According to JC Williams Retail Consulting, there are 10 key trends shaping the future versions of international Ecommerce:

1. The Market Opportunity: The Opportunity is Looming Larger. Size of the Prize Becoming Clearer.
2. Sales Cycles and Deal Flow: Sales cycles slightly shorter. Deal flow still slow, especially with bigger brands. Wins are often opportunistic.
3. Have it Your Way: More Flexible Business Models (e.g. Pricing) and Deployment Options Emerging.
4. Accurate landed costs and product harmonization becoming table stakes.
5. Cross-border technology commoditizing. Logistics becoming the battleground.
6. Driving down international shipping costs can mean NOT shipping with the domestic shipping integrators.
7. Although ahead on logistics, some Logistics companies need to “butter up on the technology.”
8. Lowering international shipping costs is not enough. Transparency and relevancewill help international shoppers cross the “trust chasm” and will boost conversion and revenue for retailers/brands.
9. As logistics become the battleground, international demand generation, marketing and customer management solutions will become today’s competitive differentiators — and tomorrow’s battleground
10. International expansion/cross-border e-commerce not the same ole song and dance. Hybrid models are emerging and in-country fulfillment is on the horizon. Companies need to be quick to adapt.