Before you start, explore our dedicated Shopify legal FAQ and save time.
To sell internationally with Shopify, several legal obligations must be met. Here is a list of the main requirements:
- Business registration: Make sure your business is registered and complies with the local laws of your country. This step is crucial as it validates the legality of your commercial activities.
- Taxes and customs duties: Find out about tax obligations and customs duties in the countries where you plan to sell your products. You may need to:
- Register your company with local tax authorities.
- Collect and declare VAT at varying rates depending on the country.
- Pay customs duties applicable to the import of your products.
- Product labeling and compliance: Products must comply with local labeling, safety, and compliance standards. For example, in Europe, electronic products must bear the CE mark.
- Consumer rights: You must be aware of consumer protection laws in each selling country. This includes return policies, product warranties, and pre-contractual information.
- Personal data: Comply with data protection regulations, such as GDPR in Europe. Ensure your online store complies with customer data privacy and security requirements.
For example, consider a French company that decides to sell its products in Germany via Shopify. The company must register with the German tax authorities to collect local VAT. It must also ensure that the products comply with German safety and labeling regulations. In addition, it must adapt its return and refund policies to comply with the protections offered to German consumers. Finally, the company must ensure that German customer data is processed in accordance with the GDPR, which includes updating its terms of use and privacy policies to reflect these requirements.
For more information, you can consult Shopify's official pages on the legal obligations of international trade and tips for international selling. If these steps seem too complex, it may be wise to call on a specialized Shopify agency.