eShopWorld (ESW), the leading cross-border ecommerce technology and services provider, today announces the appointment of Martim Avillez Oliveira as Chief Commercial Officer, EMEA and APAC.

Oliveira is a former Executive Vice President at global supply chain and logistics specialist, Li & Fung, has 15 years of industry experience in retail and global sourcing, having worked with the world’s leading fashion brands and retailers, including Inditex, Marks & Spencer, J.Crew and Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof, managing end-to-end supply chains.

In his new role, Oliveira will drive forward ESW’s strategic growth and development with a focus on crafting routes to market within and between the EMEA and APAC that enable retailers and brands to meet the huge latent demand for direct-to-consumer (D2C) engagement in these territories.  Oliveira previously served as a member of ESW’s Retail Advisory Council, providing strategic guidance and amplifying the company’s cross-border ecommerce proposition globally.

“2020 saw historic growth in year-on-year cross-border ecommerce sales and reinforced the importance of international ecommerce for the retail industry as an enabler to meet customer demand at its point of origin while mitigating against fluctuations in local markets,” said Tommy Kelly, CEO of ESW.

“ESW saw significant growth in demand from consumers in Asian countries, with the Philippines in particular being one of the fastest growing global markets last year for brands and retailers using our technology and services to sell internationally.  Martim’s insights, expertise and relationships across both APAC and the EMEA will allow us to expand our reach in these territories, whose emerging middle class will be a significant driver of global demand for Western brands within a short period of time.  As a member of the ESW Advisory Council, Martim has already had a significant role in realising our global expansion strategy in these markets and we are very excited to formally welcome him as part of our global leadership team during this time of unprecedented opportunity.”

During his time at Li & Fung, Oliveira, who lived in Hong Kong for 10 years, held full P&L responsibility for business units to excess of $800 million cost of goods and achieved a strong track record of generating year-on-year growth and revenue. He also coordinated the group business development activities in Europe and the US.

“The events of last year have clearly shown retail brands need to mitigate risks, diversify and balance their distribution to thrive.  As home to eight of the world’s ten largest megacities, Asia, which has a growing digitally native middle class in all countries who are brand and status hungry, offers enormous expansion opportunities for both established heritage and emerging disruptor brands,” commented Oliveira.

“But many of these brands don’t have the digital capabilities, local expertise or capital required to fully leverage international opportunities and, while it may be tempting to look toward marketplaces as a route to these markets, we know the highest value cross-border shoppers want to engage with and buy directly from brands.  ESW offers a seamless end-to-end solution that helps brands capitalise on this golden era for direct-to-consumer, cross-border ecommerce.”

Oliveira concluded: “Having been at the forefront of design, product development, global sourcing and production management, ESW represents the next mile in the journey. It’s the upstream part of the chain, moving from physical to digital, focusing on getting goods to international markets, looking at the most cost-effective route and solutions, while delivering fully localised shopping experiences to consumers around the world.”

In addition to his role at ESW, Oliveira is also non-executive and an advisor to Tiger Chark, a New York based strategic Advisory firm, and a member of the board of the Portuguese – Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Reproduced from WWD:

Asendia Takes Full Ownership of ESW: While completely owned by Asendia, ESW will remain a stand-alone entity, with current management remaining.

By David Moin on March 31, 2021

Asendia, the majority shareholder of eShopWorld since 2017, has become the sole owner of the business.

Asendia bought the remaining 49.9 percent stake from eShopWorld’s founder and chief executive officer Thomas Kelly, who continues as ESW CEO.

“This is a significant endorsement of ESW growth, sustainability and success in embracing the structural shift in favor of online shopping,” said Kelly. “The recently concluded transaction marks a deepening commitment by Asendia, which has been a highly supportive partner and provider of complementary e-commerce services.”

The Dublin-based ESW sets up brands and retailers with an “end-to-end” solution for conducting cross-border e-commerce. It’s worked in 200 markets and with companies such as PVH Corp., Movado, Tarte, Nike Inc. and the Estée Lauder Cos. Inc.

Asendia is the venture between La Poste Group and Swiss Post, two companies with extensive logistics capabilities. ESW, while completely owned by Asendia, will remain a stand-alone entity, with the current management remaining.

“ESW are experts in making it easy for global brands to have a local presence,” said Marc Pontet, CEO of Asendia. “Additionally, its focus on making e-commerce frictionless, regardless of location, made it a coherent, strategic choice to make ESW part of the Asendia family. The move dovetails with our overarching aim to make worldwide e-commerce simple and reliable, and is a significant step in making this vision a reality.”

According to executives at Asendia and ESW, the investment helps accelerate the expansion of ESW and efforts to build on its technology and logistics capabilities for global brands.

ESW expects to double its turnover over the coming years. In October, the company reported annualized revenues of about one billion euros. The company also made 160 new hires, taking the headcount to over 480 at the end of 2020. It exceeds 500.

In March, Patrick Bousquet-Chavanne, an executive with decades of international experience working at Emaar Malls, Marks & Spencer and the Estée Lauder Cos. Inc., joined ESW as president and CEO, Americas. It’s a new position, underscoring how e-commerce continues to rapidly grow and present opportunities for brands and retailers to extend their reach to markets around the world.

“In the complex world of international retail, if you think about taxes, tariffs, VAT, pricing, translations, logistics, returns, data security, fraud protection, customer service — all those complexities — ESW takes that away from their clients so they can focus on what they do best — merchandising and developing product,” Bousquet-Chavanne said at the time of his appointment.

“This is a young company. It’s been amazingly successful,” Bousquet-Chavanne told WWD. “Their technology has been integrated into many of the leading global brands in the world. The company provides very fast and efficient access to international arenas with minimal capital. In six to eight weeks, we can onboard a brand in a new market.”

On Wednesday, he characterized Asendia’s taking full ownership of ESW as “a third chapter” in the evolution of ESW, the first being its founding by Kelly in 2010 and the second being Asendia’s acquiring a majority stake in 2017.

He said the two main pillars of ESW are its e-commerce technology and logistics abilities. ESW competes with other cross-border e-commerce facilitators such as Flow and Borderfree.

Dan Berthiaume of Chain Store Age profiles the fastest-growing markets for online cross-border sales according to ESW’s global consumer survey and client data:

From the article:

Despite the global impact of COVID-19, international online transactions nearly doubled year-over-year in 2020.

According to a new study from e-commerce technology/services provider eShopWorld (ESW), international online sales transacted on its platform rose 82% in 2020 from 2019 levels. ESW data indicates the Philippines was the fastest-growing markets for brands and retailers using its technology and services to sell internationally in 2020, with 258% year-over-year growth.

Rounding out the top 10 global markets for cross-border online sales were Morocco (+215%), Chile (+211%), Puerto Rico (+203%), Egypt (+196%), Luxembourg (+184%), Israel (+150%), Malta (+144%), Lithuania (+139%), and Ireland (+137%).

The full article can be found here.

ESW CEO Tommy Kelly is featured on Footwear News’ Ask An Expert, speaking about how to build a successful e-commerce cross-border business.

From the article:

The rate of change has never been greater — or faster — for the footwear industry, with new challenges popping up every day in nearly all corners of the business, from navigating cash crunches and supply chain issues to understanding the latest technological advances. In its “Ask An Expert” series, FN asks industry leaders — all solutions-based providers — to take on some of the most timely topics.

The need for multiple revenue channels became apparent in 2020, as many footwear businesses found themselves restricted in unexpected ways. Direct-to-consumer selling was the go-to choice, but there has also been significant interest in expanding geographical reach. Selling to an international audience creates significant revenue potential – but it comes with its own challenges. In order to successfully serve global markets and unlock that exponential growth, companies must approach each location individually and strategically.

Tommy Kelly, CEO of cross-border commerce platform eShopWorld, spoke to FN about the necessary considerations of selling internationally, the biggest market opportunities for footwear and why a global presence will be critical for future success.

FN: What are some of the variations in global markets that brands should consider if planning to expand their geographical reach?

Tommy Kelly: It’s a matter of local and cultural preferences. Simply put, people like to shop in different ways and brands can’t afford to take a one-size-fits-all approach to their global e-commerce efforts. In practice, this means adopting the services and technologies that make the online shopping experience feel local and familiar to each consumer. For example, in the US, shoppers are accustomed to having sales tax added at checkout. But in other countries, the norm is to have all charges and taxes included in the sticker price on the item. To sell effectively online, brands need to be able to calculate all applicable charges—which, of course, vary from country to country—and incorporate them into the price of a product.

Another example is payments. Shoppers in the Netherlands like to use an online payment system called iDeal; in some countries, credit cards are not widely used due to cultural imperatives. And buy now, pay later options are gaining traction, especially among younger global shoppers. Global commerce is complex and brands need a strong partner that can take on all of that complexity.

The full article can be found here.

ESW’s Product Strategy & Development Manager Dr Frauke Wolf writes in Total Retail about how the pandemic affected global e-commerce and predicts how it will be changed moving forward.

From the article:

As the world begins its slow pivot from managing the COVID-19 crisis to recovery and now the long awaited reopening of economies, it’s becoming clear that the period of lockdown will have a long-lasting and profound impact on the way global retailers sell and the way consumers shop. The customer journey — the path encompassing a consumer’s initial engagement with a brand through order fulfillment and beyond — has changed meaningfully. Nascent trends that were emerging have been fast-tracked and retailers have been forced to adopt them in order to meet their customers where they are, which is now less often in-store and more often online.

These changes provide significant opportunity for retailers that are nimble and can adapt to these new consumer behaviors, as well as those that have established an infrastructure that emphasizes convenience by optimizing global e-commerce.

The full article can be found here.

ESW CEO Tommy Kelly speaks to Sourcing Journal about the power of localization across shipping, opportunities for US brands to sell globally and much more.

In a recent profile on Sourcing Journal, ESW CEO Tommy Kelly discusses the pandemic’s effect on supply chains, the growth e-commerce has seen and how US brands can leverage the opportunity.

From the article: 

The roadblocks that the Covid-19 pandemic and tariff tensions have created throughout the apparel supply chain have been tough on U.S. apparel brands. But looking ahead to 2021, brands can ill afford to ignore the potential for global growth.

One cross-border e-commerce platform, EShopWorld, has been able to leverage the power of localization across shipping, payments, pricing and marketing to help retail partners see 49 percent year-over-year sales growth in November. Tommy Kelly, CEO of EShopWorld, attributes the company’s success during the pandemic to two key factors: it doesn’t work exclusively with one last mile carrier in any country that it operates in, and it offers a variety of delivery routes to each individual market.

The full article can be found here.

eShopWorld is honoured to be named as recipient of the Deloitte Fast 50 inaugural Alumni Award.

This new category was introduced in 2020 to complement the overall ranking of Ireland’s fastest growing tech companies recognised as part of the Deloitte Fast 50. The Alumni Award is designed to recognise a company that has played a major part in the Fast 50 Programme to date.  Having ranked in the number one spot for three consecutive years from 2015 to 2017, eShopworld is thrilled that our CEO Tommy Kelly has been named the inaugural Alumni Award winner.

Commenting, David Shanahan, Partner, Deloitte said: “Every year at the Fast 50 Awards, we celebrate the incredible innovation and entrepreneurship displayed by Irish tech companies and the immense contribution they make to our economy. Over the last 21 years, the Fast 50 has become the benchmark of success for Irish tech companies.”

This inaugural award recognises eShopWorld as a company that has played a major part in the Fast 50 Programme to date and has made an incredible impact on the international economy.

The Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Awards is one of Ireland’s foremost technology award programmes. It is a ranking of the country’s 50 fastest-growing technology companies based on revenue growth over the last four years, and this year marks 21 years of the programme celebrating innovation and entrepreneurship in Ireland’s indigenous technology sector.

 eShopWorld certified for its commitment to information security and privacy practices to protect corporate and customer data

November 2020 – eShopWorld (ESW), one of the world’s leading e-commerce companies, has been awarded the prestigious international gold standard ISO 27001 and ISO 27701 certification for security and privacy management. This is a significant milestone for eShopWorld, which is now the first global cross-border e-commerce business to obtain these certifications.

The award demonstrates ESW’s commitment to building a culture of security as ISO 27001, and the more recently developed ISO 27701, become the hallmark in information security management system (ISMS) certifications for multinational and Fortune 500 companies such as Microsoft, Verizon and Intel.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) provides world-class specifications for a vast range of products, materials, and processes. ESW was awarded the ISO 27001 and ISO 27701 certification for its development and implementation of security and privacy policy, and the deployment of effective internal security and privacy practices to protect company and customer data.

ISO 27001 specifies the requirements for establishing, implementing, and continually improving an information security management system within the context of the organisation. Where 27001 focused on security, ISO 27701 standard provides an overarching framework on Privacy Information Management Systems (PIMS), and is designed to ensure organisations have the robust processes and systems in place to manage and protect personal data.

Commenting Tommy Kelly, ESW CEO said:

“To date these gold standard accreditations have been the preserve of multi-billion global corporate behemoths like Microsoft and Intel. At ESW we are very proud to be the first global cross-border e-commerce business to obtain the certifications which provide reassurance and certainty that we operate to the very highest international standards.

“At ESW, keeping clients’ customer data safe and secure is our top priority.  The certification awards are testament to the efforts and commitment of our staff, placing ESW amongst a select group of organisations worldwide that have achieved both security and privacy (ISO 27001 and ISO 27701) standards”

For ESW, the ISO 27001 and ISO 27701 certifications demonstrate that as a company it has systems in place to protect corporate and consumer information and data, whether this is online or offline.

The awards follow a period of substantial growth for ESW which this year reported sales of over €543 million for 2019, and expects a near doubling of revenues to almost €1bn in 2020, following a post Covid-19 spike in e-commerce activity across all its major markets.

Cross-border e-commerce sales are forecast to gain 63 percent this holiday shopping season.

In a recent article by WWD, ESW forecasts a 63% increase in sales over the holiday season as the pandemic affects online shopping behavior globally.

From the article on WWD:

In its latest forecast, eShopWorld expects “same-store e-commerce sales” made through its cross-border platform to soar 63 percent year-over-year for the November-December period. The company said the jump follows a “significant sales increase in October as consumers shopped earlier for gifts.”

According to prior reports, retail analysts said more than 50 percent of consumers have made holiday-related purchases in the September and October period.

Tommy Kelly, chief executive officer of ESW, said the company saw “a 113 percent year-over-year increase in global online sales in October and we’re confident the end of the year will follow the same pattern.”

“Although consumers began their holiday shopping earlier this year, a predicted increase in sales throughout November and December suggests that the ‘typical’ holiday shopping season will be active, as always,” Kelly added. “We’ve already seen many countries enter a second phase of lockdown, so we can see that the massive shift to online shopping is here to stay.”

In a statement, ESW said with lockdown directives varying from market to market, “cross-border e-commerce sales have remained at record levels. Data from ESW indicates 56 percent and 70 percent year-over-year increases in November and December, respectively, as the upcoming peak trading period will be marked by unparalleled uncertainty.”

The full article can be found here.

TaylorMade Golf Company has partnered with eShopWorld (ESW) to support cross-border shopping in Europe and Mexico.

ESW will support local payments, checkout, delivery, and returns. The partnership will begin in Germany, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Ireland, and Mexico. Australia will be added by the end of the year.

“We’re committed to growing our customer base and making it simple for TaylorMade fans golfers worldwide to purchase our products,” said David Abeles, CEO and president of TaylorMade Golf Company.

“ESW is the perfect partner for us at a time when golfers in other parts of the world are showing an increased interest in using TaylorMade’s high-quality and technologically innovative products.”

“TaylorMade is an iconic American brand whose game-changing products have strong international appeal,” said Tommy Kelly, CEO of ESW. “We’re very excited to partner with the brand to ensure that its customers have a seamless, localized online shopping experience wherever they live.”

Sourcing Journal profiles ESW CEO Tommy Kelly who discusses what the fashion industry can learn from what’s happening in grocery and the benefit of globally diversified online channels.

From the original article on Sourcing Journal:

Up Close is Sourcing Journal’s regular check-in with industry executives to get their take on topics ranging from personal style to their company’s latest moves. In this Q&A, Tommy Kelly, CEO of cross-border e-commerce platform EShopWorld, discusses what fashion can learn from the digital innovations happening in food and the benefit of having globally diversified online channels.

Which other industry has the best handle on the supply chain? What can apparel learn?

The food industry has embraced the digital revolution with open arms and some really great innovation has sprung forth. The likes of Deliveroo and Uber Eats have used new technologies to improve the customer experience and match service level to demands. If you want to order a hot meal, you can have it at your door in 20 minutes. Of course, on the grocery side, companies have adopted different fulfillment and delivery strategies, but it’s hard not to be impressed by what Ocado have done with the level of automation and efficiency they have brought to the supply chain. There is learning in all of this for lots of verticals, including apparel.

What should be the apparel industry’s top priority now?

If I may, I think there are two. We conducted some research in the months after COVID, and it became quite obvious to us that brands whose online channels were geographically diversified bounced back much faster than those whose weren’t, in terms of their share price. We live in a global economy, with fast evolving market conditions. Those that had prepared to be in a position to push volume through their digital channels, to diverse geographies, were in a far better position to weather the storm, and even grow. This is not a matter of whether a brand should consider this strategy—it should be an existential priority.

Secondly, sustainability needs to be at the forefront of all brands’ thinking. Consumer sentiment is shifting, and more and more young people are making purchasing decisions based on a set of values that are important to them. Information flows quickly, so brands really need to be out in front of this issue if they want to win the hearts and minds of the younger generations.

The full article can be found here.

Two Senior Appointments Announced As Annualised Revenue Set To Double To €1 Billion

Wednesday, 7th October, 2020 – Global ecommerce provider eShopWorld (ESW) is pleased to announce it will recruit 160 new staff this year, more than double the 65 hires planned pre Covid. It also announces two senior additions to its senior management team as it scales up for a near doubling of revenues following a post Covid spike in ecommerce activity across all its major markets.

These announcements follow a period of substantial growth for ESW which recently reported sales of over €543 million in 2019 and significantly accelerated growth post-Covid restrictions. Headquartered in Swords ESW provides in-country cross-border ecommerce solutions allowing global brands and retailers to localise their online offering in up to 200 markets around the world.

Staff numbers:

160 new hires will take employment at ESW to over 480 staff by year end 2020, with annualised revenues approaching €1 billion. This compares with previously announced plans to reach 450 staff by year end 2021 and annualised revenues of €1billion over the coming years.  The company has already filled 120 roles, mainly across technology, finance, product and logistics and it is currently seeking to fill a further approximately 40 roles.  Over 80 per cent of its staff are attached to its HQ in Swords but most are currently remote working, a facility that is proving popular with returning emigrants.

New appointments:

Mark Kirschner, CMO

Mark Kirschner has been appointed to the newly created role of Chief Marketing Officer [CMO] and Cian Ó Cuinneagáin joins as Chief Product Officer [CPO]. Both have considerable senior management experience in ecommerce and cross-border optimization with technology and media companies.

Mark Kirschner has over 25 years’ experience in technology-led environments, driving growth through digital platforms. He joins eShopWorld from Albert.ai, the first-ever fully autonomous artificial intelligence marketing platform, where, as CMO he helped build and refine its global marketing infrastructure.  Prior CMO roles included: eBay Enterprise, a global provider of e-commerce marketing technology and agency services, and Rakuten, a global e-commerce marketplace.

Cian Ó Cuinneagáin CPO

Cian Ó Cuinneagáin joins as CPO with over 20 years’ experience within capital markets, ecommerce and the aviation industry. He joins from Retail inMotion, the Dublin-based technology solutions provider to leading airlines. In his role as Chief Information Officer, Cian led its growth focused Technology Division to tap into passenger insights & data from airlines to deliver enhanced commerce experiences and passenger engagement. Prior to that, Cian was co-founder of the online personal finance management solution, Juggle, and prior to that he was with the leader in Capital Markets software, Murex. He brings extensive experience across product, engineering, quality and client facing operations.

Commenting Tommy Kelly, ESW CEO said:

“At ESW we have been investing and scaling our business capability for this inevitable shift in consumer behaviour which has seen a step change post Covid.  Markets around the globe have already embraced the digital economy in areas like travel, hotels and banking – now clothing and accessory brands are following at pace.  The rapid scaling of our business and the bespoke nature of our services to global brands requires skilled staff and we are delighted to be adding 160 new colleagues to the team.

“Global brands also require sophisticated marketing and product capability and we are pleased to welcome Mark and Cian to lead in these critical areas.  Post-Covid, the demand for global ecommerce solutions has increased dramatically as brands seek a ‘direct to consumer’ solution, while consumers demand seamless access to the most popular global brands. Our new hires reflect the increasing scale of our business and our near-term aspiration to exceed €1 billion turnover.”

ESW is the world’s leading cross-border ecommerce enabling company, allowing global brands to localise their online offering in up to 200 markets around the world. The appointments come as ESW announces increased global turnover supported by continuing investment in its market leading ecommerce solution. ESW has offices in Ireland, the US, Singapore and employs over 480 staff, and is expected to reach 530 in 2021.

Sales data from eShopWorld reports luxury sales in July 2020 performed 43% higher than Christmas 2019

5th October, Dublin – International online sales of luxury goods increased by 170% year-on-year (YOY) in August and September, sales data from cross-border ecommerce leader, eShopWorld (ESW), has revealed, as brands on the platform pivot their selling strategies to bring the luxury experience online, and target non-domestic markets.

These increased sales figures follow a peak of activity in July when cross-border sales of luxury goods were 40% higher levels than in the lead up to Christmas 2019 – traditionally the strongest sales period in the calendar alongside the January sales.

With a reliance on in-store experience and exclusivity, luxury brands have often postponed investment in digital channels.  But, faced with the unexpected closures of brick-and-mortar stores coupled with changing customer demographics and newly adopted behaviours, experiential luxury is now facing a decrease of between 40 to 60%¹, and the personal luxury segment is predicted to drop between 25 to 45% compared to 2019².

With markets affected to different extents, and Europe and the Americas predicted to suffer the most, the pandemic has caused much of the luxury market to reprioritise digital, from better ecommerce experiences to showrooming, to online global Fashion Week events to maximise sales across a geographically diverse customer base. However, building the trust required to encourage luxury purchases online dictates the best way to reach and serve this demand is through localised shopping experiences where ecommerce customers in every geography feel as if they are receiving the same level of service and convenience they would enjoy if shopping at their local store.

Additionally, the influx of younger luxury shoppers, Millennials (1978 – 1992) and Gen Z (1993 – 2001) are predicted to make up 61% of the market by 2026³, makes understanding the mindset of this mobile-first, social-first generation a necessity.

Tommy Kelly, CEO of ESW, commented: “In the current climate, there is incredible opportunity for luxury beyond the traditional channels and markets, particularly as older shoppers have become more comfortable with online, while digital natives are, of course, already there.”

“While demand for experiential luxury is impacted due to Covid-19 restrictions, personal luxury shopping remains buoyant which is a very interesting shift for the sector.  For several years we have seen a focus on offering immersive and local experiences to drive an emotional connection with a brand, especially for younger consumers, but Covid-19 has reconfigured how this is delivered.  Our data shows forward thinking luxury brands that embrace the concept of localised commerce, making seamlessness and ease a key differentiator of the luxury shopping experience alongside the traditional tenets of quality, craftsmanship and heritage are seeing strong growth in sales.  The much-predicted shift to digital luxury is well underway.”

Luxury brands need to focus on recreating the personalised white glove experience discerning customers receive in-store, online, deploying those experiences across borders, as the balance of power between a brand’s retail flagship store and its online store shifts, with digital sales growing at a faster rate.

Kelly commented: “Luxury companies are having to accelerate their digital presence to compensate for the decrease in in-store shopping. To do so they need to create brand-owned online stores if they want greater control and wish to position their products according to their sales strategies, striking a balance between brand experience and the ease of finding products seamlessly.  This allows for the merging of the physical and digital worlds to create innovative retail experiences delivered with the seamless service consumers expect from luxury retailers.”

ESW is the largest cross-border ecommerce provider globally with the combined gross merchandise value transacted through its platform set to double in 2020 to nearly £1 billion.

Brands partnering with ESW can enter new international markets in as few as six weeks, up to six times faster than if they attempted to do so on their own – all while engaging directly with customers and retaining ownership of all the data collected during the shopping process.

1. 1. Altagamma/BCG
2. 2. Altagamma/BCG
3. 3. Boston Consulting Group

eShopWorld CEO Tommy Kelly explains why cross-border e-commerce is a wonderful opportunity for brands, both during the pandemic and into the future.

Tommy Kelly writes exclusively in Total Retail how US brands are finding growth and new customers in unexpected places. From the article on Total Retail:

If there has been one bright spot amid the retail gloom of the past few months, it’s cross-border e-commerce. The world watched in shock as companies that were heavily dependent on brick-and-mortar stores suffered during lockdowns. Even brands with strong e-commerce strategies experienced headwinds as unemployment and job insecurity drastically changed consumer behavior. However, U.S. brands that have been able to tap the right international markets during the pandemic have seen unprecedented growth in their cross-border digital sales. Even as retail stores across the U.S. begin to reopen, it’s important to heed the lessons from earlier this year.

The numbers have been impressive. Our recent data show that in the first two weeks of June, apparel sales by U.S. brands selling online to consumers in international markets grew a staggering 121 percent year-over-year. Footwear sales growth was even higher during the period, at 122 percent year-over-year. Overall, U.S. brands selling cross-border saw their digital sales rise by 106 percent in early June, according to our data.

The full article can be found here.