Translating a catalogue helps customers understand a product, but does not resolve the practical questions of buying it. They need to know whether you deliver to their address, what they will pay, which payment methods are available and how to get help after purchase.
Treat entering a new country as a separate sales journey. Language is one part of it, alongside the range, pricing, logistics and service.
Separate language, delivery country and currency
The interface language does not always identify a shopper's country. An English-speaking customer may request delivery to Czechia, while a Russian-speaking customer orders to Germany. Do not automatically tie these settings together if your sales process allows different combinations.
Provide a clear way to choose the delivery country and check the order currency. If changing the country affects the range, price or delivery options, explain this and recalculate the terms.
Ideally, switching language should preserve the product and selected variant. If that item is not sold in the new market, explain the restriction and offer an available alternative instead of silently taking the customer to the homepage.
Define the range and content for each market
Check which products you can actually sell and support in the country. Consider supply availability, included items, compatibility and the ability to handle returns.
Localise practical information as well as words: dimensions, units, model names and the specifications customers use to choose. A manufacturer's size chart may need clarification if shoppers are used to another sizing system.
Keep language versions linked to the same inventory item. Translating a name should not create separate stock. The article on preparing a catalogue for import explains how to organise the source data.
Show a price you can explain
Decide whether prices are set for each market or converted from a base currency. Define rounding rules and exchange-rate updates if you use conversion.
Distinguish the display currency, the currency actually charged and the currency paid out to the shop. Stripe's documentation, for example, distinguishes the charge currency from the seller's settlement currency. Conversion may be needed when they differ. Source: Stripe.
Customers should see the currency and final amount before confirming. If entering an address adds costs, explain them before payment. Do not promise there are no additional charges until you have checked the complete delivery process.
Check taxes, consumer information requirements and cross-border selling rules for the specific countries and business model. There is no single rule for every market; for sales within the EU, the official cross-border VAT guidance can be a starting point. Agree the store settings with your specialists responsible for tax and sales terms.
Localise delivery and returns
For each country, define the areas served, delivery methods, costs and timeframes. Separate order preparation from transport time: the total should include both.
Check the address form. Fields, postcode formats and telephone numbers should suit the target market. If delivery is unavailable, say so before checkout is completed and preserve the details already entered.
Plan return logistics: where items go, who handles enquiries and which instructions customers receive. A translated returns page is of little use if its address or process does not work for that country.
Check payments, emails and support
Make sure payment methods suit your markets, currencies and order types. Check the specific integration, rather than merely displaying a payment provider's logo.
Order, payment, dispatch and refund emails should use the agreed language, currency and purchase details. Check error messages and the pages customers see when returning from the payment provider too.
State support channels and response hours with a clear time zone. Do not offer service in a language your team cannot yet support.
The article on maintaining a website in three languages describes how to keep translations and related pages current.
A practical brief for a new market
Before launch, complete one short document for each country:
- Customer: interface language, delivery country and supported addresses.
- Products: available range, variants and local specifications.
- Money: pricing and payment currencies, taxes and additional charges.
- Delivery: methods, timeframes, restrictions and returns.
- Service: email language, support channels and the responsible employee.
- Technology: who updates the data and which scenarios are checked before launch.
Hypothetical example: a shop begins delivering from Czechia to Germany. German descriptions are ready, but free delivery is configured only for Czech addresses. A checkout check using a German postcode should reveal this before customers see an unsupported promise.
Follow the whole journey for each market: product selection, address, delivery, payment, email and a returns enquiry. Start with countries where you can support the entire process, then expand.
When developing an online store, this brief helps estimate localisation and integration work. Plan language page URLs and search configuration separately; the article on multilingual website SEO covers the main principles.
A new market is ready when customers can understand the terms, complete a purchase and receive the service you promise.