Localizing Shopify Stores for European Markets

Here's how I've used Google to successfully internationalize 7- and 8-figure eCom brands: Important: This is not just about translating your website. It's a multi-layered approach where Google becomes your best friend. 🤝 Let me break down how I've approached this successfully: 1. Understand the language layer. When we expanded to Germany, we targeted both English and German speakers by creating dedicated sub-folders: yourbrand.com/de/en yourbrand.com/de/de In short: Two different types of websites for two different search volumes inside of Germany. 2. Research keyword search volume in each market. The search intent varies dramatically between countries. Sometimes the same product has completely different search terms! Backend adjustments are crucial here: • Set up Shopify Markets properly • Create language-specific content • Localize pricing (not just currency conversion) • Adapt your $39.99 product to €34.99 or €37.99 based on local market expectations A real win from our playbook: with Dore & Rose as an example. We're currently ranking position 1 for: "Schlafmaske" in German "Sleeping Mask" in English (US, CA, UK, Australia) "Slaapmasker" in Dutch. This triple-language domination drives insane search volume. We're speaking about thousands of extra visitors daily here. But there are also common mistakes to avoid, like: • Broken price feeds • Improper language targeting • Shopify Markets configuration errors • Poor translations (Google Translate fails) For proper internationalization, invest in real translators, proofreaders, and ideally native copywriters. Machine translation (including a fancy AI solution) just doesn't cut it. 🫠 Have you already expanded internationally?

"Europe is one market," said no one successfully selling in Europe, ever. Localisation isn’t optional, it’s strategy, and common sense really. 🇬🇷 Greeks? We love humor, sarcasm, and a bit of chaos. Fame often feels more powerful than money. 🇳🇱 The Dutch? Practical and straightforward. They value wealth over status every time. 🇪🇸 The Spanish? They go for good living, ease, and warmth, not the spotlight. 🇩🇪 The Germans? Clear info, structure, and reliability build trust. 🇮🇹The Italians? Passion, style, and storytelling, with a side of espresso. 🇦🇹 The Austrians? Precision, quality, and order. They appreciate reliability. 🌍 The Balkans? Resilience, humor, and strong community ties shape their values. Now, imagine writing one marketing message for all of them. Exactly. Same product, totally different messaging. Not just translated, localised. Not just language, culture, tone, timing, but even the value proposition. Having built eCommerce and brand experiences across these markets, I can tell you this: Treat Europe like one big market, and you’re setting yourself up for a spectacular failure. Because not everyone loves pineapple on pizza. Just ask the Italians. #ecommerce #marketlocalisation #localization

Shopify started auto-translating app listings in 2023—and that’s when I learned the hard way that “translated” doesn’t always mean “understood.” At Editions.dev this year, I was chatting with my friend Kevin from Germany. I asked him to check out the German version of our Clean Size Charts app listing. His response? “Not good.” Oof. Shopify had automatically translated our English listing into 8 languages—including German. The goal: help international merchants better understand apps and boost installs by up to 20%. Sounds great in theory. But in reality? Our translations weren’t actually how German merchants talk about size charts. It sounded clunky and unnatural. So they bounced. That got me digging into analytics. And what I found was rough: German-based merchants were deciding within 1 – 2 minutes whether or not to install. That’s barely enough time to even understand what we do. Why? Because we made the common mistake: Our UI was in English (unless you selected German manually) Our emails were only in English Our listing was automatically translated, but not reviewed or edited From the merchant’s perspective, they were doing extra work just to try us out. And it didn’t feel like we built it for them. Honestly? I wouldn’t stay either. We haven’t fixed it all yet—but here’s what we are doing now: ✅ Reviewing all translations manually ✅ Planning UI localization based on admin language ✅ Updating automated emails to match user language ✅ Creating localized visuals for listings So if you’re seeing international traffic spike (thanks to Shopify’s translations), don’t stop at the listing. Go all in on localization: Add localized screenshots & videos Read the user’s Shopify admin language for onboarding Translate emails, support docs, and helpdesk replies Translations open the door. Localization keeps them in the room.

Stop thinking like a global brand and start acting like a local one. Europe is NOT waiting for you. You have to earn it your way in👇 1. Localize like your business depends on it. 🇫🇷 French users don’t click “Buy Now.” They click “Commander” 🇩🇪 Germans don’t trust casual tone. They want precision, formality, and certifications. 🇪🇸 Spaniards expect WhatsApp support. Or precisely — voice support :) Thus you should know language and have someone who knows. Design, language, tone — everything must feel native. 2. Social proofs are your sheets of passport. Companies entering Europe often build region-specific landing pages: ✅ Translated content ✅ Testimonials from locals ✅ Case studies with EU logos ✅ Adapted colors, names and establishments. No Siemens or Carrefour on the customer list? Then partner with a small local business — and use that as your wedge. 3. Get boots on the ground. Great founders attend events like Web Summit (Lisbon), TechBBQ (Copenhagen), Slush (Helsinki). They don’t go to party. They go to network :) 4. Legal & finance barriers WILL stop you — if you're messy. Set up a local entity (Estonia via e-Residency is a good start). Offer EU-friendly payment options. Be GDPR-compliant from day one. These are not “nice-to-haves” These are must-be-doing😎 5. Stop saying “We’re cheaper” Start saying “We’re sharper” European B2B buyers don’t want cheap. They want safe. They want to know you won’t vanish in 6 months. ✌️so… This is not about building one-day offer. It’s about building trust for ages — across borders, cultures, and currencies. /// What market are you operating on now? What peculiarities do you face here? #eu #europeanmarket #beglobal #goglobal

"Scaling a Shopify store globally sounds exciting—until you realize managing multiple stores can be a nightmare." That’s where Shopify Markets steps in. 🌍 What is Shopify Markets? It’s Shopify’s built-in tool that helps you sell internationally — from a single store. No need for multiple logins, duplicate products, or syncing apps. You can manage: ✅ Currency & pricing ✅ Country-specific shipping rules ✅ Custom content per region ✅ Tax & duties ✅ Local domains or subfolders ✅ Auto redirection based on geolocation 🛒 Real-world example: Let’s say you sell home decor in India 🇮🇳 but want to expand to the US 🇺🇸 and Europe 🇪🇺. With Markets, you can: Show INR on .in and USD/EUR on .com Offer different shipping costs Customize festive promos (e.g., Diwali vs Black Friday) Keep everything under one admin ⚙️ Why I like it (as a dev): One dashboard Less dependency on sync tools Smart Liquid handling (request.country) for country-specific logic SEO-friendly setup with subfolders or country domains 🔍 But it’s not perfect: Limited flexibility vs fully separate stores Some features need Shopify Markets Pro (advanced plan) App compatibility issues (especially with heavy custom setups) 💬 If you’re a dev, have you used Shopify Markets? 💬If you're a D2C brand — are you running one store or multiple? Drop your thoughts below 👇 I’m curious how others are approaching global expansion on Shopify. #Shopify #Liquid #WebDevelopment #D2C #InternationalSelling #ShopifyDevelopers  #EcommerceStrategy  #D2Cbrands  #ShopifyMarkets #WebDevelopment  #InternationalEcommerce  #ShopifyTips #LiquidDevelopment  #CrossBorderSelling  #EcommerceGrowth