Top Barriers of Cross-Border Shoppers

Popular American brands and marketplaces attract shoppers worldwide, but payment confusion, duties, and other concerns can create barriers to purchase.

The United States is the second-most popular destination for international purchases, behind China, according to a 2026 DHL survey of 29,000 shoppers and 5,800 ecommerce businesses across 29 countries.

Some 70% of respondents said they had made cross-border ecommerce purchases. Of these, 59% had ordered from China, and 32% from the United States. Germany at 23% and the United Kingdom at 17% hold positions three and four, respectively.

DHL’s findings stand to reason. China’s position likely reflects the rise of low-price marketplaces such as Temu and Shein, both of which DHL cites. Meanwhile, U.S. brands and products are familiar worldwide, and many foreign shoppers buy from American-owned marketplaces like Amazon, albeit localized.

American merchants can reach beyond a highly competitive domestic market and profitable customers elsewhere.

In cross-border ecommerce, sellers do not need new products. The challenge is turning international interest into completed orders.

What follows are five common reasons international shoppers abandon American ecommerce sites.

Payment Challenges

Payment is a final step in checkout and should be a priority for international sellers. According to the DHL report, however, merchants typically fall short in three areas:

Payment method. Some 62% of shoppers said they would abandon a purchase if their preferred payment method were unavailable. Payment cards, PayPal, and even Apple Pay are popular globally, but the U.S. Department of Commerce recommends offering bank-based payments, digital wallets, or local card networks.

Familiar security. Nearly half (48%) of respondents said secure payment options or a form of buyer protection would make them more likely to buy from a seller in another country.

Currency. Finally, 41% of respondents wanted to see prices in local currency.

The fix is not to add every payment method in every country. Instead, merchants should match payment options to target markets.

A Minnesota company seeking to sell into Canada might show prices in Canadian dollars. But if it wanted to sell into Brazil, the shop should offer Pix, the nation’s popular instant payment system, with 170 million adult users.

Duties and Taxes

Duties, taxes, and customs fees are among the most frustrating parts of cross-border ecommerce. They are confusing for retailers new to international markets, and a shock to shoppers. Some 63% of DHL-surveyed consumers said unexpected customs or taxes had caused them to abandon an online purchase.

It’s not surprising. Imagine a shopper in Australia who completes a purchase from a U.S. merchant and later receives a bill from the carrier for duties, taxes, brokerage fees, or handling charges. The merchant did not intend to hide anything, but it seems deceptive to the customer.

A better customer experience is to show a landed cost when possible.

Returns

While commonplace in ecommerce, returns across borders can feel risky for both shoppers and merchants.

A domestic customer can likely assume a return label, a nearby drop-off point, and a quick refund. An international shopper may not understand where to send a returned item, who pays the shipping, whether duties are refundable, or how long the refund will take. That uncertainty can stop the purchase.

International return policies should explain:

Which products are returnable,
How long the customer has to initiate a return,
Where to send the item,
Which party pays for return shipping,
What portion, if any, of shipping costs, duties, or taxes is refundable.

The goal is to remove the doubt before the purchase.

Delivery

The DHL survey found that international delivery concerns are a significant barrier to cross-border ecommerce success.

Forty-five percent of surveyed shoppers said they don’t buy internationally because of high delivery costs or times, and 67% said a merchant’s delivery offering had caused them to abandon an online purchase.

For international shoppers, delivery is part of the buying decision.

Trust

In a sense, trust is not an isolated barrier. It connects all other barriers.

An international shopper may not recognize the merchant or delivery provider. She may be unsure of the payment security, the final price, or whether customer service will respond across time zones.

Trust means addressing those concerns and conveying international expertise. A site may claim to ship worldwide but provides no details about duties, returns, or delivery times. Shoppers may conclude that international fulfillment is an afterthought.