How to Launch a New International Shopify Store?

Expanding your Shopify store internationally is an exciting opportunity, but it comes with its own set of challenges. When you launch your store in new markets, you need to make sure it meets local requirements, offers a seamless shopping experience, and is optimized for search engines worldwide.

In this blog, we’ll walk you through the process of launching an international Shopify store. From choosing the right tools and partners, like Shopify experts Singapore, to setting up payments and optimizing for local SEO, we’ll help you ensure that your expansion is a success.

1. Work with Shopify Experts for Smooth Expansion

Launching a Shopify store in a new country means you need to adapt your store to local needs. This is where Shopify experts Singapore come into play. Shopify experts can assist with localization, ensuring that your website design, language, and payment options are tailored to each target market. Here are some things Shopify experts can help with:

• Making sure the design is appealing and functional for the new market.

• Adding features like currency conversion, language options, and shipping integrations specific to the country.

• Ensuring your store is visible to customers in your target market by optimizing your website for local search engines.

If you’re planning to migrate to Shopify Plus for more advanced features, working with a Shopify Plus expert will help you get the most out of the platform's internationalization features.

2. Choose the Right Shopify Plan for Internationalization

When you launch an international Shopify store, it’s important to choose the right plan. If you’re planning to expand into multiple countries or regions, Shopify Plus offers advanced features that help you manage multiple markets from one platform. Key features of Shopify Plus that are helpful for international stores include:

1. Multi-currency support

1. Allowing you to display product prices and accept payments in local currencies.

2. Multiple languages

1. Using Shopify’s internationalization features, you can translate your store into various languages, providing a local shopping experience for customers.

3. Multiple storefronts

1. If you’re targeting different countries, you can create separate stores for each market while managing everything from a single Shopify Plus account.

Choosing Shopify Plus is a great step if you need more robust features and customization as you grow internationally.

3. Set Up International Shipping and Localized Payments

One of the most critical aspects of launching a new Shopify store in international markets is setting up your shipping and payment options. Customers from different countries expect different payment methods and shipping speeds, so it's important to adapt your store accordingly.

A. Payment setup

Shopify supports a wide range of payment gateways for international stores. Make sure to enable local payment methods that your customers prefer, such as Shopify Payments, PayPal, or local options like Alipay or Apple Pay.

B. International shipping

You’ll need to set up shipping rates for various regions. Shopify provides tools that allow you to calculate shipping costs based on the customer's location. You can also offer free shipping for specific regions to attract more customers.

A Shopify migration service can help you set up the right payment and shipping methods, especially if you're migrating from another platform like BigCommerce to Shopify or Prestashop to Shopify.

4. Optimize Your Shopify Store for Local SEO

When launching an international Shopify store, it’s crucial to optimize for local SEO to make sure your store appears in search results in your target market. SEO doesn’t just involve keywords; it also includes factors like language, local links, and even your website structure. Here’s how to optimize your Shopify store for international SEO:

A. Use hreflang tags

These tags tell search engines which language and region your pages are targeting. If you’re targeting multiple countries, using hreflang will help search engines serve the right content to the right audience.

B. Localize your content

Make sure your content, including product descriptions and blog posts, is in the local language. If you’re selling to a French market, ensure your store is fully translated.

C. Optimize for local search engines

While Google is the dominant search engine in many countries, there are others like Baidu (China) or Yandex (Russia) that you may need to optimize for as well.

If you’re unfamiliar with international SEO, Shopify experts Singapore can help optimize your store to make sure you rank well in local searches.

5. Add Multiple Languages to Your Shopify Store

To truly cater to international customers, your Shopify store must be able to display content in multiple languages. Shopify allows you to translate your store's content into different languages, providing a seamless experience for customers worldwide. Here’s how to add multiple languages:

A. Install a translation app

Shopify’s translation apps like Langify or Shopify Translate & Adapt allow you to easily translate your store’s content into various languages.

B. Automatic vs manual translation

You can choose between automatic translation, which may require some editing, or you can manually translate content to ensure quality and accuracy.

For more advanced multilingual setups, Shopify Plus designers can offer custom solutions tailored to your international store.

6. Market Your Shopify Store Globally

Once your Shopify store is live in international markets, you need to start driving traffic and converting visitors into customers. International marketing strategies will help you do that. Here are some marketing tips for international Shopify stores:

A. Social media marketing

Target specific countries through social media ads and posts. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram allow you to target audiences by location, language, and other demographics.

B. Influencer marketing

Partner with local influencers to promote your products in the markets you’re entering.

C. Google Ads for international markets

Set up targeted Google Ads campaigns for each market you’re entering. Make sure your ads are tailored to local languages and keywords.

A Shopify agency Singapore can help you create marketing strategies that resonate with your target international audience.

7. Monitor Your International Shopify Store’s Performance

Once your Shopify store is live, it’s important to keep an eye on how it’s performing in each market. Use tools like Google Analytics and Shopify Analytics to track sales, traffic, and conversion rates in different countries.

A. Track KPIs

Keep an eye on key performance indicators (KPIs) like bounce rate, conversion rate, and average order value in each market to understand what’s working and where improvements are needed.

B. Customer feedback

Listen to customer feedback, whether it’s positive or negative, and use it to improve the shopping experience.

With the right tools and Shopify store maintenance, you can easily track your store’s success in international markets.

Conclusion

Launching an international Shopify store is an exciting opportunity, but it requires careful planning and execution. From choosing the right Shopify experts to setting up international payments, shipping, and SEO, there are several key steps to ensure success. 

By following the advice in this guide and working with the right Shopify experts in Singapore, you can create a seamless shopping experience for customers worldwide and set your store up for global growth.

Whether you’re migrating to Shopify with Shopify migration services or optimizing your store for internationalization, these steps will help you navigate the complexities of expanding your business into new markets.