Selling internationally on Shopify, one store or several
We set up Shopify Markets so one store sells in local currencies, languages and prices, with duties paid at checkout. When the business needs separate stores for each region, we build them and keep them in step.
- Markets set-up
- From £1,500
- In production
- Four stores: UK, EU, US and Germany
- Pricing
- Fixed before work starts
- Shopify Partner
- Since 2017
International Shopify set-up, from Markets to multi-store
Most international projects cover some or all of these. We agree each one in writing before anything is built.
Shopify Markets
Markets, currencies and payment methods
Countries and regions grouped into markets, each with its own currency, checkout language and local payment methods, so a customer in Germany or the US shops as if the store were local.Pricing
Prices set for each market
Rounded local prices, a percentage adjustment per market, or fixed prices for particular products in particular countries, so your margins hold up after currency conversion.Duties and import taxes
No surprise bill on the doorstep
Duties and import taxes estimated and collected at checkout, with the product data that needs (such as HS codes) put in place, so customers pay once and parcels aren't refused.Languages
A translation workflow your team can run
Theme text, product data, emails and policies translated in one place, with a clear routine for new products so nothing goes live half in English.International SEO
Domains, subfolders and hreflang
Country domains or subfolders for each market, and hreflang tags so search engines show each country the right version. Across separate stores, we add those tags ourselves.Local content
Country-specific content and products
Delivery messages, banners, size guides and product ranges that change by market, from one theme your team can edit.Several stores
Stores kept in step
One theme shared across every store, with a sync process that ships a change to all of them at once while each keeps its own content and settings.Systems
Marketplaces and ERP
Orders from marketplaces and stock from your ERP or warehouse flowing into the right store. See Shopify ERP integration.
One store with Shopify Markets, or several stores?
Both work well, for different businesses. We’ll tell you which fits before you spend anything, and we don’t push Plus where Markets is enough.
Weighing up the plan as well? Read Shopify Plus vs Shopify or see our Shopify Plus development work.
Where most brands start
One store with Shopify Markets
One catalogue, one admin and one set of apps, with currency, language, prices and domains changing by market. It fits when you sell broadly the same range everywhere, run it from one team, and the differences between countries are mostly price and language. Markets is part of every Shopify plan.Shopify Plus
Separate stores for each region
Shopify Plus includes expansion stores: up to ten stores on one contract, each with its own products, settings and data, with staff and billing managed together. It fits when regions carry different ranges or stock, trade through different companies, marketplaces or ERPs, or have their own teams. The cost is keeping them in step, which is what a shared theme and sync process are for.Handing off the compliance
Shopify Managed Markets
Shopify's service where Global-e acts as merchant of record, handling tax registration, duties and customs in each country for a per-order fee. It's open to certain UK stores. We'll check whether yours qualifies and whether the fees make sense against doing it yourself.
International Shopify stores we look after
Will’s Vegan Store sells vegan footwear and fashion across the UK, Europe and the US. We look after its stores, its international set-up and its connections to Zalando and its ERP.
Will's Vegan Store
Four Shopify stores on one theme
Separate stores for the UK, the EU, the US and Germany, sharing one theme, with a sync process that ships each change to all four.Will's Vegan Store
Around 35 countries and six languages
Hreflang tags across every store, country domains and a store switcher, so shoppers and search engines land on the right store and currency.Will's Vegan Store
Duty-free messaging by country
Product pages that tell shoppers in selected countries there are no duties to pay, alongside delivery estimates with shipping costs.Will's Vegan Store
Zalando orders through Plentymarkets
Marketplace orders brought from the Plentymarkets ERP into Shopify, with tracking, delivery notes and returns documents handled automatically.Our own app
Ask AI across every store
The stores are connected to Ask AI, our own app, so the team can ask about sales and stock across stores in plain English.
How an international Shopify project runs
- 1
International review
Where you sell now, where you want to sell, how you're set up for tax and stock, and how your current store ranks. We tell you whether one store or several fits. - 2
Plan and fixed price
A written proposal within three working days: markets, domains, prices, languages and duties, what launches first, and a fixed price. - 3
Build and test
Each market checked with real products and orders: prices, currency, translations, checkout, duties and redirects, before customers see it. - 4
Launch and watch
Markets switched on one at a time, with search and sales watched closely in the weeks after, and notes your team can follow.
International Shopify pricing
Fixed prices, agreed in writing before work starts. Shopify plan, app and Managed Markets fees are paid to Shopify directly.
- International set-up
- From £1,500
- Shopify Markets set up properly on your existing store.
- Typical projects
- £8k to £25k
- Several stores or markets, translations, international SEO and integrations.
Frequently asked questions
What is Shopify Markets?
Shopify Markets is how one Shopify store sells to different countries. You group countries and regions into markets, then give each its own currency, prices, languages, domain and duty settings. Markets is included on every Shopify plan, and local currencies and payment methods need Shopify Payments.
Do we need Shopify Plus to sell internationally?
No. One store with Shopify Markets works on every plan, and that's the right answer for most brands. Plus matters when you want separate stores for different regions on one contract, which Shopify calls expansion stores: Plus includes up to ten stores, with staff and billing managed together.
Should we run one store or several?
Start with one store and Markets if you sell much the same range everywhere from one team. Separate stores make sense when regions carry different products or stock, trade through different companies, marketplaces or ERPs, or are run by local teams. Several stores give you more control but more to keep in step, so we only suggest it when the business needs it.
How much does an international Shopify set-up cost?
Setting up Shopify Markets properly on an existing store starts from £1,500. Typical international projects, with several stores or markets, translations, international SEO and integrations, cost £8,000 to £25,000. A migration to Shopify Plus, which expansion stores need, starts from £18,000. Every price is fixed and agreed in writing before work starts.
Can Shopify collect duties and import taxes at checkout?
Yes. Shopify can estimate and collect duties and import taxes at checkout, so international customers pay once and aren't asked for more on delivery. Your products need HS codes, and if you buy shipping labels through Shopify the carrier has to support duties-paid delivery. If you'd rather not handle it at all, Shopify Managed Markets passes tax and duties to Global-e for a per-order fee.
Will selling internationally hurt our SEO?
Not if it's set up properly. Each market gets its own address, as a country domain, subdomain or subfolder, and hreflang tags tell search engines which version to show in which country and language. Shopify adds these tags for markets within one store. Across separate stores, we add them ourselves, as we did for around 35 countries and six languages for Will's Vegan Store.
How do you keep several Shopify stores in step?
We run one theme across every store with a sync process, so a fix or new feature ships to all of them at once. Store-specific content and settings stay separate, so each country can differ where it needs to. Products, stock and orders are kept in step through your ERP or a sync we build.
How do you handle translations?
We set up a translation workflow covering theme text, products, emails and policies, and a routine for new products so nothing launches untranslated. Machine translation is a useful first draft, but we recommend a native speaker checks product copy for each new language before launch.
Tell us where you want to sell
Send us your store and the countries you’re aiming at. We’ll reply within a working day with whether one store or several fits, and what it would take. Not ready yet? Start with a free store review.