Content localization for Amazon sellers involves more than just translating your listing. As you expand your business to other countries, and seek to connect with international audiences, it’s absolutely crucial to tailor content effectively for different markets. It cannot be overstated. Let’s talk about the concept of content localization and its impact on engaging global audiences successfully – and the differences between translation, localization, transcreation, and globalization – all important aspects of content localization if you plan to expand the right way.

Did you know that luxury branding isn’t just for upscale products and services? Adapt the same marketing principles to elevate your customer user experience, even in a different language! Read more at What is a Luxury Brand.

What is Localization? How Does it Differ from Translation and Internationalization?

Translation primarily focuses on converting content from one language to another while maintaining the original meaning. You would translate a product instruction manual, or a legal document, or a medical document – anything that has to be translated word-for-word.

Localization is a comprehensive process that goes beyond simple translation. Content localization involves linguistic adaptation along with cultural and contextual adjustments. This approach allows businesses to create a seamless experience for their international customers, making them feel valued and understood. Put it this way – localization is the process that begins with translation but extends much further, addressing various communication aspects. This includes incorporating local idioms, cultural references, and tackling technical communication challenges, such as adapting text length, measurement units, date formats, and page sizes. An effective website localization strategy also encompasses back-end considerations, like optimizing SEO and tailoring social media strategies to resonate with the new market. You want to localize your title, bullets, A+, and images to correspond with the cultural and contextual norms of different cultures.

Internationalization and localization are often mistaken for one another. Internationalization involves customizing your product and offering so it’s adaptable to any region, whereas a localization project is the process of adapting to a specific market or a local culture. 

Globalization meanwhile is simple – it’s the process of taking your brand globally. You don’t have to change a lot of things in terms of branding or pictures. The idea is to make any necessary changes to your brand to make it resonate with a worldwide audience, instead of with one specific country only. The idea behind globalization is to create a unified presence no matter where in the world your customers find you.

Transcreation transcends mere word-by-word or phrase-by-phrase translation, crafting an entirely fresh text that effectively conveys the core idea, intention, sensations, and emotions of the original content. There’s a fine line between transcreation and localization. To keep it simple, transcreation involves more creativity, like copywriting. To quote novalo, localization connects, and transcreation motivates.

According to Argos, here’s to find out if your project needs transcreation:

1. Avoiding Confusion or Offense: When simple translation falls short and could lead to confusion or offense in the new market.
2. Culturally Relevant Messaging: Utilizing locally-appropriate cultural references and language to effectively convey the brand message.
3. Emphasizing Emotional Engagement: Ensuring the transcreation delivers on the brand promise and effectively engages audiences on an emotional level.

For a step-by-step process on how to transcreate content, check out this blog here.

The Benefits of Localization: When It’s Done Properly!

Now that you understand the difference between translation and localization – and why it’s so important to go beyond translation when you’re expanding globally – here are the things effective localization needs. When you’re dealing with localization teams, here are the KPIs to give them.

Make sure your content localization ticks all these boxes:

1. Improved Customer Experience: When content is localized, it becomes more relatable and understandable to local audiences. This creates a positive customer experience, which in turn builds trust and loyalty towards the brand.
2. Increased Global Reach: Localizing content enables businesses to tap into new markets and expand their global reach. It allows them to connect with customers on a deeper level, ultimately leading to increased sales and brand visibility.
3. Cultural Sensitivity: Content localization demonstrates cultural sensitivity, showing that a company respects and acknowledges the unique aspects of each market. This helps avoid any unintended offense or misunderstanding that could harm the brand’s reputation.

How Not to Approach Localization: Clairol’s Mist Stick

One crucial definition of localization is that it has to be relevant to the target audience. In other words, no mistakes in the target language, that may lead to confusion – or even a drop in brand integrity altogether.

Some years ago, Clairol, a hair products company, launched a curling iron named the “Mist Stick” to a global audience. The vapor wand quickly gained popularity among stylish individuals worldwide, selling exceptionally well… until it reached Germany. You see, “mist” in German slang means “manure” or “excrement!” As you can imagine, while farmers might have found use for a Manure Stick, fair-haired beauties were not as interested.

So, although the mist stick went through globalization as a product that had significance to a worldwide market, it failed at content localization, because it didn’t localize the product name to correspond with Germany’s language, cultural norms, slang, and so on.

If we weigh Clairol’s performance vs. our earlier checklist:

1. Customer Experience: negative overall; you probably don’t want to associate hair and beauty with manure and excrement
2. Global reach: Although the curling iron had significance as a product wherever in the world you may look, the product’s reach was affected because of the errors in its name, leading to decreased sales. Sure, brand visibility might have spiked, but for completely wrong reasons.
3. Cultural sensitivity: It’s evident that Clairol failed spectacularly in this department.

Make sure you don’t make these same mistakes – ask the experts to handle your content localization.

Best Practices for Successful Localization

Here’s a snippet of some of the best practices for effective content localization – but for a tell-all guide, head on over to this blog.

1. Conduct Thorough Market Research: Understanding the cultural nuances, preferences, and behavior of the target audience is crucial. Researching local customs, trends, and language variations ensures content remains culturally appropriate and engaging.
2. Adapt Visual Elements: Localization goes beyond text and includes adjusting images, color schemes, and graphics to align with local aesthetics and sensitivities.
3. Localize Date, Time, and Measurement Formats: Switching date formats, time zones, and measurement units to match those commonly used in the target market enhances the content’s readability and accessibility.
4. Customize Content for Regional Preferences: Customize content to suit regional differences and preferences while retaining the core brand identity. Tailor the tone, style, and vocabulary to resonate with the local audience effectively.

From an Amazon Seller’s perspective, note these important tips:

• The tone of voice for Europeans is much more toned down, with heavy emphasis on the key features and how the product solves the problem. Keep sales-y and fluffy language for American customers, who really resonate with editorialized language. Read this guide on optimizing your Amazon listing for Europeans vs. Americans, it’ll help.
• Many sellers make the mistake of taking the listing they used on their Mexican listings, and copying it word-for-word for the Spanish market. Spaniards don’t like reading Mexican Spanish; they feel that it describes a foreign product, and they’re less likely to purchase it as a result. Even the keywords are different – check out our YLT Translator Profile for more info!
• Remember as well that the number of letters in marketing materials may change for languages that are letter-heavy, such as German. Language localization doesn’t necessarily mean your multilingual output will have the same character count as your initial content, and that may change how your infographics and A+ look to customers.

Remember – with proper localization efforts, you delight your customers, and they’re more likely to buy from you – over and over again.

Translation and Localization at Work: Coca-Cola’s Success

Want an example of translation vs localization done well? Remember – localization ensures a relationship with your new customer base. That’s why an important aspect of localization is actually buyer psychology. Let’s look at what Coca-Cola did well in their marketing campaigns as a positive example of localization.

1. The Share a Coke Campaign: Coca-Cola’s successful content localization involved adapting their “Share a Coke” campaign for different markets. Instead of using first names in China, which might be culturally inappropriate, they used job occupations to convey the same message effectively. The campaign has been running for several years now.
2. Coca-Cola’s Global Website: Coca-Cola’s website localization demonstrates an excellent example of global appeal. By maintaining consistent branding elements while adapting content for each region, the company ensures that visitors from different countries have a familiar yet locally relevant experience.

In 2019, approximately 55 percent of China’s carbonated drink market was dominated by Coca-Cola, with its primary rival Pepsi holding a share of about 36 percent.

Globalization, Localization and Translation: When to Do What

Here’s a helpful guide:

• Translate your product manuals, terms of service, and anything else that would need word-for-word translations so you avoid any legal issues, or weighty problems if any of the words disappear
• Localize your product listing. Employ new keyword research per market, and make sure you pay attention to slang, colloquialisms, pop culture references, and so on in new markets
• Transcreate your slogan, or any assets that need a creative touch to resonate with the new target market, especially if translation and localization don’t quite push the envelope enough
• Globalize your product to appeal to markets all over the world

Conclusion: Refine Your Localization Strategy for Global Success

Content localization is a powerful tool for businesses seeking to engage and connect with global audiences on a personal level. By embracing cultural sensitivity and adapting content for diverse markets, companies can build a strong international presence and leave a lasting impact on their customers. Embrace the art of content localization, and watch your brand flourish in the global marketplace! Don’t forget to ask the experts for help. YLT has a team of native speakers who are all well-versed in Amazon’s intricacies. Reach out for a free listing review and we’ll help you see where localization can help your product shine!

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It’s a new year, meaning it’s time for every wise retailer to forecast, predict, and analyze the eCommerce landscape. Understanding the latest eCommerce trends for 2026 and beyond is a great way to leave 2025 in the past, move forward with confidence, and allocate budgets and efforts accordingly. YLT Translations is here to give you its annual report on eCommerce trends to watch out for – as your localization partner with its finger on the pulse of the eCommerce industry, all things Amazon, and what truly moves the needle.

Here’s a sneak peek. Discovery, conversion, and trust are increasingly mediated by AI systems, platforms, and algorithms, not just storefronts. Generative AI tools are now an indelible part of the customer journey; the smart seller doesn’t just optimize for SEO anymore, but is prepared to offer a seamless customer experience across all touchpoints, to answer valid customer questions and step in front of objections in real time.

But that’s not the only thing that’s switching up. Don’t think January will be about optimizing product descriptions for ChatGPT and calling it a day; the future of eCommerce is a lot more intricate than that. So, read on, take notes, and pick the e-commerce trends that make the most sense for your brand! Remember, 2026 isn’t about chasing shiny tools – it’s about a structural shift in how eCommerce operates.

Let’s get started.

2) eCommerce Trends 2026: AI-Powered Product Discovery Becomes the Primary Entry Point

The shopping experience changed subtly but remarkably over the past few months through artificial intelligence. Customers use AI for product recommendations, summaries, and comparisons. That means consumer behavior isn’t dependent just on SEO anymore for the discovery phase. This Reddit thread covers how AI is shaping the future of retail – it’s not about putting the right keywords in anymore, it’s about shopper intent. And discovery often happens before intent is fully formed.

Given that AI commerce is one of the top trends to watch in 2026, it’s so important to optimize for agentic commerce, which McKinsey talks about at length in this article. AI systems require structured, interpretable product information. Just think about Rufus AI on Amazon itself, which reads product data according to way more parameters than the algorithm itself – check out this insightful post by Vadim Petrov of AMZ One Step for more info. If a product can’t be “understood” correctly by AI, it may never be shown. Listings with inconsistent attributes, unclear variants, or poorly localized copy are harder for AI systems to interpret – impacting discoverability beyond classic SEO.

The same theory applies to global expansion. Translating product information from one country to the other just won’t cut it anymore; localization quality directly affects how AI systems interpret and surface products. In other words, if you don’t want Rufus AI to badmouth you to your new potential customers, make sure you help it along by being clear with what you want customers to understand about your product.

3) From SEO to “LLM Optimization”: Search Is No Longer the Only Gatekeeper

Given what we just learned about AI, it stands to reason that search is no longer the only way to get your product in front of customers. Large language models like ChatGPT synthesize information across listings, reviews, FAQs, and external content, meaning traditional SEO is no longer sufficient on its own.

That’s not to say that eCommerce businesses should abandon keyword optimization altogether – in fact, it’s a horrible idea to do so, because when you’re expanding globally, clear keyword intent signals Rufus all over the globe that your product is worth considering. Without the proper keywords, you fail to answer customer intent, which confuses AI – and therefore, potential online shoppers.

Visibility is influenced by clarity, consistency, and context, not keyword density. Contradictory or vague product language becomes a liability. This means that Amazon algorithms now serve multiple audiences simultaneously: human shoppers, the Amazon algorithm, and AI-generated summaries. Contradictions in copy and images due to poor localization weaken all three.

Localization for LLMs isn’t about fluency – it’s about preserving intent and accuracy across markets. Check out Jana’s LinkedIn post on how Rufus got confused because of a German listing with contradictory information – resulting in a drop in customer trust and sales.

4) Social Commerce Normalizes Impulse-Driven Buying

Speaking of product diescovery – one of the top eCommerce trends influencing online shopping in 2026 is social shopping. Used to be, customers discovered products on social channgels like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. No doubt about it, short-form video was a massive conversion tool. However, behavior around social platforms is growing – no longer are these channels just fulfilling the discovery phase, they have turned into transaction surfaces in their own right. Short-form videos have now replaced the traditional “product shelf.”

Thanks to tech-savvy Gen Z, video is a non-negotiable for eCommerce brands. Because the format of these videos is incredibly short, they need to get the point across in seconds, from the hook to capture interest, to the important points that address customer needs, to the CTA. They also should be optimized for mobile commerce for platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube shorts, which are often viewed through cell phones.

Social commerce increasingly feeds Amazon demand. The customer experience looks different now: customers chance upon a viral video posted by an influencer, a live shopping experience, or even a UGC video from a friend. They’ll head to Amazon to search for the product. Purchase decisions are quick and instant. The world has gotten much faster, decisions are quicker, and social channels are doing a lot of the heavy lifting.

If you plan to use social commerce to catapult your business forward this year, make sure to provide a seamless experience across eCommerce platforms (including Amazon!) and the social content that’s released – either by you or on your behalf. That means your Amazon listing needs to match the expectations set by social commerce; otherwise, conversions and reviews will suffer. Trust is broken. Everything from tone, humor, claims, and more must align with the listing.

5) Fulfillment Expectations Become Part of the Product Experience

We mentioned that things are moving along very quickly these days, from impulse buys through social commerce to AI product discovery. Another one of the key eCommerce emerging trends covers fulfillment expectations. Delivery speed influences purchase decisions upfront now; speed, predictability, and clarity every step of the way are now baseline expectations, not a nice little FYI after the purchase has been made. Imprecise delivery messaging only erodes trust – and convinces clients not to buy from you again.

Here’s the conundrum lots of D2C sellers face – Amazon’s FBA offers such clear information on delivery, that it’s tough to compete. Let’s face it – on Amazon, delivery promises and availability directly influence buy box eligibility and conversion.

International Post lays out the common factors that customers consider with shipping:

• Will the product be delivered at all? Is the delivery reliable, or is there a chance the product will get lost in transit?
• How long will the customer have to wait for goods to arrive?
• How are goods handed over by the delivery agent?
• How much is the cost of delivery?
• Are there any additional expenses for the shopper?
• Is there an impact on trust?

Aside from the logistics, it’s so important to localize shipping language properly. Shipping and returns copy is often mistranslated or oversimplified – and that creates unnecessary friction in international listings.

In short – work on your supply chain, because it directly affects conversion rates and customer satisfaction. But also make sure to localize the shipping and returns information, so customers read the fine print in language that makes sense to them.

6) Sustainability, Compliance, and the Digital Product Passport

Sustainability regulations are moving from policy documents and entering the buying experience. Frameworks like the EU Digital Product Passport are introducing mandatory transparency around a product’s materials, origin, and lifecycle. That means compliance data is quickly becoming customer-facing information. Imagine, this information used to be buried in specs sheets and operating manuals – now it’s becoming important data that customers look at before checkout.

Here’s why it matters. Regulatory compliance is no longer a back-office concern. aeiforo reports that non-compliance can lead to border rejection, delayed shipments (and as we’ve already established, that’s one of the top industry trends to fine-tune this 2026), and suspended contracts. Sustainability claims aren’t as cute as a “biodegradable!” icon on your secondary image set; the claims are standardized and verifiable. Credibility depends not just on having the data, but communicating it clearly and accurately across channels.

Amazon’s no different. The marketplace enforces category- and region-specific requirements around sustainability, materials, and compliance claims, particularly for any online store that sells in the EU. Incorrect or imprecise translations of environmental or ethical claims can lead to suppression, content removal, or regulatory exposure – yes, even when the product does meet the standard.

So, yes, go sustainable – but remember, brands must communicate that they’re sustainable and how so, instead of just being that way.

Sustainability in Amazon has come a long way in the past 2 years. Check out our blog on What is an Eco-Friendly Product to Sell in 2024?

7) Local-First Growth Replaces “Copy-Paste” Global Expansion

Cross-border growth in 2026 isn’t about speed, it’s about accuracy. Successful international expansion now depends on  understanding local search behavior, cultural expectations, and buying logic, not just translating content word-for-word into another language. One-size-fits-all expansion just will not jive with your target customers.

We’re talking about product localization, so that your product meets the lifestyle needs of customers wherever you may sell. We’re talking about correct keyword localization, so your US keywords don’t try (and fail) to convert a customer in Australia. We’re talking about understanding the factors influencing consumer behavior, so you tailor your communications to your customers’ needs with accuracy.

Differences in language nuance, shopping habits, regulatory awareness, and trust signals all influence how customers interpret a product’s value. When brands ignore these differences, they lose out on both conversion and visibility. Each market has its own keyword intent, linguistic expectations, and compliance sensitivities. Poorly adapted language can introduce contraditions that confuse both shoppers and Amazon’s AI-driven discovery systems.

Done right, localization protects rankings, improves discoverability, and aligns products with real buyer intent in each market. In 2026, expanding globally isn’t about being everywhere; it’s about being understood wherever you sell.

Conclusion: What Ecommerce Trends 2026 Signal for Serious Sellers

The eCommerce trends 2026 is giving us make one thing clear: visibility is no longer earned through keywords alone (although they’re still important!). Visibility is a combination of AI systems, platform logic, and the clarity of the information that brands put out into the market. Retailers in 2026 – especially ones who’ve been around the block a few times – will recognize that these trends have been creeping up on us slowly but steadily over the past year. If we may issue a small warning – pay attention to the new trends, for sure, but keep in mind that the Amazon landscape changes as dramatically as a Koreanovela actress bursts into tears, so pay attention to updates on Seller Central and follow Jana on LinkedIn for important updates that can help brands stay relevant and scale this 2026.

Remember – localize properly. Fix your content so it aligns with the expectations of both the algorithm and Rufus AI – and that means knowing exactly what your customers want. In a commerce landscape increasingly governed by automation and interpretation, being understood isn’t just a nice-to-have – it’s essential for staying ahead of the curve.

Lots of luck – your YLT family is cheering for you!

We talked at length about the impact that chatbots and generative AI will have for digital retail in 2026 – make sure you’re optimized! Check out our blog on Amazon Rufus AI for an in-depth look.

The post The eCommerce Trends 2026: What to Watch Out For in Online Retail appeared first on .

Search is changing. Google isn’t the only game in town anymore. ChatGPT’s new search functionality is changing how people find information and products, which is why SEO for ChatGPT needs to be incorporated into your content strategy. Whether you’re a D2C seller, an Amazon seller, an omnichannel seller, or anything in between, there’s no doubt about it – AI-powered search is here to stay.

We don’t think Google search will ever die, but there’s a very likely possibility that traditional search engines will lower in importance, as AI tools like ChatGPT will rise in popularity. After all, according to Digital Silk, over 800 million people all over the globe use ChatGPT – that’s around 10% of the world’s population. Furthermore, ChatGPT is predicted to hold 1% of the search market in 2025 – while this isn’t a large number given how many people use tools like Google for regular search queries, it’s indicative of how search is starting to shift, and how people are starting to change their search habits.

So, what does this mean for you? It wouldn’t hurt to rank on ChatGPT, especially given the rise of ShopGPT. Who knows, appearing in AI search results may impact your conversion and engagement!

While we’re on the topic of AI-driven search, don’t forget to optimize for AI on Amazon. Make sure you find out all about Amazon Rufus!

What in the world is SearchGPT (or ChatGPT Search)?

So, what exactly is SearchGPT? In a nutshell, it’s an AI-powered, conversational search engine that pulls real-time data and delivers answers in natural, conversational language, complete with source citations. You might have used ChatGPT to help you research a topic or answer a question; when you ask it for references, it will send you links to articles.

Let’s compare and contrast SearchGPT with search engines like Google and Bing.

Google and Bing often serve up a ranked list of links – and yes, ads are a dime a dozen.

Amazon prioritizes products first, pushing sellers to compete for placement.

As you know, Google search engine optimization and Amazon search engine optimization are slightly different. Be sure to read up on our eCommerce SEO best practices to make sure you’re maximizing your Amazon SEO performance.

AI SEO on Chat GPT is different – it provides direct, intent-based answers, while showing you where the information came from.

This shift is massive. Instead of just appearing in a list of results – whether it’s a Shopping suggestion on Google or on search results on Amazon – your brand has the chance to be recommended within the answer itself, positioning you as a solution rather than just another option to click.

You might be tempted to think that only AI-generated content would rank well on Search GPT – and although this is a reasonable assumption, it’s not true. Your chances of appearing depend on a bunch of factors, and whether you use AI to generate content or not, you can still appear in search results on Search GPT. We’ll get into that a little later.

Optimizing for ChatGPT is important for sellers!

So, why should sellers care? Is it truly important to rank in ChatGPT?

Bottom line, perhaps we’re not quite there yet. Search engine results are still heavily influenced by traditional SEO. But given the statistics – GPT holds 1% of searches online – it’s probably a good idea to incorporate your technical SEO keyword research with the tactics that ChatGPT prioritizes. It’s only going to get heavier and more intense from here.

For D2C brands, AI-driven search isn’t just about visibility – it’s about recommendation. Imagine the day when your brand, product, or even a single review becomes part of an answer. A customer might ask ChatGPT about planning a kiddie birthday party for a 7-year-old boy, and your Transformers party supplies are included in the results. Customers get fed your product as opposed to discovering it on their own.

For Amazon sellers, balancing PPC and organic search – while still important – are not the only thing that matter anymore. SearchGPT favors content from authoritative media sources, like independent reviews, blogs, or high-quality comparison articles. Now, if your brand is mentioned in these spaces, you’re far more likely to surface in AI-driven answers, even if your listing isn’t at the very top of Amazon’s SERPs. Think of it as another avenue for external traffic.

Now, if you’re expanding globally, the stakes are even higher. AI search engines don’t just parse keywords (although well-localized keywords will always be important); they look for relevance and credibility across languages and cultures. Brands that invest in localized content, credible customer reviews, and culturally fluent messaging will enjoy greater visibility in diverse markets.

SearchGPT may never replace Google, but we’re about to see an evolution of traditional SEO. Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) – optimizing your brand to be references and recommended by AI systems like SearchGPT – is going to become the new frontier for digital growth. No doubt about it.

SEO for ChatGPT: SEO strategies to boost search results

All right – now for the important part. What are the things you need to consider when crafting content so it’s discoverable by SearchGPT?

1. Target Conversational Queries

SearchGPT is built to understand natural language, not just keywords. That means sellers must go beyond stuffing product pages with search terms and instead optimize for question-style, intent-driven searches. Shoppers now ask in full sentences:

“Which cruelty-free candles last the longest under $30?”
vs.

“soy candle Amazon”
The brands that mirror this conversational style in their content are more likely to be surfaced in AI-generated answers.

2. Build Authority with E-E-A-T

SearchGPT leans heavily on signals of Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T). It prioritizes content that feels credible and verified. For sellers, this means:

• Encouraging authentic customer reviews.
• Earning brand mentions in reputable publications.
• Building partnerships with trusted niche media.

The stronger your authority footprint, the greater your chance of being cited.

3. Keep Content Fresh

AI favors recency. Outdated listings or blog posts are less likely to be recommended. Regularly refresh product descriptions, how-to guides, and brand content to ensure it reflects the latest data, trends, or use cases. Recency signals not only boost visibility but also strengthen consumer trust.

4. Structured Data & Crawlability

SearchGPT pulls from Bing’s index and OpenAI’s SearchBot. If your website isn’t crawlable, you won’t show up. Sellers should:

• Implement schema markup to make content machine-readable.
• Submit sitemaps via Bing Webmaster Tools.
• Allow OpenAI’s crawler in robots.txt.

A clean, structured site ensures your content can be scanned, understood, and cited quickly.

5. Diversify Formats, Localize for Markets

SearchGPT rewards content that matches different learning styles. Beyond text, invest in long-form guides, videos, infographics, and how-tos. Global sellers in particular should double down on localization, not just translation. Cultural fluency and linguistic accuracy are what allow your content to resonate in each market and be recognized by AI as truly relevant.

AI search trends that sellers can’t ignore

Want ChatGPT to get your D2C site or Amazon page into its search results? Pay close attention to these trends.

Use a Conversational Tone When You Optimize for AI

There’s a strong chance you use ChatGPT yourself. Do you ever just input a keyword into the chatbot and expect a result? Chances are, you speak to ChatGPT in a conversational tone of voice. Put it this way – Sentio reported that 63% of survey respondents reported that LLMs have improved their mental health, with 87% rating the advice as practical or helpful. You don’t talk to your preferred AI model the way you talk to Google or Amazon. You talk to it like a friend.

The same holds true with eCommerce. Buyers are searching the way they speak. They’ll put full questions or requests. Sellers need to anticipate these conversational queries, and align their content accordingly.

Chat GPT Likes Local SEO

AI search leans heavily on reviews and maps data. Remember, many shoppers use local search as validation before purchase. Reviews on Maps, Yelp, or the like are credibility signals that reassure buyers and reduce friction in the buying decision. Now, if you’re expanding globally, and have sought brick-and-mortar presence through a small kiosk or in the product selection of a department store, for instance, local SEO helps customers connect brand awareness with availability.

SearchGPT and similar platforms are pulling from Maps/review ecosystems because those are seen as trustworthy, structured data sources. For product sellers, it’s less about foot traffic alone and more about validation, discoverability, and trust signals, which AI search engines now treat as ranking fuel.

Ads Aren’t as Important Anymore

So far, SearchGPT runs ad-free results. Who knows if that’ll change in the future? If you want SearchGPT optimized content, you’ll have to lean on organic authority, citations, and mentions, which are way more important than PPC spend. That’s when you’ll have to balance organic marketing with your PPC game, since you’ll still need PPC for things like getting discovered during Prime Day, and courting the Amazon algorithm.

Brand Trust is Crucial

Trust signals – from cultural fluency to transparent practices – are what determine whether your brand gets cited or overlooked. Brands that demonstrate credibility across languages and markets position themselves as the kind of reliable sources AI engines want to recommend. Interestingly, long-form content wins here – but it needs to come from a review or content site in order for it to rank on SearchGPT. This is where your backlinks, reviews, and media work come in very handy.

Search strategies aren’t dead. SEO is just turning into GEO.

Don’t worry. SEO isn’t dead. It’s just evolving. As AI search engines like SearchGPT rise in influence, we’re entering the era of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).

As you know, adaptation is the key to survival in this ever-changing crazy eCommerce world. Make sure you create conversational content that mirrors how people actually ask questions. Invest in careful localization that respects cultural nuances. Build trust through credibility and transparency. The brands that follow these trends as closely as possible won’t just be visible in AI-driven search – they’ll be recommended.

So, gone are the days of keyword stuffing and backlink farming. You have to be very smart about what you do – it’s not about chasing algorithms, it’s optimizing for people. Localizing for cultures. And making sure your brand is discoverable, credible, and relevant in every market you serve.

Don’t forget, for all things localization – especially the customer-centric type – follow YLT Translations and Jana on LinkedIn!

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Imagine all the balls you juggle in the air when you’re starting to expand globally. From ensuring compliance with different regional regulations, to forecasting inventory and ensuring a solid supply chain, to optimizing and localizing content – it’s a lot. Then, when your products land in your new storefront, you realize they’re not moving. Because you haven’t developed a relationship with your new audience just yet. That’s where Amazon Affiliate Marketing comes in handy.

An affiliate marketer is an Amazon-accredited influencer or blogger. They promote Amazon products through an Amazon affiliate link, and earn a commission for everything they sell. Affiliate income is passive income for most.  Now, if you’re in the middle of scaling globally, tapping into the affiliate network can help you in a huge way. Amazon Affiliate Marketing is available in 17 locations around the world – here’s a list from Amazon.

The affiliate program is the hidden lever that most scaling brands overlook; many sellers focus on PPC and SEO on Amazon, and while that’s all necessary work, Amazon Affiliate Marketing can help you build brand equity and drive traffic off-platform. It’s a quick and easy way to promote your Amazon store, boost your marketing efforts, and grab the attention of your target audience in a faster and more effective way. Read on through this article to find out more!

An Amazon Affiliate Marketer is similar to an influencer – we’ll get to that a little later in this blog. But think about using influencer marketing to get a leg up in new countries.

What is the Amazon Affiliate Marketing Program?

So, what exactly is the Amazon Affiliate Marketing Program? Also known as Amazon Associates, it’s one of the largest affiliate marketing programs in the world. Its massive network of affiliates, and a vast selection of products to promote, make it a great choice for individuals and companies that want to monetize their online presence.

What does it take to become an Amazon affiliate? If you own a website or a blog, or you create content, then you can become an Amazon associate. Yes, even you, Amazon seller, can earn money through affiliate sales. To keep it simple, affiliates promote products, and earn a percentage of sales when customers buy items through the affiliate Amazon link that the affiliates share on their platforms.

For bloggers and content creators, being accepted into the Amazon Associates Program is a great idea, because it’s a way to earn passive income.

For sellers – especially those hoping to expand to any one of the 17 countries where Amazon Affiliate Marketing is present – Scale Insights gives 5 benefits:

1. Increased Visibility: it’s advertising without the ads. Successful affiliate marketing is a soft-sell way to promote your products to the audience that follows the affiliate.
2. Higher Conversion Rates: To be successful as an Amazon affiliate, the person should ideally have a following of people who are already interested in the type of product they’re promoting. So, when a seller works with an affiliate in their space, the probability of conversions is higher, because the affiliate’s already speaking to customers that are interested in your type of product. You wouldn’t go to a recipe blog to find car parts, right? But if that recipe goddess points you towards a garlic press she swears by, you’re likely to take her word for it.
3. Lower Advertising Costs: Affiliate Marketing with Amazon isn’t necessarily free of charge; after all, the affiliates earn commissions by promoting Amazon products. But it’s still more cost-effective than traditional advertising methods. You earn money as an Amazon Affiliate only if someone purchases the product – unlike PPC, where you pay for clicks or impressions even if the click does not result in a sale.
4. Access to a Larger Audience: There are more than 900,000 affiliates engaged in Amazon Affiliate Marketing. That’s a massive audience of potential customers you may not be able to tap without the help of a successful Amazon affiliate.
5. Increased Trust and Credibility: Let’s face it; customers know when they’re being sold to. When you engage in digital marketing efforts, you’re speaking from your voice, as a brand owner. When customers hear about a product from someone they trust and admire – like an affiliate or influencer – they’re likely to believe in your product more.

Now, Amazon provides many different avenues to help sellers get the word out. There’s the Amazon Affiliate, but there’s also the Amazon Influencer, and the Amazon Vine Reviewer.

Here’s a table to help you understand the difference between the three:

You don’t have to choose among these three. You can participate in the Amazon Affiliate Marketing Program by providing your products and providing an affiliate commission for every product sold. You can also leverage Amazon’s influencer program to get even more views. And you really should be sending products to Vine Reviewers anyway.

How Does the Amazon Affiliate Program Work with Global Expansion?

When expanding into new markets, your brand has little to no built-in awareness. Amazon affiliates can bridge that gap by providing trusted third-party validation from local voices. Many affiliates are niche content creators – bloggers, YouTubers, and everyday shoppers- who already speak to regional audiences in their native language. Their content doesn’t need to go viral to be effective; it simply needs to show up in the right searches, answer the right questions, and build trust over time.

By publishing off-Amazon content like product reviews, gift guides, and how-tos, affiliates help educate local shoppers, build awareness, and position your brand as a credible option. Because they often operate in-language and understand local habits, their content connects more authentically than generic global campaigns.

This is where localization really matters: listings that are already market-ready perform better in affiliate-driven traffic. At YLT Translations, we’ve consistently seen that localized content not only boosts on-Amazon conversions – it improves how well your brand resonates off Amazon, too.

The idea is, once Amazon’s affiliate program personalities forward traffic your way, your listings convert – no matter what language they’re in.

The Amazon Associates Program is a Traffic and Conversion Driver

Here’s the thing about analytics on Amazon. You could drive traffic using affiliate links – but if you don’t convert the traffic, Amazon is likely to be unhappy.

That’s why Amazon Affiliate Marketing is a nifty little thing. A qualified micro-influencer or content creator will promote your Amazon Affiliate Links to an audience that’s already interested in your product. You furnish the affiliate with links to products you want to promote, and they talk about those products through YouTube channels, email marketing, their blogs, or affiliate site, and their customers head on over to your storefront, product detail page, or external landing pages (preferably equipped with retargeting pixels for layered campaign strategies).

The off-Amazon traffic drive potential customers. But it also deepens sessions, increases brand exposure, and contributes to key A10 relevance signals like click-through rate, time on page, and conversions.

Amazon’s algorithm rewards sellers who bring in qualified external traffic. In other words, affiliate traffic. It’s an awesome and inexpensive way to improve your organic ranking.

The more you diversify your traffic sources, especially with relevant, engaged audiences, the more you’re letting Amazon know that your listing deserves visibility.

In other words, your affiliate is bringing in qualified leads that are already interested in buying from you. They’re bottom of funnel leads. All you have to do is make sure your Amazon listing is localized properly and optimized with the best keywords for the new region, and you’re good to go.

How to Leverage Amazon Affiliate Marketing for Your Brand: A Step by Step Guide

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to get started with affiliate marketing, especially if you’re scaling globally:

Step 1: Set Up Your Own Amazon Associates Account

Even if you’re a seller, registering for an Amazon Associates account gives you access to:

• Affiliate tracking links (for testing and learning)
• Insight into how links perform
• Tools for building your own content-driven campaigns (e.g. SEO blogs, niche sites, gift guides)

Go to Amazon Associates and sign up using your store website, blog, or landing page. This helps you understand the user journey and test conversion strategies firsthand.

Step 2: Build Affiliate-Friendly Listings

Before reaching out to affiliates, ensure your product pages are built to convert:

• Optimize titles, bullets, and images
• Add A+ Content and brand story modules
• Include high-quality visuals and video
• Ensure reviews and ratings are solid

Remember: if affiliates drive traffic to your PDP and it doesn’t convert, they won’t continue promoting it. Make your page sell itself.

Check out our optimization best practices to see what will convert customers all over the globe.

Step 3: Create Pre-Localized Content Packs

Affiliates are more likely to promote your products if you make it easy. Provide:

• Branded graphics
• Ready-to-use product descriptions (localized for each market)
• A brief brand story + product highlights
• Lifestyle images or banners they can reuse
  Bonus: include native-language versions for international affiliates

This helps maintain brand consistency and increases the odds of getting high-quality placements on blogs, YouTube, or social posts.

Step 4: Build an Affiliate Resource Hub

Organize everything in a central hub or folder—one per market or campaign. Think of this as a mini brand kit tailored to affiliate needs. Include:

• Localized copy snippets
• Approved headlines and CTAs
• Links to your PDP or storefront
• Country-specific disclaimers
• Retargeting pixel-ready landing page links (if applicable)

 Google Drive, Notion, Dropbox, or a password-protected webpage works well here.

Step 5: Offer Commission Incentives (Off-Amazon)

While Amazon controls on-platform commission rates, you can privately reward top affiliates with:

• Bonus commissions
• Free product
• Featured placement in your brand newsletter
• Guest blog or collab opportunities

Use affiliate performance data from their Associate links to spot your strongest partners and incentivize them to keep creating.

Step 6: Start Small, Then Scale

Start by recruiting micro or niche affiliates who already cover your category or audience. Build trust, test content, and iterate.

As you expand:

• Launch per-country affiliate campaigns using localized kits
• Track traffic and conversions by region using your own Associates account
• Analyze what creative performs best across markets

Bonus Revenue Stream: Become an Affiliate and Join the Amazon Affiliate Marketing Program Yourself

Remember, just because you’re a private label seller or brand owner, doesn’t mean you can’t join the Amazon Affiliate Program yourself. It’s a great way to earn passive income and build goodwill amongst your fellow sellers. You can monetize your content and test affiliate strategies firsthand. The program is free to join; all you need is an existing Amazon account.

Step 1: Set Up Your Website, Blog, App, or YouTube Channel

To be accepted into the program, you need an online platform where you’ll share affiliate links. This could be:

• A niche blog or review site
• A YouTube channel with tutorials or unboxings
• A mobile app that adds value to Amazon shoppers
• A Shopify site (with the Amazon Affiliate Connector app)

Step 2: Sign Up for the Amazon Associates Program

Head to the Amazon Associates site and:

1. Click Sign up

2. Add your website or content channel

3. Create your affiliate profile and describe your niche

4. Explain how you drive traffic

5. Input your tax and payment details (yes, even non-US residents can join!)

Note: You’ll need to generate 3 qualified sales within 180 days to remain in the program.

Step 3: Start Creating Affiliate Links

Once approved, you can generate affiliate links for any product on Amazon—including your own listings (just don’t try to earn a commission on your own purchases—against ToS!).

Use the SiteStripe toolbar at the top of Amazon pages when logged into your affiliate account to grab:

• Text links
• Image links
• Short links for social media

Step 4: Add Links to Your Content

Embed your affiliate links where they make the most sense, such as:

• Blog reviews and tutorials
• Social media posts or Linktree-style bios
• YouTube video descriptions
• Newsletters or email lists (make sure to disclose affiliation)

Be honest. Great affiliate marketers offer real value—whether that’s an in-depth comparison, a helpful review, or curated recommendations.

Step 5: Track Performance & Optimize

Use your Amazon Associates Associates dashboard to monitor:

• Clicks
• Conversions
• Commissions by product or category

Use this data to see which content types or topics convert best—and double down on what’s working.

Bonus Tips

• Don’t keyword-stuff—focus on helpful, SEO-optimized content
• Use gift guides, comparison posts, and problem-solving tutorials—these drive high conversion
• Pair affiliate efforts with Pinterest, Reddit, or Google SEO for more reach
• You can use affiliate links in emails, but not in paid ads—always follow Amazon’s policies

Yes, You Can Promote Your Own Products!

But with a caveat: you can’t use your affiliate links to buy your own products or incentivize others to do so. However, you can create helpful, third-party-style content (like gift guides or comparisons) that includes your own listings and other related products.

Final Thoughts: Expand Smarter, Not Just Bigger

When you’re scaling globally, every advantage counts—and the Amazon Affiliate Marketing program is one of the most underused growth levers in a seller’s toolkit. It’s not just about pushing more product. It’s about meeting your new audience where they already are: reading local blogs, watching product reviews, scanning gift guides, and listening to trusted voices in their own language.

Affiliates offer social proof, regional reach, and built-in credibility—without the upfront cost of traditional ads. But like any good partnership, your listing needs to pull its weight. A poorly localized or confusing listing will waste all that affiliate-driven traffic.

That’s why localization isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s the engine that makes this machine run smoothly. At YLT Translations, we’ve seen how listings that speak the shopper’s language convert more, rank better, and build lasting brand equity both on and off Amazon.

So whether you’re looking to expand into new markets or just want to diversify your revenue streams, don’t overlook the power of the affiliate ecosystem. With the right prep, the right partners, and the right language, Amazon Affiliate Marketing could be your next big win.

Hope this blog will help you get started – either as an affiliate yourself or to leverage on the power of the program to tap customers in your new region. It’s easy, it’s low-cost, and it’s efficient – so make sure to take advantage of all the benefits that the Amazon Affiliate program presents!

Since we’re on the topic of content, you might like this blog on TikTok vs. YouTube – which should you prioritize to reach your user base?

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You’ve probably got your hands full with your impending global expansion. Optimizing listings, conducting inventory forecasts, fixing your budget. So, the thought of co branding is probably the last thing on your mind, not with all those balls you’re juggling in the air. But let’s put it this way – ever wonder why some brands feel instantly familiar, even in a new market? Ever wonder how a foreign brand feels like a household name from the very minute it launches? That’s because of great co-branding – and we’re going to provide you with co-branding examples to inspire you.

Amazon itself understands the power of co-branding. In 2014, Kishore Biryani, founder and CEO of Future Group, and Jeff Bezos himself, formed a business alliance with the goal of penetrating the Indian market. The World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews published a full study, but in a nutshell, Amazon had trouble dealing with India’s complex regulatory and infrastructural environment. Through a great co-branding effort with the local player, Amazon was able to scale rapidly in India, achieving both deep market penetration and significant brand trust among consumers who were previously underserved by traditional retail.

So, if Amazon can do it, so can you. Following are great examples of co-branding partnerships to inspire you. Believe us when we say that strategic co-branding can help you break into new international markets with more brand trust and cultural relevance, cutting your marketing and penetration efforts in half. Brand pairings can bridge culture and commerce – and make your brand a household name much faster.

Let’s get started.

Interested in branding content? Read all about the best and the worst localization examples from global brands.

Co-Branding Strategies Can Help You Go Global

When you expand your selling business globally, you’re not just translating languages from one thing to another. You’re entering a new culture, mindset, and consumer expectation.

Co-branding happens when two or more brands form a strategic partnership. The success of one brand leads to the success of the other. An effective co-branding campaign can build your business, boost awareness, and break into new markets. The best co-branding partnerships are when all the players in the partnership win.

To put it simply: when you’re expanding to a new country, you don’t have brand awareness. Yet. You don’t know the customers. Yet. Finding a co-branding partner – someone whose product or service complements yours and adds value to what you already offer – and has presence in the hearts and minds of your target customer – can boost your efforts significantly.

Co-branding offers:

• Instant familiarity via trusted local brand association

• Shared audience equity: access each other’s customers

• Cultural relevance without starting from zero

Need proof? A great example of a co-branding partnership was the alliance between FMCG powerhouses Oreo and Milka. The two brands joined forces to create the Milka Oreo Chocolate Bar. The two companies already had their own steady following, but Oreo needed to penetrate the EU market. Enter Milka – a trusted local brand known for its smooth Alpine chocolate. The result was a delectable dessert, and Oreo cemented its reputation in the continent. (Source: BVLVL)

In short, when going global, look for a local brand to collaborate with. Your success is their success and vice versa. It’s a win-win proposition.

What Makes a Good Global Brand Partnership

So, how do you find a partner brand in a new market? Here’s a checklist:

• Shared values—but different strengths
  A successful partnership starts with aligned beliefs—think sustainability, innovation, or quality—but each brand should bring something unique to the table. One might offer cutting-edge tech, the other cultural cachet or retail infrastructure. For example – Louis Vuitton and BMW. Both powerhouses in the luxury market, but offering different product lines.

• Complementary offerings (not direct competition)
  Co-branding works best when the products or services enhance each other. You’re not going to compete against your partner brand; your offerings should boost one another. Consider the partnership between two toy industry greats: Hasbro and Mattel combined forces to make PLAY-DOH Barbie sets, Transformers-themed UNO games, and so many more. Check out how happy both companies are with this genius co-branding partnership on Forbes.

• Overlapping or synergistic customer bases
  While audiences don’t need to be identical, there should be meaningful crossover or a logical link. The goal is to tap into each other’s trust equity and broaden reach without alienating core users. You’ll see this illustrated to perfection with the partnership between Taco Bell and Doritos. Both delicious in their own right, the two brands collaborated to create various menu items, including the Doritos Locos Tacos – Taco Bell fillings in Doritos-flavored shells. Our stomachs love them, our diets do not.

• Strong local credibility from at least one partner
  Entering a new region? Partnering with a well-known local brand can fast-track awareness, reduce skepticism, and signal trust—especially in markets where brand familiarity heavily influences buying behavior. Take the example of Farm Rio, a line of colorful Brazilian clothing and footwear. It’s been around for more than 2 decades. It was able to penetrate the USA through collaborations with global brands, such as Levi’s, to build awareness. The result? A revenue spike of 217% for sales outside of Brazil in the first 6 months of 2020! (Source: Vogue Business)

• Seamless UX across platforms, languages, and visuals
  From landing pages to checkout, consumers should feel like they’re engaging with one unified experience. That’s where thoughtful localization—beyond translation—becomes critical. Think about the partnership between Glossier and Sephora. Announced in July 2022, Glossier launched its products in 600 Sephora stores across the USA and Canada, as well as online and on the Sephora app. (Source: Retail TouchPoints)

How to Find the Right Co-Branding Partnership (and Avoid the Wrong One)

Now that you know what would make a good co-branding partner, here’s a To Do list for you:

Research their audience, tone, cultural relevance

Who’s the brand talking to? How are they talking to them? What kind of cultural or regional values do they represent? Let’s say you’re selling skincare supplements, and want to penetrate the Korean skincare market. What’s your brand personality? Does it rely on expert opinions, scientific facts and studies, and the like? You probably wouldn’t want to partner with another brand whose personality is more playful, youthful, and fun.

Look through customer reviews, social content, and ad campaigns in your target region, and ask yourself – if your customers saw the partnership would they say, “Oh, that makes sense,” or would they be confused?

Avoid mismatches (luxury + discount rarely works)

The only time we’ve seen this work is when Balenciaga and Crocs formed a partnership to create high-heeled Crocs clogs. This Vogue columnist may have thought they were comfortable, but even she couldn’t deny how nasty they looked. Pairing brands with wildly different price points, tones, or audiences often backfires. It can alienate loyal customers or confuse new ones.

Unless you’ve got the advertising teams behind Balenciaga and Crocs, or even the genius behind the Target-Isaac Mizrahi partnership, we’d recommend playing it safe, and looking for a partnership with someone whose target market matches yours in spending power.

Test via soft launches or influencer-led collaborations

You don’t need to launch a global campaign from day one. Smart co-branding often starts with a soft rollout, such as limited edition bundles, Instagram giveaways, or product seeding to influencers in the target market.

MAC Cosmetics led with this example to penetrate the Arab market. The makeup giant teamed up with 7 Arab influencers, known as the MAC Middle East Crew, who created their very own lipstick shades. Diederik Koenders, MAC Cosmetics VP of Integrated Communications and Content, called the collaboration a “meaningful relationship” that resulted in “a win-win situation for the creator, as well as for MAC.” Together, MAC worked with the ME Crew to create content to resonate with Arabian audiences. (Source: Glossy)

Keep messaging aligned, KPIs transparent

What does success look like for both brands? Is it social buzz, website traffic, or actual revenue growth in a new region? Agree on what you’re tracking before you launch, and align on how often you’ll report and adapt.

When rideshare app Uber partnered with music streaming platform Spotify, they were clear on the metrics: enhance the Uber ride experience by letting riders control music, increasing ride satisfaction and Spotify usage during trips. Uber measured user engagement via ride songs played and session duration, while Spotify tracked rider-initiated streams and playlist creation directly tied to Uber sessions. Both brands engaged in mutual goal-setting, shared dashboards, and iterative check-ins to keep the partnership focused, flexible, and effective. (Source: Mindmatrix)

Protect both brands’ equity through smart collaboration—not take over

Successful co-branding partnerships happen when both voices are equally loud. No brand tries to take over the other. You could say it’s “business bromance,” as both companies make a distinct effort to protect one another.

Take a look at the partnership between GoPro and Red Bull. Felix Baumgartner jumped from a space pod – more than 24 miles above Earth – with a GoPro strapped on. He set 3 world records – and “embodied the value of reimagining human potential that define both GoPro and Red Bull” (source: Up-Rev). You didn’t see GoPro try to be Red Bull. Red Bull didn’t try to be GoPro. They combined their brains and marketing efforts to produce co-branding initiatives that were nothing short of historical.

5 Real-World Co-Branding Examples That Worked Internationally

We’ve provided a couple of examples of successful co-branding partnerships already throughout this blog – but what’s the harm in giving even more?

Here are some of our favorite co-branding examples. Just remember, you don’t have to be a big brand in order to excel; you can use the strategies and tactics employed by these brands to spur your own efforts. We assure you – a co-branding partnership between two complementary brands will help you expand your reach to a new country much faster with a lot more efficacy.

Check through this list of co-branding examples – if the big guys can do it, so can you.

Levi Strauss & Co. with Pinterest

Given that people look for fashion inspiration on Pinterest, and Levi’s has been creating denimwear for years, this collaboration makes tons of sense. Pinterest provides the Levi’s brand with a social platform and millions of users, while Levi’s answers Pinterest’s audience’s needs through digital personalization and visual boards. Check out the Styled by Levi’s initiative, which even lets you customize your own jeans.

Apple Watch x Hermès

To quote Hermès: “The Apple and Hermès collaboration is the meeting of two cultures united by common values: the quest for excellence and authenticity.” Apple meanwhile celebrated the luxury brand in its own way, stating that the new collection of Hermès bands for Apple watches – which are eco-friendly and sustainable – “draws on the house’s rich history in textiles and craftsmanship.” The collaboration has even resulted in the Hermès Radial, an all-new watch face. (Source: WWD)

American Airlines x Citi AAdvantage Card

When credit card companies participate in the business of travel, magic ensues. American Airlines and Citi have been collaborating for around 40 years now, with Citi being the exclusive issuer of the AAdvantage card portfolio in the USA. Robert Isom, CEO of American Airlines, told Business Traveler that “this expanded partnership will unlock even more value and exciting new benefits for all of our customers in the future.” Now, that’s a match made in heaven the skies.

Dr. Pepper x Lip Smacker

Bonne Bell of Lip Smackers fame brought flavored lip balms to the market in the 1970s – but what really made waves was its partnership with the timeless Dr Pepper. According to Allure, a handshake deal between the two brands went on to become a bestselling flavor staple in the lip balm market for nearly 50 years, before its license expired in 2020. It wasn’t just a genius co-branding move; it made beauty history.

Nike x PlayStation

These two have a strong co-branding history. The collaboration began in 2006 with a PlayStation-inspired Air Force 1 shoe, featuring premium leather, purple laces, and the iconic PS logo. Since then, the partnership has continued with Paul George’s signature PG line, which regularly drops PlayStation-themed colorways inspired by controllers and console aesthetics. These designs often incorporate signature elements like button symbols and DualSense-inspired accents, and are usually timed around major PlayStation launches. The partnership remains ongoing, with the PG 5 “PlayStation 5” marking one of the latest fan-favorite editions.

The Benefits of Co-Branding as a Strategic Entry Tactic

Co-branding isn’t just about slapping two logos on a product. It’s a smart way to enter a new market with built-in trust.

If you’re planning to penetrate a market like Japan or the UAE, where relationships, reputation, and cultural nuance are key in driving purchase decisions, a brand collaboration is your best bet. These co-branding examples highlight how brands that target emerging customer segments abroad, such as Gen Z, boost each other’s efforts to spur on growth.

Strategic partnerships can be deployed in multiple ways, through limited-edition drops that create hype, pop-up stores or social media collaborations that drive engagement, or localized packaging and co-branded experiences that resonate on a deeper level.

The idea is to be where your customers are, and sometimes that with the help of a strategic partner. Just remember, co-branding is a strategic partnership. When one brand wins, so too does the other. The partnership helps both sides grow, scale, and evolve – while meeting customer expectations and elevating the customer experience.

A Note About These Co-Branding Examples from YLT Translations

Remember – localization doesn’t just mean translation. When pursuing a co-branding and co-marketing campaign across borders, localized product messaging and keywords must align with cultural expectations to truly connect. Sure, these real-world examples illustrate how brands collaborate to create something wonderful – but be sure you’re collaborating with the right one. A good co-branding partnership can boost your expansion efforts, but you still need to do the due diligence with your own localization efforts in order to establish a truly win-win arrangement.

Conclusion: Scale Smart, Not Solo

According to PR Newswire, 71% of consumers enjoy co-branded partnerships, and it’s easy to see why. When done right, co-branding creates stories that feel familiar yet fresh, tapping into existing trust while introducing something new. For brands entering international markets, it’s a shortcut to cultural relevance, emotional resonance, and brand recall that would otherwise take years to build.

Co-branding isn’t just another marketing campaign. Co-branding is a marketing strategy that paves the way for global brand storytelling. It assures your new customers that you understand them, and that you’re poised and ready to deliver what they need – in a new format, with true innovation, and potentially make history along the way.

Remember – YLT Translations is here for you with your global expansion. We’ve helped hundreds of sellers localize their brand messaging, product listings, and Amazon images. We believe in partnerships that respect both voice and context. It’s not just about bringing your brand to a new market; it’s about connecting with customers all over the globe, with a seamless combination of strategy and soul!

We hope you liked this glimpse into co-branding examples! Make sure you combine everything you learned here with the best-in-class eCommerce branding strategy lessons to really make an impact in your target country! Reach out if there’s anything we can help with!

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If you’ve been on TikTok at all lately, you’ve probably seen the videos promoting online shopping on Taobao. The videos promote tons of products at a fraction of the cost. The shopping experience improved in a massive way now that shoppers can access the English version – and, alarmingly for most online sellers, Taobao features products that you find on Amazon, Walmart.com, Target, and more, for much cheaper. Taobao is expanding its reach past mainland China, and with an English interface and direct shipping, and Amazon sellers need to sit up and pay attention.

The eCommerce landscape is shifting. First, SHEIN, then Temu, and now Taobao is going global. With factory-direct prices and a surging presence in Western app stores, it’s getting clear that Chinese e-commerce is becoming a threat to traditional sellers. Your customers are starting to buy from China – which means, with the lower prices, they may shift their attention away from your store altogether.

This week, we’ll break down what Taobao’s rise means for you – and how to stay one step ahead.

Check out this article on Temu vs. SHEIN – which one is better? It’s time to pay close attention to every e-commerce platform coming from China – they pose a real threat to your business.

Buy From Taobao in English Plus International Shipping…It’s a Big Deal

In the light of increased prices from Western sellers due to the reciprocal tariff list, shoppers have been looking for more affordable alternatives. Enter Chinese e-Commerce.

TMT Post sheds light on these viral TikTok videos, which apparently were commissioned by Chinese manufacturers to promote their products and services. Evidently, Chinese manufacturers create handbags, shoes, and accessories for luxury brands, then ship the products to the brand’s home countries, like Italy or France. The item is then repackaged and labeled as a high-end luxury item at a massive markup. TikTok influencers claim that shoppers can get this stuff from Taobao – straight from the manufacturer – without the hefty price tag. Even if you’re shopping outside of China. Now, tariffs still apply to items from Taobao, but they’ll definitely be much cheaper than getting them from the brand itself, especially if the luxury label isn’t important to you. In fact, TechEDT reported that in April, DHGate and Taobao reached top 5 in app downloads.

Before, Taobao could only be accessed in Chinese, but that has changed. Wise gives a step-by-step guide on how to buy stuff on Taobao in English, You can use Google Translate, or Chrome’s Translate to English function. Granted, the translations may not be 100% accurate, but they’re good enough to help a customer make informed shopping decisions on Taobao.

For the average consumer, this is awesome. Avada.io reports that Taobao, along with its parent company Alibaba, and TMall, its sister company, is a leading online shopping platform in China – and it’s starting to make waves in the USA. So far, shopping on Taobao gives you free shipping if you’re from Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, Australia, Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia, according to China Daily. A US-based shopper reported on Reddit that shipping costs to the USA were around 64% of the total cost of goods, so smart shoppers are still comparing their possible purchase from Taobao vs. similar items on Aliexpress, Temu, SHEIN, and the like.

For sellers, though, this is a massive wake-up call. Customers want to shop for cheaper items, even if it means international shipping takes longer than your standard online shopping website in the USA and Europe. Another Reddit thread shows that a customer bought from the Taobao website, which was shipped from the Taobao seller to the Taobao warehouse, with around a 3-week delivery. The website is in Chinese, making shopping difficult, but for bulk purchases, it made a lot of sense – especially since you get a big discount when you buy directly from the manufacturer.

If your customers are willing to go shopping on Taobao – if they’re patient enough to wait for the long international shipping and are happy to pay extra for a heftier shipping fee – then it’s quite possible that they’ll find your items on Taobao as well. Whether we like it or not, Taobao is competition.

Should Amazon Sellers Source Items on Taobao?

If you’re already sourcing for your products on Aliexpress or Alibaba, and you’ve got sourcing experience under your belt, then yes, you can order from Taobao. But it’s not plug-and-play.

Here’s what you can expect:

• Language Barriers: The Taobao app is built for Chinese users. Sure, you can translate Taobao to English using Chrome Translate or the app’s English settings, but keep in mind that product descriptions are often vague. You can try to discuss with the seller, but due to the language barriers, this will be pretty tough.
• Shipping Complexity: Here’s where supply chain and logistics expertise come in handy. If your shipping address is not in China, you can expect consolidation matters, forwarders, and multi-step payments.
• No Built-In Buyer Protections: Unlike Alibaba or Amazon, there’s limited recourse if something goes wrong.
• IP Risk: You may stumble on factory overruns, replicas, or even branded items that can’t legally be resold.

Unless you’re getting deep discounts, reselling Taobao-sourced goods can be pretty risky.

If you do want to try sourcing on Taobao, we recommend working with trusted buying agents or freight forwarders like Sufengda or ParcelUp (more news on this on Forumosa). Stick to non-branded items and anything that could get flagged in customs. Order samples first, especially for consumables or anything quality-sensitive.

So, yes, you could go shopping on Taobao for things to sell on Amazon – but it’s a messy deal. Either you work with a Taobao agent and know how to finagle China’s supply chain, or you go somewhere else.

Staying Competitive While People Are Shopping on Taobao: It’s Not With Price Points

Here’s the hard truth. Sellers on Taobao and Temu can undercut you on price simply because they are the supply chain. Sure, the online shopping experience on Taobao is clunky, but that’s because these sellers are the factories, the manufacturers, the distributors, who are now selling directly to your customers. No middlemen, no markups, and delays only due to international shipping.

In other words, you can’t beat them on price.

So, how can you stay competitive given customers are now online shopping with Taobao, SHEIN, Temu, etc.?

• Brand story – Give your customers a reason to choose you. What do you stand for? Who are you for? Make it personal.
• Premium packaging – Unboxing is an experience. Elevate yours to build perceived value and boost customer satisfaction.
• Product bundles – Add complementary products or bonus items to increase value and justify a higher price point.
• Exceptional customer service – Fast, friendly, and responsive support can turn one-time buyers into lifelong fans.
• Localized content – Speak your customer’s language—literally and culturally. Tailor your listings, visuals, and tone to resonate in every market.

Give your customers an experience. We already know that Taobao shopping is difficult, at best; Taobao English is difficult to understand, you probably need a shopping agent to help you navigate a relationship with the seller, and shipping takes forever. Now that you see the weaknesses, in spite of all the strengths that Taobao offers, you can tweak your selling journey with the best practices to combat these weaknesses, and win your customers back.

Here’s How You Can Use the World of Taobao to Improve

Sure, many customers now use Taobao to look for cheaper items. And Taobao is a leading online shopping platform now that’s extending its reach past China. No doubt about it, Taobao provides a wealth of products at cheaper prices. And Amazon sellers should sit up and pay attention.

But don’t view Taobao as a threat. You can still win at the eCommerce game in spite of the waves that Taobao makes in the online selling world.

Use Taobao as:

• A trend tracker – Spot rising products before they hit mainstream platforms. Taobao is where trends are born.
• A product testing sandbox – Order samples, test quality, and validate demand with minimal upfront investment.
• A sourcing channel (with care) – Identify potential manufacturers or suppliers—but vet them thoroughly and avoid branded/IP-sensitive items.

Then, level up with:

• Tools like AdsPower – Manage multiple storefronts, scout pricing across platforms, and run data-driven margin analysis—all in one place.
• Localization strategies – Tailor your product listings and messaging for different marketplaces. Connect with buyers in their language and context.
• Pro tip: Find a trending Taobao product, then launch a premium branded version—with upgraded materials, better packaging, and a stronger story.

Don’t just react to trends. Predict them. Refine them. Lead with value. Remember, the English version of Taobao is still clunky at best. It’s tough to communicate with the seller without a sourcing agent. Go ahead and use the services – but do so wisely.

Sure, Taobao is Available in English – But Here’s Where You Can Do Better

Customers are shifting the language to English and shopping on Taobao – and using Taobao direct shipping to get access to bottom-of-the-barrel prices even without living in China or Taiwan. But even if customers can remove the Chinese language and perform a search in English, it’s still difficult.

This marks a massive opportunity for you. Chinese sellers – Temu, SHEIN, Taobao – are going global, but the experience leaves much to be desired. You need to go global, too – with a better experience.

Localized listings mean higher trust, better conversions, and stronger rank. Especially when they’re translated by native speakers, who know what converts.

Make sure you engage in the customer service best practices so you increase buyer reviews. Make it easy for customers to return items. Offer promos, lightning deals, and the like, so customers feel like they’re getting the deals they’d find on Taobao without the friction.

Sure, shopping on Taobao means using Google Translate to understand a listing. And you won’t always win over a price-conscious customer that prefers the low, low, low cost of dealing with Taobao directly. But you can offer a seamless shopping experience, from a well-localized listing to beautiful packaging.

As Omnia Retail reports, 86% of customers say they’re willing to spend extra if it means they get a great shopping experience out of it.

Use Taobao.com to Be Better

In short, yes, go and make yourself a Taobao account. Go shopping on Taobao, if only to know what your customers are doing. See how easy it is to shop through badly-translated product listings – and let that be your sign to invest in proper localization.

Shopping on Taobao isn’t a trend, it’s a signal. The eCommerce landscape is changing; it’s a game of adapt or survive these days, what with Trump’s tariffs and increasing competition from China’s warehouses and distributors.

Compete on brand, not on price. Provide a seamless shopping experience, which is something other competitors can’t do. Sure, they may win on price points, but you can win in other areas: effective localization, beautiful graphics and A+, excellent customer service, great copywriting, and robust knowledge on what works and what doesn’t on Amazon. Put up a D2C eCommerce website, so you can build a relationship with your customer.

Stay sharp – make sure you’re on top of your eCommerce game by following YLT Translations on LinkedIn and Instagram so you are well informed on all things eCommerce!

The post Your Customers Are Shopping On Taobao! appeared first on .

So many Amazon sellers sell seasonal products. In other words, stuff that consumers buy for Christmas, Valentine’s, Thanksgiving, Easter, and the like. Sales spike and valley all the time, and are usually dependent on a change in income or when customers need to buy a gift for a birthday or a wedding. But what happens in those awkward in-between months when nobody needs pumpkin spice or a pool float? That’s when necessity goods become your bread and butter.

These are the types of goods that are boring, unglamorous, and unlikely to go viral on TikTok. Examples of necessity goods include toothpaste, dish soap, razors, socks – essential items that aren’t affected by trends. Or seasons. Or the Trump Reciprocal Tariff List. They’re recession-proof.

So, if you’re scaling internationally and tired of riding the unpredictable highs and lows of seasonal demand, necessity goods provide stability – consistent, cross-border cash flow.

Read on to find out what necessity goods are, and how to incorporate them into your product assortment.

Speaking of luxury goods, you can 100% market your necessity goods with the concept of luxury branding to improve customer perception!

II. What Are Necessity Goods, Really?

In economic terms, necessity goods are products that people will continue buying regardless of changes in income. Unlike a luxury item, which people may purchase if they have extra disposable income (and will buy less of if the season doesn’t call for it), customers buy these goods even if it’s not Christmas or graduation, or the economy is bad, or the kids’ tuition needs paying. Customers continue to buy these goods even if their income decreases; quite often, they’re everyday must-haves, and essential for survival.

These goods have a positive income elasticity of demand – meaning demand rises slightly as income increases – but that elasticity is low, typically between 0 and 1. (For a more in-depth perspective on elasticity of demand, check out this article on Investopedia.) In other words, consumers are likely to buy more of them as income increases, but not dramatically more.

Think toiletries, cleaning supplies, basic cookware, or pantry staples like canned goods, milk, and so on.

Compare that to luxury or Veblen goods – products with a high positive income elasticity of demand, or stuff that people buy to display wealth. Or even demerit goods, like cigarettes or junk food, which may be taxed or discouraged due to social costs. Then you’ve got inferior goods (like instant noodles or cheap margarine) that have a negative income elasticity of demand – people buy less of them as their income increases.

This low elasticity makes them an Amazon seller’s secret weapon. While Veblen goods thrive on status signaling and demerit goods battle regulation and stigma, necessity goods generate consistent, predictable sales. They’re not sensitive to economic downturns, and they don’t vanish from carts when consumer confidence dips. In fact, they’re often the last items people cut when trimming expenses.

III. Necessity Goods by Country: Not One-Size-Fits-All

Here’s why localization is important. The perception of luxury differs per country. One seller’s staple is another seller’s slow-mover. Necessity isn’t defined purely by survival; it’s shaped by lifestyle, climate, social norms, and economic development. For example, Asian Vibes reported in May that these countries have the highest rice consumption, so sellers catering to these nationalities might sell a rice cooker as a necessity good. On the other hand, a rice cooker may be seen as a luxury product in the US and Europe, where rice isn’t eaten as often.

If you’re scaling to global marketplaces, understanding local necessity goods is a game-changer.

Here’s a quick look at how necessity goods vary by country, based on what we’ve observed:

These are just an interesting snapshot of how different cultures have a different concept of necessity past the usual food, shelter, and clothing. For example, selling a meat grinder to an Indian may not bode well, since many Indians follow a vegetarian diet. On the other hand, selling survival kits to the Swiss – Switzerland has a robust infrastructure and doesn’t experience many natural disasters – may not be well received. When you’re looking to expand your product portfolio to necessity goods, ask yourself, is this a product that these people need to survive? Remember, necessity and luxury goods mean different things to different cultures.

Understanding these local needs lets you stock the right SKUs, write relevant copy, and avoid launching a “necessity” that flops because it’s not their necessity. Don’t sell fleece sweaters to Brazilians; your Swedish customers are more likely to look at those as necessities.

Necessity goods are not sensitive to changes in economy or income. Perhaps you’re already selling a product that can become a necessity good with a touch of product localization.

IV. How Necessity Goods Can Help You Manage Income Elasticity of Demand

Adding necessity goods to your product mix is more than just a revenue cushion—it’s a strategic move toward long-term growth and customer retention.

Necessity goods smooth out revenue dips. You know the drill; your brand performs beautifully in Q4 then sales dip throughout the rest of the year. You might spike again in Valentine’s, Easter, or Independence Day, depending on what you’re selling, but for the most part, there’s an increase in demand closer to Christmas, Prime Day, and special occasions. Necessity goods don’t suffer this same phenomenon. You could consider them your brand’s safety net.

Shoppers don’t buy necessity goods once – they reorder. Introducing high-frequency items like hygiene products (soap, shampoo, toothpaste), home essentials (water tumblers, filtration systems, tools, nails and screws), or essential clothing (underwear, socks, outerwear in colder climates) turns one-time buyers into loyal subscribers, and gives you more data to target and refine your offers. Besides, Amazon’s Subscribe & Save program lets customers automate these purchases, locking in recurring revenue for you. Sellers with consumables or household staples can offer discounts for subscriptions, while increasing their customer lifetime value and reducing churn. According to Amazon, “customers enrolled in Subscribe & Save are more likely to reorder and stay loyal to the brand.”

Next, necessity goods are bundle bait. Offer complementary goods with necessity goods. The demand for necessity goods means you sell the complementary good at the same time. Think of it as a frictionless upsell. Let’s say you’re selling tote bags – likely a seasonal item. Why not offer it along with a first aid kit and position it as a Soccer Mom Bag? Or include it with a folding umbrella for the rainy season? You get the idea. Just make sure to tailor the bundle based on the region you’re selling in.

Necessity goods aren’t glamorous. They’re often quite boring. But they’re the backbone of reliable, repeatable revenue, especially when localized and positioned well.

V. How to Identify Necessity Goods in Your Category

You might think that identifying different types of goods is common sense – not necessarily. As we’ve already discovered, types of goods tend to differ per region. Employ a data-driven approach to identifying necessity goods.

Use Marketplace Tools to uncover steady demand. Check out platforms like Helium10, Keepa, ProductPinion, and Brand Analytics. Analyze purchase frequency, session conversion rates, and sales velocity over time. What are the SKUs that sell consistently week after week, not just on tentpole events like Prime Day or Black Friday? If it moves quietly and reliably, that’s probably a necessity good in that market.

Spot weekly winners, not just one-hit wonders. Check backend reports and third party tools to identify products that show minimal volatility but high reorder rates.

Think D2C ECommerce. Necessity goods are consumed at regular intervals, which fits perfectly into the direct to consumer model. You can control reorder cadence, forecast revenue more accurately, and reduce reliance on discount-driven spikes or platform algorithms. In other words, you can expect monthly recurring revenue (MRR) with less volatility than luxury or seasonal products.

Check out this table below on the advantages of the D2C model for necessity goods:

VI. Scaling Necessity Goods the Smart Way

Once you’ve identified the luxury goods and necessity goods in your product portfolio, it’s time to scale internationally – but not aggressively. Here’s how to build a strong foundation for global success:

Start Small: 1–2 SKUs Per Region
Don’t flood a new market with your entire catalog. Instead, choose 1 or 2 high-potential, culturally aligned SKUs per country. Use them to test the waters, gather localized data, and build brand awareness before expanding your assortment.

Split Test Your Positioning: Emotional Utility vs. Practical Need
Necessity doesn’t always mean boring. You can position the same product as “practical and budget-friendly” in one market, and as “comforting and self-care-focused” in another. Test both angles—especially in regions with distinct shopping psychology—to see what drives clicks, conversions, and reorders.

Don’t Skimp on Packaging, Translations, or Compliance
Necessity goods might be simple, but how you present them still matters. Localize your packaging design, ensure your translations are flawless and culturally appropriate, and triple-check your compliance—particularly in regulated categories like baby care, food, supplements, and health & hygiene. A single misstep here can tank a product’s performance—or worse, get you delisted.

The key to success? Start small, scale smart, and let local trust and steady demand do the heavy lifting.

VIII. Final Thoughts: Your Seasonal Brand Can Be Evergreen

The idea isn’t to ditch your luxury or seasonal goods for necessity goods. You can – and should – still ride the wave of trends. Necessity goods add ballast to your catalogue – products that keep your business stable, even when the market fluctuates.

Necessity goods aren’t viral; they’re vital. They’re reordered, relied on, and remembered. They’re consistent, trusted, and always in demand.

The key to getting them right is through proper localization. What counts as a necessity in one market may not even register in another. Localizing your listings, keywords, packaging, compliance, and messaging isn’t optional – it’s the difference between a product that flops and one that becomes a daily must-have.

In other words, don’t just chase trends, although that’s the fun, sexy part of eCommerce selling. Let your brand live in both worlds: the seasonal and the essential. That way, you can expect higher sales when income rises and special events come a-knockin’, but still rely on steady sales throughout the year.

Happy selling!

There’s much to learn from the big guys in luxury and necessity products. The question is, will you be a Colgate or an NVIDIA? Read up on the top brands in the world and see where you can incorporate their strategy in your selling journey.

The post Luxury and Necessity Goods: How to Master Product Seasonality appeared first on .

When we think about successful customer acquisition strategies, we often shove those to the beginning of a business – the launch. That’s not wrong; new customer acquisition is vital to business growth at the start. But eventually, those new customers become repeat customers, and you reach a business plateau. That’s when you have to revisit your customer acquisition efforts.

Naturally, it’s important to nurture your current customers – your loyal clients – but it’s equally essential to acquire  new customers regularly. Basically, customer acquisition tactics should be built into your marketing and operations, and not a fun activity that you employ at the start; it’s an organic, growing thing, that takes place at different milestones in your selling journey.

If you’ve hit a plateau, it’s possible you need to acquire customers – and it’s not just about ad spend. Here are some tips to help you come up with a solid customer acquisition strategy of your own.

Speaking of ads, have you heard about Amazon Video Ads and their benefits for sellers?

What Is Customer Acquisition? (Get Ready for a Math Lesson)

Understanding the Customer Acquisition Process

Customer acquisition is the process of attracting, converting, and retaining buyers. A good customer acquisition plan is a sustainable engine that brings in the right traffic, turns them into customers, and keeps them coming back.

This includes:

• Lead Generation: Capturing attention from qualified prospects across your target markets

• Conversion Tactics: Turning browsers into buyers through optimized listings, persuasive content, and seamless UX

• Post-Sale Retention: Following through with stellar customer service, post-purchase engagement, and loyalty-building initiatives

Why Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) Matters

Your CAC is a good way to measure customer acquisition methods. Get ready for a slew of formulae.

CAC measures how much you’re spending to acquire each new customer.
Formula:

CAC = MC / CA
Where:

• MC = Total Marketing Costs (ads, creative, software, agency fees, etc.)

• CA = Customers Acquired during the same period

If your CAC increases without a proportional increase in Customer Lifetime Value or LTV, your acquisition strategy is becoming inefficient.

1. LTV = Average Purchase Value × Purchase Frequency × Customer Lifespan

2. LTV = (ARPU × Gross Margin) / Churn Rate

Where:

• ARPU = Average Revenue per User

• Gross Margin = Revenue – Cost of Goods Sold (as a % or absolute $)

• Churn Rate = Churned Customers / Customers at Start of Period

So if:

• Customers Acquired (CA) = 10

• Marketing Cost (MC) = $50

→ CAC = 50 / 10 = $5

• ARPU = $75

• Gross Margin = $25

• Churned Customers = 3

• Starting Customers = 10

→ Churn Rate = 3 / 10 = 0.3 

So:

LTV = (75 × 25) / 0.3 = 1875 / 0.3 = $6,250

The LTV:CAC ratio is the ultimate effectiveness benchmark. It tells you how much revenue you’re making for every $1 spent on customer acquisition.

Formula:

LTV:CAC Ratio = LTV / CAC

Here’s a helpful table, because the math can get a bit confusing:

Following the example above:

• CAC = $5

• LTV = $6,250

• → LTV:CAC = 6,250 / 5 = 1,250:1

This means you’re massively under-investing in customer acquisition, or not measuring churn/customer behavior over a long enough period. Your CAC is probably extremely efficient, but it’s also time to scale more aggressively, assuming LTV estimates are accurate.

So, in other words:

1. By itself, CAC tells you cost-per-customer.

2. Compared to LTV, it tells you if that cost is worth it.

3. The LTV:CAC ratio is your true ROI metric.

4. Refining CAC means reducing waste (bad leads, wrong channels) or increasing LTV (better retention, upsells, referrals).

3. Have You Started to Plateau? Check Your Metrics

Has your business started to plateau? You’ve done everything right, from balancing organic marketing with paid marketing, engaged your customers through customer service best practices, localized product inserts, packaging, and even your product, made sure your listings were mobile optimized, paid attention to stock and pricing, and followed the eCommerce SEO best practices to ensure your listings were found. You’ve checked all the boxes, yet your sales are starting to even out, with no new interest, eyeballs, or traffic to your listing and storefront.

At this point, you have to look at the numbers. Do you have any of the below?

• 📉 Rising CAC with flat revenue

• 📉 Declining repeat purchase rate (RPR) or LTV

• 📉 Ad costs increasing, conversion rates decreasing

• 📉 High traffic, low sales in listings, both international and local

Granted, there are other reasons for a plateau, including economic and political events such as Trump’s reciprocal tariff list, which may be stopping new customers from checking out your products. Nevertheless, now’s a good a time as any to develop a winning customer acquisition strategy.

4. A Global Acquisition Campaign is Not a One Size Fits All Approach

Another time to improve your customer acquisition efforts is when you’re scaling globally. A one size fits all approach just won’t work with all markets. Your customer acquisition marketing needs to be adjusted – even minimally – to suit each country you sell in.

That’s when adept localization enters the chat. Localization isn’t just translation; it’s strategic positioning. It’s developing a relationship with your customers, so you acquire customers and actively invest in customer retention strategies. In all markets, and all disciplines, the flow is clear: attract new customers, convert them into loyal customers, reward and nurture current customers, rinse, and repeat. It’s pretty clear that effective customer acquisition strategies don’t stop after the launch; they’re switched on, no matter what stage of the selling journey you’re in, no matter what country you’re selling in.

International marketplaces differ in keyword behavior, which is why listings need to be localized to include the keywords that every culture and every nationality uses to find products like yours. They also differ in price sensitivity; if tipping is an indication of how generous (and willing to spend) a culture is, you can rely on (in order of generosity) the Germans, Americans, Russians, Brazilians, French, Brits, Spanish, and Italians to look past the price and eyeball quality and brand authenticity instead (source: Yahoo! News). On the other hand, the Dutch and Swedes are known for being pretty tight-fisted with their money. That’s why localizing price points is also important. Furthermore, there are certain trust factors that you need to tweak per culture depending on what they prioritize the most, from reviews, to guarantees, to freebies, to brand voice.

The best way to measure this is through Conversion Rate per marketplace:

CVR = Total Orders / Total Sessions

5. Best Practices of a Scalable Global Customer Acquisition Strategy

Here are some customer acquisition tactics to help you as you expand your business to other countries – but these customer acquisition techniques work just as well at home.

a. Localized Listings That Convert

When expanding globally, you need careful localization and optimization. A/B test copy variants across different marketplaces to see what resonates culturally and contextually. Measure Ad Cost of Sales (ACOS) and Conversion Rate (CVR) before and after localization efforts. Watch for improved ROI as your content becomes more relevant.

Now, as mentioned, this tactic works just as well at home. Scour your customer data, and see who your customers are. Where are they based? What else are they buying? How old are they? Do they have children? See if you can localize your approach; your Vermont customer is probably into different things from your Texas customer. Sometimes, including little pop culture tidbits that are state-specific can win you new customers.

b. Keyword Research Per Region

When you’re selling in just one country, it makes sense to update your keywords every six months or so to match trends.

When you’re selling globally, you have to remember that not all markets search the same way. Go beyond direct translations – that’s why we at YLT Translations perform unique keyword research per region.

It’s important to align your listings with how customers actually search. Layer in Customer Lifetime Value (LTV) by country to see where your most profitable markets are. If Germany brings high-LTV customers, prioritize that market in your acquisition and content strategy.

It’s the same if you’re selling in just one country. Where are your high-LTV customers? Are they in Leeds or in London? Paris or Toulouse? Florida or New York? Adjust accordingly.

c. Inbound + Outbound Mix

A healthy global strategy blends organic and paid acquisition:

• Organic: SEO, regional blog content, translated A+ pages

• Paid: Amazon Ads, DSP campaigns, influencer collaborations per region

Track it all through Blended CAC:

Blended CAC = (Paid Spend + Organic Spend) / Customers Acquired

This gives you a real-world view of total acquisition cost across channels, not just ads.

d. Customer Retention: The Hidden Hero

Retention isn’t just a post-sale goal; it’s your LTV multiplier.

• Reduce churn, and your customer acquisition becomes more profitable without increasing spend.

• Key metrics to track:

  • Repeat Purchase Rate (RPR)

  • Churn Rate = (Customers Lost / Total Customers at Start) × 100

Reducing churn lifts LTV — and the higher your LTV, the more you can justify spending on CAC.

6. Effective Customer Acquisition Won’t Make These Mistakes

Winning customer acquisition efforts know not to make these crucial mistakes – and yes, it all boils down to (1) understanding your customer, and (2) localizing with care.

• Using U.S. English listings in non-U.S. markets: People prefer to transact in their own native language. Don’t make the mistake of speaking to a new customer in a language that they’re not comfortable with – or, even worse, a machine translation of your U.S. listing, which will only sound awkward, inauthentic, and like you’re trying way too hard.

• Ignoring regional keyword trends and slang: The more you sound like your potential customer, the better. Improve the customer experience by calling up things they’re interested in, like pop culture, slang, top trends in their area. You’ll be great at this once you truly understand customer behavior.

• Failing to measure CAC or LTV by region (not just globally): Like all good marketing strategies, your customer acquisition and retention efforts must be data-driven. What do the numbers tell you? Where should you pour your efforts? Use the numbers to direct your growth strategy and acquisition goals.

• Relying too heavily on “auto” campaigns or machine translations: The best customer acquisition strategies are familiar, intimate, and personalized. It’s your chance to build a bridge between the customer and your brand. Create a relationship with both potential customers and preexisting customers. That’s not to say that AI has no role in customer acquisition; just use it strategically, depending on the stages of the customer journey. In the beginning, when you’re trying to woo someone new, don’t use a bot to do your heavy lifting. Now’s the chance to entice new customers to your business by showing that you are a dependable, reputable brand, that cares about them and is willing to make a difference in their lives.

• Forgetting customer reviews: Here’s a little hack to a great customer acquisition strategy. Become a customer. Put yourself in the shoes of the customer, and see what they think about your product, and your competitors’ products. Create a customer avatar, and focus your marketing efforts on attracting that person. The source of this information is – you guessed it – customer reviews, both on and off Amazon.

7. A Sustainable Customer Acquisition Strategy Involves Math!

Success isn’t just about sales volume. It’s about:

✅ Lower Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
✅ Higher Customer Lifetime Value (LTV)
✅ Better Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)
✅ Market-fit Messaging that resonates across regions

A winning customer acquisition strategy isn’t a one-off campaign.
It’s measurable, repeatable, and localized — built to scale sustainably in every market you enter.

8. Customer Acquisition Success is All About the Customers

The right customer acquisition strategy focuses on what your customers want and need – whether they’re new or preexisting. Analyze customer acquisition metrics, and see where you should focus your efforts more; take a look at your customer churn rate, and ask yourself, why are they leaving? What have I not done yet? Make sure you employ great customer service – it’s a great way to gauge customer satisfaction, which will give you valuable clues on where you can improve and where you’re winning.

This is where market testing can really hone your customer acquisition goals. Once you’ve identified who your customer is, ask yourself if that’s really the customer you’re targeting – if not, then it’s possible your listing is targeting the wrong people. Create customer personas, and use those to release surveys, focus group discussions, split tests, and more to see what it is that customers really want from you. From that data, it’ll be much easier to develop an effective acquisition plan – and acquiring a new customer won’t feel like a far-off goal.

Remember, customer acquisition isn’t a one-and-done deal. It’s a valuable exercise that should take place throughout the selling journey. It’s great to nurture your existing customer – customer loyalty is one of the biggest signs of success – but there’s no way you’ll grow your business if you don’t start attracting new people to your brand.

Pro Tips for Optimizing Your Customer Acquisition Funnel

Your work doesn’t stop after calculating CAC and LTV. Here’s how to actually act on those numbers:

• Use the LTV:CAC ratio to decide when (and where) to increase marketing spend.
  A healthy ratio—typically 3:1 or higher—means you’re getting more value than you spend. That’s your cue to scale up.

• Localize your email flows and retargeting ads.
  Retention is acquisition’s best friend. A personalized post-purchase email in the shopper’s native language for a D2C ecommerce business, or a region-specific retargeting ad, can be the difference between a one-time buyer and a loyal repeat customer.

• Test your CTAs and offers by region.
  Do discounts work better in Spain, while bundles drive more conversions in the UK? Only one way to find out—run tests. Split-test CTAs, images, and incentives to align with cultural and economic preferences.

The success of your customer acquisition efforts is constant optimization. Read the numbers. Check the data. Refine your customer acquisition strategy. And don’t forget – there are valuable customer acquisition tools that you already have at your disposal, such as search engine optimization, customer relationship management, PPC, localizing your product or service, and more.

Your approach to customer acquisition should be clear: partly driven by data, partly driven by the goal to improve customer relations. Once you’ve got those covered, you’re golden! Good luck – let us know how it goes!

Now that you know all about customer acquisition, understand as well the nuances of a good customer engagement strategy. Hand-in-hand, these two tactics can really make your business shine.

The post Effective Customer Acquisition Strategies When Scaling Globally appeared first on .

No doubt about it, the era of artificial intelligence is upon us. Amazon itself has invested in AI through its own chatbot, Rufus, and Olympus, which seeks to rival Bard and ChatGPT. Now, ChatGPT is rolling out its own online shopping ability through integration with Shopify – enter Shop GPT.

Here’s why this matters. A recent survey by Adobe Analytics shows that over half (53%) of shoppers plan to use generative AI to shop and buy products this year (source: eMarketer). In fact, they conduct research (55%), receive product recommendations (47%), and find deals (43%). Thanks to the new shopping features, ChatGPT users will now see prices and product reviews more easily. The AI-powered shopping assistant will also provide direct links to purchase product recommendations, according to BBC‘s report.

What does this bode for traditional search engines like Google? How will it impact search results on Amazon? And what can an online retailer do to prime their business for this new change?

Let’s explore. No doubt about it, Shop GPT is going to be a game changer for digital commerce.

Generative AI is one of the top ecommerce trends of 2025. AI in eCommerce is growing at such a rapid pace, it’s a good idea to stay informed.

2. What is Shop GPT?

As of April 2025, ChatGPT had over a billion web searches in a single week, according to CX Today. That says a lot about our reliance on ChatGPT. So, is anyone surprised that OpenAI has decided to roll out a shopping feature?

According to OpenAI’s official LinkedIn post, ShopGPT rolls out officially today, May 1, 2025. The update sends tailored product recommendations across a diverse range of categories, including electronics, home goods, fashion, and beauty, without ads or affiliate links. It’s available for anyone that uses the chatbot, from ChatGPT Pro, to ChatGPT Plus, to free tiers, and even those that use the service without logging in. According to Reuters, OpenAI will not receive a commission from purchases made through the platform.

This means that customers will receive product recommendations based on a simple prompt, phrased in a conversational tone of voice – with direct links to buy. No more keying in “best water bottles for adults,” and more of “where can I find a good jug to keep my water cold for 24 hours while on a hike?”

Perhaps it’s time to optimize for “AIO” – artificial intelligence optimization – as opposed to “SEO” (search engine optimization).

3. Shop GPT Implications for Amazon Sellers

AI is no longer recommending; it’s transacting.

(Sirte Pihlaja, CEO of Shirute)

Xenoss makes a valid point: Shop GPT, with its new Shopify integration, heralds the “collapse of the traditional conversion funnel.” We’re used to the typical eCommerce funnel: search, browse, compare, cart, check out. Now, thanks to the rollout of Shop GPT, all of that could be compressed into one single conversation. The article recommends that eCommerce entrepreneurs don’t have to see Shop GPT as yet another thing to optimize for, but to keep an eye on how consumers find products. Thanks to the integration, OpenAI may see a jump in its users from 800 million to 1 billion. If there’s an app that will streamline how customers arrive at valid and relevant product results, you best believe it’ll take over eCommerce as we know it – and soon.

What does this mean for Amazon sellers or D2C eCommerce sellers who list products on their own website?

• Less traffic to product pages: If consumers get all the info they need, and can even complete purchases without even leaving ChatGPT, they may never even click through to your listing or website
• Reduced reliance on SERPs: If ShopGPT delivers faster, more personalized results to the customer’s device, Google’s role as the first touch point for product discovery will weaken
• Metadata is the new keyword: ShopGPT relies heavily on structured metadata (pricing, availability, product descriptions, etc.). Make sure your product data is complete and clean, so GPT doesn’t skip you out in favor of your competitor.
• Content still matters – but differently: Perhaps the days of long-form SEO articles and blog content are on their way out. Concise product descriptions will win; and they need to instantly convey value, so customers can arrive at a decision from inside a chat window instead of having to navigate a website or Amazon product listing. If your content is vague or generic, Shop GPT may summarize it poorly, or recommend another product with better inputs.

So, what can Amazon sellers do to prepare for this inevitable shift?

1. Leverage Shopify. Since Shop GPT is integrated with Shopify, having a storefront on the platform will give sellers direct access to the in-chat shopping experience.
2. Future-proof your brand. As AI shopping assistants become more commonplace, sellers with a presence on AI-compatible platforms will be better positioned to capitalize on shifting buyer behavior. This isn’t just a trend—it’s the next phase of eCommerce evolution.

4. Why Global Expansion and Localization is Crucial with Shop GPT

Exploding Topics reported that the USA has the most ChatGPT users (14.78%), followed by India of 8.85%, then Kenya with 4.81%, Germany with 4.09%, and Brazil with 3.37%. Store Leads published that 39.1% of all Shopify stores are in the USA, with 7.7% in the UK. 5.3% in Canada, and 4.8% in Australia.

What’s the point of all these statistics?

A product listing that’s translated, word for word, just isn’t going to cut it anymore. eCommerce is getting increasingly more global with each month that passes – yes, months, not years. eCommerce sellers need adept localization, not just to resonate with customers all over the globe, but most especially to future-proof their businesses with the rise of AI. If your German and Brazilian customers use ShopGPT to find products, do you think a machine translated product description will really drive conversions for you?

Buyers shop differently all over the globe. Your German customers are a lot more stoic than, say, your Italian customers, who are interested in the passion behind your brand story. Well-translated listings, done by a native speaker, can build trust, improve conversion, and make your brand feel more native – no matter where it’s discovered, be it on an Amazon listing, a Shopify site, or through Shop GPT.

AI platforms like Shop GPT amplify localization wins and expose weak spots. Since platforms like Shop GPT surface products based on metadata and user queries, the quality of your translated copy is incredibly critical. Poor or generic summaries can lead to incorrect product summaries, mismatched recommendations, or lost sales to better-localized competitors.

Thank goodness YLT Translations doesn’t just translate – we transform listings to connect with real buyers in their native markets. That way, in case AI comes across your listing – wherever in the world you sell – you can rest assured that the data will be accurate, engaging, and AI-friendly.

5. Conclusion: Embracing the Future of eCommerce

Whether we like it or not, consumers are using AI to personalise and enhance much of their lives. Now, with Shop GPT, things are getting a little more complicated. But Shop GPT isn’t another tool to reach the end consumer – it’s a paradigm shift.

By embedding product discovery, comparison, and checkout into a single AI-driven conversation, it redefines how consumers shop and how brands are discovered.

For sellers, the opportunity is clear:

• Expand beyond single-platform selling
• Optimize for structured data and AI visibility
• Localize with precision to reach global markets

Now’s the time to evolve. Embrace AI. Diversify your presence. And speak your customers’ language – wherever in the world they may be.

Partner with YLT Translations to localize your listings for maximum reach and resonance. Make sure everyone understands what your product can do – from human customers to AI platforms showing your products to end users in the most conversational, customer-friendly way out there.

At the end of the day, it’s all about the customer, and what they want and need. Check out the factors influencing customer behavior to get a leg up.

The post Shop GPT: OpenAI Adds Shopping Features to ChatGPT Search appeared first on .

Market Research Future believes that D2C retail will make USD91.62bn by the end of 2025 – with projections reaching USD248.48bn by 2034. That’s a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 11.42%. Reasons for growth include increasing consumer demand for direct brand interaction, improved online security, mobile-first experiences, and personalized shopping powered by data and AI.

But what exactly is the D2C model? Essentially, this is when brands sell their products directly to consumers – middle management like an Amazon or a Walmart. Everything is managed by the brand, from inventory management and supply chain issues, to product development and customer service, to logistics and fulfillment. Direct to consumer brands eschew the usual digital retail channels and set up social media accounts and Shopify stores of their own, and woo the end consumer to shop directly from them instead of going through a traditional eCommerce platform, which would have tons more competition.

A D2C ecommerce business has a direct relationship with their customers. In some ways, a D2C e-Commerce strategy can be more complex, since you don’t rely on an FBA model to take things off your shoulders. But the benefits of D2C eCommerce are way more than you’d get from a B2C model – you just have to be a little more patient.

Let’s check out the meaning of D2C, and how you can tap into the lucrative D2C market – including where to do it – and why localization is crucial with the D2C approach.

Did you know that customer service in Europe is different from customer service all over the globe? Make sure you localize customer service so you provide the best customer care possible!

II. Understanding the D2C Business Model vs. B2C and B2B2C

Before we get started with the nitty gritty of D2C eCommerce, understand that eCommerce brands can employ a wide variety of models to sell products. Let’s take a look at the top 3 strategies and how they work.

A. What is D2C (Direct-to-Consumer)?

• This is when a brand will sell directly to consumers. No middle man, nothing.

• When you have no intermediaries, you have more control over the brand, customer journey, and data

B. What is B2C (Business-to-Consumer)?

• This is traditional retail eCommerce. You will use a platform like Amazon, Walmart, or even a traditional store to bring your product to your customer.

• Often faster exposure, but less brand control and data access

Curious about Walmart? Find out if you should sell on Walmart marketplace.

C. What is B2B2C (Business-to-Business-to-Consumer)?

• This hybrid model is when a business sells to another business, with the final goal of reaching the consumer

• For example, a food manufacturer (“business A”) partners with a delivery app (“business B”) to get products directly to end consumers. Alibaba does this really well.

• Common in marketplaces, SaaS platforms, and distribution-heavy sectors

D. What is B2B (Business-to-Business)?

• B2B Commerce is typical in classic wholesaler businesses, who sell to retailers in large quantities. (Yet, the minute they create a D2C or retail arm, such as launching their own app or storefront for consumers, they may enter B2B2C territory.)
• It’s all about volume, negotiated pricing, and long-term supply relationships.

III. D2C Selling vs. Amazon Selling

Now, the question is, which is better? If you’re here, you probably already know all about Amazon selling. You’ve expanded your business quite well, scaled upward, and even started selling in other countries. But you’re curious about D2C eCommerce sales, given most of the profit margins go to you, as opposed to sharing some with a middleman. It’s true; selling D2C gives brands way more control. It’s a lot more work, but the rewards are fulfilling.

As you can see, building your own D2C channel gives you incredible control over brand experience, pricing, and customer data, but selling on Amazon can significantly boost your visibility and reach – especially when launching new products or testing market demand.

Many brands have chosen to do both through a hybrid strategy. You enjoy the best of both worlds: Amazon for scale and traffic, while nurturing deeper relationships through an owned D2C ecosystem. You would use Amazon to acquire new customers, but direct them to your website for loyalty programs, subscriptions, or personalized offers. It’s a good idea to leverage Amazon’s credibility and fulfillment (FBA) in the early stages, then transition high-value customers to your owned channels where you can upsell, cross-sell, and fully own the brand narrative.

Nevertheless, over-reliance on Amazon carries real risks:

• Account suspensions can happen without warning, and appeals are often opaque and slow
• Intense competition means you’re always at risk of being undercut, copied, outranked, or being victimized by listing hijacking
• Zero access to customer data makes it hard to build lasting relationships with customers or tailor your marketing through a data-driven approach

In short, Amazon’s a powerful tool, but not a sustainable home base. Established brands treat Amazon as a launchpad, not the full Bezos Blue Origin rocket (complete with Katy Perry on board!).

IV. The Future of D2c E-Commerce is in Europe

Did you know that Jana, YLT Translations’ own fierce and fabulous leader, is about to launch a supplement brand of her own? You guessed it – she’s exploring a D2C business strategy.

“D2C brands do very well in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia,” she shares. “Central Europe has a huge untapped market – the biggest marketplace is Allegro, with 12,000 online stores. There’s big eCommerce penetration, and some brands have had amazing success in that part of Europe.” Yes, she’s planning to launch her brand in that part of Europe.

So, why does this matter to you?

A. Why Europe is Ideal for D2C Expansion

Europe offers one of the most dynamic landscapes for D2C growth, and savvy brands are already capitalizing on it.

• According to the World Bank, internet penetration in Central Europe is extremely healthy, with 86% in Poland and 90% in the Slovak Republic. Statistics Poland shows that 95.9% of Polish households have access to the internet, while Trading Economics states that internet access of the Czech Republic reached a record high in December 2024 with 94.56%, while the European Commission reports that Slovakia plans to provide all households with access to ultra-fast internet by 2030.

• Customers in Central Europe are deeply connected to their history, such as the impacts of communism and the shift to a more democratic and capitalist system. According to Marshall Johnston’s paper, consumers in Central Europe prize brands that honor tradition and authenticity. If brands emphasize local craftsmanship or make use of local resources, they’re often perceived as being trustworthy and credible, appealing to a customer base that’s got deep ties to their cultural identity and heritage.

• The EU’s strong logistics network, growing 3PL presence (like OEX, DB Schenker, and DHL Fulfillment), and clear import/export rules make cross-border fulfillment feasible even for smaller brands.

B. Case Example: Allegro in Poland

Allegro.pl is Poland’s largest online marketplace, accounting for a third of total sales. Sales Supply reports that it has a brand awareness of 98% and 22 million visitors per month, and stands out as the first destination for 81% of Polish online shoppers. While it dominates the Polish eCommerce landscape, it also represents a gateway for D2C brands ready to scale in Central Europe.

• Local Trust, Local Language: Polish consumers tend to favor websites in their native language and exhibit high trust in localized platforms. Research from CSA shows that 76% of consumers prefer buying products in their own language, and this rings especially true in Poland.

• The Hybrid Play: For brands like Jana’s upcoming supplement line, a smart strategy is to launch on Allegro to build visibility and trust, then migrate loyal customers to a branded D2C site. This helps increase profit margins, unlock first-party data, and build a long-term community.

C. Top D2C-Friendly Markets in Europe

Jana’s advice is clear: for prime e-Commerce growth, consider Central Europe. But you’re not limited there. Given the reciprocal tariff list of Trump is changing everyday in what’s looking like a trade war, operational and marketing strategies need to give Europe a real close look. At least, there’s no penalty for sourcing from Asia.

• Germany – Gaasly reports that Germans prefer eco-friendly, sustainable, affordable products. Brands with recyclable packaging, biodegradable products, or reusable items are more likely to woo the austere German consumer. What is an eco-friendly product? You can start small, and see how you can adapt a little sustainability into your supply chain. After all, anything that benefits the planet will indubitably win the hearts of your consumers, wherever in the world they may be. Statista reports that D2C sales in Germany have dropped from 3.4bn euros in 2021 to 2.8bn euros in 2024. The most visited eCommerce store is still Amazon.de. In this case, a hybrid model that combines both direct to consumer eCommerce with B2C eCommerce is probably best.

• France – Hive reports that there are 5 categories that excel in D2C commerce: fashion, food and personal care, electronics and media, furniture and appliances, and toys, hobbies, and DIY. This could be because French consumers love a local feel and “Made in France” products – with 60% willing to pay more for these products. In fact, 79% of French consumers believe they buy products to support the French economy, and “Made in France” labels are a quick assurance of quality. In short, localization is paramount when trying to penetrate the French market. Luckily, we’ve got the lowdown for you on English to French translations, and why expanding to France is a good idea.

• Poland – Statista reports that D2C sales in Poland reached over 1bn euros in 2022. Polish consumers love anything that feels home-grown. The Ministerie van Landbouw, Visserij, Voedselzekerheid en Natuur shows that Polish customers are price-sensitive; similar to their German counterparts, the Polish people love anything plant-based, organic, and local, but 73% of Polish customers pay close attention to the price. The paper from The Ministerie posits that the Polish customer is becoming increasingly more globalized, with tastes and styles that align more closely with Western European countries as time goes by.

• Netherlands – Wonnda suggests that the Netherlands is prime for D2C brands. They also prioritize sustainability and eco-friendly practices – and they really appreciate personalized options, which is entirely possible when using the D2C business model. Keep in mind that Dutch consumers keep a close eye on a brand’s mission, ethos, and commitment to broader societal issues. If you’re planning to sell D2C in the Netherlands, make sure your D2C website is clear about what you stand for, and explore corporate social responsibility in marketing to give back to the community.

V. Successful D2C Companies to Inspire You

The D2C model allows independent brands to build direct relationships with customers, and to curate the customer experience closely to provide excellent customer service. Here are some leading D2C brands to inspire your journey:

6 Hallmark D2C Brands to Watch Out For

1. Warby Parker – Eyewear disruption at its finest. Vertical integration + home try-ons = stylish glasses without the Luxottica markup.
2. Allbirds – Eco-friendly shoes made from sustainable materials, proving D2C can make ethical supply chains affordable.
3. Everlane – Radical transparency in fashion, showing every cost from factory to final sale while avoiding traditional wholesale models.
4. Dollar Shave Club – Turned shaving into a frictionless subscription. Their viral launch redefined how products get discovered online.
5. Casper – Made mattresses cool—and compact. Their direct model eliminated in-store awkwardness and delivered innovation to your doorstep.
6. BarkBox – Affordable, curated pet boxes designed and tested by in-house dogs. D2C made their mission of pet-inclusive living achievable.

The Top Emerging Global D2C Brands to Watch in 2025

• Lovevery – Montessori-inspired baby play kits (320K+ active subscribers)

• Athletic Brewing – Craft non-alcoholic beer ($286M raised)

• Oura – Sleek health-tracking rings from Finland (used by top athletes)

• Elvie – Smart femtech from the UK (pumping innovation)

• The Farmer’s Dog – Personalized fresh food for pets (delivered over 100M meals)

• Spacegoods – Adaptogenic mushroom blends (9,100% growth!)

• Misen – Chef-grade kitchenware at D2C prices (60-day trials, lifetime warranty)

• Kristin Ess Hair – Celebrity stylist-approved vegan haircare (8,900% search growth)

• Momcozy – Wearable pumps and baby gear trusted by 3M+ moms globally

• Magic Spoon – Protein-rich nostalgic cereal that’s TikTok-famous (plus, it’s keto-friendly)

VI. Why D2C Brands Must Think Multilingual from Day One

D2C eCommerce means showing up – directly – in front of real customers. Not Amazon. Not wholesalers or distributors. Not your brand manager in a department store. That’s real people, with real preferences, values, expectations, and languages.

Statista reports that 40% of people will not transact with a website if it’s not in their native language. If your D2C brand isn’t localized, your website, packaging, and emails don’t feel personal, and for customers like the Polish and the French, this simply won’t engage. Amazon, Temu, Walmart, and Target may be successful at bringing global products to a local market, but all the research presented in this blog that consumers prefer to buy products that feel like home. Nothing kills conversion more than something that feels foreign.

To win in global D2C, it’s not just about translation. It’s about strategy and cultural relevance across every touchpoint:

• Website & Mobile UX – Native-language navigation, checkout flows, and product pages

• SEO – Optimized for search in-market, not just translated keywords

• Customer Support – Local scripts, tone, and time zone alignment

• Packaging & Inserts – Regulatory compliance and brand tone tailored for each market

• Retargeting & Email Flows – Cultural nuance in copywriting = higher CTRs and CLV

At YLT Translations, we specialize in ecommerce localization that goes beyond words. Whether you’re selling on Amazon, Shopify, or a headless site—we bring your brand to life in every language your customers speak, thanks to a team of native speakers. Our translators know how your customers think, act, and communicate in their native tongue – down to cultural nuances, slang, and pop culture references.

In other words, localization helps you go global, the right way.

VII. How to Harness D2C Growth for Your Brand

D2C eCommerce isn’t a trend; it’s a transformation. Whether you’re growing a brand and exploring your first digital storefront, or an Amazon veteran craving more control, D2C strategies offer the ultimate freedom to shape your customer experience, own your data, and build real brand loyalty.

Success in D2C doesn’t happen by accident. It demands intention, innovation, and localization from day one. A well-chosen D2C eCommerce platform is just the beginning—what sets brands apart is how well they adapt to local markets, communicate in customers’ native languages, and create seamless, personalized journeys across every touchpoint.

In the hyperconnected world of eCommerce, the opportunities for D2C brands are wide open. Whether you’re selling supplements like Jana, sustainable fashion, or groceries, it’ll take time and effort, with incredible rewards.

Make sure you make your D2C move with patience, strategy, and courage, in every language that matters.

Speaking of Poland, take a peek at the Top 10 European Marketplaces. Anything here you’d be curious about selling on?

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