InternetRetailer.com

Hispanics represent the fastest-growing group in the U.S. population and among Internet users, and about half of online Hispanics prefer Spanish-language web sites. Yet most major online retailers neither provide web content in Spanish nor respond to customer inquiries in that language.

Some retailers say they don’t see customers clamoring for Spanish web content. And many are daunted by the considerable cost of translating an e-commerce site, continually translating new content as inventory changes, and providing the Spanish-language customer service that Hispanic shoppers would expect.

But at least two of the 50 largest e-retailers, consumer electronics chain Best Buy Co. and online florist 1-800-Flowers.com Inc., have in the last nine months launched Spanish-language sites duplicating nearly all the content of their English-language sites. Their initiatives, and a more modest effort by smaller online retailer PlumberSurplus.com, provide a glimpse of what it takes to serve customers in Spanish and how they respond.

READ MORE: http://www.internetretailer.com/article.asp?id=26591

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