Cross-border sales on online marketplaces have accelerated over the last five years.
In 2025, roughly 70% of consumers worldwide who frequently shop online reported purchasing products from retailers outside their domestic markets.
At the same time, 76% of shoppers worldwide state that they prefer buying items with product information presented in their native language, even if the seller is located in another country.
These statistics make it clear why ecommerce localization is a key driver of success on online marketplaces, and why sellers on eBay and other online marketplaces considering expansion beyond their domestic markets cannot afford to overlook localization.
Still, the benefits of localization go far beyond making product listings accessible to a broader audience. Let’s look at some of the most essential reasons sellers on online marketplaces should invest in ecommerce localization in 2026.
Unlocking marketplace expansion through ecommerce localization
eBay had 134 million active buyers as of the third quarter of 2025.
Although the majority of the platform’s users are based in the US, eBay attracts millions of shoppers daily across the UK, Germany, Australia, Spain, and other major markets.
Each of these eBay markets offers immense opportunities for international sellers, but to stay competitive in the long run, sellers must understand the cultural nuances of their target markets and ensure that their listings are adequately localized for their audience.
That’s why localization solutions, like Webinterpret, are instrumental for eBay sellers who want to sell their products internationally.
Aside from streamlining the listing creation process, these solutions ensure:
- Correct translation of listing titles and product descriptions into the target market’s language.
- Accurate product size and price conversion.
- Professional search engine listing optimization and strategic keyword placement.
- Expert optimization for eBay’s Agentic search.
- Local payment options.
Most importantly, Webinterpret and similar solutions seamlessly integrate into eBay’s Seller Hub, making listing management effortless.
Read also: https://ventsmagazine.co.uk/choosing-the-best-ebay-software-for-sellers/
The benefits of investing in ecommerce localization
Treating ecommerce localization as a long-term investment allows online sellers to create sustainable marketplace expansion strategies that yield the desired results.
Having a detailed localization plan in place in the early stages of planning an expansion to a new marketplace helps merchants address a myriad of potential issues, ranging from overcoming language barriers to building brand trust.
Here’s how investing in ecommerce localization can benefit sellers on online marketplaces:
- Translating listing titles and product descriptions and enriching them with keywords in the destination market’s language improves the overall search engine performance of product listings.
- Localization enhances the customer experience by ensuring that shoppers can easily understand important product information and by providing local payment options.
- Customer retention rates increase as shoppers are more likely to make repeat purchases from the same seller if they had a positive initial shopping experience.
So, despite the costs, investing in ecommerce localization helps digital retailers diversify their revenue streams and increase profits.
Using ecommerce localization to flourish on international marketplaces
Early projections suggest that the ecommerce market will stabilize in 2026, following a series of fluctuations over the last few years.
Consequently, 2026 may be an ideal time for online businesses to expand beyond their domestic markets. Still, to ensure long-term success in international marketplaces, sellers must find a reliable localization solution.
Localizing product listings has become a mandatory step for sellers on their way to international marketplaces, as it enables them to meet customer expectations and continue growing their brands.
