Page 16 - Cross-Border Magazine Nr.3

~ Baker Ross ~

We relied heavily on Salesupply to ensure we complied with Amazon search terms. This will boost your product rankings on
local standards. Amazon and will be a useful experience when you create your
• The terms of and conditions of trade of your business need to be own German website.
published on the website. • Having a native speaker on board is very useful in doing search
• Most importantly, ensure you comply with local cancellation term research and optimising product titles. They don’t need to
and return legal rights. They differ from the UK norms and be full time initially. Having someone who does both this and
therefore what you have on your UK website. customer services can work well.
• Data protection: You will need to set out how you process data • It is likely that Google shopping will be your number one cus-
and the controls you operate over it in more detail than in the tomer acquisition tool for your own website. Optimise product
UK. The name of your company officer responsible for data pro- titles and feeds drawing upon experiences on Amazon.de.
cessing will need to be published. You will also need to publish • Google adwords will also play a role in this, but we found it less
how you use the following and how they affect data privacy: important than Google shopping.
o Google analytics web tracking • A successful business on Amazon.de will build brand awareness
o Social media plug ins and drive referrals to your own site. Amazon.de site visitors will
o Cookies and how you use them subsequently search for your brand on Google.de to find better
o Email sign ups prices. Having lower prices on your own website than Amazon.
• Impressum: This is a German term that describes a summary of de will boost conversions on your site from these visitors.
the key company legal information which needs to be on your
website. You will need to publish: Retaining customers
o Director names • Start a German email program for your own website customers
o The person responsible for updating the website as soon as it is cost effective to do so.
o Company registration number • Include a German language mini catalogue or insert a flyer into
o VAT number etc all your German parcels. We do a 16 page one. Ensure it has a
strong offer on the cover.
Acquiring Customers • Germans are generally receptive to receiving catalogues in the
• On Amazon.de you don’t technically acquire customers. The post. They are a good retention tool in Germany. Catalogue
customers belong to Amazon and you can’t send marketing postage is considerably more expensive than the UK, so keep
emails to them. them under 100g to reduce costs.
• Nonetheless, Amazon is a revenue stream and you will learn • Run affiliate and re-marketing programs as you would in the
which products sell in Germany and which don’t. UK. ••
• Use Amazon.de to learn about German keywords relevant to
your products and incorporate them into your product titles and

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