For even the most committed of online merchants, international expansion remains a challenge. Only a handful of market leaders, among them Amazon and Dell, have embraced global online commerce, while the bulk continue to focus on their local markets, according to a 2008 report by analysts at IT market research firm Forrester Research.

“Complex regulations, logistical hurdles, as well as consumers’ differing behaviour and expectations are just a few of the factors that have given pause to online retailers looking to expand internationally,” says Zia Daniell Wigder, a Forrester Research analyst.