Translation projects give retailers a festive boost in Europe

The Translation People is giving retailers a festive fillip in Europe amid the Christmas shopping frenzy.

It has worked with kitchenware specialist Lakeland to translate all of its website copy, product descriptions, recipes and promotional newsletters into German for the busy festive season.

Germany is the first export market for Lakeland, which is based in the Lake District. Its website for German consumers, www.lakeland.de, has a dedicated Christmas section and has attracted tens of thousands of customers.

The Translation People has also been signed up by Maxgear, a Bolton-based online retailer of cycling equipment, to translate product descriptions into French and Italian.

Maxgear director Ciaran Dunne said the translations have helped the firm’s sales on Amazon marketplaces to soar by 46 per cent in the final quarter of this year.

Meanwhile, the Cheadle Hulme-based company has translated point-of-sale material, web content and in-store apps into 14 languages for upmarket French retail chain Galeries Lafayette’s branch on Boulevard Haussmann in Paris.

The store is a popular destination for Christmas shoppers from all over the world, and having material available in foreign languages is seen as a key way to drive sales.

Steve Wilde, managing director of The Translation People, said: “We’re delighted that our expert linguists and our advanced technology have enabled these retailers to achieve success with their overseas customers.

“The internet makes retail exports much easier, yet to truly capitalise on this opportunity, translating product descriptions, marketing and social media material is essential.

“Our ability to work in a variety of different content formats, and to respond quickly to customer requirements, is especially beneficial in the dynamic retail sector.

“We see retail as a key market for The Translation People in the coming years as e-commerce increasingly breaks down international trade barriers.”

The translation and language services provider uses a global network of more than 4,000 professional translators for its projects in sectors including healthcare, finance, insurance and manufacturing as well as retail. France and Germany are the company’s fastest-growing overseas markets.

A string of client wins during 2014 has put the business on track for revenues of £4m for its financial year to December 31, up from £3.5m in 2013.