How to Create an International Shopify Store: Selling Globally with Ease

Expanding your Shopify store to international markets opens the door to higher sales, new customers, and global brand recognition. Shopify provides built-in tools for multi-currency, multi-language, location-based experiences, and optimized international shipping — making global selling easier than ever. With the right setup, you can reach customers worldwide while maintaining a seamless shopping experience.


1. Setting Up Shopify Markets for Global Selling

Shopify Markets helps you manage international regions from one dashboard.

  • Configure **target countries and regions** inside Shopify Markets
  • Enable local currencies, payment methods, and domain settings
  • Customize pricing, duties, and taxes per region
Tip: Set up dedicated markets (EU, UK, US, Asia) to deliver localized shopping experiences for each region.

2. Adding Multi-Currency Options

Giving customers the ability to shop in their local currency increases trust and conversions.

  • Enable **Shopify Payments multi-currency** for automatic currency switching
  • Customize rounding rules to keep prices clean and professional
  • Automatically detect customer location using geolocation tools

“Shoppers are more likely to buy when they see prices in their own currency.”


3. Translating Your Store for International Customers

Language is critical for global expansion.

  • Add multiple languages using Shopify’s **Translate & Adapt** app
  • Translate product descriptions, menus, buttons, and checkout content
  • Create localized content versions for each market
Pro Tip: Use a mix of machine translation and manual edits for accuracy and cultural relevance.

4. Setting Up International Domains or Subdomains

Custom domains help build trust and improve SEO for global regions.

  • Use **country-specific domains** like .uk, .ca, or .de
  • Set up subdomains (e.g., eu.yourstore.com) using Shopify Markets
  • Automate redirection based on visitors’ locations

“Localized domains help customers feel they’re shopping with a brand that understands their region.”


5. Configuring Duties, Taxes & Compliance

Selling internationally requires you to handle taxes and import duties correctly.

  • Enable **Shopify’s duties and import tax calculation** for transparency
  • Add pricing adjustments to cover regional costs
  • Follow compliance guidelines for EU VAT, UK VAT, and international regulations
Clear and upfront fees increase customer trust and reduce abandoned carts.

6. Offering International Shipping Options

Reliable shipping is essential for cross-border sales.

  • Integrate global carriers like DHL, UPS, FedEx, or ShipBob
  • Set accurate shipping rates using zone-based pricing
  • Provide tracking, delivery estimates, and returns instructions
Insight: Offering multiple shipping options increases flexibility and customer satisfaction.

7. Adapting Store Content for Local Markets

Localized content helps build trust with global audiences.

  • Create market-specific promotions and seasonal campaigns
  • Adapt product information to local terminology and preferences
  • Highlight region-specific payment or shipping options

8. Optimizing Performance for Global Traffic

A fast store keeps customers engaged, no matter where they are.

  • Use Shopify’s **global CDN** for fast page loading worldwide
  • Compress images and optimize code for lightweight performance
  • Monitor international traffic using analytics tools

Final Thoughts

Creating an international Shopify store is one of the best ways to scale your business globally. With Shopify Markets, multi-currency support, translations, localized domains, and optimized shipping, you can offer a seamless shopping experience for customers around the world. When executed properly, global expansion unlocks new revenue streams and positions your brand for long-term international success.

Rakshit Patel

Author Image I am the Founder of Crest Infotech With over 18 years’ experience in web design, web development, mobile apps development and content marketing. I ensure that we deliver quality website to you which is optimized to improve your business, sales and profits. We create websites that rank at the top of Google and can be easily updated by you.

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