Recent news reports indicate that the international ecommerce marketplace is not only growing, but playing a larger role in the U.S. market. In Poland, more than half the residents are online, the highest percentage in Eastern Europe, with Polish ecommerce growing at a double digit rate. In India, web usage is up in towns and villages, as women go online to shop for lifestyle items and electronics. In the U.K., online sales rose 12.6 percent in August compared with the prior year. Russia has seen several big ecommerce sites go public.

Meanwhile in the United States, Yahoo! has dismissed its second CEO and is reportedly looking for a buyer. Among its most valued components are Yahoo!'s substantial holdings in Chinese and Japanese Internet companies, offering investors a gateway into growing international markets. Yahoo! also offers versions in more than 20 different languages. And while the company's days may be numbered, other ecommerce businesses have learned from its value added role in international markets.

Walmart is launching an Internet initiative to focus on ecommerce for women working in small businesses and cooperatives all over the world. Aeropostale is opening ecommerce channels for 90 countries, and Ralph Lauren is planning an ambitious ecommerce expansion into Europe and Asia. All around the world, ecommerce barriers are falling and retailers are taking advantage.