About Shopify Location

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1

Where should the Shopify store location be if I want to sell goods in the USA from outside of the USA? if I set a US location on Shopify do I need to use a US IP or my country’s IP?

2

Hi @rayhansanvy

I noticed your question about setting up a Shopify store location when selling to the USA from outside the country, and I get why this is a bit confusing. Let me break it down for you.

Understanding Store Location in Shopify

Your Shopify store location mainly affects taxes, shipping, and payment processing. If you’re running your store from outside the USA but selling to American customers, you don’t need to set your store location as the USA unless you have a fulfillment center or warehouse there.

Instead, set your actual business location (your home country) in Shopify’s settings. This keeps things legally correct and avoids compliance issues with tax authorities.

Do You Need a US IP Address?

No, you don’t need a US IP address to run your Shopify store, even if you’re selling to US customers. Shopify allows merchants to manage stores from anywhere in the world. Your IP address won’t affect your store operations, but here’s what matters:

  • If you use Shopify Payments, your business must be registered in a supported country (which the US is). Some people use LLCs in the US to access Shopify Payments, but that requires proper legal setup (business registration, EIN, US bank account, etc.).
  • Third-party payment gateways (like PayPal or Stripe) usually don’t care about your Shopify location but might need additional verification if you operate internationally.
  • Shipping settings should be configured for US customers, meaning you need to work with shipping providers like USPS, FedEx, or third-party fulfillment services.

What You Should Do- Set your actual country as your Shopify store location (where you legally operate your business).

  • Configure shipping zones and methods for the USA.
  • Use a US-based fulfillment center (if applicable) to streamline logistics.
  • Choose a payment gateway that works for cross-border transactions.

If you’re dropshipping, you don’t need a US address at all—just set up your store with suppliers who ship to the US.

Let me know if you need more details on this!
Best regards,
Daisy.