A Lesson in Complex Systems 

• Peter is the manager of Strategic Partnerships at BigCommerce and works to help solve the pain points of tax and cross-border 
• “Tax is one of the more complex issues that merchants have to work through when it comes to cross-border commerce.” -Peter
• Localization, offering the correct payment gateways, and fraud management are just a few things that will help make a seamless experience for your customers
• Shipping can be a big problem when it comes to cross-border. You need to look at having the right partnerships and you also have to consider how you are going to manage returns.
• “Returns is often overlooked as a really core component of eCommerce, but it's so important when you consider the cost to acquire a new customer versus retaining a customer and keeping a customer happy and coming back.” -Peter
• There’s a risk in that part of your experience as a brand operator is fractured and part is localized. 
• “If you just do a little bit of research, have your homework done and in place, and have the right partner stack, it's very doable and the opportunity becomes better every day as a lot of these markets continue to grow. So I wouldn't focus on the complexity. I would just get the right strategy in place, get the right partnerships in place to help you take advantage of the opportunity.” -Peter

Associated Links:

• Want to learn more about going cross-border? Download our free Step by Step guide!
• Get connected with Avalara!
• Learn more about Peter van der Westhizen and BigCommerce
• Listen to our other Step by Step seasons
• Find our other Future Commerce episodes on our website

Have any questions or comments about the show? Let us know on Futurecommerce.fm, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. We love hearing from our listeners!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.