The colours, vibrancy and festivities of the 2019 Brazilian Carnival are behind us. So, what does that mean? Now is a perfect time to prepare for next year’s edition of the event. How do you make the most of one of Brazil’s most-celebrated occasions? Keep reading to discover tips on localising, selling specific items and more.
Know the market
Selling your products on an international marketplace might work in Europe, but in Brazil it might not be so effective – a large part of which is due to high import taxes. Merchants can get around this by partnering with local manufacturers, which could also help with customer rapport since they’ll be more inclined to trust things made by familiar names.
Operating in the Portuguese language is also vital. Out of 88 countries in the EF English Proficiency Index, Brazil ranked 53rd in 2018 – falling from 41st the year before. Over two-thirds (70%) of Brazilians believe support in their native language is important, according to PR Week, while the same source also states that 16% of shoppers would switch brands if one had Portuguese help and another didn’t. With this in mind, merchants seeking to operate in this market should consider putting together local support teams and utilising translators.
Think about popular items
Costumes that are vibrant in colour are a good idea to sell – provided the quality is high. In addition to this, items such as the Brazilian flag – or anything draped in green, gold and blue – is also likely to be popular at this time of year.
Along with the items you’d expect to be popular, merchants who think outside the box will be able to maximise revenue opportunities. Flowers, for example, are a practical gift for many circumstances – such as house parties. Bearing in mind the festive atmosphere, alcohol – wine and champagne especially – are other good item ideas.
Payment types
Card payments, the credit variety in particular, are widespread in Brazil. Paying in instalments is also popular, with PagBrasil reporting that three-quarters of online transactions and stating that offering this payment method can improve sales conversions by a significant amount. With this in mind, it’s vital that merchants serving this market allow shoppers to pay via this method.
Prepaid card services are also an important service for Brazilian marketplaces, with AstroPay and SafetyPay just two of the most popular names in this part of the world. Considering that PPRO also reports 22% of Brazil’s eCommerce to be completed on a mobile device, offering ways to pay across more than one platform is another way that merchants can make the most of their online revenue opportunities.
To summarise…
Localisation is important wherever you go in the world, but this applies even more to protectionist nations such as Brazil. Developing a marketplace in Portuguese is imperative, since many customers won’t be comfortable reading or listening to English. Merchants that take this into consideration, partner with local manufacturers and adapt their payment offerings in accordance to the current climate will stand a great chance of success in this market.
At emerchantpay, we offer a range of alternative payment methods to help you adapt to each market and its demands. To find out more, please contact us.