Top tips for German ecommerce translation success
According to Paul Giuffredi of Baker Ross Ltd & Yellow Moon UK Ltd, there are several elements to becoming a success story in Germany. German ecommerce translation is only part of the strategy you should be considering. Cultural, logistical and customer service considerations should form part of your plan.
Selling a brand of children’s craft products, which before 2013 were only sold within the UK, Paul Giuffredi took the decision to test the German market. The products were launched on amazon.de in 2013 and by 2016, orders had increased to 100,000 orders annually. Following this testing period, the company then took the decision to set up a German website. The German market has become a great success story for Baker Ross and can be for your business also.
ALM Translations has always stressed the importance of using a professional translation agency for German ecommerce translation as well as any other supporting documents or content. ALM Translations can help translate your website, marketing materials and research keywords to make sure your website is found!
Top points for success in Germany
Marketplaces
- Test your products on a marketplace – this will tell you if there is a demand for your product
- Take a low risk/low cost strategy by having a few selected product descriptions translated and list those products on amazon.de
- Selling on amazon.de allows you to refine delivery and customer service options
- Testing on amazon.de defers any negative impact on your own site in the initial phases
Translations
- Use a professional and reputable agency. German marketing translations are notoriously tricky!
- Provide your translation agency with information about your company’s identity and brand so it can mirror them in your translations.
- Plan around translation lead times in your overall strategy
Logistics
- Understanding German customers is important. For example, late deliveries won’t sit comfortably with them
- Be realistic with your delivery times
- Select a reliable logistics company who can deliver on time using a reliable in-country network
- Allow for a loss on your shipping prices through a higher product price
- Understand that you cannot offer an “express” delivery service to Germany
Payment
- Guilt and debt in German have similar meanings – cards are used infrequently in Germany
- Payment on invoice is popular in Germany
- Bank transfer should be on your list of payment options for German customers
- Paypal is an obvious choice for receiving payments from customers
Customer service
- Standard Q&A for the UK will apply (more or less) to the German market – so these could be translated
- Google Translate and other free translation tools should not be used for outgoing correspondence to your German customers
- Incoming messages, however, could be translated in Google Translate
- Consider how you would deal with incoming telephone enquiries from customers who don’t speak your language
This information has been put together based on a very informative case study by Paul Giuffredi – click here to view the original article.
Contact ALM Translations if you would like to discuss your expansion plans further and see how we can form part of your exporting strategy.