While US-based retail sales recoil amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, new data revealed by eShopWorld, the world’s leading cross-border commerce company, found that US brands are seeing significant global eCommerce growth when quickly tapping new markets outside the US. Driven by apparel, footwear and sporting equipment, US brands saw the highest volume growth in April in Israel (up 178%), Ireland (up 173%) and New Zealand (up 168%) when compared to the same period last year.
The data also shed light on the swiftness with which the pandemic can impact demand across global markets. Early May sales reflect significant spikes in order volume in Mexico (up 258%), Chile (up 242%) and Singapore (up 214%) when compared to May 2019. At the same time, consistency was evident across categories, with apparel, footwear and sporting equipment the top three drivers of international eCommerce growth year-over-year in both April as well as early May. Demand for apparel, in particular, rose with a 98.4 percent increase in orders in April compared to last year, and a 118.5 percent increase in early May compared to the same period last year.
“In a pandemic world, US retail brands need to be agile and able to move quickly to find and meet demand, and right now there is incredible opportunity beyond domestic channels, particularly for apparel,” said Tommy Kelly, CEO of eShopWorld. “As consumers around the globe turn to eCommerce in lieu of being able to go in-store, our data show that US brands that are able to move quickly to deliver a localized eCommerce experience are seeing 300%–400% growth in sales. The data also show that a market that was hot one month may be outshone the following month, as the regional effects of the pandemic influence consumer behaviors. Now more than ever, US retail brands must shift on a dime, be ready to enter new markets where demand is bubbling up and quickly establish relationships with new customers in each market to create long term advantage.”
