Multilingual Ecommerce: The Key to Global Online Success

In today’s global market, multilingual ecommerce is no longer optional, it’s a strategic imperative. This term refers to operating an ecommerce website in multiple languages so that customers from different regions can shop in their native tongue. 

With global online sales surpassing $5 trillion in 2022 and projected to reach $7 trillion in 2025, retailers must cater to a global audience. A multilingual online store enables you to tap into international ecommerce markets and improve the shopping experience for non-English speakers. 

In fact, English-only websites reach less than 25% of internet users worldwide​. Leading ecommerce platforms like BigCommerce, Shopify, and WooCommerce recognise this need and offer solutions for multi-language stores​. 

In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of multilingual ecommerce, how to implement it step by step, best practises for localisation and SEO optimisation, common challenges and solutions, and how platforms like BigCommerce support building a successful international ecommerce presence.

Benefits of multilingual ecommerce

Investing in a multilingual ecommerce strategy offers several compelling benefits. It helps you reach new markets, improves the customer experience (leading to higher conversions), and boosts your SEO performance. Below, we break down each of these benefits in more detail:

Global reach and revenue growth.

One of the biggest advantages of a multilingual ecommerce site is the ability to expand your global reach and tap into new markets. By breaking the language barrier, you can convert international visitors into customers. 

The majority of the world’s online shoppers prefer to buy from sites in their own language, and many of the fastest-growing ecommerce markets are non-English-speaking. For example, 9 out of 10 internet users will choose a website in their native language if available​. Likewise, many of the top countries for frequent online shopping — including Thailand, South Korea, and Turkey — primarily speak languages other than English​. 

By offering multiple languages, an online store can engage these shoppers and potentially double or triple its revenue from international ecommerce sales. In fact, cross-border commerce can generate up to 200% more revenue compared to domestic-only selling. Simply put, a multi-language site unlocks a much larger customer base and positions your brand for global growth.

Improved customer satisfaction and conversion rates.

Providing content in a shopper’s native language dramatically improves their comfort and trust in your site, leading to higher satisfaction and better conversion rates. 

Consumers are far more likely to purchase when they fully understand product details, pricing, and the checkout process. Research supports this: 75% of online shoppers prefer to buy products with information in their own language, and 59% of non-English speaking consumers rarely or never purchase from English-only sites. 

Even if they can navigate an English site, many customers feel more confident ordering in their first language. This trust directly impacts your bottom line. According to a Weglot case study, one client saw a twofold increase in conversion rates after adding 12 languages to its site. 

Shoppers spend more time on sites that feel familiar and tailored to them, and they’re less likely to abandon their carts due to uncertainty. In short, a multilingual approach boosts customer satisfaction by making people feel understood — and satisfied customers are more likely to complete purchases and become repeat buyers.

SEO advantages and greater visibility.

A multilingual online store isn’t just good for users — it’s also great for your search visibility. Offering content in different languages gives you a significant search engine optimisation (SEO) edge in international markets. 

Search engines like Google favor websites that serve users with relevant local content. By translating your site, you can create localised pages that rank for foreign-language keywords, helping you show up in search engines across multiple regions. 

Each language version of your site can be indexed separately, increasing your overall search footprint. Best practises like using hreflang tags — which tell Google which page to serve based on a user's language and region — help ensure the appropriate audience sees the correct language version, improving click-through rates. 

You can also optimise metadata and keywords for each locale, further boosting performance in local search results. The payoff can be substantial: businesses that translate their landing pages and ads can expect to see up to a 20% increase in conversions. In essence, multilingual ecommerce improves SEO by increasing relevance and accessibility — helping you capture search demand you might otherwise miss. More visibility in global markets means more potential customers discovering your business.

Step-by-step guide to implementing a multilingual ecommerce site

Building a multilingual ecommerce website may seem complex, but breaking it down into clear steps can simplify the process. Here is a step-by-step guide to implementing a multilingual online store:

1. Research and plan your global markets: Before going multilingual, identify the most promising markets by analysing web traffic, customer enquiries, and market research. Focus on a few key languages first — typically those spoken by your largest foreign customer base — for the best ROI. Beyond language, consider cultural preferences, local demand, shipping logistics, customer support capabilities, and regulatory requirements. A well-researched approach ensures a smoother expansion and maximises your global growth potential.

2. Select the right multilingual solution: Choose an ecommerce platform that supports multi-language functionality. With BigCommerce, for example, you can leverage its Multi-Storefront feature or third-party translation apps to manage multiple languages. If your platform lacks built-in multilingual support, consider solutions like Weglot, ConveyThis, or Localize, which overlay translated content onto your site. Decide early whether to use a single storefront with a language switcher or separate storefronts and domains for each language, as this impacts your setup and SEO strategy. The right solution should align with your budget, technical needs, and growth plans.

3. Structure your multilingual site for success: Plan how users will access different language versions of your site. Common approaches include:

• Subdirectories (e.g., yoursite.com/es/ for Spanish): Easy to manage under one domain.

• Subdomains (e.g., es.yoursite.com): Can help with organisation and some geo-targeting.

• Country-code domains (e.g., yourstore.fr, yourstore.de): Strong for geo-targeting but requires more management.

Each method has pros and cons, so choose based on your SEO goals and resources. Ensure your platform is set up correctly to support your chosen structure.

4. Translate and localise your content: High-quality translation is essential for a seamless multilingual experience. Choose human translation for accuracy, machine translation for speed and cost savings, or a hybrid approach that uses machine translation for bulk content and professional review for high-impact pages like product descriptions and checkout instructions. Localisation goes beyond words:

• Adapt imagery, colours, and cultural references for each audience.

• Adjust date formats, units of measure, and address fields to match local conventions.

• Display prices in the correct currency (e.g., Euros for France, Yen for Japan) and include relevant tax and shipping information.

Providing a fully localised experience ensures customers feel comfortable and confident shopping on your site.

5. Optimise SEO for each language version: After translating your content, ensure each language page is properly optimised for search engines:

• Use hreflang tags to indicate language and country targeting, preventing duplicate content issues and ensuring users land on the correct version.

• Create unique meta titles and descriptions in each language with localised keywords to match regional search behaviour.

• Translate alt text for images to improve accessibility and SEO.

• Set up geo-targeting in Google Search Console if you’re using separate domains or subdomains.

• Submit sitemaps for each language to speed up indexing.

These steps help each translated page rank effectively and attract organic traffic in its respective market.

6. Implement and test the user experience: Once your multilingual content is live, thoroughly test the entire customer journey in each language:

• Browse categories, product pages, and checkout as a local shopper would.

• Check for untranslated text and ensure all elements are properly localised.

• Verify currency conversion and confirm local payment methods function correctly.

• Ensure accurate tax and shipping options for each region.

• Have native speakers review the site to catch awkward phrasing or cultural misalignments.

Usability testing in each language ensures a seamless, trustworthy shopping experience

7. Maintain and update regularly: A multilingual ecommerce site requires ongoing updates to stay effective.

• Keep all language versions in sync when updating products, adding pages, or running promotions. Use translation management software or CMS tools to streamline updates.

• Schedule regular audits to refresh translations and ensure accuracy.

• Monitor analytics by locale to track performance and identify areas for improvement.

• Act on customer feedback, refining translations or site elements based on user insights.

Proactive maintenance ensures a consistent high-quality shopping experience across all languages, keeping your global audience engaged.

By following these steps, you can methodically build a multi-language ecommerce site that is well-structured, well-translated, and optimised for global success.

Best practises for multilingual ecommerce success

Implementing multiple languages involves more than just translation. The following best practises will help you maximise the effectiveness of your multilingual ecommerce strategy, ensuring quality and optimisation at every level:

• Use quality translation and proofreading: Accurate translations build trust and clarity. While machine translation (MT) speeds up the process, always have a human review critical content like product descriptions and marketing copy to refine tone and accuracy. Native speakers or professional translators help capture nuances, especially with idioms and humour. If using MT, take a hybrid approach: automated translation for efficiency, followed by human editing for polish. Maintain a glossary of key terms to ensure consistency across all pages. Investing in quality translation improves the customer experience and prevents misunderstandings.

• Fully localise the experience: A truly localised ecommerce site adapts to more than just language. Display prices in local currency with relevant taxes, adjust date and time formats, and use region-appropriate measurement units. Consider cultural preferences in imagery and colour schemes to avoid unintended connotations. Offer locally preferred payment and shipping methods, like Alipay for China or Klarna for Europe, and ensure the checkout supports local address and phone number formats. By making your site feel native to each market, you reduce friction, enhance trust, and improve conversions.

• Implement multilingual SEO best practises: Optimising your multilingual ecommerce site ensures you attract organic traffic from different regions. Use hreflang tags correctly on all alternate language pages and structure URLs logically by language or country. Maintain consistent navigation across versions for both users and search engines. Instead of direct translations, conduct keyword research for each language to match local search behaviour, then integrate those terms into titles, headings, and content. Regularly monitor Google Search Console for indexing issues or hreflang errors. A strong multilingual SEO strategy maximises your site’s visibility and return on translation efforts.

• Optimise the checkout process for every language: A well-localised checkout boosts conversions by building trust. Translate every step, including cart summaries, form labels, error messages, and order confirmations. Leaving any part untranslated can disrupt the experience. Ensure the checkout adapts to local input requirements, like address formats and region-specific dropdowns. If serving multiple countries, use IP detection or self-selection to tailor shipping options and costs. Clearly display prices in the correct currency with any conversion fees or taxes upfront. Offer FAQs or support in the local language to assist with issues. A smooth, fully localised checkout reassures customers and increases completed purchases.

• Maintain consistency and central management: Managing multilingual content centrally ensures consistency and makes scaling easier. Use a translation management system or a structured process to track updates across languages, so product changes and promotions stay aligned. Provide translators with brand guidelines to maintain a uniform tone and reinforce credibility. Monitor analytics by language, high bounce rates may signal translation issues or cultural mismatches that need fixing. Treat your multilingual site as a cohesive entity rather than separate silos to maintain quality and streamline management efficiently.

By following these best practises, you’ll create a multilingual ecommerce experience that is both user-friendly and effective at converting visitors across all your target markets.

Challenges and solutions in managing multilingual ecommerce

Running a multilingual online store comes with its share of challenges. Awareness of these potential pitfalls is the first step; the next is implementing smart solutions to overcome them. Here are some common challenges of multilingual ecommerce and how to deal with them:

• Managing multilingual content efficiently: Keeping multiple language versions updated can quickly become overwhelming. Every product update, price change, or marketing tweak needs to be replicated across all versions. To streamline this process, use platforms with built-in synchronisation features or translation management tools that track completed and pending translations. Even a simple spreadsheet or project management board can help keep things organised. Regularly scheduled content updates also ensure translations stay current. By making translation an ongoing process rather than an afterthought, you can maintain consistency across all languages with less effort.

• Translation quality and consistency: Inconsistent or inaccurate translations can confuse customers and weaken your brand message, especially if you're using a mix of human and machine translation. To maintain quality, establish a style guide and glossary to keep terminology consistent across all languages. Translation memory tools can help by recalling previously translated phrases. Always have a native speaker or proofreader review critical pages, and encourage customer feedback to catch awkward phrasing. Over time, building a trusted translation team or partnering with a reliable agency ensures accuracy and strengthens your brand’s global presence.

• SEO and technical complexities: Poor implementation can lead to SEO issues, like search engines indexing the wrong language for a region or flagging duplicate content. To avoid this, use hreflang tags correctly to signal language and regional targeting. Ensure each language has a dedicated URL, don’t mix languages on one page. If using subdomains or separate domains, link them properly and host them in reliable environments. Regularly audit your site for broken links, missing tags, or indexing issues using tools like Google Search Console. Also, optimise site speed for global users with a CDN to improve SEO and user experience. Staying proactive with these technical elements helps prevent ranking and performance problems.

• Resource and cost constraints: Supporting multiple languages can be resource-intensive, but you don’t have to launch everything at once. Start with one high-potential language and expand gradually based on ROI. Use machine translation for cost savings, supplemented by human editing for accuracy. If you have an engaged international audience, consider community-sourced translations. To streamline maintenance, a centralised multi-storefront solution is more efficient than managing separate sites. With a phased approach and cost-effective tools, even small businesses can build a strong multilingual presence without overwhelming their budget.

• Customer support in multiple languages: A multilingual site can lead to customer enquiries in various languages, which may be challenging to manage. Plan ahead by hiring bilingual support staff or outsourcing to agencies that offer multi-language support. If that’s not feasible, use translation tools integrated into helpdesk platforms and prepare response templates for common questions. A detailed FAQ or knowledge base in multiple languages can also reduce support requests. Clearly communicate which languages your support team covers so customers know what to expect. With the right strategy, you can provide effective multilingual support without overextending resources.

By proactively addressing these challenges with the right strategies, you can turn multilingual ecommerce into a powerful asset — attracting more customers and driving sales without added complexity. With the right tools and processes in place, you can streamline operations, maintain consistency, and ensure your global expansion is both manageable and successful.

How BigCommerce supports multilingual ecommerce

BigCommerce offers powerful multilingual ecommerce capabilities, making it easier to sell across different regions. Its Multi-Storefront feature allows merchants to manage multiple language-specific or regional storefronts from a single BigCommerce account, each with unique domains, branding, currencies, and product catalogues. This setup provides a native experience for each market while centralising operations — like inventory and order management.

Key multilingual features include:

• Multi-storefront support: Run multiple language-based storefronts while managing everything from one backend.

• Full localisation: Customise languages, currencies, tax and shipping settings, and product catalogues per storefront.

• API-driven flexibility: Use APIs to integrate local payment gateways, translation services, or region-specific features.

• Translation plugins: Connect with tools like Weglot and Lokalise for automatic and manual translations.

• Multi-currency and payment options: Display prices in local currencies with real-time conversion and accept region-specific payment methods.

These features enable merchants to scale multilingual ecommerce efficiently without managing entirely separate websites. BigCommerce provides a streamlined, flexible, and scalable solution for global expansion, making it an excellent choice for businesses looking to localise their online stores.

The final word

Multilingual ecommerce is no longer optional, it’s a powerful strategy for businesses looking to expand globally. 

Consumers prefer shopping in their own language, and companies that invest in localisation gain a competitive edge, improve customer trust, and boost conversion rates. While launching a multi-language store requires effort, modern tools like BigCommerce’s Multi-Storefront, translation apps, and automation solutions make it easier than ever to manage multilingual content at scale. 

By prioritising quality translation, localisation, SEO optimisation, and continuous updates, businesses can create a seamless shopping experience that resonates across markets. Whether you're testing one new region or scaling worldwide, embracing multilingual ecommerce is a proven way to drive growth, increase loyalty, and break language barriers in the global digital economy.

FAQs about multilingual ecommerce