The future of international ecommerce

The way most industry leaders think about international ecommerce has radically changed over the last few years, primarily because of the emergence and widespread availability of AI tools.

However, automation isn’t the only technology shaping the industry. Various other technologies are impacting consumer behavior and the quality of the shopping experience that online businesses can offer.

A DHL study revealed that 59% of shoppers purchase items from retailers outside their home country worldwide.

This figure indicates a considerable shift in consumer behavior over the last decade, since 35% of shoppers searched for products outside their domestic digital markets in 2015.

Although countless factors can affect how international online marketplaces will change in the next ten years, long-term predictions suggest their steady growth.

Let’s start our discussion about the future of international ecommerce by examining its current state.

Ecommerce in 2025: The current state of things

The ecommerce market is expected to generate $6.56 trillion in sales in 2025, growing by 7.8% from the previous year.

Furthermore, Turkey, Brazil, India, and Argentina are among the most rapidly growing ecommerce markets with compound annual growth rates (CAGR) projected to exceed 10% between 2024 and 2029.

These statistics show that online retailers have much to gain by expanding their business beyond their domestic markets.

Even though the number of active sellers on online marketplaces like Amazon and eBay has shrunk over the last couple of years, this trend doesn’t reflect their decline, but a shift in focus toward reputable sellers dedicated to providing an outstanding shopping experience to consumers worldwide.

Consequently, establishing a presence in their domestic marketplaces is getting more challenging for newcomers to eBay, Amazon, and similar platforms, as most niches are highly saturated.

The same applies to sellers who want to expand beyond their domestic markets. They face fierce competition in mature markets like the US and rapidly developing markets like Turkey or Brazil.

Localization and marketplace expansion solutions like Webinterpret have become essential for sellers because their success in the US or other attractive markets often depends on how effectively they localize their product listings.

The role of localization in shaping the future of online marketplaces

Cross-border ecommerce is immensely popular, as a study conducted by DHL at the start of 2025 shows that over 30% of online shoppers buy items from retailers in other countries monthly.

That’s why it’s hardly a surprise that a considerable portion of sellers in online marketplaces offer their products in at least one additional marketplace besides their domestic market.

As a result, localization is already a pillar of international ecommerce, enabling sellers to expand the reach of their products and increase their revenues.

Marketplace expansion challenges range from accurate listing translations and optimization for search engines in different languages to legal and logistical hurdles.

eBay sellers planning expansion into new marketplaces can benefit from dedicated localization solutions like Webinterpret that automatically translate product listings into the market’s language, convert prices and item sizes, and optimize listings for eBay’s algorithm in different languages.

These marketplace solutions reduce the time sellers need to start selling in a new country by automating listing translation and ensuring each listing is adjusted to consumers in their target market.

Localization will continue to be a critical element of ecommerce in the future as new technologies that simplify and reduce the cost of marketplace expansion emerge.

The key sources of innovation in the ecommerce industry

The widespread use of the internet, the popularity of smartphones, and the meteoric rise of AI have made it possible for shoppers worldwide to buy products from the comfort of their homes.

Technology remains the key source of innovation in the ecommerce industry after several decades of near-constant growth.

Besides Artificial Intelligence, which has already changed the ecommerce sector, Augmented Reality, Blockchain, and the Internet of Things are poised to transform this sector in the coming years.

Implementing these technologies into the daily routines of digital merchants and consumers is well underway, as eBay and Amazon offer AR view features to their users, although in a limited capacity.

A likely scenario for the future of ecommerce is that AI, AR, blockchain, and other emerging technologies will:

Make online shopping safer for consumers by providing a more robust payment protection process.
Enable shoppers to try products virtually and prevent high return rates.
Considerably reduce sellers’ logistics, localization, and other costs when offering products on multiple marketplaces.
Encourage sellers to enter new marketplaces without fear of localization.

Furthermore, online marketplaces embrace blockchain technology to help businesses optimize their supply chains and create more efficient loyalty programs.

These technologies will shape online marketplaces in the future and will undoubtedly play a crucial role in how online retailers interact with their customers, as it is already apparent that they are transforming some of the key aspects of international ecommerce.

Preparing for the online marketplaces of tomorrow

The AI revolution has caught many online sellers off guard.

As it swept through the ecommerce world, it transformed localization, inventory management, customer service, and other vital aspects of the industry.

That’s why early AI adopters gained a significant competitive advantage over sellers who hesitated to implement AI tools into their daily processes.

Other emerging technologies like blockchain, AR, or even drones might do the same in the not-so-distant future.

So, to remain competitive and secure the long-term stability of their business, sellers should explore ways to use these technologies to increase their revenue while providing a safer and seamless shopping experience for their customers.