A guide to Shopify Plus and selling internationally.

Regardless of the type of business you have or the products and services you sell, you are sure to feel the lure of selling internationally. Doing so gives you access to a wider target market, the chances of boosting sales and profit, and the possibility of eventually developing a brand that is known worldwide. However, selling internationally requires more than simply offering a handful of international shipping options. You need to show people that you have localised your eCommerce offerings, tailoring everything from currency and taxes to language and marketing. If you want to successfully sell internationally, you should utilise Shopify Plus and Shopify Markets.

Why Shopify Plus is a great platform for selling internationally.

Shopify Plus is a platform designed with selling internationally in mind, making it the ideal place to start a business. Many things go into selling on a global scale, and doing so can be time-consuming and complex. With Shopify Plus, the process is streamlined and handled by one platform. Instead of going from one platform to another, trying to keep up with your international markets, you can focus on Shopify Plus. Shopify Plus’ international abilities are boosted even further by Shopify Markets, a cross-border management tool that helps retailers to set up, launch and manage selling to international markets.

There are several things that make Shopify Plus a great platform for selling internationally, but one of the main benefits is that all aspects of cross-border selling can be done from one place. There is no need for multiple eCommerce stores, and everything is managed from Shopify Plus. This provides a lot of guidance and simplifies the cross-border launching process. The complexities of localising your storefronts and offering international shipping are removed, and you can expand your business efficiently. With Shopify Plus, scaling your business to reach a growing global market can be done quickly. If you want to add another country to your arsenal, you can do so quickly without creating an entirely new eCommerce store from scratch.

How to sell internationally on Shopify Plus.

1. Identify international target markets

Many eCommerce businesses make the mistake of approaching international sales to sell to everyone, regardless of where they are located. However, this isn’t always the best way to go about things. Though it does make sense to attract as many customers as possible, not all international markets work in the same way, and not everyone will be interested in what you are selling equally. Instead of using a ‘one size fits all’ strategy, get to know how your international visitors use your website and focus on individual countries. Consider which of your products or services will likely be popular in certain parts of the world, and identify one or two key markets to sell to. As time goes on, you can expand these efforts.

2. Multi-currency customer payments.

One of the main things to consider when moving to an international market is the currencies that your eCommerce store will accept. On Shopify Plus, accepting local currencies is relatively straightforward, and customers can pay in their chosen currency. You can do this by adding specific locations and currencies to your website, depending on which countries you want to target. This will allow buyers to view prices in their own currency, and everything is converted automatically by Shopify Plus. You are more likely to make a sale if a buyer can use their local currency rather than buying in dollars or pounds. When selling internationally on Shopify, you can also handle taxes based on your customer’s location. Some countries include the taxes in the product price, whilst others display them separately. Doing this allows you to provide customers with a personal, tailored and familiar way of shopping worldwide.

3. International shipping.

Another key part of global selling with Shopify Plus is international shipping, which gets your products to your paying customers. Your international buyers should see shipping options tailored to them and not simply an option that refers to anywhere outside of your own location. Shopify Plus has a range of shipping zones for you to choose from, and you can use these to set your shipping rates and strategy. As international shipping is much more expensive than sending products domestically, you must ensure your buyers have the best options. Otherwise, they could take their business elsewhere. Things such as offering a range of shipping options, being transparent about your shipping abilities and being knowledgeable about tax obligations can make a big difference.

4. Localising your eCommerce website.

To successfully sell internationally with Shopify Plus, you must localise your eCommerce website. This means making it accessible to locals in your chosen international markets. For example, you should translate the content to make browsing quick and easy and create international domains. International domains are hugely important, as they confirm to a buyer that they are using the local version of your website. It also increases the chances of someone making a purchase, as the pricing and language will have been tailored to them. If someone arrives on your website and doesn’t read the language, they will likely search for the product or service elsewhere.

5. Marketing internationally.

There is no denying that marketing and advertising are a hugely important part of running a successful eCommerce business. Still, your market efforts shouldn’t be part of a ‘one size fits all’ strategy. As well as creating a localised website, you must create a marketing strategy for your chosen international markets. What works for one market might not work for another, so you need to consider the specific target audience. For example, you should localise the content and copy of an advertisement, ensuring that it engages and appeals to a local audience. This could mean using specific spellings or slang terms or highlighting that you offer speedy shipping to the specific country you are marketing to. Not only does this show an audience that you provide products and services where they are located, but it highlights that time and effort have been put into reaching them. Buyers are much more likely to shop with you if they feel you have tailored your business to them.

6. Shopify Markets.

Shopify Markets is a key part of selling internationally on Shopify Plus, and it’s a management tool that’s constantly evolving. It provides retailers with everything needed to sell worldwide using one Shopify store. Instead of handling everything individually, Shopify Markets is a ‘one-stop shop’ for creating custom eCommerce experiences for buyers worldwide. Everything from optimising your website’s domain and SEO to automatically setting the local pricing and currency can be handled by the Shopify Markets platform. It’s an effective way of selling to multiple countries without creating multiple eCommerce stores. Shopify Markets also provides an improved customer experience, which is beneficial for building a loyal customer base.

Conclusion: going global on Shopify Plus.

As you can see, selling internationally with Shopify Plus is a relatively simple process, especially once Shopify Markets has been integrated. Many retailers make the mistake of assuming that branching out into other countries is a time-consuming and lengthy process, but Shopify Plus and Shopify Markets streamline the process, and a lot is taken care of for you. Of course, it’s always helpful to have a team of experts helping you get started; this is where we come in. We already have several clients using Shopify Markets, including Kenro and G.H. Bass, and we can help your eCommerce store reach a global audience.

Fancy a chat about selling internationally with your Shopify store?

We're a personal and proactive Shopify Plus agency that designs, builds and optimises beautiful bespoke eCommerce solutions to help your brand grow faster. Explore our expert Shopify services and browse our client work for Shopify inspiration. Alternatively, get in touch to discuss your requirements. We would love to help!

⠀