Ecom SEO - Use region code on URL or not?

Shopify Discussion

Topic summary

A merchant is restructuring their store’s URL approach and questioning Shopify’s default behavior with international markets.

The Issue:

  • Shopify automatically adds region/country codes (e.g., /en-au, /en-eu) to URLs when new markets are added
  • This occurs even when content isn’t translated—only currency changes
  • Creates multiple URLs serving identical content in the same language

The Concern:

  • Traditional SEO guidance warns against duplicate content across multiple URLs
  • The merchant prefers: standard .com/ URLs for non-translated markets, and language-specific codes (e.g., /de) only for translated versions
  • Worries this approach seems “messy” and may hurt performance

Current Status:

  • One respondent recommends keeping Shopify’s default region+country code structure, noting stores using this approach “usually tend to drive in more traffic”
  • Suggests testing the approach and reverting if needed
  • The merchant remains uncertain whether serving identical language content across different URLs will negatively impact performance
Summarized with AI on November 1. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.
1

Hello,

I have ran into a crossroad. We are rebuilding the URL structure of our store.

The standard with Shopify seems to be that they are adding a region code and country code ex. /en-eu when adding markets. So each market gets a new URL, even though the site is not translated in the markets language. For example, I add Australia as a market, then Shopify puts /en-au at the end of the URL’s connected to that market, even though nothing is adjusted for Australia aside from the currency (local currency turned on).

When I started with SEO I was taught that multiple URL’s serving the same content is bad, even though the Hreflang tag is correct.

I would like for all markets/countries that our store does not have a translated version for to be served the standard .com/ URL not all these adjusted URL’s. And translated versions should be served with their country code ex. /de for Germany.

But Shopify seems to have the first option as standard, hence I am not sure if I have missed something in ecommerce SEO?

Which way is the right way to go?

Thankful for all help!

2

Hi there @ZachOnline I recommend that you go the route of adding both the region code and country code for the different markets you’re targeting. Just an observation, but stores with that approach usually tend to drive in more traffic on average. If it doesn’t work that well for you, then you can always revert when you feel like.

3

Okay thanks, so serving the same content, with this I mean in the same language, on different URL’s won’t affect the performance? Seems a bit messy with all these URL’s