Selling Internationally on Shopify: Setup Without Breaking Support

International expansion fails when expectations are unclear: shipping times, duties, returns, and language. Solve those first, then localize.

Minimum viable international setup

1. Pick 1–2 target regions with clear demand signals.
2. Set shipping zones and SLA language by region.
3. Decide how you will handle duties/taxes (paid by customer vs prepaid).
4. Localize currency and payments.

Localization priorities

• Shipping and returns pages (localized policies)
• FAQ and support expectations
• Key product pages and top collections

Use case: paid acquisition

Start with a controlled test. International CAC can look good on day one but collapse when refunds and delivery issues spike.