🛒 Everything you need to sell on Shopify
DTC Platform · US, CA, UK, AU, DE, FR, JP, SG, NZ, DK, FI, IE, NL, SE, AT, BE, PT, ES, IT, BR, MX, IN, HK, MY, TH, TW
Shopify is a leading e-commerce platform enabling merchants to create their own online stores. Unlike marketplaces, Shopify sellers handle their own tax collection, registration, and remittance. Shopify provides tax calculation tools but the seller is the taxpayer of record.
💰 Fee Structure
Monthly subscription: $39-$2,300+/mo. Payment processing: 2.4-2.9% + $0.30 per transaction. Third-party gateway surcharge: 2%. Additional apps may have their own fees.
📋 Seller Requirements
No formal verification required by Shopify. Shopify Payments requires government ID, bank account, and SSN/EIN. Business license requirements depend on local jurisdiction.
Compliance Topics
💰 Tax Collection
Shopify provides automatic tax calculations at checkout but the seller is responsible for registering, collecting, and remitting taxes. Shopify Tax (US) and built-in VAT/GST tools assist with compliance.
- •Shopify Tax: automatic US sales tax calculation at checkout (available on Shopify Plus)
- •Shopify calculates tax rates based on nexus states and product taxability
- •Seller must register for sales tax permits in nexus states independently
- •EU/UK: VAT calculated at checkout; seller must register and file returns
- •Tax reports and CSV exports available for filing
📋 Platform Requirements
Shopify requires no marketplace-style verification. Any individual or business can create a store. Payment gateway requirements vary by provider (Shopify Payments, PayPal, etc.).
- •No formal seller verification required by Shopify itself
- •Shopify Payments requires: government ID, business bank account, SSN/EIN (US)
- •Third-party payment gateways have their own requirements
- •Domain name registration recommended (included with Shopify)
- •Business license requirements depend on local jurisdiction
💳 Platform & Payment Fees
Shopify charges a monthly subscription plus payment processing fees. Plans range from Basic ($39/mo) to Plus ($2,000+/mo). Transaction fees apply when using third-party payment gateways.
- •Basic: $39/mo, 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction (Shopify Payments)
- •Shopify: $105/mo, 2.6% + $0.30 per transaction
- •Advanced: $399/mo, 2.4% + $0.30 per transaction
- •Plus: from $2,300/mo, competitive rates negotiated
- •Additional 2% fee when using third-party payment gateways (not Shopify Payments)
🌍 Cross-Border & International Selling
Shopify Markets enables merchants to sell internationally with localized pricing, currencies, languages, and domains. Shopify handles duty and import tax estimation at checkout for cross-border orders.
- •Shopify Markets: unified cross-border management from single admin
- •Automatic currency conversion at checkout
- •Duty and import tax calculation at checkout (Shopify Markets Pro)
- •International domains and localized storefronts
- •Shopify Shipping: discounted rates with DHL, UPS, USPS for international
✅ Compliance & Legal
Shopify sellers must independently comply with consumer protection, product safety, privacy (GDPR/CCPA), and accessibility regulations. Shopify provides templates and tools but compliance responsibility rests with the merchant.
- •GDPR compliance required for EU customers (Shopify provides tools)
- •CCPA compliance for California customers
- •PCI DSS compliance handled by Shopify Payments
- •Shopify provides privacy policy and terms of service generators
- •Accessibility: WCAG 2.1 guidelines recommended but not enforced by Shopify
Official Sources
This information is for general reference only and does not constitute legal, tax, or compliance advice. Platform policies may change; always check official sources for the latest requirements.