Introducing our G.R.O.W framework for international expansion

Navigating uncharted waters can be intimidating, but the effort needed to grow your business internationally is certainly worth the reward.

To make it as easy as possible for your brand to avoid the common pitfalls outlined in the previous section and successfully tap into the vast opportunities in international eCommerce, we have developed the G.R.O.W. framework—an actionable and comprehensive process designed to guarantee UK retailers overseas success.

Consider it your 4-step guide to getting international expansion right…

Introducing the G.R.O.W framework:

G – Gather Insights

R – Regionalise Strategy

O – Optimise Performance

W – Wrap-up Analysis

First up is how you can gather the insights you need before you take off overseas.

Gathering insights begins with identifying the untapped markets for your brand. These will be different for every business, so it’s vital you leverage everything in your arsenal — first-party data, sector reports, and third-party tools — to build a long list of markets with high potential. At Brave Bison, we use Google’s Market Explorer tool to evaluate potential markets and using a points-based system, rank these markets based on a range of metrics and criteria, mostly gleaned from Google internal data over the last four quarters, supplemented with data from the world bank. As an example, below we are looking at women’s clothing as a category, having selected 5 markets and 6 metrics.

We can drill into areas of high demand by comparing markets against Category Interest Per Capita and Category Interest Growth in a particular segment. This tool acts as a compass, guiding us towards markets poised for growth.

Metrics and criteria such as market size, consumer behaviour, and expected competition are meticulously weighed, creating a robust ranking system. This ensures a data-driven approach, eliminating guesswork and grounding decisions in tangible insights. We recommend grouping your markets by size (e.g. Revenue by Tier 1, 2 and 3) to provide more structure to your planning.

Download our latest playbook to dive into the 4 stage framework to help you navigate the complexities of international eCommerce while capitalising on the abundant opportunities in markets further afield.

As the digital realm continues to evolve, embracing the potential of international eCommerce is not just an option; it's a strategic imperative for the forward-thinking retailer.