018
August 6, 2018 at 1:50 pm

As the U.S. implements tariffs on consumer products from countries around the world and as those countries respond in kind, questions arise on how this activity will affect consumers’ appetite for international shopping, and what it means for U.S. merchants that rely on international online sales for growth. With 237 million active accounts in over 200 markets, PayPal has seen marked annual growth in cross-border payment volume, with international online purchases on its platform increasing by 49 percent from Q1 2016 to Q1 2018.

Starbucks Partners With Alibaba for Delivery, Virtual Store in China
August 3, 2018 at 10:34 am

Starbucks is teaming with Alibaba as it seeks to rediscover growth for its business in China. The partnership is wide ranging, and will cover delivery, a virtual store and collaboration on Alibaba’s “new retail” Hema stores. The delivery piece is perhaps most obvious, with Starbucks working with Ele.me, the $9.5 billion food delivery platform owned by Alibaba,…

Fabletics Plans to Open 75 New Stores in Global Push
July 11, 2018 at 11:36 am

Fabletics, Kate Hudson's athleisure brand, is planning to open 75 new stores globally, quadrupling its footprint to 100 stores. "We are a digitally native company, so we've been able to really understand our customers — what they want, where they reside," Hudson told CNBC. "At a time when people are very nervous about retail, [our…

Google to Invest $550M in China E-Commerce Giant JD.com
June 19, 2018 at 12:14 pm

Google will invest $550 million in Chinese e-commerce powerhouse JD.com, part of the U.S. internet company’s efforts to expand its presence in fast-growing Asian markets and battle rivals including Amazon.com. The two companies described the investment as one piece of a broader partnership that will include the promotion of JD.com products on Google’s shopping service. This…