We are halfway through 2025. More and more companies are starting to ask a different kind of growth question.
Not just how to grow, but where?
For a growing number of brands, the answer is clear.
Sell internationally.
This month’s newsletter is all about taking your brand global. We’ll break down how Shopify Markets makes cross-border selling easier than ever, what to look out for, and how to avoid the usual headaches of international growth. You'll also find eCommerce industry news and trends.
Let’s dive in!
In this issue:
- How to Use Shopify Markets for Smarter Global Expansion
- eCommerce News & Platform Updates
- SEO Updates for eCommerce
- Fulfillment & Checkout Trends
- Consumer Behavior Insights
- Site Launch Spotlight: Shift Worship
- Growth Isn’t Just About New Features
- A Personal Note from Corfu 🇬🇷
- Final thoughts
How to Use Shopify Markets for Smarter Global Expansion
Selling internationally meant duplicating your Shopify store, juggling multiple apps for localization, and creating workarounds to manage each region. Most customers prefer shopping in their own language, on a local domain, and paying in local currency, which historically forced merchants to run separate storefronts for each country. It was, in short, a logistical headache.
Today, it’s different. Shopify has evolved from a flexible storefront platform into a true global eCommerce engine. This transformation is powered by two new core components: the Markets API and the Catalog API.
Together, these features allow Shopify merchants to manage pricing, localization, and regional storefront experiences from one backend, without the usual cross-border eCommerce headaches. In this guide, I’ll explain how it all works.
What Is Shopify Markets?
Shopify Markets has been around since 2021 as a toolkit to simplify cross-border commerce.
It originally helped brands sell internationally by offering features like:
- Localized domains and SEO setup – use country-specific domains or subfolders with automatic SEO tags (like hreflang) so each market’s site is optimized for local search.
- Currency conversion – display prices in over 130 local currencies (via Shopify Payments) so customers can pay in their own currency.
- Language translation – provide storefront content in multiple languages (up to 20 on advanced plans) so shoppers can browse in their native language.
- Regional pricing adjustments – set custom pricing or automatic FX rate conversion with rounding for different markets (on Shopify Advanced/Plus).
- Duties and tax estimates – option to calculate import duties and taxes at checkout (with third-party integrations like Avalara) to avoid customer surprises.
- Local payment methods – offer some local payment options through Shopify Payments. For example, a limited selection via Stripe’s integrations to boost trust with international customers.
These features removed many hurdles to international selling. However, until now, Shopify Markets was mostly a manual tool. You configured everything through the admin UI. It was functional for basic expansion, but it lacked flexibility. Advanced customization (like dynamically showing different content or pricing rules per country) often required duplicate themes, custom scripts, metafield hacks, or separate apps. For a brand looking to truly scale globally, Markets’ point-and-click settings only went so far.
In 2025, all that changes. With the introduction of the new Markets API, Shopify now offers fully programmable control over how your site behaves by region. In other words, your international storefronts are no longer siloed or hard-coded. They’re an API-driven part of your core website. You don’t need a maze of plugins or to maintain separate themes for each country. Instead, the data, rules, and logic for all your markets live in your Shopify backend and can be managed in a unified way (including via code). This programmatic approach is especially powerful for Shopify Plus brands and headless builds (like those using Hydrogen) where backend automation is critical.
Continue reading the rest of the article →
eCommerce News & Platform Updates
Shopify’s Summer ’25 Edition Rolls Out 150+ New Features
Shopify’s newest release, “Horizon,” brings more than 150 upgrades aimed at making life easier for merchants. Highlights include a new drag-and-drop theme builder with AI content blocks, an upgraded POS app, a smarter Shop App feed, and full support for multiple business entities under one store. This is Shopify doubling down on giving brands the tools to scale without drowning in complexity. Don’t sleep on the new analytics dashboard and Sidekick assistant—they’re small upgrades with a big impact. Read more … shopify.com
Shopify Now Accepts Crypto at Checkout
Shopify has partnered with Coinbase and Stripe to support USDC stablecoin payments right inside checkout. No redirects or wallet installs. It’s seamless, secure, and dollar-pegged for price stability. With this move, cross-border payments just got simpler. Crypto skeptics might not jump in yet, but early adopters could unlock global customers with faster settlement and lower friction. Read more … b2binpay.com
Walmart Pushes Dark Stores and Drone Delivery
Walmart is turning select stores into fulfillment hubs (dark stores) with no public access, optimized for online orders. It also expanded drone delivery to 100+ stores in five major cities through a partnership with Alphabet’s Wing. This means that fast shipping is no longer just a nice-to-have. Customers now expect same-day delivery on essentials, and Walmart is leading the charge outside of Amazon’s shadow. Read more … techcrunch.com
Amazon Expands Same-Day Delivery to Rural Areas
Amazon plans to offer Same-Day or Next-Day Prime delivery to over 4,000 smaller towns and rural communities. It’s backed by a $4 billion investment and new tech that helps stock local favorites. With this move, the bar for fulfillment speed just got even higher. Even outside metro areas, customers will expect near-instant delivery, so plan accordingly. Read more … theverge.com
Target Experiments With Temu-Style Direct Shipping
Target is piloting a factory-direct shipping model, sending low-cost items like apparel and household goods straight from overseas factories to customers. It’s a move borrowed from fast fashion disruptors like Temu and Shein. Their goal is to expand their budget product range without crowding shelves. Expect broader assortments and sharper pricing as this rolls out. Read more … reuters.com
StockX Launches Shopify App for Sneaker Sellers
StockX now integrates directly with Shopify through a new sales channel app. You can list, manage, and sync orders with StockX right inside your Shopify admin. For Shopify merchants, this opens up a whole new buyer base for streetwear and collectibles sellers. Clean, simple multi-channel selling without extra overhead. Read more … shopify.com
TikTok Adds Seller Badges and Live Auction Tools
TikTok has introduced new seller badges (like “Official Shop” and “Authorized Seller”) and rolled out Countdown Bidding for livestream shopping. Fans can bid on products during live streams, with payment handled instantly. These tools increase transparency and engagement, making TikTok Shop more powerful for creators and brands alike. Read more … socialmediatoday.com
SEO Updates for eCommerce
Google Shopping Ads: First-Time Buyer Discounts
Google Shopping now supports New Customer Promotions that auto-apply at checkout. You can highlight them right in your PLA, giving new visitors a reason to convert. It’s a subtle but effective way to increase click-through and win customers who are comparing options. Start testing it in the Merchant Center today. Read more … searchengineland.com
Google’s June 2025 Core Update Is Live
Google’s latest core algorithm update rolled out on June 30. Early chatter points to volatility in product category pages and content-heavy blogs. If rankings shifted, now’s the time to re-check and monitor your UX, EEAT signals, and whether your content actually helps users, not just bots. Read more …seroundtable.com
Structured Data and Semantic For AI SEO On BigCommerce
BigCommerce, along with its subsidiary Feedonomics, now pushes structured product data into Perplexity AI for improved visibility in generative search. Shopify hasn’t rolled this out yet, but it’s clearly where things are headed. As I have discussed before, structured data, clean descriptions, and semantic markup are no longer optional. They’re the baseline and a must for AI visibility. Read more … bigcommerce.com
AI Tools and Developments for Merchants
Google Debuts Doppl: Virtual Try-On Gets Real
Google’s new Doppl app uses AI to let shoppers upload a photo and see themselves wearing any outfit, no models, no guessing. It works with just one image and returns realistic stills and videos. If you’re in fashion or beauty, get your visuals in shape. Product imagery and variant logic will soon power try-before-you-buy at scale. Read more … blog.google.com
OpenAI Acquires Crossing Minds for eCommerce AI
OpenAI has acquired the team behind Crossing Minds, a Shopify-backed personalization engine focused on product recommendations. We should expect smarter shopping assistants and more personalized results inside ChatGPT in the months ahead. Read more … techcrunch.com
Meta Hires AI Talent to Compete in Commerce
In late June, Meta hired several senior researchers from OpenAI to help build its new AI research unit called “Superintelligence”. The hires are part of a broader effort to strengthen Meta’s AI capabilities across platforms like Instagram and Facebook.
Their initiatives are likely to include smarter product tagging, better ad targeting, and personalized discovery tools for shoppers. If you’re running Meta ads or using Shops, now’s a good time to get your product data in order. Read more … reuters.com
OpenAI Enables Storefront AI Assistants in Shopify
OpenAI recently launched a tool that lets developers build AI shopping agents directly inside Shopify. These agents can search for products, add items to the cart, and generate checkout links without manual coding.
We’ve been testing this internally. It puts next-level conversational commerce within reach for our clients. Imagine customers chatting with a smart assistant who understands your inventory and guides them seamlessly through the purchasing process. Read more … PYMNTS.com
Fulfillment & Checkout Trends
USPS Proposes Annual Limit on Postage Rate Hikes
The Postal Regulatory Commission proposed capping USPS price increases to once per year for key services like First-Class and Priority Mail. Stable shipping costs reduce surprise expenses and make rate planning easier, especially helpful for subscription and DTC brands. Read more … federalnewsnetwork.com
Klarna Launches US Debit Card and Repositions as Neobank
Klarna unveiled a new Visa-backed US debit card in June and expanded mobile banking services via AT&T’s network, signaling its move toward full-scale neobank services beyond BNPL.
This means that Klarna is no longer just about paying later. They’re now competing with digital banks on transaction volume and loyalty. For Shopify merchants, this could mean more integrated spending and loyalty journeys tied to Klarna payments. Read more … ft.com
Amazon Tightens Seller-Fulfilled Prime Performance Requirements
Starting June 29, Amazon will enforce stricter on-time delivery standards for Seller-Fulfilled Prime (SFP) and Premium Shipping.
Sellers will now be evaluated weekly, and failure to meet performance benchmarks could result in immediate removal from fast-shipping programs. If you're using SFP or Premium Shipping, double-check carrier reliability and delivery feeds. Surpassing the threshold just once a week won't cut it anymore. Read more … sellercentral.amazon.com
Consumer Behavior Insights
Shop Pay Surpasses Amazon Pay Among Gen Z
A late May Statista snapshot shows Shop Pay now edges out Amazon Pay among Gen Z users in the U.S., signaling a shift in checkout preferences. That means that using Shop Pay isn’t just about speed. It’s becoming a badge of trust for younger audiences. Read more … statista.com
ReCharge: Subscription Burn Is Now a Growth Lever
Last month, ReCharge released a report showing subscription brands are now using flexible options like pause, upgrade, or reactivate to reduce churn and boost revenue. One data point: brands offering pause instead of cancel options retain over 50% of at-risk subscribers.
Shopify merchants with subscriptions should add flexible features, proactive alerts, and win-back campaigns to keep subscribers engaged. Read more … getrecharge.com
35% of Shoppers Prefer Out-of-Home Delivery Options
DHL’s June 2025 report reveals that 35% of global shoppers now prefer parcel pick-up lockers or stores, and this trend is even more pronounced in the US where out-of-home delivery usage increased by over 25%.
As consumers lean toward convenience and control in fulfillment, Shopify brands should offer delivery options like parcel lockers, local pick-up, or convenience-store collections to boost satisfaction and reduce failed deliveries. Read more … dhl.com
Compliance and Policy Watch
Etsy Cracks Down on 3D-Printed and Laser-Cut Items
Etsy has updated its “Creativity Standards” to require that items made with laser cutters, 3D printers, or Cricut machines must now be based on the seller’s original design. Licensed or templated designs are no longer allowed under the “Made by Seller” category.
If you sell customizable goods that rely on licensed files or third-party templates, this policy could remove your listings. Now is the time to audit your store and ensure every design is genuinely yours. Read more … etsy.com
Snapchat Offers Ad Credits to Poach TikTok Advertisers
Snap is offering free ad credits to TikTok advertisers amid U.S. regulatory uncertainty for TikTok. Snap is wooing commerce-minded brands with discounts. Jump on this limited-time offer to test Snapchat Ads with lower risk, especially useful for fashion and beauty verticals. Read more … adweek.com
State Privacy Laws Are Heating Up in 2025
As of June 2025, 20 U.S. states have passed or enacted comprehensive consumer privacy laws, with many taking effect by 2026. These frameworks regulate data collection, behavioral targeting, cross-border data transfers, and loyalty programs. Quite often, they carry steep civil penalties and private lawsuits.
If your store collects any customer data (emails, browsing behavior, rewards) you’ll likely fall under at least one state’s law. Update cookie banners, privacy policies, opt-out mechanisms, and compliance flows now, or risk fines. Read more … frblaw.com
Site Launch Spotlight: Shift Worship
This past month, we helped launch a major migration: ShiftWorship.com is now live on Shopify Plus, after years of running on Magento Commerce.
This wasn’t a typical Shopify build.
Shift Worship sells downloadable digital content to churches around the world, including motion backgrounds, countdowns, worship loops, and sermon visuals. Unlike physical product stores, digital content platforms have complex licensing logic, massive file storage needs, and layered user permissions.
Shopify is not known to handle such complex cases, but it goes to show you how much the platform has evolved and grown to support enterprise businesses.
What made this project different:
- Thousands of downloadable SKUs with instant delivery
- Custom licensing rules and gated content tied to user plans
- Subscription model with flexible access tiers and renewal workflows
- Mass file migration and secure S3 storage integration
- Complete UI/UX redesign to modernize the brand and simplify navigation
- Lightning-fast search powered by a headless search layer
As an Akeneo partner, we helped Shift Worship migrate to a new PIM platform to better manage complex product attributes and automate updates across their catalog.
This is one of the most advanced digital commerce setups ever built on Shopify, and we’re proud of how it turned out.
Check out the live site → shiftworship.com
Growth Isn’t Just About New Features
If you're still using Magento, you're not alone. But you might be slowing down.
We’ve been in the Magento space for over a decade. We’ve built, supported, and scaled it across industries and business models. So this comes from experience, not judgment.
Many merchants still on Magento aren’t resisting change. They’re just busy. Replatforming feels like a massive effort. If the website is still working, it’s easy to push that project down the list.
But here’s the pattern we keep seeing. The website still works, but the business starts to fall behind.
Upgrades take longer. Developer availability gets thinner. Features like international pricing or flexible subscriptions take twice as long and cost twice as much.
SAAS platforms like Shopify or BigCommerce might not be the answer for every brand, but for merchants who want to grow without being weighed down by their platform, and are willing to compromise on some aspects, it is becoming the obvious next step.
Replatforming used to feel like a risk. Now it is often the unlock. If you’re on Magento and wondering what’s next, the answer might not be urgent, but it is important. We’re always here for a conversation, not a pitch.
A Personal Note from Corfu 🇬🇷
This month’s newsletter was written from Corfu, Greece, a place that holds deep meaning for me and my family.
We come here every summer. It’s more than just a tradition. It’s a reminder of where it all began.
Not many people know this, but I studied in Athens at the American College of Greece. That’s where I met Beth, twenty years ago, when she was studying abroad. To fund my (very expensive) American education, I worked year-round. But every summer, I would head to Corfu.
That’s where I met Kostas, my old boss and dear friend. He gave me a job when I needed it most and supported me in ways I’ll never forget. Every year, I come back to see him. Not out of obligation, but out of gratitude.
Because no matter how far we go, we should never forget where we came from.
As George Santayana once said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
In business and in life, humility matters. Relationships matter. And the story behind the journey is what gives it meaning.
Final thoughts
The best growth advice I’ve heard lately? Don’t just ask how to scale. Ask what’s getting in the way.
Because growth doesn’t always come from adding more. Sometimes it’s about removing the things that no longer serve your team, your customers, or your goals.
This month’s theme was international selling, but the deeper theme is clarity. Where are you going? What’s slowing you down? What would it look like to make space for what’s next?
We don’t have all the answers. But we’ve been in this game long enough to know this: the brands that grow are the ones that keep moving, even through the hard stuff.
Until next month!
Gentian
P.S. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Please feel free to comment and share your feedback or ideas for future topics.
