7 reasons why you should choose Shopify if you sell internationally

Scalable infrastructure

Shopify offers a reliable and scalable infrastructure that allows you to seamlessly manage your sales across different markets. With global data centres and advanced technology, your eCommerce shop will run quickly and seamlessly, regardless of the location of your customers. Here are some key factors that set Shopify apart from other eCommerce platforms:

• Global CDN – Shopify uses a global content delivery network (CDN), which means your online shop is hosted on servers spread around the world.
• Scalability and reliability – thanks to its flexible infrastructure, the platform is able to handle high volumes of traffic, even during peak sales periods such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday, without risk of failure.
• Security at the highest level – the platform is PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) compliant, ensuring that all transactions are carried out in a secure manner.
• Automatic updates and support – all updates are carried out automatically, ensuring that your online shop is always running on the latest version of the software with the latest features and security fixes. In addition, Shopify offers 24/7 technical support, which means you can always count on expert help in case of problems.
• Integrations with global service providers (Shopify Marketplace) – Shopify integrates with a number of international service providers, such as payment systems, logistics services and marketing tools. This makes managing sales in different markets much simpler and more efficient.

Shopify offers a robust and advanced infrastructure that stands out from other eCommerce platforms. With its global CDN, scalability, advanced security, automatic updates and technical support, Shopify provides the reliability and performance that are crucial for success in international markets.

Multilingualism and multicurrency

With Shopify, you can easily customise your shop for international customers by offering multiple language versions and accepting different currencies. This significantly simplifies the shopping experience for customers from different countries, increasing your chances of success in the global marketplace. What specific benefits does Shopify offer in terms of multilingualism and multi-currency?

In terms of multilingualism , Shopify allows you to create shops in multiple languages, which is key to reaching a wide international audience. With apps such as Langify, Weglot or Translate My Store, you can easily translate your shop content into different languages. This way, your customers can browse products and make purchases in the language they are most comfortable with. Multilingualism also extends to translations at the level of transactional emails, notifications and customer communication, which increases professionalism and trust in your shop.

Shopify offers support for multiple currencies, allowing your customers to make purchases in their local currency. This is particularly important as it eliminates the barriers of currency conversion and exchange rate uncertainty. However, it is worth noting that Shopify Payments, which enables multi-currency, is not available in some countries. To use this feature, a shop must be registered in a country where Shopify Payments is available, such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany or the Czech Republic. 

But there are other ways to implement multi-currency sales. You can use apps such as Bold Multi-Currency or Multi-Currency by Secomapp, which allow you to display prices in different currencies and convert them based on current exchange rates. These solutions may not be as seamless as Shopify Payments’ native integration, but they still allow you to run multi-currency sales in one shop. However, it is worth bearing in mind that this is a replacement solution and at the end of the shopping process in Shopify, the customer will only have the option to make a purchase in the base currency.

Multilingualism and multicurrency are key elements for success in international eCommerce markets. Despite some limitations, such as the lack of Shopify Payments in some countries, there are alternative solutions to effectively manage multi-currency sales.

Advanced marketing tools

Shopify offers a wide range of advanced marketing tools to help you reach international audiences and effectively promote your products in different markets. Below you will find some of the specific benefits you can gain from the Shopify platform.

• SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) – Shopify allows you to optimise your online shop for search engines, most notably Google. Within Shopify, you can customise page titles, meta descriptions, image ALT tags and URL structures to improve your visibility in search results. In addition, Shopify automatically generates XML sitemaps that help search engines index the sub-pages of your online shop more effectively.
• Email marketing – thanks to its integration with email marketing tools such as Klaviyo, Mailchimp and Omnisend, Shopify allows you to create and manage email campaigns.
• Social media – Shopify integrates perfectly with popular social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. You can easily sync your products with these platforms, allowing you to sell directly from social media.
• Google Smart Shopping and Google Ads – Shopify enables easy integration with Google Smart Shopping and Google Ads, allowing you to automate ad campaigns and increase the visibility of your products in Google search and on other Google platforms.
• Content marketing – Shopify allows you to blog directly on its platform within the CMS. This makes it possible to create valuable content such as articles, tutorials or product reviews without having to host the CMS separately.
• Data analysis and reporting – Shopify provides advanced analytics tools that allow you to track and analyse the results of your marketing campaigns. You can monitor metrics such as conversions, rejection rates, average order value or LTV (Lifetime Value) of customers.
• Retargeting and remarketing – thanks to integration with retargeting tools such as Google Remarketing and Facebook Pixel, Shopify allows you to track user behaviour on your online shop and target them with personalised ads.

Shopify’s advanced marketing tools offer extensive opportunities to promote your online shop in international markets. With SEO optimisation, email marketing campaigns, social media integrations, Google Ads, content marketing, data analysis and retargeting, you can effectively reach new customers and increase sales.

Logistics and warehouse management

Effective logistics and warehouse management is crucial for any online shop, especially if you operate in international markets. Shopify offers a range of features and integrations to facilitate these processes, ensuring smooth operations and customer satisfaction.

Shopify allows you to integrate with a number of international logistics providers such as DHL, UPS, FedEx and DPD. This allows you to easily manage shipments, track packages and provide your customers with various delivery options. These integrations also allow you to automate many processes, such as generating shipping labels or tracking the status of shipments. What’s more, the platform offers advanced inventory management tools that allow you to track your stock in real time. You can easily monitor product availability, manage orders and receive alerts when stock is low.

Shopify as a platform also has its own fulfilment network, known as the Shopify Fulfillment Network (SFN). This is a service that allows goods to be stored in Shopify’s logistics centres and managed for shipment and delivery to customers. SFN automatically selects the nearest distribution centre, which reduces delivery time and shipping costs. Although SFN is not yet available in some countries, it is a solution worth considering when expanding into foreign markets.

The platform also allows you to manage sales and inventory across different sales channels from a single dashboard. You can synchronise inventory with different platforms such as Amazon, eBay or Facebook, allowing you to effectively manage multi-channel sales. This gives you a complete picture of your business and makes it easy to control stock and orders.

Finally, it is worth mentioning the analytical tools available within Shopify. Shopify’s advanced analytics tools allow you to closely monitor and analyse all aspects of your logistics and warehouse management. You can generate reports on stock levels, delivery performance, shipping costs or product turnover. Analysing this data helps you optimise your logistics processes, identify areas for improvement and make better business decisions.

Efficient logistics and warehouse management are crucial to the success of an online shop, especially in international markets. Shopify offers advanced tools and integrations to help manage these processes. With integrations with international logistics providers, Shopify Fulfillment Network, advanced inventory management, multi-channel sales, process automation and data analytics, you can ensure smooth operations and customer satisfaction.

Importantly, Global24 has full integration with Shopify, making shipping and returns of your overseas customers even easier.

See more about our integration with Shpofiy on our webiste. 

Support for B2B sales

The Shopify platform has advanced solutions for business-to-business (B2B) sales, making it an attractive platform for businesses that want to expand into international markets across multiple segments. With Shopify Plus, you can create a dedicated B2B sales channel that allows you to manage bulk orders, individual customer pricing and automate invoicing and payment processes.

One of the key elements of Shopify’s B2B support is the ability to create dedicated wholesale customer accounts. This allows your business customers to log in to the shop, view individual price lists, place orders for larger quantities of products and take advantage of dedicated offers and discounts. It is the personalisation of the shopping experience that is key in a B2B relationship, and Shopify allows you to fully personalise the offer for each customer.

The platform also has advanced tools for managing wholesale orders. You can easily track and process orders, automate order approval processes and manage deliveries. Shopify Plus also allows integration with popular ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems to improve inventory, order and business customer relationship management. Integration with ERP systems allows for real-time data synchronisation, providing full control over logistics and warehouse operations.

In addition, Shopify Plus offers the Shopify Flow tool , which allows you to automate a number of business processes, such as inventory management, marketing, customer service or data analysis. With Shopify Flow, you can create your own automation scenarios, allowing you to increase operational efficiency and save time. Process automation is key for companies that want to scale their business in international markets, while minimising the risk of errors and increasing productivity.

Shopify’s B2B sales support also includes advanced analytics tools that allow you to closely monitor and analyse your sales performance. You can generate detailed reports on orders, customers, product performance and the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. Analysing this data helps you optimise your sales strategies, identify key customers and make better business decisions.

Shopify also makes it easy to manage international B2B sales. You can create different versions of your shop for different markets, adapting your offer, prices and communication language to the specifics of local markets. This flexible approach allows you to effectively adapt to the needs and expectations of business customers around the world, increasing your chances of success on the global eCommerce stage.

Shopify Marketplace (Shopify App Store)

One of Shopify’s most significant advantages in the eCommerce platform market is its extensive marketplace. The Shopify App Store, is an extensive ecosystem of apps, modules and plugins that allows for almost unlimited customisation and expansion of your online shop’s functionality. It is one of the key tools that enables companies to scale their business on a global scale, adapting the shop to the specific needs and requirements of different markets.

The Shopify App Store offers thousands of apps created by both Shopify and third-party developers that can be easily integrated into your shop. These apps cover a wide range of functions, from marketing and SEO, to inventory management, to tools for customer service, data analysis or business process automation. This allows you to tailor the functionality of your shop exactly to the needs of your business, without having to hire developers or create custom solutions from scratch.

One of the biggest advantages of Shopify Marketplace is its flexibility and scalability. Whether you run a small online shop or a large international business, you can find the right applications to help you manage sales, marketing, logistics and other aspects of your business. For example, if you are planning to expand into new markets, you can use multilingual and multicurrency apps to help you adapt your shop to the specifics of local markets. If, on the other hand, you want to increase the efficiency of your marketing efforts, you can choose from a range of tools for marketing automation, retargeting or customer behaviour analysis.

It is also worth noting that the Shopify App Store is a rapidly growing ecosystem, with new apps and updates to existing solutions added regularly. This means that you always have access to the latest technologies and tools that can help you stay competitive in the global marketplace. The platform actively supports developers, encouraging them to create new solutions, making the possibilities for expanding the shop virtually endless.

Shopify Plus - Your shop on steroids

Shopify Plus is an advanced version of the Shopify platform, specifically designed for large businesses that want to grow their business quickly and efficiently in global markets. With its flexibility, scalability and advanced features, Shopify Plus facilitates international expansion, offering businesses the tools they need to manage sales in multiple markets simultaneously.

One of the key strengths of Shopify Plus is the ability to manage multiple shops from a single dashboard (multistore). With this feature of Shopify Plus, you can run different versions of your shop for different markets, adapting the offer, prices, communication language and currency to the specifics of each market. This flexibility allows for precise targeting and better adaptation to local needs, significantly increasing your chances of success in new regions.

A significant advantage of Shopify Plus is access to dedicated technical support and an account manager to help you optimise your shop and implement your international expansion strategy. As part of the Shopify Plus licence, we have 24/7 support, which is crucial for businesses operating in a global market where time differences can be a challenge. A dedicated account manager works with your eCommerce team to get the most out of the platform, offering personalised advice and solutions tailored to the specific needs of your business.

Importantly within Shopify Plus there is also the ability to sell B2B, making the platform a versatile solution for both retail and wholesale. Shopify Plus offers advanced features dedicated to B2B sales, such as creating special accounts for wholesale customers, managing wholesale orders and customising prices and offers to meet the specific needs of business customers. With these features, companies can easily integrate B2B and B2C sales on a single platform, allowing them to effectively manage different sales channels and better exploit the potential of international markets.

Shopify Plus is a comprehensive solution that enables large companies to expand effectively internationally. With its multi-store management, process automation, dedicated support and advanced data analysis, Shopify Plus becomes the ideal tool for companies that want to successfully enter new markets and grow their business on a global scale.

Why rely on Shopify for cross-border sales?

If you are considering overseas expansion of your online shop and are looking for a scalable, usable and flexible platform, you have come to the right place. Shopify is an extremely versatile and advanced eCommerce platform that offers all the necessary tools for successful international expansion. With a global infrastructure, flexible subscription plans, support for multilingualism and multi-currency, as well as the ability to integrate with numerous marketplaces, Shopify allows you to seamlessly manage your sales in different countries.

Shopify Plus, as the most advanced licence version of the platform, offers additional features, such as B2B sales leads, process automation and dedicated support, which make it significantly easier to do business in a global marketplace. Additionally, access to thousands of apps in the Shopify App Store allows you to personalise your shop and tailor it to the specific needs of your business. All of this makes Shopify the ideal choice for companies looking to successfully grow their business on the international eCommerce stage, while ensuring a high level of customer service and operational efficiency.