International Ecommerce Made Simple: Everything Shopify Merchants Need to Know Before Going Global

What if your next loyal customer isn’t in your city, or even your country, but halfway across the world, searching for a product just like yours?

That’s the real power of international ecommerce – it opens doors to a customer base you’ve never met, in a target market you’ve never explored.

Etam, a French lingerie brand, expanded into international markets. Within a year, it saw a 91% increase in international revenue and a 77% jump in global orders. (Source: Global eCom)

Another retailer made a similar move and expanded into just three new countries. The result? They saw a 96% growth in international sales, 58% higher conversions, and 37% lower fulfillment costs by simply opening their store to the world.

These numbers are more than just awesome stats – they are real examples of what happens when a business stops thinking locally and starts thinking globally. And yet, so many merchants are still engrossed only in their domestic markets, overlooking millions of international customers.

As a Shopify merchant, staying local may mean that you miss out on 50–200%+ growth.

The opportunity is huge, but international expansion comes with its own challenges – shipping costs, taxes, payment options, all come into play.

Before jumping in, let’s look at the key considerations before getting into international commerce:

Finding the Right Tools for International Ecommerce Expansion

In order to reach international customers, your platform should have the right tools & features. Here are the essential elements you should not miss for smooth international ecommerce fulfillment.

How MageNative Provides the Best International Commerce Experience

Cross border ecommerce sounds exciting, until you see how much goes into it. Working with different currencies, translating your store, international shipping, setting up returns etc – that’s a lot to manage!

But the good news is that if your mobile app is made using MageNative Shopify Mobile App Builder, you have nothing to worry about. MageNative already provides you with everything you need to make international ecommerce work: from multi-currency and multiple language support to smooth integrations that take care of ecommerce shipping internationally, product returns, and regional preferences. Let’s take a closer look at how MageNative helps you in global ecommerce.

MageNative’s Multi-Language Feature for International Commerce

MageNative helps you with international ecommerce expansion through these three key translation integrations:

MageNative’s Multi-Currency Feature for International Commerce

Mobile Apps built by MageNative automatically detect the location of a shopper and display the prices of the products based on your primary and secondary markets. This built-in feature makes international ecommerce smoother helping you grow in international markets.

MageNative’s RTL (Right to Left) Support Feature for International Commerce

Customers in Middle Eastern nations like the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar can easily browse and interact with mobile apps built by MageNative because they support RTL (Right to Left) languages by default. This built-in feature streamlines cross border ecommerce helping you grow in international markets.

MageNative’s Solution for Effortless International Ecommerce Fulfillment

International Ecommerce Made Simple – Merchant FAQs

1. What does international ecommerce mean?

International ecommerce refers to selling products or services online to customers in various countries and regions.

2. Can I sell online internationally? OR Does Shopify support international ecommerce?

Yes, Shopify fully supports international ecommerce. You can easily reach new target markets by setting up global shipping, local currency payments, and automatic tax management to connect with international customers.

3. Should I sell internationally on Shopify?

Selling internationally on Shopify is an excellent way to expand your customer base and reach new international markets. It offers reliable international ecommerce solutions, including various payment options, tools to handle multiple languages, taxes, and shipping options.

4. What are the risks of global ecommerce?

Major international ecommerce issues include:

• Handling international taxes, local currency, and currency conversion.
• Dealing with longer delivery times, shipping costs, and customs for international buyers.
• Recognizing target markets, cultural differences, to fulfill the demand for your product.

5. How to set up Shopify to sell internationally?

Here is a simple guide on way to set up Shopify for global ecommerce:

• Enable Shopify Markets: Manage multiple countries from one store.
• Configure Local Currencies: Use Shopify Payments to enable customers to make payments in their local currency.
• Add Multilingual Support: Use Shopify’s language settings or download a translation app for international customers.
• Set up Shipping and Manage Duties: Set up shipping costs with respect to their zones, and handle international taxes.
• Optimize Domains & SEO: Use subdomains or subfolders for customer bases of a specific region.

Watch this step-by-step video tutorial: Set Up International Commerce on Shopify

6. What is the best international shipping company for ecommerce?

Shipway is one of the best solutions for international ecommerce shipping. MageNative integrates well with Shipway in order to provide fast and hassle free ecommerce shipping internationally.

7. Are there any products that can’t be sold internationally?

Yes, due to safety or legal restrictions in international markets, there are some products that cannot be sold through cross order ecommerce. Items like alcohol, fresh food, batteries, pharmaceuticals, weapons, and hazardous materials often have strict import rules. Before selling such products worldwide, always check the laws of each nation.