Opening an International E-Commerce Store Is Surprisingly Easy

08.05.2026

According to Refox Head of Ecommerce Bill Kåla, launching an international online store can be done with Refox quickly and cost-effectively.

Is opening an international online store a laborious and unrealistically expensive project? Refox's Bill Kåla dispels the common misconception that expanding an e-commerce store abroad requires significant investment, time, and resources.

The most common question from customers is: what does opening an international store actually take, and is it difficult?

— There are many things to consider, but getting started is surprisingly easy. The first step can simply be adding an English-language version of the store, Kåla says.

Kåla encourages companies of all sizes to enter international markets boldly and as early as possible.

— You can first add a language version to the store and open shipping to other countries without major marketing or content investments. From there you can develop the operation in stages based on the experience you gather, Kåla encourages.

Advanced technology and AI make going international easier

One of the most significant changes in e-commerce has been the development of technology. Going international is no longer a heavy and expensive project – in many respects it has become a process that can be automated.

AI in particular has changed the situation rapidly. Previously, the single biggest task in international expansion was translating content and product information. Now it can be done quickly and cost-effectively.

— Translating tens of thousands of products with AI is done in a flash, and the translations are surprisingly good, Bill Kåla says.

As an e-commerce platform, Refox scales internationally without expensive customisations. Multi-language support, multi-currency handling, and country-specific VAT rules are already built in.

Stores are often launched in Sweden or the Baltics

For Finnish companies, the first markets are often found close to home, according to Kåla.

— The most common direction is Sweden and the Baltics. Europe in general is an easy target because of similar regulation and currency.

At the same time, it's good to be aware that challenges almost always come up. They can relate, for example, to product sales restrictions, payment service requirements, or content localisation.

— There can be plenty of challenges, but they are almost always solvable, Kåla assures.

Refox supports you throughout the process

Although opening an online store in new markets is technically relatively easy and fast, success doesn't happen automatically. One of the most common misconceptions is the idea that international sales will pick up immediately after the store is opened.

— Many people think that when the store is launched, lots of visitors will come right away. But it takes action to make sure the store is found in the target country.

Refox doesn't just deliver a technical solution – it supports the customer throughout the process.

— The process starts with a scoping discussion in which we define together with the customer the key starting points: which markets do they want to expand into, and what does that require from a business point of view, Bill Kåla explains.

Once the basics are locked in, we move to implementation: new countries, the required languages and payment methods are added to the store, and the content is translated and localised to suit the target market – often largely automatically.

After that the store can be launched very quickly when needed. Refox keeps supporting the customer afterwards too, by developing the whole and optimising functions so that the conditions for international growth are in place.

Checklist: what to consider when going international with your store

Here are some of the most important things to consider when aiming for international markets:

• Target markets: which countries you go to and why
• Domain structure: do you expand the existing store or create a separate version
• Language and content: how products and content are localised for the target market
• Delivery methods: how products are shipped and what it costs the customer
• Payment methods: which payment methods are expected in the target market
• Currencies and pricing: which currency you sell in and how prices are presented
• Legislation and taxation: VAT, possible restrictions, and reporting obligations
• Technical integrations: payment providers, logistics, and other required systems
• Marketing and visibility: how customers find the store in the new market