How to Set Up International Shipping on Shopify: Complete Guide

1. Set Up Shipping Zones: Define where you ship and customize costs for regions. Use weight-based, carrier-calculated, or flat rates.
2. Connect Carriers and Tools: Link Shopify Shipping or third-party apps like ShipperHQ for real-time rates and automated processes.
3. Handle Customs and Taxes: Automate duties, taxes, and customs forms to ensure smooth cross-border deliveries.
4. Optimize Your Strategy: Use regional warehouses, provide multiple delivery options (like express or free shipping), and track performance with Shopify analytics.

Quick Overview of Tools and Features:

Feature	Purpose	Example
Shipping Zones	Control delivery costs and regions	Europe, Asia-Pacific zones
Carrier Integration	Real-time rates and tracking	DHL, UPS, FedEx
Customs Automation	Simplify duties and taxes calculations	Shopify settings or ShipperHQ
Warehouse Network	Faster delivery times	Shopify Fulfillment Network (SFN)

Start by creating shipping zones, automate customs, and offer flexible delivery options to reduce cart abandonment and boost sales. Ready to grow globally? Let’s dive in!

How to Set Up International Shipping on Shopify In 2024

Step 1: Setting Up Shipping Zones for International Orders

Shipping zones in Shopify determine where you ship and what you charge. They allow you to customize delivery options and costs for specific regions, helping you offer competitive pricing and a smoother experience for your customers.

How to Create Shipping Zones in Shopify

To set up a shipping zone, head to Settings > Shipping and delivery in your Shopify dashboard. Here’s what you’ll need to do:

• Name your shipping zone: Choose clear and descriptive names like "Europe" or "Asia-Pacific."
• Select the countries or regions: Add the areas you want to include in the zone.
• Set up basic shipping settings: Define the essentials for that zone.

You can organize zones by nearby countries with similar shipping costs, broader regions like continents, or even global zones for worldwide shipping.

Assigning Shipping Rates to Zones

After setting up your zones, you’ll assign shipping rates. Shopify provides several options:

• Weight-based Rates: Charge by package weight. For example, $15 for 0-2kg and $25 for 2-5kg within Europe.
• Carrier-calculated Rates: Get real-time quotes from carriers like DHL, FedEx, or UPS. Rates adjust based on:
  • Package size
  • Delivery destination
  • Service level selected
    To use this, link your Shopify account to your carrier accounts.
• Flat Rates: Offer fixed shipping costs for zones with consistent delivery expenses.

"To ensure accurate shipping rate calculations for international orders in Shopify, use carrier-calculated rates or integrate third-party shipping apps that can provide real-time shipping quotes based on the customer's location and package details."

Keep your shipping zones updated to reflect carrier restrictions or changes in your business needs.

With your zones and rates in place, you’re ready to integrate shipping carriers or tools to simplify your international shipping process.

Step 2: Connecting Shipping Carriers and Tools

Once your shipping zones are set up, the next step is linking carriers and tools to manage your international shipments. This integration helps ensure accurate shipping rates, reduces delays, and simplifies logistics, ultimately improving the customer experience.

Using Shopify Shipping for Global Deliveries

Shopify Shipping makes managing global deliveries easier by offering features like real-time rates, automated label creation, and tracking updates - all accessible directly from your Shopify dashboard. To enable these functionalities, navigate to Settings > Shipping and delivery in your Shopify admin.

Shopify Shipping integrates with major carriers, including:

• DHL Express
• UPS
• FedEx

Each carrier provides various service levels and delivery timelines. By connecting through Shopify Shipping, you can streamline order fulfillment and automate shipping processes.

"Using Shopify Shipping for global deliveries provides several benefits, including streamlined logistics, accurate shipping rates, and integration with major carriers like DHL, UPS, and FedEx. This helps businesses manage international shipping more efficiently and provide better customer experiences."

While Shopify Shipping is a great starting point, third-party apps can offer even more advanced tools and flexibility for businesses with specific shipping needs.

Third-Party Apps for Managing Shipping

Third-party shipping apps bring additional features like multi-carrier support, dynamic pricing, and custom shipping rules. These apps are particularly useful for businesses with complex shipping operations. Below is a comparison of some popular options:

App Name	Key Features	Best For
ShipperHQ	Advanced rate calculations, customs handling, dimensional pricing	High-volume sellers with complex shipping rules
Easyship	250+ carrier options, automated duties, dynamic pricing	Businesses needing maximum carrier flexibility

To integrate a third-party app:

• Visit the Shopify App Store
• Install your preferred app
• Configure the settings based on your shipping needs
• Link your carrier accounts

These apps often include features like:

• Automated duty and tax calculations
• Custom forms for international shipping
• Multi-warehouse management

For the best results, use Shopify's analytics tools to track shipping costs, delivery times, and customer feedback. This data can help you optimize your shipping strategy and choose the right mix of carriers and tools for your business.

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Step 3: Handling Customs, Duties, and Taxes

Managing customs, duties, and taxes is a key part of making international shipping work smoothly on Shopify. Getting these details right ensures hassle-free customs clearance and keeps pricing clear for your customers.

Preparing Customs Forms

Filling out customs forms correctly is essential to avoid delays and meet regulations. These forms need to include:

• Detailed product descriptions
• Accurate declared values
• Country of origin information
• HS codes (used to classify products for customs)
• Sender and recipient details

You can create customs forms directly in your Shopify admin under shipping settings. Be sure to double-check all product details, keep copies of the forms, and stay informed about the latest international shipping rules.

Automating Duties and Taxes

Once your carriers and tools are set up, the next step is simplifying customs and ensuring transparent pricing by automating duties and taxes. Go to Settings > Shipping and delivery in Shopify to set this up.

Here’s a quick look at two popular automation options:

Solution	Features	Best For
Shopify Native	Basic duty calculation, integrated carrier rates	Smaller businesses new to international sales
ShipperHQ	DHL-powered duty calculation, real-time tax updates	High-volume sellers with complex operations

To make sure calculations are accurate:

• Add correct HS codes and country of origin for your products.
• Set up tax settings for automatic calculations.
• Decide how duties and taxes will appear at checkout.

"Using automated solutions to calculate duties and taxes at checkout ensures transparency and compliance with international shipping regulations, ultimately leading to better customer experiences and fewer shipping delays", explains ShipperHQ's integration guide for Shopify.

With customs, duties, and taxes handled, you can shift your focus to improving delivery options to keep your customers happy.

Step 4: Improving Your International Shipping Approach

After setting up the basics of international shipping, the next step is to fine-tune your strategy to better serve global customers while keeping operations efficient.

Using Regional Warehouses to Speed Up Shipping

Placing warehouses strategically can significantly cut delivery times, lower shipping costs, and simplify customs processes. For instance, storing inventory in Germany can reduce EU delivery times from 7-10 days to just 1-3 days. Keeping stock within the destination region also avoids cross-border customs delays and expenses.

To make the most of this approach, use Shopify analytics to pinpoint high-demand markets, collaborate with regional fulfillment partners, and set up clear inventory tracking and shipping rules.

For merchants in the US and Canada looking to expand internationally, the Shopify Fulfillment Network (SFN) offers tools like automated inventory distribution and streamlined stock management across multiple locations.

Once your warehouse strategy is in place, the next focus is offering shipping options that cater to different customer needs.

Providing Multiple Delivery Options

Offering a variety of shipping choices is key to meeting the needs of international customers. A mix of options ensures you can cater to different preferences and budgets.

Shipping Type	Best For	Customer Benefit
Standard International	Price-sensitive buyers	Affordable shipping rates
Express Shipping	Urgent deliveries	Fast delivery (2-3 days)
Free Shipping Threshold	Larger orders	Incentive for bigger purchases

You can also introduce free shipping for orders above a certain amount. This not only helps cover costs but also encourages customers to spend more, boosting both satisfaction and conversion rates.

Steps to Succeed with International Shipping on Shopify

Merchants who set up international shipping effectively often see up to a 25% drop in cart abandonment rates and a 15% boost in cross-border sales. Achieving this requires proper setup and smart adjustments to meet the needs of a global audience.

Start by creating targeted shipping zones that align with your business goals. Go to Settings > Markets > International in your Shopify dashboard to enable international shipping and set up zones tailored to your expansion plan.

Automation plays a key role in simplifying customs management and ensuring a smooth shopping experience. Modern tools, like those available in Shopify, can calculate duties and taxes during checkout, avoiding unexpected fees for customers. These tools can also automatically convert shipping costs into local currencies based on real-time exchange rates. Once these logistics are sorted, you can focus on improving delivery options and streamlining operations.

Strategy Component	Tool	Purpose
Shipping Zones	Shopify Dashboard	Control over shipping rates
Customs Management	ShipperHQ Integration	Automatic duty calculations
Delivery Options	Carrier Integration	Flexible shipping methods
Warehouse Network	Shopify Fulfillment Network	Faster delivery times

Use Shopify's analytics tools to track key metrics and refine your shipping strategy. These reports can help you identify issues with shipping zones, evaluate carrier performance, and compare delivery times to customer expectations. This data-driven approach ensures you’re always improving your global shipping operations.

Finally, ensure compliance with local laws and regulations. Work with shipping experts and tax advisors to confirm that your setup meets the legal requirements in the markets you’re targeting.

FAQs

Can I use Shopify Shipping for international orders?

Yes, Shopify Shipping allows you to handle international orders with features like real-time shipping rates, tracking updates, and automated customs forms. Once these tools are set up, you can improve your shipping process to provide a smoother experience for your customers.

What are shipping zones in Shopify?

Shipping zones let you customize shipping costs and methods for specific regions, helping you manage costs and provide better service. In Shopify, these zones define areas where particular shipping rates and rules apply. For example, you might set up a zone for the EU with flat rates or one for Asia-Pacific with weight-based pricing.

You can create shipping zones under Settings > Shipping and delivery, and structure rates based on factors like:

Zone Type	Rate Structure Example	Common Use Case
Regional	$15 flat rate	EU countries
Weight-based	Weight-based tiers	North America
Global	Distance-based	Rest of the World

How do I handle customs and duties?

Shopify offers tools and integrations with third-party apps to automate customs and duties. These tools ensure compliance and help reduce cart abandonment by calculating duties and taxes during checkout. This way, your customers won’t face unexpected fees when their order arrives.

How can I improve my international shipping setup?

You can cut delivery times and costs by using regional warehouses through the Shopify Fulfillment Network. Additionally, exclude restricted or unprofitable products by navigating to Settings > Markets > International > Products and pricing. This helps you streamline your international operations.