At some basic level, we know that language is important — people don’t buy what they don’t understand. For years the most widely cited statistic in business globalization has been that buyers are three times more likely to purchase something if addressed in their own language ("Strategies for Global Sites" by Don DePalma in May 1998). Until now, there has been no large-scale, independent behavioral study of consumers to validate this contention.

To quantify what actual benefits companies get from tailoring their marketing and sales material to specific national audiences, Common Sense Advisory surveyed over 2,400 consumers in eight non-English-speaking countries about their online buying habits and preferences. At least 300 people completed the online surveys conducted in each of eight languages — in Brazil, China (PRC), France, Germany, Japan, Russia, Spain, and Turkey.

Our conclusion: Yes, language does matter, but that’s not all. Even for consumers who feel comfortable in English, many prefer buying in their own language. Most want customer support that is similarly accessible. And with sites lacking local currency or transaction support, many non-native speakers discover that buying from English-language sites is literally an impossible undertaking. Anyone who’s making the business case for website globalization, international marketing, or localized products needs this data.