Thinking about taking your business global? It’s a great way to boost sales and grow your brand. But shipping your products internationally can get complicated.
The good news? If you’re using Shopify, shipping worldwide doesn’t have to be a headache. The platform is designed with scalability and global expansion in mind, and there are tools available to make the process a lot simpler.
In this guide, we’ll break down how international shipping works on Shopify, what you need to keep in mind, and the steps to get your store ready to ship around the world.
How international shipping works on Shopify
Shopify gives you built-in tools to manage shipping both domestically and internationally, such as Shopify Shipping. Here’s a quick breakdown of what you can do:
- Set up shipping zones for different countries
- Offer shipping rates based on weight, price, or carrier calculations
- Print customs forms and labels via Shopify Shipping (available in select regions)
- Integrate with global carriers like DHL, UPS, USPS and FedEx
- Automate taxes and duties with Shopify Markets (optional)
By combining these features, you can control which regions you ship to, how much you charge, and how customers see shipping options at checkout.
How to set up international shipping on Shopify: step-by-step
Step 1: Confirm your eligibility
Before you set up international shipping, you need to confirm the following:
- Your store is on a paid Shopify plan
- You’ve set up products with accurate weights and dimensions
- You know which countries you want to target
It’s wise to start with a few key markets to test demand before expanding worldwide so you don’t bite off more than you can chew.
Step 2: Set up shipping zones
From your Shopify Admin, go to Settings > Shipping and delivery. In the shipping section, click ‘Manage rates’, then select the shipping profile you want to edit (typically the general profile). Click ‘Create shipping zone’, name your zone (for example, Canada), then add countries or regions to this zone. Repeat this process for each international market you want to target.
Step 3: Add shipping rates for each zone
You have three main options for shipping rates:
1. Flat rates
Charge fixed shipping fees based on price or weight. Ideal for predictable costs.
Example: Orders under $50 – $15 shipping / Orders over $50 – free shipping
2. Calculated carrier rates (live rates)
Use real-time rates from carriers like DHL, FedEx, or USPS, based on destination, weight, and package size. This method tends to be more accurate, reducing the chances of under- or overcharging customers. However, it’s worth noting that calculated carrier rates are only available to merchants on the Advanced plan or higher for certain carriers, but if you’ve reached the point where your business is ready for international expansion, it’s probably worth upgrading your plan anyway.
3. Free shipping
You can also opt to offer free international shipping as a means to boost conversions and factor shipping costs into product pricing. If you choose to do this, you will need to edit your product prices accordingly. Using a bulk editor can speed up this process.
Step 4: Set up customs declarations and duties
International orders often require the following:
- Customs forms
- HS (Harmonised System) codes for products
- Declared value and product descriptions
Shopify Shipping can generate customs forms automatically if you’re using eligible carriers. Alternatively, you can manually prepare these by heading to your order page and reviewing the required customs information. From here, you need to accurately describe goods and values, and include HS codes to minimise delays.
You can use Shopify Managed Markets (previously Markets Pro) or third-party apps to automate tax and duty collection at checkout, which can make life a lot easier.
Step 5: Test the checkout experience
Don’t skip this step – a poor checkout experience will cost you sales and may prevent potential customers from returning to your store. Before launching, do the following:
- Place test orders for each country you’ll be selling in
- Check that shipping options appear correctly
- Confirm rates match your expectations
- Review how taxes and duties are displayed
This prevents unpleasant surprises for customers and ensures a smooth buying experience.
Things to consider when shipping internationally
Shipping limitations
Border restrictions and shipping conditions can change unexpectedly, which may impact your ability to fulfill customer orders. For every country you ship to, regularly review current border regulations and check with local shipping carriers to ensure deliveries are still possible.
If shipping to a specific country is no longer available, update your shipping profiles to reflect the regions you can currently serve.
Additionally, if you rely on third-party suppliers or fulfillment partners, verify that they are still able to process and ship orders to your target locations. You may need to adjust your product offerings based on their ability to fulfill orders.
Customer updates
If border closures or shipping carrier disruptions affect your ability to fulfill orders, it’s important to proactively inform your customers about these changes.
Consider sending an email to notify them of potential delivery delays. Clear communication helps reassure customers that you’re actively monitoring the situation and committed to ensuring their order arrives. Being transparent about external factors beyond your control also helps set realistic expectations and maintain trust.
Additional address fields
Depending on the country, changes may be made to the checkout shipping and billing address form, such as the addition of a neighbourhood or building number field.
Additional tax fields
In certain regions, the checkout may display additional required tax fields. These fields are displayed after the customer enters their shipping address, as part of payment details in a section titled ‘Additional Information’. Customers in these countries will therefore be required to enter additional information into these fields to complete the checkout process.
Planning to scale your Shopify store internationally but not sure where to start? Our ecommerce consultants can help – send us a message to get started.
