The United States has approximately 300 million people which is about 20 times less than the entire world. This means that if online US merchants follow Adobe, and sell their products or services to the rest of the world as well, they would be able to increase the number of their customers about 20 times which is equal to two thousand percent ! (Calculation: twice as big = 200 percent. Twenty times = 10 times 200 percent = 2000 percent. Reversed: 2000: 20 = 100 percent).

Popularity.

US websites are becoming increasingly popular in Europe. Reason is the ongoing globalization, the rise of Internet traffic in Europe, and the advanced Internet culture in the United States. A good example is the American company Adobe Systems , which is currently one of the most popular sites among Europeans seeking software. Adobe allows its European customers to pay in cash through the use of the credit card conversion company HappyBuyer. But for most American online stores there is a huge problem.

The Obstacle.

Most online stores located in the USA, are unable to create a large volume of international sales as Adobe did. This is because their payment options are not suitable for Europe. The online payment system in Europe differs greatly from the United States. Most online payments in Europe are supported by a network of banks supporting specific systems like the so-called "iDeal system" in the Netherlands or special systems for payment on delivery. Other European countries have similar systems. In addition about 75 percent of Western Europeans have no credit card. In Eastern Europe, the number of people without a credit card is even higher: about 95 percent. Accepting cash on a site would immediately solve the two above problems. This can be done free of charge by the new web site "Happy Buyer" which allows consumers to pay cash to the new company through Western Union or MoneyGram. Subsequently Happybuyer pays the seller online by credit card.

The English language.

When foreigners hear US residents speak English, they often have the problem of really understanding what is being said. If the same foreigners speak English themselves, it is basically a limited version of the English language and writing good English is difficult for them too. But reading English is a total different game: 85 percent of the world population has no problem whatsoever in reading and understanding websites written in English. So regarding English as an obstacle to selling to the rest of the world is a wrong conclusion. What US merchants should add in their websites are not international languages, but a simple and free cash payment option.

The Proof.

After the launch and promotion in Europe of Happy Buyer's ADOBE page that allows customers to order online without a credit card or bank account, Adobe Systems increased its European customer base by more than two thousand percent within a few months.

Resources:

News: Pr-inside.com
News: Medianewsline.com
News: Sunstar.com.ph

Author's Bio:

Dick Detering is an experienced web developer, business entrepreneur, Internet marketing specialist, SEO and (online) writer. He has written numerous articles related to business and the Internet in newspapers, magazines, article and news websites in both the English and Dutch language. The author who is from the Netherlands moved to the Philippines in 1999 where he still lives. From 1991 - 1999 he was successfully involved in the (offline) insurance business as an independent broker. The brokerage was sold in 1999. He entered the "online world" in 2000 and has since then launched several unique businesses/websites among which a reputable online Medical Tourism Agency that was sold in 2007. In June 2007 he launched the newest service on the Internet: Happy Buyer, a company that allows consumers to pay with cash for online products and services.