何謂的跨境電子商務（跨境電商）？（國際商業版圖的擴張）

所謂的跨境電子商務（跨境電商，Cross-Border Ecommerce），指的就是消費者和賣家在不同的關境
簡單來說，就是分屬不同關境的交易主體，通過電子商務平台達成交易、進行支付結算行，並通過跨境物流送達商品、完成交易的一種國際商業活動。

（跨境電商）國際商業版圖的擴張：
2012年，跨境電子商務銷售額達到3000億美元，而全球網上貿易預計將在2015年達到1.4萬億美元，為多渠道零售商提供了無限商業機會進行國際擴張。
在中國和美國，每天有5億網絡購物者在網上沖浪，獲得最好的交易。
全球收購者可以幫助零售商提供創新的解決方案，以克服多樣化的受眾群體所面臨的挑戰，以不同的消費者期望，多語言，解決方案，可以使跨境電子商務國內和真正盈利。

（跨境電商）通過跨境電子商務進行國際擴張定義：
國際電子商務被稱為跨境電子商務，當消費者從商家在線購買，位於其他國家和管轄區。
共享一種共同語言和邊界或使用相同貨幣的消費者和商家之間的在線貿易並不總是被消費者視為跨境的。
歐盟國家環境保護總局統一的說共同語言的歐盟鄰國祇是一個例子。

（跨境電商）情況：
網際網路使消費者能夠通過在他們的邊境購買產品和服務，在共同語言，共同邊界，特別優惠或僅僅因為消費者自己的地區不提供產品或服務的情況下購買全球商品。
平板電腦和智能手機的越來越受歡迎，允許全球消費者比較價格，通過社交媒體與其他消費者聯繫，討論產品和服務，選擇獨立於其位置的網上商店，並通過他們的PC，筆記本電腦，手機或片劑在任何地方，任何時間，任何地方。

不僅消費者，商家和支付服務提供商利用全球電子商務提供的機會;銀行已經意識到，為從事網上交易的成功利益相關者提供服務，可以比銷售銀行產品更有利可圖。
在線零售商，卡處理商和支付服務提供商幾乎沒有受到經濟危機的影響;相反，這些利益相關者在一個通過全球網絡貿易的國際擴張已經成為大企業的時代，就像鳳凰一樣從灰燼中興起。

（跨境電商）的挑戰：
通過跨境電子商務的國際擴張只有在網上商家克服了一些挑戰後才能實現。

目標地區的堅實合作夥伴可以幫助商家分析和了解當地商業習慣，消費者偏好和文化差異，這影響了關於庫存管理和產品營銷的決策。
營銷策略必須進行定制，以便在國外市場接觸不同的受眾，不同的基礎設施可能需要當地的物流和配送服務。
消費者通常對物流具有很高的期望，及時的交付和運輸成本是確定消費者偏好的重要驅動力。
提供免費或廉價交貨的商家吸引更多的消費者。

在地理（共同邊界）之後，語言是另一個重要的驅動力。
通用語言和文化減少了障礙，並節省了零售商在適應網站和促銷副本方面涉及的高交易成本。
然而，為了接觸國際觀眾，零售商將必須投資翻譯和本地校對，他們了解當地的術語和文化。多語言客戶支持對於客戶忠誠度至關重要。

消費者更願意以當地貨幣付款。全球擴張需要多幣種轉換和結算，主要卡計劃定義的貨幣，包括兌換率。
其他司法管轄區的銀行必須符合當地的法律規定。
全球支付解決方案供應商與卡支付行業的區域合作夥伴，已經獲得在線銷售的技術，創新和法律方面的專家的合作夥伴可以幫助商家通過一個安全支付網關管理交易。

儘管信用卡付款仍然是全球首選的付款方式，佔2012年所有非現金支付交易的58％，但新的付款方式在不同地區受到歡迎。
巴西的Boleto bancario，德國的COD，荷蘭的IDEAL等，在一些國家只有在產品交付後才收取付款。
在一些國家，失望的消費者有在特定時間內送回商品的合法權利。商人必須管理物流，包括退款。

儘管存在上述挑戰，全球在線貿易預計到2015年將增長到1.4萬億美元，跨境電子商務已經超過3000億美元;證明了數字高速公路為零售商提供了前所未有的國際擴張商機。

International Expansion

In 2012, Cross-border eCommerce sales reached $300 billion-, while global online trade is expected to soar to $1.4 trillion by 2015, presenting multi-channel retailers with limitless business opportunities for international expansion. In China and the US alone, half a billion online shoppers surf the web each day for the best deals. Global acquirers can help retailers with innovative solutions to overcome challenges posed by serving a diverse audience with varying consumer expectations, in multiple languages, solutions which can make cross-border ecommerce domestic and truly profitable.

International Expansion through cross-border ecommerce Definition:

International ecommerce is called cross-border ecommerce, when consumers buy online from merchants, located in other countries and jurisdictions. Online trade between consumers and merchants which share one common language and border or which make use of the same currency are not always perceived as cross-border by consumers. EU neighbors which speak a common language, united by SEPA, are just one example.

Situation:

The internet enables consumers to shop globally, by purchasing products and services across their border, driven by a common language, a common border, special offers, or simply because the product or service isn’t available in the consumer’s own region. The increasing popularity of tablets and smartphones, allows consumers worldwide to compare prices, connect with other consumers via social media, to discuss products and services, to select a web shop independent of its location and to transfer payments via their PC, laptop, mobile phone or tablet at any place, anytime, anywhere.

Not only consumers, Merchants and Payment Service Providers profit the opportunities, presented by global ecommerce; banks have come to realize, that offering acquiring services to successful stakeholders engaged in online trade, can be more profitable than selling banking products. Online Retailers, Card Processors and Payment Service Providers have hardly been affected by the economic crisis; on the contrary, these stakeholders have risen like a phoenix from the ashes, in an age when international expansion through global online trade has become big business.

Challenges:

International expansion through cross-border ecommerce can only be realized after online Merchants have overcome a number of challenges.

A solid partner in the targeted region can help the Merchant analyze and understand local business customs, consumer preferences and cultural differences, which affect decisions around inventory management and product marketing. Marketing strategies will have to be customized, to reach a different audience in a foreign market and a different infrastructure might require local logistic and delivery services. A “One size fits all” approach might prove to be a pitfall. Consumers often have high expectations around logistics and timely delivery and shipping costs are important drivers determining consumer preferences. Merchants which offer free or cheap delivery attract more consumers.

After geography (common borders), language is another important driver. Common language and culture reduces the barriers and saves the retailer high transaction costs involved in adapting websites and promotional copy. However, in order to reach an international audience, the retailer will have to invest in translations and in local proofreaders, who understands local terminology and culture. Multilingual customer support is crucial for customer loyalty.

Consumers prefer to pay in their local currency. Global expansion requires multi-currency conversion and settlement in currencies defined by major card schemes, including interchange rates. Banks in other jurisdictions have to be compliant with local legal requirements. Global payment solution providers with regional partners in the card payment sector, partners which have acquired expertise in the technical, innovative and legal aspects of online sales, can help merchants to manage transactions over one secure payment gateway.

Even though credit card payment remain preferred payment method worldwide, accounting for 58% of all non-cash payment transactions in 2012, new payment methods have become popular in different regions. Boleto bancario in Brazil, COD in Germany, IDEAL in the Netherlands, etc. and in some countries payments are only collected after the products have been delivered. In some countries, disappointed consumers have the legal right to send merchandise back within a specified period of time. The merchant has to manage logistics, including chargebacks.

Notwithstanding the above challenges, global online trade is expected to grow to $1.4 trillion by 2015 and cross-border ecommerce has already surpassed $300 billion; testimony to the fact that the digital highway provides retailers with unprecedented business opportunities for international expansion.