Amazon announced last week it will begin rolling out a Spanish language version of Amazon.com.
The addition came just days after the retail giant said it would launch its Amazon Prime services in Mexico, according to CNET.
Although Amazon already offers its website in Spanish for its Mexico-based consumers, this will be the first language expansion for Amazon.com, the company’s main website.
Adding the Spanish language option is a savvy business decision on Amazon’s part, considering that there are 41 million native Spanish speakers in the U.S. The country has more Spanish speakers than Spain, with only Mexico claiming a greater number.
An Amazon spokeswoman told CNET the Spanish addition will continue to be implemented over the coming weeks.
A Desire For Native Content
E-commerce has changed the buying habits of consumers, and global shoppers want personalized content. Data from Common Sense Advisory found that 76 percent of buyers would rather purchase products that are marketed in their native language.
Research also shows that 60 percent of shoppers rarely or never buy from English-only websites.
Amazon already reaches international markets with its German and Canadian websites, and Amazon.com.mx acts as its Mexico-based website. Amazon.es is the company’s website for users based in Spain.
The decision to include foreign language options on Amazon websites isn’t new, but targeting Hispanic consumers in the U.S. will allow the company to tap into a growing market.
Growth Among Hispanic Consumers
Not only will Amazon’s Spanish language website reach a larger audience, but also one that is projected to spend more in the coming years.
Research from Morgan Stanley estimates that by 2020, spending among Hispanic consumers will rise by 1.6 percent, a number predicted to outpace purchasing growth among millennials and white consumers older than 65.
Further, Nielsen reports that 50 percent of U.S. population growth from 2010 to 2015 has come from Hispanics, who represent almost 20 percent of the country’s population.
