Checkout Restrictions >> currency changes (and charges) with Shipping address

[dogandboydesign]

When using Shopify Markets, can anyone, or more appropriately Shopify, explain the logic and rationale as to why (for cross-border orders) when a customer inputs an international shipping address different to their billing or IP address, the currency changes and charges at checkout to the currency of the shipping address rather than charging in the the customers local currency? 

Example - Australian customer located in Australia (our primary market) makes an order to ship as gift to Europe. When customer gets to checkout and inputs international shipping address, pricing changes from A$ to EUR, and charges in EUR. 

I understood the premise for Shopify Markets was to create a better shopping experience for customers to shop in their local currency; also to enable Shopify Merchants access to sell cross-border without the need to setup multiple websites, as well as take advantage of currency exchange rates.

We have been using Shopify Markets since it was introduced to Australia without issue, but during our recent BFCM sale, we had several customers contact us asking why they had been charged a foreign currency rather than A$ (they were based in Australia).  We have never experienced this issue previously with cross-border orders.

It was only when I went back and re-read the topic page on Shopify Markets did I read about 'Checkout Restrictions' -  https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/markets/pricing . I had never read this previously and this forced setting simply does not make sense.  

I spent about 7-hours on chat and phone with Shopify yesterday with no-one able to tell me why this is a forced setting or how to change it without switching off Shopify Markets altogether.

Currency should be driven by the customers billing address or IP address so they CAN SHOP IN LOCAL CURRENCY; it has nothing to do with where the item is being shipped.  

If anyone enlighten me and explain why this 'restriction' is set and advise how to change, I would be most grateful.

[AngryCustomer]

I walked away from a $500+ USD purchase as a customer, Shopify.  I explained I wouldn't buy because I couldnt choose to pay in USD, as cart kept changing to the stupidly priced Canadian exchange rate (1.45?!) that I won't pay - infuriating. 

Wrote to poor merchant to tell them why I wouldn't be buying, and they said it was Shopify. So I checked because surely my friendly fellow Cdn software developers couldn't have done that?!  Easy enough to let a customer change the payment currency, right?  Wrong 😞

Pass this to your product managers please.  It is one thing to encourage people to use the shameless rip-off exchange rate, but quite another to force it.  As a customer, I walked and complained. Most just walk. It's lost business. 

[Simon_McNally]

@dogandboydesign Any updates on this?   I've got the same problem and can't find an answer except to use scripts, which means moving up to Shopify Plus.  That's not an option for a small startup business.

[dogandboydesign]

Hi @Simon_McNally  - unfortunately no. There is no solution and Shopify have still provided no response, solution or work around.  Infuriating and frustrating given they have set the Markets option so well.  If you find the answer, let me know!

[Simon_McNally]

I contacted Shopify support and got this answer (edited for brevity).  Haven't tried to implement it yet.  

Me: I've got a wholesale customer who is based in Canada, but dropships our product to the US. I'm looking to set her currency to CAD, regardless of where she is shipping to. I would still need the tax rules applied according to where the shipment is being shipped to

Shopify Jayson (Support Advisor): To set a specific currency for a specific customer on Shopify, you would typically need to use a currency converter app that allows for manual overrides or customer-specific settings. However, Shopify's built-in multi-currency feature automatically converts based on the customer's location and doesn't allow for manual overrides. You may download third party application such as BEST Currency Converter app. This app can help you to Convert prices instantly, on any device automatically or change them manually from the Currency Switcher. Since Shopify doesn't allow developers to convert prices on the Checkout page, this came up with a few ways to inform your customers of this.

Me: So I would do this and disable Geolocation?

Shopify Jayson (Support Advisor): Actually, currency converter and geolocation can work together in the same store. Shopify provides a free Geolocation app developed by Shopify that can recommend currencies to customers based on their geographic location. This app works well with Shopify's built-in multi-currency feature.

Me: Ok, so BEST Currency Converter app would override what geolocation provides as currency?

Shopify Jayson (Support Advisor): Yes indeed since I can see that you're using the Free Shopify geolocation app. 🙂

[suellen]

Geolocation App gives option for customer to choose location, based on IP address but if Markets is being used, it changes the currency at Checkout to the Shipping country, not Billing country or the country where person is located.  So dumb!

[AngryCustomer]

In my particular case the shipping and billing were both the same, but I
wasn't willing to pay the outrageous exchange rate on conversion to USD.

I'll happily pay the USD instead - or walk away. Sure, default to the
shipping (or vendor's specified) currency, but let customers choose their
own currency. I'm not paying that exchange rate, and I'm not alone in
thinking Shopify is trying to pull a fast one here. Stop it, Shopify! I'm
still angry!!

[suellen]

Totally agree!  This is absolutely ridiculous.

Currency should be based on Billing address, not Shipping address.  Sure, make default Shipping but if a customer changes Billing country, then the currency should reflect Billing, not Shipping. Absolutely stupid!  Customers are paying in Billing Country currency, not Shipping currency.

This is so frustrating that Shopify don't understand this.  I've just spent 30 minutes with support trying to get them to even understand why this is a problem.

[Willows_Co]

Totally agree.  Its standard practice on all ecommerce to checkout in the bill address currency -  all they have to do in the markets setting is add billing address or shipping as the pivoting factor.

[Al_Karam_Sweets]

Is there any update or progress on this? I agree with the OP that this is counter intuitive. I am based in Canada and my customers often purchase to ship to family and friends in USA. They want to pay in CAD and not USD! @Shopify can we get an update please. 

[EagleHunted]

Hi @Al_Karam_Sweets 

I am experiencing the same issue. I have customers from various countries such as Europe, Canada, France, etc. They initially see the prices in their local currency, but once they reach the checkout page, the currency reverts back to USD instead of their local currency. Even though I am using a currency exchange app, I reached out to Shopify support and they informed me that because I am not using Shopify Payment, customers abandoning their purchases because of this so i put a notice at product pages and store front so they'll be aware and discount coupon to encourage them of purchasing.

[evolvestudios]

Hi We are using Shopify’s Payment processing and it still bases the currency off of the ship to address instead of the billing address, which when shipping to another country (because these are gifts) makes no sense to the person actually purchasing the product.

[EagleHunted]

Hello,

It appears that the issue is still occurring even when you are using Shopify payment.! Have you already activated Apple Pay and Google Pay? I have been unable to activate them even when using Stripe. The instructions from Stripe don't make sense to me and to Shopify as well.

[SMAAKpakket]

For what it's worth, adding my support for this question to be resolved by Shopify. Over 90% of our transactions are cross border gifting in the EU and we very much need currency to be based on billing address. 

[tinybitz]

As a business operating out of Asia with customers sending gifts overseas, this is a problem for us as well. Many of our customers prefer to pay in their local currency (based on where they live) and do not want to pay in the currency based on where the gift is being shipped! @Shopify can you please address this issue? You've built Shopify Markets for us to reach a wider market, yet a simple request like this is hindering a number of things. We really hope you can fix this!

On another note, I found that you can choose the currency if you issue a draft order to your customer. So in the meantime if a customer reaches out about this billing currency issue, you can send take a manual order and email them the link to settle payment. However this only works IF the customer reaches out, who knows how many customers we've lost on the way due to this 😞

[evolvestudios]

We just implemented international sales and shipping only to discover exactly what you're saying. We place an order in US and ship it to Canada and its using CAD currency. This makes absolutely no sense, and needs to be based of the Billing address. Anyone know why this would even be possible?

[AngryCustomer]

In my estimation, given the lack of response by Shopify, it is because
Shopify's business model relies on gouging customers for foreign exchange.

[Jamesky]

Hi All, is there any update on this issue? Still same? or has it changed?