Japan's cross-border e-commerce market has been growing year by year. According to 2022 data published by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), purchases from the United States totaled approximately 1.3 trillion yen, and purchases from China totaled approximately 2.2 trillion yen.
Shopify is a platform well suited to cross-border e-commerce. This article covers a wide range of information on cross-border e-commerce, including the basic setup for running cross-border e-commerce on Shopify, challenges around customer acquisition and support, and practical apps that support your operations. Let's use Shopify to expand your business globally.
Image source: METI Survey on Electronic Commerce Market
What Are the Benefits of Cross-Border E-Commerce with Shopify?
Starting cross-border e-commerce with Shopify offers many benefits beyond just being easy to get started.
Image source: Shopify Press Release
Multi-language and multi-currency support
Shopify's multi-language and multi-currency support is excellent. Because you can easily set up multiple languages and currencies, you can localize your store for customers in each country. In particular, Shopify's automatic currency conversion feature makes transactions in different currencies easier, which helps lower the barrier for customers to make a purchase.
*Please note that the automatic currency conversion feature has requirements related to your Shopify plan and eligibility.
Image source: Shopify Press Release
A wide variety of payment methods
Shopify supports a wide variety of payment methods used around the world. Because customers can pay using the payment method that's common in their own country, this leads to higher conversion rates.
Being able to offer a range of payment methods such as credit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay is a major advantage for cross-border e-commerce.
The blog article below introduces the payment methods available on Shopify. Please use it as a reference.
Apps that simplify shipping procedures
Shipping is a major challenge in cross-border e-commerce. Many Shopify apps address cross-border shipping and can simplify shipping-related challenges. Use apps that consolidate label printing and tracking information, or apps that automatically calculate and display international shipping rates to customers, according to your store's specific needs.
The blog article below explains shipping settings on Shopify in detail. Please use it as a reference.
Initial Setup for Starting Cross-Border E-Commerce with Shopify
When starting cross-border e-commerce with Shopify, there are items you need to check and configure. If you don't already run a store for the Japanese market and are launching a cross-border e-commerce store from scratch, you'll generally follow the same steps as launching a store for the Japanese market.
You'll launch your site using a theme that matches your brand, and go through creating product pages, setting prices, and choosing currencies.
Related article: How to Get Started with Shopify (Building Your Store) | From Sign-Up to Launching Your Store
Setting up multi-language and multi-currency support
In cross-border e-commerce, you need to support the languages and currencies that match your target countries. Depending on the Shopify theme or app, there are features that let you easily set up multiple languages and currencies.
Also, by using a design theme equipped with an automatic currency conversion feature, customers can view prices in their own local currency. Besides design themes, you can also add automatic currency conversion functionality through apps.
Image source: Shopify Press Release
Tax rate and duty settings needed for cross-border e-commerce
In cross-border e-commerce, setting up tax rates and duties is extremely important. You need to set accurate amounts in accordance with the tax laws and duty rules of the destination country.
Shopify has a feature that can automatically collect duties and import taxes, but it has requirements regarding which stores can use it, so it's not available to every store.
7 Steps to Start Cross-Border E-Commerce with Shopify
With Shopify, you can easily sell your products to countries and regions around the world. In this section, we'll break down the basic steps for starting cross-border e-commerce with Shopify into 7 simple steps.
STEP 1. Decide on the countries or regions you'll sell to
First, decide which countries or regions you want to sell your products in. It's important to check not only the market size and needs, but also whether it's legally possible to sell your product in that country and what regulations apply. This is especially important for items like cosmetics, food, and electrical appliances.
You should also research in advance the duties and local taxes that apply to your products.
STEP 2. Decide on your shipping method
Choose a shipping method for delivering your products to overseas customers. Japan Post's international mail services (such as EMS) and couriers like DHL and FedEx are the main options. Rates, delivery speed, availability of tracking, and coverage differ by service. Consider the best shipping method for your product's price range and characteristics.
STEP 3. Set up multi-language and multi-currency support
Set up multi-language and multi-currency support to match your target countries. Some themes support the display of multiple languages and currencies, and even themes that don't can be made to support them by installing an app. This allows customers to browse your site in their native language and check product prices in their local currency.
By adopting Shopify Payments, customers can pay in their local currency.
For more on Shopify's language settings, see the article below.
STEP 4. Set up Shopify Markets
Shopify Markets is a very convenient feature that lets you manage all the settings needed for cross-border e-commerce from a single screen. Use this feature to register the countries and regions you decided on in STEP 1 as "markets."
This allows you to centrally configure and manage different languages, currencies, prices, and duty displays for each market.
For more details on Shopify Markets, see the article below.
STEP 5. Set your shipping rates
Based on the rate structure of the shipping method you decided on in STEP 2, set your international shipping rates in the Shopify admin.
Create "shipping zones" that group countries and regions, and define rules so that shipping rates are automatically calculated based on the order total or weight.
STEP 6. Set up the tax rates and duties needed for cross-border e-commerce
In cross-border e-commerce, setting up tax rates and duties is extremely important. You need to set accurate amounts in accordance with the tax laws and duty rules of the destination country.
Shopify has a feature that can automatically collect duties and import taxes, and as of the June 2025 update, it became available on all plans.
The blog article below explains in detail how to set up duties on Shopify. Please use it as a reference.
STEP 7. Prepare your policy pages
Preparing your store's policy pages for overseas customers can help prevent trouble before it happens. The main policy pages are as follows.
- Shipping Policy
- Refund Policy
- Privacy Policy
- Terms of Service
Edit the content of these pages for cross-border e-commerce, and display them in your store's footer and checkout page so that anyone can view them.
The above are the basic steps for starting cross-border e-commerce. You may also need additional settings as necessary, such as adopting payment methods commonly used in your target countries or regions, or setting up domains for each country or region.
Challenges of Running Cross-Border E-Commerce on Shopify
While there are many benefits to cross-border e-commerce with Shopify, there are of course challenges unique to cross-border e-commerce as well. Here we explain those challenges and their solutions.
Customer support for cross-border e-commerce
In cross-border e-commerce, you need to support customers whose native language differs from yours. To handle customer support smoothly, multi-language chatbots and well-prepared FAQ pages are effective.
You can also facilitate communication with customers by making use of Shopify's multi-language apps and external translation apps.
Complying with regulations in each country
When running cross-border e-commerce, you need to pay attention to the regulations of each country. You're required to provide appropriate product labeling and calculate taxes correctly in accordance with the laws and regulations of each country.
Compliance with VAT (Value Added Tax) and GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is especially important within the EU. Shopify provides tools and apps to help address these regulations, so be sure to research thoroughly and configure your store accordingly in advance.
Costs to Watch Out for in Cross-Border E-Commerce
Efficient cost management is a very important point when running cross-border e-commerce. Here we explain in detail how to optimize costs unique to cross-border e-commerce, such as shipping rates and duties/taxes.
Compare shipping carriers
In cross-border e-commerce, shipping rates can become a significant burden both financially and operationally, so choosing the right shipping carrier is very important. Compare multiple carriers and consider the rates, delivery speed, and quality of service for each.
Also, by using a Shopify app to automatically calculate shipping rates to each country, you can present customers with accurate shipping costs. To reduce shipping costs, it's also effective to use different carriers depending on the situation, or to review your shipping contracts for specific regions.
How to calculate duties and taxes
In cross-border e-commerce, duties and taxes have a major impact on product pricing. To calculate them accurately, it's essential to understand the tax system and duty rates of each country and set your prices accordingly.
Some Shopify apps offer features to automatically calculate duties and taxes. Make use of these apps to automate complex tax calculations.
5 Shopify Apps Useful for Cross-Border E-Commerce
Installing Shopify apps can help you run your cross-border e-commerce store more efficiently. These apps let you automate and simplify tasks such as logistics, tax compliance, and customer support that require multi-language handling.
Here are some recommended apps for cross-border e-commerce from Japan.
Ship&co: Shipping Label Printing App
Image source: Ship&co
Ship&co is a shipping management app that lets you manage multiple carriers from a single place. By integrating with Shopify, it automatically pulls in order information, making it easy to print shipping labels and send tracking number notifications.
Ship&co supports major international shipping carriers and can streamline your shipping procedures. It can also integrate with multiple marketplaces.
EasyRates: Japan Post
Image source: Easy Rates Japan Post
Easy Rates Japan Post is an app that automatically calculates shipping rates using Japan Post's international mail services. By integrating with Shopify, it calculates accurate shipping rates from Japan based on a product's weight and dimensions, and displays them to customers in real time. It also includes tracking functionality, giving customers peace of mind.
EAS EU & UK Compliance: Tax Calculation App for the EU
Image source: EAS EU & UK Compliance
EAS EU & UK Compliance is an app that automates VAT (Value Added Tax) compliance and tax calculation for the EU. The app is not available in Japanese, but it can be integrated with the Japan Post app. It's a trustworthy app that has earned Built for Shopify status, a mark of quality.
RuffRuff 予約販売: For Sales Campaigns in Multiple Languages
"RuffRuff 予約販売" is a Shopify app that makes it easy to set up pre-orders on your Shopify store. By making good use of this app, you can also run a variety of sales campaigns such as "limited-time sales," "limited-time promotions," "coming soon announcements," "recurring sales," "member-only sales," "VIP-only sales," and "pay later."
All the text you set up in RuffRuff 予約販売 can be translated, so it can be used for sales campaigns in a variety of languages.
RuffRuff Order Limits: For Purchase Restrictions in Multiple Languages
"RuffRuff Order Limits" is a Shopify app that lets you enforce with a single app, quantity limits and amount limits, bundling restrictions, member restrictions, and payment restrictions.
Japan's first Shopify app to use the Cart and Checkout Validation API, it implements order restriction processing on the server side — something that could previously only be handled on the front end. As a result, it enables order restrictions that are more robust and harder to bypass compared to existing order restriction apps.
All the text you set up in RuffRuff Order Limits can be translated, so it can be used for purchase restrictions in a variety of languages. It can also hide payment methods based on the selected language, so for example, you can hide payment methods intended for Japanese customers when a customer has selected English on your store.
Get Started with Cross-Border E-Commerce on Shopify
This article covered a wide range of topics on cross-border e-commerce with Shopify, from how to get started to recommended apps. By making use of Shopify's features and practical apps, you can easily start cross-border e-commerce. If you'd like to take on cross-border e-commerce, make the most of Shopify.
Finally, the blog article below introduces, by category, Shopify apps recommended not only for running cross-border e-commerce but also for boosting sales and improving operational efficiency. Please use it as a reference.
