Online store expansion to Slovenia

Slovenia’s economy is more developed compared to other European post‑socialist countries. For online shops, Slovenia is an interesting location for further expansion. The main reason is the low number of active online stores operating on the Slovenian market. Expanding your online store into Slovenia is therefore an opportunity not to be missed.

WHY EXPAND INTO SLOVENIA?

Slovenia’s biggest advantage is the low number of online shops that sell online in the country. Approximately 3,000 online stores service more than 2 million people, which is an average of about 700 people per online shop. The competition in Slovenian e‑commerce is low and the market is far from saturated. Although the purchasing power of Slovenes is significantly higher than in other Balkan countries, people are more cautious in their online shopping and choose carefully.

The advantage is the geographical distance from the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Slovenia is almost in the middle of Europe, with the costs of transporting goods reflecting this.

WHAT SHOULD YOU TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN EXPANDING INTO SLOVENIA?

When expanding your online store into Slovenia, do not underestimate the need for high quality translations and localization into Slovenian. Professional translations of website texts and product descriptions will increase the credibility of your online store. The website must, of course, be fully responsive – Slovenes like to use smartphones for shopping. For excellent SEO search results, we recommend conducting a professional keyword analysis and running the online shop on a suitably selected Slovenian domain.

If possible, we also recommend not only using classic PPC ads, but also product promotion on social networks. Facebook is especially popular among Slovenes, of which they are considered very users.

Slovenes are price‑sensitive customers, so it is advisable to actively use Black Friday discount promotions, which are very sought after among people. In addition to sales through your own online shop, it is also possible to sell through marketplaces – Amazon and eBay are the most popular in Slovenia. However, sales through such marketplaces are anonymous, with little brand development possible and competition based often on price alone.

Even though Slovenes speak the best English of the post‑socialist countries (approximately 2/3 of the population speak a foreign language), it is appropriate to consider providing customer support through a native Slovene. It also speaks for itself that any customer helpline should have a local Slovenian telephone number. This will have the effect of increasing your credibility among potential customers, who will then use it.

Should you require more in‑depth information on what to look out for when expanding your online shop into Slovenia, we can conduct foreign market research as part of our service.

2,1 mil.

population

euro

currency

17%

year‑on‑year growth of e‑commerce

63%

number of online shoppers

ca 3 000

number of online shops

88%

percentage of internet users among the population

700

population per online shop

468 mil. €

e‑commerce volume

SERVICES FOR YOUR EXPANSION TO SLOVENIA

Customer support in foreign laguages

Looking to ensure the success of your online store abroad? Then excellent customer support in the local language is an absolute must. Having the option to call a local phone number or write a query in the local language substantially increases the credibility of an online store in the eyes of customers. Professional customer support provided by NK Expand is intended for online shops expanding abroad.

Keyword analysis in a foreign language

Keyword analysis is the basis for any successful online shop expansion abroad. An in‑depth analysis provides important information on how foreign customers search for your products and services on the internet. This helps to precisely identify which foreign language keywords to target and what improvements are required.

SEO translation and localization of website and online store

The expansion of an online store abroad usually entails considerable costs. A substantial part of these costs relate to SEO translation and website localization in order to make sure that visitors to the website in the given country feel that it reads naturally in their own language. Of equal importance is how easily the website can be found on the internet ‑ so that potential customers can visit the online shop and make their purchases.

Online marketing for expansion abroad

Online marketing for foreign expansion that works! To support your online shop expansion abroad, we provide the following services ‑ SEO optimization, PPC advertising, direct e‑mailing and social media communications. By using the correct tone for communications, appropriate keywords in a foreign language and originally written SEO texts, visitors of your online store will quickly turn into customers.

Foreign market research

Are you serious about expanding your online shop abroad? Then we will agree that good preparation and market research are the basis for success. Without a clear idea about market potential or proven interest from target groups, investment in expansion is a non‑starter. Our specialists can prepare complete source materials, provide recommendations and help to properly prepare your online store for expansion abroad.

Legal and administrative assistance abroad

Do you run an online shop and plan to expand abroad? In this case, it is desirable to offer customers the option to pay into a local bank account in the local currency and to ensure that the business terms and conditions are in accordance with the laws of the country. It is very likely that the establishment of a collection point or a local branch will have to follow in time. We are available to help with all of these matters.

Content creation in foreign languages

NK Expand can help you create high‑quality content in foreign languages that will be useful and/or entertaining for your customers, which they will then be happy to share with others. Our native foreign language speakers and copywriters can create high‑quality content that respects the local culture and target group and will convert new visitors into customers. You can easily improve your business results with this form of casual marketing.

Business development for online shop expansion abroad

Are you expanding to a new market abroad with your online store and would you like to improve your business results? Then try our business development service for online shop expansion abroad. We will find B2B contacts for you, which you can use as the basis for the foreign distribution network of your online shop.

SUMMARY

Slovenia is a developed country whose citizens have high purchasing power. The poorly developed local e‑commerce market provides plenty of exciting business opportunities for established retailers looking to expand their online shops into Slovenia. However, it is necessary to adapt appropriately to the needs of Slovenes, who still prefer to support Slovenian‑looking online stores over foreign ones.

When expanding your online store into Slovenia, you can rely on our specialists, professional services and many years of experience. At NK Expand, we can help you with everything you need for your expansion into Slovenia. Contact us and let our specialists help you expand your online shop into Slovenia too.

Online store expansion to Slovenia

Richest of the Balkan countries