We’ve discussed the shift towards mobile online shopping, which has experienced a surge in popularity over the last decade. Amazon’s mobile shopping app has been a key player in this trend, allowing customers to browse and purchase physical products, apps, games, music, and Kindle eBooks.
As the app has gained traction and popularity, Amazon released a new feature targeting international customers shopping for U.S. products. Brazil, China, Germany and Spanish-speaking markets are the focus, as Amazon has expanded the option to shop in English, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, German and Brazilian Portuguese.
The other update is the ability to make purchases in 25 different currencies.
Making the Amazon user experience more accessible for people around the world is a smart move, but may uncover new challenges for the company in Brazil. As Latin America’s largest economy with a population of over 200 million people, expansion into this market makes sense— however, logistics may complicate the process. Brazil is known for high import taxes and a bureaucratic customs system. This has stood in the way of Alibaba’s attempts at efficient imports into Brazil for years.