Country Redirect: Send Customers To The Right Country based on their IP Address

[Blackbelt_Comme]

Hi folks,

After seeing lots of requests for a way to redirect customers to a country's site based on their IP Address, we've been hard at work building something that's easy to use but robust enough for store owners to manage.  After much work, it's ready to rock. 

Sending Customers to the Right Country:  How It Works

For those with Shopify stores in more than one country, you can easily set it up on multiple stores, to point to each other.  We chose to go the non-intrusive route (rather than an automatic redirect or an annoying popup), because we think it makes more sense and, based on feedback from existing clients who've already used it, it's nicer for customers.

Settings:

Demo store: http://countryredirect.myshopify.com

Details / Download: http://www.blackbeltcommerce.com/country-selector

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Questions via this thread are welcome.

Cheers,

Tristan & the team @ Shopify Ninjas

[BALAJI_SUBRAMAN]

Is there an option to auto redirect without showing the message to the user? 

[Blackbelt_Comme]

Hi Balaji,

This can be done -- and we have implemented it before on other sites -- but that's not an option in this plugin.  We chose this route for the plugin because it's less intrusive; but forcing customers to re-route can indeed be done with some customw ork.  Just let me know if this is something you need help with.

Cheers,

Tristan.

[Steve100]

Hello there,

Great app, exactly what I was looking for. Does it work two ways? Meaning US to UK and vice versa? Do I need to purchase the app twice to make it work that way? And last, how do I install the App? I can only seem to add apps from the Shopify app store? What am I missing?

[Blackbelt_Comme]

Hi Steve,

Glad you like it!  To answer your questions:

1. Yes, it can work two ways - UK <> USA.  You would just need to install it onto both stores, and set up the countries appropriately.
2. No, you don't need to purchase it twice.  You can purchase it once and upload / install onto both stores.
3. It's not a Shopify App -- it's just a plugin we sell directly from our website.  It's not in the Shopify App store (as this is a smaller package, not requiring the robust setup that comes with an App).  It comes with installation instructions within the download files, which you'll get straight away.

Hope that helps and thanks for your interest!
Tristan.

[Steve100]

Now that's what I call a quick reply, you're a star! This app will be very helpful and the terms are perfect, thanks.

[Blackbelt_Comme]

Hi Steve,

Glad to help!  Just to let you know up-front -- over the past couple of days, the IP Service that's used for this (as advocated by Shopify here), called Free Geo IP at https://freegeoip.net/ , has been down.  This has affected the plugin as it means we can't detect IP addresses.  We're checking when it'll be back up again.  Just so you know we're keeping an eye on it!

Thanks,

Tristan.

[Blackbelt_Comme]

For anyone following along, the IP redirect service is now back up and running (as of a few days ago).  All systems are go and working correctly now.

[HunkyBill]

It is probably a wise idea to setup a ping monitor on the free geo IP since it does go down a lot. If it does not respond in say a few hundred ms, try plan B which is a pay service. I found several that will provide solid IP analysis for minimal outlay. 

Trusting these JS based free services for a $$$ website is risky. You can blow the customer's first impression to hell just by twiddling away 5 seconds of IP query time... 

[Blackbelt_Comme]

Hi folks,

For anyone following along, we have just added the ability to force the redirect. Now, you are able to automatically re-route customers from one location (e.g. Australia) to another (E.g. your USA Shopify store) without asking them.

Hey HunkyBill -- this is a fair point indeed, which we had some experience with recently as well. We're looking into it now in terms of a service that's a bit more sturdy.

Thanks for the tip! Tristan.