When developing a business in a new market, many marketers understand the importance of translation and the intricacies and nuances of different languages. However, simply translating a website or marketing strategy into a target language is not enough.
Each market has a unique culture which influences everything from consumer buying power and behaviour to the role of family and beliefs.
So, keep reading as we delve into these topics exploring buyer behaviour variation across cultures and arming your business with strategies to leverage this knowledge.
What is culture and why does it matter?
Research shows that culture shapes wants, needs and a group’s behaviours. Culture influences everything from class, sub-cultures, language, family, religion, beliefs, values and more.
Culture is defined by Merriam Webster as: “The customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group” and “the characteristic features of everyday existence (such as diversions or a way of life) shared by people in a place or time.”
In short, culture is a set of shared beliefs between a group of people. It influences how consumers behave, including their buying habits, for instance, whether they are more comfortable buying in an online or offline environment.
Are some cultures resistant to shopping online?
When expanding your business abroad it is important to optimise your buying experience for international shoppers. The consumer behaviour you may take for granted in your home market may not be evident in a new target market.
If you neglect to incorporate the cultural diversity of buyer behaviour into your sales and marketing plan, you may lose potential sales and alienate buyers who become frustrated with your platform. There are many factors at play – trust in eCommerce payment platforms, seasonality, colour theory, internet literacy and more which must be considered to create an environment that potential customers are comfortable with.
Data is a big issue also. The degree to which consumers feel comfortable sharing their personal data varies across borders. Making consumers feel safe when entering their data online is paramount because failure to do so, especially when relating to online payments, can lead to lost orders.
Research reveals that 57 per cent of Europeans feel uneasy about the security of their data. Symantec data shows that among Europeans, the Spanish are most reticent when it comes to sharing their personal data online with 78 per cent of respondents saying they felt insecure when sharing their data online. Germans came second in the list of European countries demonstrating caution about sharing their data, with 62 per cent expressing discomfort at sharing. Respondents from the UK were more comfortable, less than half of those surveyed expressed caution about sharing data.
How do cultural attitudes to online payment methods vary?
As we mentioned, Germans show low trust levels when it comes to sharing their personal data and this extends to online payments. It is clear that brands need to pay special attention to allay the security concerns of people in Germany. If you are establishing an eCommerce website in Germany, you will need to consider any actions you can take to overcome the reluctance to buy online.
Carefully consider the payment options you offer online. Debit and credit cards are the most popular payment options in the majority of countries. However, in Germany invoices are a common form of payment.
The wider point is that it pays to do your research. Don’t assume that common payment methods in one country will be popular in another. Do your research to determine which payment methods are popular in any new market you are looking to enter.
Popular payment methods in different countries:
- Australia – direct debits.
- Germany – invoices.
- Italy – PayPal.
- The Netherlands – IDEAL – an inter-banking system.
Online isn’t always king
A December 2021 survey of 3,300 US consumers found that grocery shopping was mainly carried out in-store, with 86.6 per cent of consumers preferring to visit a physical grocery store compared to 13.4 per cent of consumers choosing to order online.
Meanwhile, in the UK, Tesco experienced a growth of 150 per cent year-on-year to 2020, while Amazon Fresh grew by 55 per cent from the previous year.
But why are US shoppers less inclined to buy their groceries online compared to UK buyers? The answer may be as simple as geography. The UK is much more densely populated than the US, with a higher proportion of the population living in urban centres compared to the US where the population is much more spread out. This means that delivery companies simply have greater distances to travel in the US compared to the UK and other European countries. Moreover, the convenience of click-and-collect delivery is more prevalent in Europe which means consumers do not have to be at home to accept delivery when shopping online.
Role of family vs individual
The role of the family has altered somewhat in the UK in the last few decades. The idea of the nuclear family has dissipated with rising divorce rates, single-parent families and same-sex parents. However, different countries’ social makeups vary. Familial influence varies across cultures. For instance, in Mexico young people are more likely to defer to family members when making purchases. Keillor, Parker and Schaffer, 1996 found that adolescents in Mexico seek parental advice when considering the purchase of clothes, confectionary and more.
Moreover, Mexican youth are more likely to respond positively to adverts featuring parental figures. This differs from Western cultures, where the youth are seen as more independent-minded and keen to set their agendas.
In Asian cultures, family is also considered important when it comes to buying behaviour, and the pooling of family finances is more common as adult children live with family longer than in the West.
Cultural awareness is our speciality
Last month, we wrote about how personality types vary from country to country. This backs up the point we have emphasised throughout this article, which is that language is not the only differentiator between countries and markets. Culture has a large part to play, influencing everything in society including buyer behaviour.
Overlook cultural differences and preferences at your peril. Fortunately, our translators are experts when it comes to understanding the local culture of your market, as they are immersed in your target country. We also ensure our translators are subject matter experts. So, get in touch with us today for a quick quote and our dedicated project managers will select a translator to suit your requirements. Check out our translation services to learn more.
