International sales.
WHAT CHANGES
- Payment: Nigerian gateways may not suit international customers, and Stripe does not onboard Nigerian-registered businesses
- Shipping: cost, customs, timescales
- Returns: expensive and slow
- Currency: what you display and what you settle in
THE PAYMENT QUESTION
If international sales are substantial, this determines what is practical. Options include operating through a foreign entity, or using a gateway that supports international cards with Nigerian settlement.
Check current capability with the gateway directly.
SHIPPING
International shipping is expensive and slow. Under-estimating the cost loses money on every order.
Customers may be charged duty on arrival. Say so clearly, or expect refused deliveries.
WHAT SELLS INTERNATIONALLY
Digital products, which have none of these problems Items with high value relative to weight Things genuinely unavailable elsewhere
THE PRACTICAL ADVICE
Establish the domestic business first. Add international when there is demand and capacity to handle the complications.
For digital products, international selling is straightforward and worth considering early.
