Comparing Shopify Markets Pro versus Global-E

In August 2021, Shopify introduced Shopify Markets, a comprehensive suite of tools aimed at empowering brands to localize shopping experiences and expand globally. Some time later, in the second quarter of 2023, Shopify made an exciting announcement by launching Shopify Markets Pro exclusively for the United States market and unveiling their plans for expansion into new countries beginning in early 2024.

Shopify Markets Pro offers an array of additional white-labeled features, powered by Global-E, that streamline the process of entering new markets and facilitate global expansion. With this advanced solution, brands can effortlessly navigate local regulations, taxes, duties, and international shipping, effectively reducing barriers to growth.

Brands have two options to achieve localization: they can leverage the robust features of Shopify Markets or explore the more advanced capabilities provided by Global-E or Shopify Markets Pro, both services offered by Global-E.

In previous articles, we compared Shopify Markets vs Markets Pro and also Shopify Markets vs Global-E. Now, our focus turns to a detailed comparison between Shopify Markets Pro and Global-E, shedding light on the key distinctions between these services. While Global-E powers both solutions, understanding these differences is crucial for making an informed decision when choosing your ideal smart cross-border solution.

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Exploring Key Features

Below, we present a comprehensive comparison table highlighting the key features of Shopify Markets Pro and Global-E. It's worth noting that certain localization essentials, such as the ability to modify prices, products, currency, and domain per market, as well as translating your store into multiple languages, are already included for free in Shopify Markets and available in any Global-E plan. These aspects have been discussed in detail in the previous comparisons mentioned earlier. In this comparison, we will focus on contrasting the distinctive features that set Markets Pro and Global-E apart from each other.

Shared Features between Markets Pro and Global-E

Both Markets Pro and Global-E share the common feature of Global-E assuming the role of the merchant of record, thereby shouldering the legal responsibility for selling products to customers across various regions or countries. Moreover, both solutions offer the integration of additional local payment methods, robust fraud protection measures, and convenient features for collecting taxes and duties directly at the checkout.

Regarding the geolocation aspect, it is recommended to explore the various Shopify geolocation apps available to find the one that best suits your needs. In this context, we can suggest that Orbe stands out as a reliable Shopify geolocation app, offering advanced features in terms of performance, design, and technical aspects as we analyzed in our comparison.

Management

If you choose to utilize Markets Pro, you will have the convenience of managing all your settings and operations directly from the Shopify Admin. On the other hand, if you opt to work directly with Global-E, you will gain access to their dedicated app, which allows you to oversee and manage your local experiences. In this latter scenario, the "Markets" section within your Shopify Admin will display a message clarifying that the Markets are managed by Global-E.

Cost

By opting for Markets Pro, you will encounter a transaction fee amounting to 6.5% of the total order value, in addition to a currency conversion fee of 2.5%. Consequently, each transaction will incur a total fee ranging from 6.5% to 9%. In contrast, Global-E offers pricing that is tailored to your brand and negotiable based on the volume they handle for you. This flexibility allows them to provide more competitive pricing options.

Considering this, we recommend reaching out to Global-E and initiating a conversation with their team to discuss your specific requirements and explore the possibility of a custom plan. They will be best equipped to provide you with pricing options that align with your brand's needs.

Customer Success Manager

By choosing Global-E directly, you will have access to their dedicated team of internationalization specialists who can assist you in boosting your global sales and resolving any challenges you may encounter. However, if you opt for Shopify Markets Pro, it's important to note that the level of support provided may be more limited. While Shopify may assign a Merchant Success Manager in certain plans, their expertise in internationalization and the tools available to address problems may be more restricted.

Guaranteed Foreign Exchange

Selling globally in multiple currencies exposes businesses to the inherent risk of fluctuating exchange rates. To address this challenge, Markets Pro provides an exclusive feature that adds an extra layer of protection. With Markets Pro, the exchange rate at the time of purchase is locked in for a duration of 30 days, ensuring stability and consistency for your transactions even during periods of currency volatility. This safeguards your business from potential losses due to currency fluctuations in case of returns. In contrast, Global-E does not offer this additional exchange rate protection.

Restrictions Management

While Shopify Markets Pro offers the functionality to automatically remove certain products from the catalog in markets where they are prohibited or face limitations, Global-E takes a more personalized approach. Global-E engages in direct communication with brands, thoroughly reviewing their products to ensure compliance and removing any items that may not be suitable for international markets. This tailored approach allows Global-E to address the product restrictions in a comprehensive manner.

Multiple Shipping Providers

While Shopify Markets Pro currently limits international order shipping to DHL as the sole option, Global-E provides a broader range of choices. By directly partnering with Global-E, your brand gains access to multiple shipping options. Global-E's software automatically determines the most suitable provider for each order based on various factors such as destination, estimated delivery time, cost, and more. This flexibility ensures efficient and optimized shipping solutions for your brand.

Returns Portal

Lastly, it's worth mentioning that Global-E offers accessibility to their returns portal for your customer team. This feature is optional, allowing you to choose whether to utilize it. However, if you prefer an alternative solution or if you are using Markets Pro, you can explore other dedicated apps such as ReturnGo to manage your return processes effectively.

Track Record

It is important to note that, at the time of writing this article, Shopify Markets Pro was exclusively available in the United States, with only a few brands having tested the solution. In contrast, Global-E has a proven track record of successfully assisting companies with their software over the past years.

Conclusion

As highlighted in our comparison of Markets Pro and Shopify Markets, as well as Global-E and Shopify Markets, Shopify Markets emerges as a free DIY (Do It Yourself) solution for localizing shopping experiences at no cost. On the other hand, Markets Pro represents a "do it with me" solution, seamlessly integrated into the Shopify Admin and built upon the foundation of Shopify Markets, with Global-E assuming the role of the merchant of record. Lastly, Global-E offers a "do it for me" solution, where you enter into a separate contract and manage your operations through the Global-E app.

Throughout this comparison, we have observed several differences between Markets Pro and Global-E, allowing you to assess and choose the solution that aligns best with your priorities.

We hope we have provided you with some value. If you're interested in learning more about Shopify Markets Pro, we recommend checking out these additional references. Alternatively, if you plan to use Shopify Markets Pro or Global-e on a different store, explore insights on managing multiple Shopify stores in this separate article.