Shopify Expansion Stores: A Quick Guide for Global Ecommerce

When thinking about going international, you are likely to come across Shopify expansion stores – the familiar word in the Shopify glossary – as an option. 

Yet what exactly are expansion stores, and why do most businesses employ them to sell cross-border? Are they suitable for you as an alternative to Shopify Markets? This blog takes you through the answers and assists in determining which path best meets your global aspirations.

Let’s dive in!

1. What are Shopify expansion stores

Shopify expansion stores are additional Shopify stores. They are created by a brand under a single Shopify Plus account to support specific needs such as targeting different regions or languages and running separate brands or product lines.

Many of us misunderstand Shopify Plus expansion stores with multiple Shopify stores:

• Creating expansion stores is a feature of Shopify Plus plan. They are all managed from one central platform.
• On the other hand, any Shopify merchant is able to create multiple stores, each of which is totally independent with no central dashboard. 

Let’s find out how you can create them.

2. How to create an expansion store on Shopify

Creating an expansion store on Shopify is only available to Shopify Plus merchants. If you’re on a Basic, Shopify, or Advanced plan, you should be creating an entirely different store instead. ​​

The Shopify Plus plan allows for up to 9 expansion stores for internationalization, separate physical locations, and other related purposes. The cost varies so negotiate before committing to the number of stores you’d like to create. 

Now, let’s check the step-by-step guide to building an expansion store on Shopify.

First, log in to your Shopify Plus account. Go to Settings > Organization and click on the Create Store button.

(Source: Orbe)

Next, select Expansion as the store type. Then, fill in your store details, including store name and store URL. Please note that you can’t change the URL later. 

To complete the configuration, you can:

• Upload a new theme or duplicate one from another store. 
• Configure products, prices, taxes, payment gateways, shipping, etc.
• Add apps specific to this store.

Businesses who want to expand globally will need Shopify expansion stores because of the following outstanding features: 

• Customize for different regions: Include languages, currencies, taxes and duties, shipping zones, local laws, or compliance. 
• Separate wholesale and retail stores: Help you build one for retail (B2C) and one for wholesale (B2B). 
• Build multiple brands or product lines: Allow you to create separate stores targeting different customers.
• Localize marketing and SEO strategies: Create each store with its own domain, language, and optimized content.

When you start to run your Shopify online store, you can try and save your budget with the promotion of Shopify for 1 dollar.

3. Differences of Shopify markets vs expansion stores 

Both Shopify markets and Shopify Plus expansion stores are suitable for international ecommerce business. However, they have differences that you should consider before making a decision. Take a quick look at the comparison table below:

In summary, expansion stores are separate stores for different regions or purposes, while markets are configurations within a single store to cater to different regions.

• Shopify markets are great if you want to run one store with a global reach using local currencies, languages, and domains. It is ideal for simpler international setups.
• Expansion stores give you full control and flexibility when you need highly customized experiences, separate branding, tax setups, or product assortments for each market. It is usually at an enterprise scale.

From these differences between Shopify markets vs expansion stores, you can find out that:

• Shopify markets are best for small to medium brands expanding globally without heavy customization.
• Expansion stores are suitable for larger businesses needing complex setups for each market such as tax, design, and product mix. 

4. 4 ways to manage multiple Shopify expansion stores

As each expansion store serves a unique region, specific customers, or products, you may feel overwhelmed when launching your Shopify business at first, right? Instead of worrying about this, focus on these 4 effective ways to make sure that you run your stores successfully. 

4.1. Maintain consistent branding & design

A cohesive brand experience builds trust, especially when customers discover your stores through different channels. But with more than one region or team, it is easy to lose direction.

So you can apply the following tips to ensure consistent branding and design:

• Use Shopify’s theme duplication feature to copy your core theme across stores.
• Create and share a brand style guide, including typography, color codes, image style, and tone of voice.
• Apply one shared Figma file or design system to visual properties across multiple stores.
• Consistently inspect your expansion stores for consistent branding.

4.2. Understand SEO implication

Expansion stores give you dedicated domains or subdomains, which is great for region-specific SEO. However, it does imply that you’re essentially running almost different websites in the Google algorithm.

For SEO, please make sure that:

• Localize keyword research for every region. Don’t copy-paste product names or blog posts.
• Use tags appropriately to signal language and regional versions to search engines.
• Develop local backlinks to the domain of every store to build credibility.
• Hire local SEO freelancers or content writers when you’re planning to enter the non-English markets.

4.3. Choose between centralized and decentralized management approaches

There’s no one-size-fits-all model. Centralized teams have more control and consistency, but decentralized teams are quicker to react to the demand of trends and markets.

Here are some tips that help you manage effectively:

• Use Shopify’s Organization Admin on Shopify Plus to assign staff permissions and centrally manage stores.
• Set standard operating procedures for key workflows so all stores have the same baseline processes.
• Use shared working space tools like Slack, Notion, or Trello to collaborate across time zones.
• Have regular syncs between the local and central teams to review KPIs, campaigns, and challenges.

4.4. Have workflow optimization strategies

The more stores you have, the more you need systems that scale. Automating repetitive tasks frees your team to focus on growth instead of admin.

The following tips may help you:

• Use apps like React Flow for bulk product updates and store data transfers.
• Integrate an ERP or inventory management tool to sync stock across all stores.
• Use a centralized customer service platform (like Gorgias or Zendesk) with multi-store management support.
• Automate reports with tools to track performance store by store.

>>> Want know more Shopify’s native features? Check out the ultimate handbook: Shopify Glossary.

5. Shopify apps for managing expansion stores

Don’t forget to utilize the Shopify apps for better expansion store management. Here are 3 suggested ones for you to synchronize products and inventory, create automatic workflow, and fulfill orders. 

5.1. Multi‑Store Sync Power

Multi‑Store Sync Power is best suited for business owners running regional or B2B expansion stores. It lets Shopify stores synchronize the inventory of products across all their stores. Whether selling similar products via regional expansion stores or running a wholesale/retail operation, the app prevents overselling and stock discrepancies.

Key benefits: Multi‑Store Sync Power helps you keep your inventory and product details perfectly aligned across all your stores or locations. It can automatically create new products in every connected store, handle multi-location setups with ease.

Pricing: Pricing begins at a free tier for up to 25 products, followed by $19.99/month (Silver), $29.99/month (Gold), and $49.99/month (Platinum) depending on how many products you sync. 

5.2. Workflow Automation — React Flow

React Flow is an automation tool for Shopify that helps you create workflows to handle repetitive tasks across one or many stores. It is ideal for expansion store ventures that require automation of manual labor and spending more time on strategic growth.

Key benefits: You can build your own custom Shopify flows in a flash with React Flow, from straightforward tasks to very intricate processes. Using this app, you are able to automate event tracking, schedule workflows with timing, and connect with integrations like Slack, Twilio, WhatsApp, Xero, and much more. Thus, it helps you optimize your day-to-day operations and work smarter.

Pricing: The application is free with 20 workflows and 100 runs per month. Paid plans start from $15/month for 1,000 runs, $25/month for 10,000 runs, and $45/month for 100,000 runs.

5.3. Order Fulfillment Guru

Order Fulfillment Guru is an application built for merchants who split their stock across multiple locations or stores. It automates order routing, warehouse assignment, and shipping processes to make fulfillment smoother for businesses handling expansion stores.

Key benefits: Order Fulfillment Guru automates order splitting and routing, sending orders to the right store or warehouse using flexible rules. It also synchronizes inventory and orders in real time, supports prepaid shipping labels, and auto invoicing, and enables you to set B2B payment terms and wholesale pricing. 

Pricing: The app is free for smaller businesses, while custom-priced paid plans charge for extra features and additional order volume. The price is from $9.95 to $29.95 per month. 

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6. Conclusion

Now you’ve got a better sense of what Shopify expansion stores are and how they stack up against Shopify Markets. Once you’re clear on your business goals, picking the right path for going global will feel much simpler.

And if you’d rather not handle everything on your own, eComStart is here to help — from store setup service to prebuilt ecommerce store, so you can focus on important tasks of growing your business.

7. FAQs