You’re fooling yourself if you think just “adding countries” to your ad campaigns is enough.
I’ve watched hundreds of eCommerce business owners panic when Trump tariffs hit. They scramble for alternative markets as if it’s some magical solution.
But the harsh truth is: there is no magic bullet.
A Story About a Friend
Last week, a friend called me in panic mode. His revenue from the US market dropped 40% in just one month.
“I’m going to pivot to selling in Australia, Canada, and Europe,” he said with a shaky voice. “Just need to add those countries to my Facebook ad campaigns.”
I paused before responding: “And you think that’s going to work?”
The Market Diversification Illusion
Market diversification isn’t about hitting an “add country” button in Facebook Ads.
This is one of the most dangerous illusions I see eCommerce business owners embracing.
Imagine an American wanting to sell in Vietnam. They translate their website using Google Translate, run ads in Vietnamese created by ChatGPT, and only accept credit card or PayPal payments.
How successful do you think they’d be?
Every market has its unique characteristics:
Preferred payment methods
Shipping expectations
Consumer culture
Marketing approaches
The Painful Truth About the US Market
The US market isn’t the primary target for global eCommerce businesses by accident.
Americans spend more, more easily, and with less hesitation than most other markets.
A customer in the US might purchase a $97 product after watching a 30-second ad. Try doing the same in Europe or Australia.
I’m not saying you can’t succeed in other markets. I’m saying you can’t expect similar results with the same strategy.
The Right Approach
If you truly want to diversify markets, do it this way:
Choose ONE market to focus on – not five or ten
Research thoroughly about culture, shopping behaviors, popular payment gateways
Build backend & frontend systems optimized specifically for that market
Adjust your marketing messaging to suit your new target audience
This isn’t a one-day job. It’s a comprehensive transformation process.
Lessons from the Successful
Businesses that successfully expand to new markets never treat it as a “Plan B” or “temporary solution.”
They treat each new market as an entirely new business.
Gymshark didn’t simply add Germany to their ad campaigns. They hired German speakers, researched the German market, and built a Germany-specific strategy.
The Truth Nobody Wants to Hear
No market is as easy as the US market.
You can build a successful business in Australia, Canada, UK, or EU. But don’t expect it to be as easy or at the same scale.
Instead of trying to find “the next US market,” focus on building a business that truly fits the new market.
A Question for You
Are you really ready to rebuild your business from the ground up for a new market? Or are you just looking for a quick fix to offset lost revenue?
Your answer will determine whether your market diversification strategy succeeds or fails.
Hau from hbizinsights.com contact@hbizinsights.com
