PayPal has launched a new site aimed at helping small businesses looking to sell internationally, finding customers outside of Canada.
Earlier today, PayPal announced it was launching PassPort, a site meant to educate entrepreneurs on the best times to sell, peak seasons, different regional holidays, cultural taboos, and so on. There are also some more concrete tips on shipping products, figuring out currency exchanges, getting products through customers, and paying taxes. The idea is that by sharing these tips and tricks, PassPort will be able to help small businesses generate more sales outside of Canada and will encourage them to push into other markets.
As PayPal makes money from e-commerce, it’s not surprising that it wants to encourage small businesses to start selling overseas. However, its PassPort site did share some interesting insights.
For example, Nov. 11, or Singles Day in China, is one of the top days for online shopping all year round among Chinese consumers – something small businesses here in Canada may not be aware of. In a press release, PayPal also pointed to Japan’s Golden Week and Australia’s Click Frenzy as holidays where Canadian e-commerce businesses can get in on the action and make some sales.
And according to data from PayPal and Nielsen, Canadian companies may already have somewhat of a foothold when it comes to selling products overseas. Online shoppers from the U.S., the U.K., Germany, Australia, China, and Brazil spent a combined $6.4 billion on Canadian products in 2013 – and by 2018, that number is expected to jump 192 per cent, with sales rising to $12.8 billion in those markets.
Some of the most popular Canadian goods include fashion items, automotive parts, and website services, with Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal being the top Canadian cities for small businesses selling products online. However, Calgary is the top-ranked Canadian city for photography and gaming-related online sales.