Multilanguage email flow

Shopify Discussion
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Topic summary

A merchant is struggling to send multilingual abandoned cart and customer return emails because Shopify doesn’t allow filtering by location for non-customers (visitors who haven’t completed checkout). Shopify support confirmed this limitation.

Proposed Solutions:

  • Third-party email apps (Klaviyo, Omnisend, Drip) can detect visitor location via IP address and segment abandoned cart flows by country/language
  • Shopify Markets may help with country detection during browsing, though it won’t capture pre-checkout abandoners
  • Language selector pop-ups can prompt visitors to choose their language upfront, enabling proper flow assignment
  • Shopify Plus users could leverage custom checkout scripts or tracking parameters for better location capture

The core recommendation is using email marketing platforms with IP-based geolocation capabilities, as Shopify’s native flows lack this functionality for non-customer contacts.

Summarized with AI on November 1. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.
1

I’ve made a custom email flow (in flows) for abandoned basket & customer returns. But I want to filter the flow for customers from differecht country’s and thereby; different languages. I’ve already been in contact with Shopify support and their answer is that someone who is not a customer in your system, can’t be filtered on location for the abandoned basket mailing.

This must be something other users have encountered and I wonder if and what the solution to this was in your case.

Thanks in advance!

2

Hi @Branddaily

It sounds like you’re trying to set up a multilingual email flow for abandoned cart and customer return emails but are running into issues filtering non-customers by location. Shopify’s default system doesn’t allow filtering abandoned cart emails based on location if the recipient isn’t an existing customer in your store. That’s a common frustration, and I completely get why you’re looking for a workaround.

Here’s how you can solve this:#### 1. Use Shopify Markets (if applicable)

If you’re using Shopify Markets, you might be able to segment based on detected country when customers browse. However, this still won’t work for those who abandon carts before entering their details.

2. Use IP-Based Segmentation via Third-Party Apps

Since Shopify doesn’t track a non-customer’s location directly, you can use apps like Klaviyo, Omnisend, or Drip to detect visitor IP addresses and segment abandoned cart emails based on that. Here’s how:

  • These apps can capture the visitor’s country based on their IP and assign them to different flows.
  • You can then create separate email sequences in multiple languages based on the detected country.
  • If they eventually provide their email at checkout but don’t complete the purchase, the system can send the correct language version.

3. Implement a Language Selector in Your Store’s Pop-Ups

A workaround that some merchants use is asking customers to select their language before they start shopping.

  • A popup or a small banner with “Select Your Language” can help assign customers to specific flows.
  • You can connect this data to Klaviyo or Shopify Flow to send language-based abandoned cart emails.

4. Use Shopify Plus and Scripts (If Available)

If you’re on Shopify Plus, you can use custom checkout scripts or custom tracking parameters to capture user location and tag them accordingly. This would allow for better segmentation when they proceed to checkout.

Final Thoughts

While Shopify’s default email automation doesn’t let you filter non-customer abandoned carts by location, third-party email marketing tools with IP tracking or a language selection strategy can help bridge the gap. If you’re already using Klaviyo or Omnisend, I’d recommend exploring their geolocation segmentation.

Let me know if you need help setting up any of these solutions!
Best regards,
Daisy