Localization Planner

SKILL.md

---
name: Localization Planner
description: Plan product listing translations, cultural adaptations, and local payment method integrations for new market entry. Use when an ecommerce seller is opening a Shopify, Amazon, or marketplace presence in a new country and needs a market-specific roadmap covering language, imagery, payments, logistics, labeling, and seasonality.
---

# Localization Planner

Expanding an ecommerce business into a new geographic market requires far more than translating product titles and descriptions. Successful market entry demands cultural adaptation of imagery, tone, and messaging, integration of locally preferred payment methods, compliance with regional labeling standards, and alignment with local shopping behaviors and seasonal calendars. This skill produces a comprehensive localization roadmap that covers every dimension of market adaptation, helping sellers avoid costly missteps and accelerate time-to-revenue.

## Quick Reference

| Decision | Strong | Acceptable | Weak |
|---|---|---|---|
| Translation method | Native-speaker copywriter with category experience; on-page review before publishing | Machine translation + native-speaker editor | Raw machine translation published as-is |
| Imagery | Reshot or selected per market (skin tones, settings, seasonal cues) | Existing imagery with local-friendly subset selected | Global imagery used everywhere |
| Pricing | Local-currency display, rounded to local convention (.99 vs ,90 vs whole) | Currency conversion at checkout only | USD-only at checkout |
| Payments | All top-3 local methods (e.g. iDEAL+Klarna+Cards in NL) live before launch | Card-only + one local method | Card-only |
| Sizing & specs | Localized units (cm/in, kg/lb, EU/UK/US sizes) with conversion charts | Conversion notes in description | Original units only |
| Labeling & compliance | Country-specific labels, warnings, and certifications validated before listing | Generic labels with notes appended | No localization of compliance items |
| Calendar | Local promotional calendar (Singles Day, BFCM, regional holidays) baked into Y1 plan | Global calendar + 1-2 regional events | Same plan as home market |
| Launch sequencing | Phase 1 (top 10 SKUs) → Phase 2 (depth) → Phase 3 (expansion), with kill criteria at each phase | Full catalog at once | Listing as-is and seeing what sells |

## Problems this skill solves

1. A DTC brand wants to enter Japan and needs to know which local payment methods (Konbini, JCB, Rakuten Pay) to support and in what order.
2. A seller plans a German launch and needs to understand which sizes, voltages, certifications (CE marking), and packaging-waste reporting requirements apply.
3. A US brand entering France must adapt imagery (cooking scenes, body types, dress) and tone (vouvoiement vs tutoiement) without translating literally.
4. An Amazon seller is opening AU and MX marketplaces simultaneously and needs a launch sequence that doesn't drown the team.
5. A brand entering the UAE needs guidance on language (Arabic and English), prayer-time scheduling, Ramadan calendar, and culturally appropriate imagery.
6. A founder launching in Brazil needs to know about Boleto, PIX, installment culture (parcelado), import duty quirks, and Portuguese vs Brazilian Portuguese.
7. A brand expanding into Korea needs to address Naver-driven search behavior, Kakao Pay, KC certification, and the role of mass-market malls (Coupang, Gmarket).

## Workflow

### Step 1: Define the market entry hypothesis
What is the value proposition in this market, who is the target buyer, and why this market now? Without an answer the localization plan optimizes the wrong things. See `references/market-entry-brief.md`.

### Step 2: Map the local commerce stack
Identify: dominant marketplaces vs DTC, dominant browsers and devices, dominant payment methods (and their share), preferred logistics carriers, common return windows and expectations, and review behavior. See `references/market-stack-reference.md` for a starter table covering 20 markets.

### Step 3: Localize the listing surface
Translate copy with a native-speaker writer who understands the category. Adapt imagery: skin tones, seasonal cues, environments. Localize sizing, units, and any technical specs. Validate compliance items (labels, warnings, certifications) per category and country.

### Step 4: Build the payment stack
Integrate the top 3 local payment methods before launch. Display in local currency with local conventions (decimal separator, rounding, installment options). Test the full checkout in-market.

### Step 5: Align with the local calendar
Pull the next 12 months of local shopping events: holidays, school terms, sales days, weather-driven peaks. Build the promotional plan around them. See `references/holiday-calendar.md` for a starter set.

### Step 6: Sequence the launch
Phase 1: top 10 SKUs with the highest fit. Phase 2: depth across phase-1 categories once unit economics validate. Phase 3: expand to adjacent categories. Define kill criteria for each phase.

### Step 7: Measure and adapt
Track market-specific KPIs: organic vs paid mix, payment-method conversion rate by option, return rate vs home market, review sentiment vs home market, search-term match rate. Re-plan quarterly.

## Worked Example 1: US apparel brand entering Germany

**Inputs:** US DTC apparel brand, $8M ARR, considering DE. Catalog of 120 SKUs. Hero: organic cotton basics.

**Plan:**
- Market entry hypothesis: German shoppers index high on organic certification + transparency. Position on GOTS-certified hero plus transparent supply chain page.
- Stack: Shopify DE store-front. Klarna + PayPal + SEPA + cards. Free returns within 14 days (DE legal min) extended to 30 (brand standard).
- Listing surface: native-German copywriter (not US-trained); imagery reshot for autumn-forward palette; EU sizing with conversion chart; CE not required for apparel but care-label compliant with EU Textile Reg 1007/2011.
- Compliance: VerpackG packaging registration done before first parcel ships.
- Calendar: BFCM is smaller; Singles' Day not yet major; Sinterklaas is a tertiary; Christmas peak runs Nov 15–Dec 22. Spring asparagus / outdoor weeks are non-obvious peaks.
- Launch sequence: 25 SKUs at launch (basics core). Add 60 more in week 12 if conversion rate >1.6% and return rate <8%. Pause if return rate >12%.
- Expected: 6 months to 5% of US channel revenue.

## Worked Example 2: Beauty brand entering Brazil

**Inputs:** US-based clean-beauty brand, mid-tier price point, considering BR. ANVISA registration is the largest unknown.

**Plan:**
- Market entry hypothesis: Brazilian beauty buyers reward formula efficacy and influencer endorsement. Position on results + creator partnerships, not the "clean" marketing that drives US growth.
- Stack: Direct B2C via local 3PL + Amazon BR + Mercado Livre.
- Payments: PIX, Boleto, cards with parcelado (2–6 installments). Without parcelado, AOV drops 30%.
- Listing surface: BR Portuguese (not PT-PT); imagery includes Brazilian skin-tone range as primary, not afterthought.
- Compliance: ANVISA registration per SKU (4–8 months). Phase 1 = only registered SKUs; don't list ahead of registration.
- Calendar: Black Friday is huge in BR; Mother's Day (2nd Sunday of May) is bigger than Valentine's; Carnaval week is sales soft for beauty.
- Launch sequence: ANVISA-approved hero SKUs first; expand once second batch clears.
- Expected: longer ramp than DE due to ANVISA; rewards 18-month patience.

## Common Mistakes

1. **Treating localization as translation.** Translation is one tactic. Imagery, payments, sizing, and compliance often matter more.
2. **Using machine translation alone.** Idioms, tone, and category-specific language collapse without a native editor.
3. **Skipping local payment methods.** A buyer who can't pay with their preferred method usually doesn't pay at all.
4. **Carrying over the home-market calendar.** Holidays, school terms, and weather cycles differ; the promo plan must too.
5. **Ignoring sizing and unit norms.** Apparel without EU sizing or appliances without the right plug standard simply won't sell.
6. **Listing the entire catalog at launch.** A focused phase 1 outperforms a broad phase 1 every time.
7. **Underestimating compliance lead time.** ANVISA, KC, CCC, CE evaluations can take months; build them into the plan.
8. **Skipping returns localization.** Some markets mandate longer return windows; ignoring them is a legal risk.
9. **One creator strategy across markets.** Local creators move local audiences; global creators rarely translate.
10. **No exit criteria.** A market without phase-level kill criteria can drain margin quietly for years.

## Resources

- `references/market-entry-brief.md` — Template to capture the entry hypothesis before planning.
- `references/market-stack-reference.md` — Quick-reference table for 20 markets: payments, logistics, search behavior.
- `references/holiday-calendar.md` — Local promotional and cultural calendar starter for top markets.
- `references/output-template.md` — Localization plan template covering all 7 workflow steps.
- `assets/quality-checklist.md` — 45-point checklist to validate the plan before market launch.