Dropshipping is a business model that lets you sell products by using a supplier.
Hello,
I'm currently in the process of establishing a new dropshipping store focused on the US market. As a non-US resident/citizen residing in the EU, I've established an LLC registered in the US. My country of residence is supported for Shopify payments, but I prefer to keep all business-related matters within the US. The LLC was facilitated by legal counsel in a US state, providing a US bank account, registered agent, and a physical mailing address within the state for tax-related correspondence. All LLC documentation is available.
Given the nature of the dropshipping model, warehousing and fulfillment will be outsourced to a third-party supplier. Consequently, I will not be conducting any physical operations within the US, nor will I have any associated bills (such as utilities or rent) from third parties in the US to provide to Shopify, if requested.
Before starting the development of my store on Shopify, I am keen to ensure full compliance with all legal & Shopify requirements. I aim to have all necessary documentation prepared in advance to mitigate any risks of payment restrictions, account suspensions, or store closures when Shopify's review team request documentation to verify the legitimacy of the business.
With the information provided, I kindly request guidance on whether I may proceed with operating a Shopify store, as well as a list of requisite documents I should have prepared. Any assistance, recommendations, or suggestions regarding the business structure would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance!
Hi @Gasko
I’ve gone through your situation carefully, and I totally understand your concern about ensuring full compliance before launching your Shopify store. Since you're a non-US resident with a US-registered LLC and want to keep all business matters within the US, you need to make sure everything aligns with both Shopify’s policies and US regulations to avoid payment issues or account restrictions.
Yes, you can operate a Shopify store under a US-registered LLC as a non-US resident, but you need to ensure your documentation is in place to satisfy Shopify’s verification requirements. Since Shopify Payments operates under strict compliance regulations, you may need to provide additional proof of business legitimacy.
To prevent any issues with Shopify Payments, tax compliance, and general business operations, ensure you have the following:
If you need any other assistance, feel free to ask, and I will try my best to support you.
Best regards,
Daisy.
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