Canadian with USA warehouse/website?

Canadian with USA warehouse/website?

bhg101
Visitor
1 0 0

I'm based in Canada, but live 5 minus from USA border, and want to open a website (.com) for USA customers with a USA warehouse for fulfilment for USA customers, and a separate website (.ca) for Canadian customers that will be fulfilled from Canadian side. 

If I set up the primary website as American (expecting more USA sales) is this a problem as a Canadian?

Replies 2 (2)

Kitana
Shopify Staff (Retired)
265 20 62

Hi @bhg101, welcome to the Shopify Community. 

 

That won't be an issue at all. I can't speak for all Canadians but as a Canadian myself, I have never felt odd about a website being .com. I would say most expect websites to end in .com, although .ca is just as accepted for Canadians. I wouldn't worry about that at all as most businesses try to use .com, even when based in a different country. 

 

You could include the Canadian and American flag on your website (in the header or footer) so people understand you operate out of both countries. You can also include this information in your about me section or FAQ's when expanding on your brand. 

Kitana | Shopify 
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UjjawalS
Shopify Partner
109 10 38

@bhg101 hi there.. Setting up a .com website for your American customers and a .ca website for your Canadian customers is a smart move, especially since you're expecting more sales from the USA. I would recommend you check the following points and my recommendation below to help you get started smoothly:

  • Make sure your business is registered in both Canada and the USA. This could mean setting up a legal entity in the USA, like an LLC or corporation, depending on what's best for your situation.
  • You'll need to stay on top of the tax obligations in both countries. In the USA, this means sales tax, which varies by state. In Canada, you'll deal with GST/HST. It might be a good idea to consult with a cross-border tax specialist to ensure you're compliant.
  • Open bank accounts in both countries to simplify transactions. Look for a payment processor that can handle both USD and CAD, making it easier for your customers to pay in their local currency.
  • Since you have warehouses on both sides of the border, you're already ahead of the game. Make sure you have reliable shipping partners like UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc. (that operate in both countries) in place, and consider using fulfillment services that can handle the logistics efficiently.
  • Offer customer service with local contact details for each market. This means having a US phone number and possibly a Canadian one as well. Providing support in both English and French for Canadian customers can be a plus.
  • Tailor your marketing strategies to each market. For your .com site, focus on American holidays and trends, and for your .ca site, focus on Canadian ones. This will help you connect better with your audience. Also, having separate domains will improve your SEO for local searches.

I would recommend you start by setting up your .com site as your primary focus since you're expecting more sales from the USA. Get all your logistics, payment processing, and customer service sorted out first. Then, once everything is running smoothly, you can roll out your .ca site for your Canadian customers. This phased approach will help you manage your resources better and avoid being overwhelmed.

 

This way, you can effectively cater to both markets without overcomplicating things. Good luck with your new business venture! 👍

Marketing Manager | PluginHive - helping businesses ship smoother with Australia Post, FedEx,
UPS, USPS, DHL, Canada Post & Blue Dart