Shopify agency for Chinese brands selling overseas
Shopify stores for China-based brands and manufacturers going direct to customers in the US, Europe and beyond, built to earn trust beyond Amazon and marketplaces.
Shopify experts for China brands
Shopify is not how people in mainland China shop: domestic consumers buy on Tmall, JD.com, Pinduoduo and Douyin. Where Shopify matters is cross-border. Thousands of China-based manufacturers and brands use it to sell directly to customers in North America, Europe, Australia and the Middle East, often after years on Amazon. Owning a brand store gives them control of pricing, customer data and brand image, and less exposure to marketplace fees and account risks.
BOOST STAR Experts works with China-based brands building or improving overseas D2C stores. We write and design for Western shoppers with natural English copy, set up payments that work for a China or Hong Kong entity, configure shipping from China or overseas warehouses with duties shown honestly, and handle VAT and product-safety requirements in each destination. Then we run SEO, Google and Meta campaigns aimed at those markets.
Selling online in China: what your store needs
Payments for overseas customers
Shopify Payments is not available to mainland China businesses. Many brands sell through a Hong Kong company, where Shopify Payments is offered, while others combine PayPal with cross-border gateways such as Airwallex, Asiabill or Oceanpayment. We check which options fit your entity, target markets and payout needs before choosing.
Tax and safety rules where you sell
Each destination has its own rules. EU orders up to €150 can use the IOSS VAT scheme, and the General Product Safety Regulation requires an EU responsible person for many products. The UK collects VAT at checkout on orders of £135 or less, and the US has ended duty-free treatment for low-value parcels.
Direct shipping or overseas warehouses
Many brands start with cross-border parcel services such as YunExpress, Yanwen, 4PX or Cainiao. As volume grows, stock moves into third-party warehouses in the US or Europe for delivery in days instead of weeks and easier returns. We set shipping rules and delivery promises that match whichever model you run.
Earning trust as a new overseas brand
Western shoppers compare every new store with Amazon. Awkward translation, vague delivery times and missing return policies quickly cost sales. Native-quality English, real product photography, visible reviews, clear duty and returns information and responsive support turn a factory-direct offer into a brand that customers recommend.
Payments, delivery and compliance in China
- PayPal
- International cards via cross-border gateways
- Apple Pay & Google Pay
- Airwallex
- Shopify Payments (Hong Kong entity)
- YunExpress
- Yanwen
- 4PX
- Cainiao
- DHL Express
- Overseas 3PL warehouses (US / EU)
- EU VAT & IOSS
- EU GPSR & EU responsible person
- UK VAT on low-value orders
- US customs duties on all imports
- GDPR & US state privacy laws
Shopify agency services across China
Working together
China is 2.5 hours ahead of India, so your afternoon is our working day and the overlap is long. We hold calls in your early afternoon and can respond quickly while your team is still at work.
Time zone: China Standard Time (UTC+8). Currency: CNY (¥); overseas stores price in USD, EUR, GBP. Languages: Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese.
How we work
Discovery call
We learn your goals, catalogue, tech stack and market, then agree what success looks like.
Audit & roadmap
A store, SEO and competitor audit turns into a prioritised roadmap with a timeline and fixed quote.
Design & build
UX, design and development in sprints, with a private preview store you review at every step.
Launch
QA across devices, redirects, tracking and a planned go-live with no downtime.
Grow
SEO, CRO and paid campaigns compound results month after month, with clear reporting.
Ongoing support
A dedicated team for fixes, new features and seasonal campaigns when you need them.
Frequently asked questions
Can we use Shopify to sell to customers inside China?
Shopify is not a practical choice for domestic Chinese consumers, who shop on Tmall, JD.com, Pinduoduo and Douyin, with WeChat and Alipay for payment. Our work focuses on China-based brands selling overseas, which is where Shopify is widely used and where we can genuinely help.
Which payment setup works for a company in mainland China?
Shopify Payments is not available to mainland entities, so the usual options are PayPal plus a cross-border card gateway, or a Hong Kong company that can use Shopify Payments. We compare fees, payout currencies and supported markets for your situation, then test every payment method from your target countries.
Who writes the English content for our store?
We write product descriptions, category pages and policies in natural English for your target market, using your specifications and supplier data as a starting point. We can also add German, French or Spanish storefronts through Shopify Markets, with translation reviewed so it does not read as machine output.
How do US duty changes affect our Shopify store?
With low-value parcels no longer entering the US duty-free, customers may face charges on delivery. We help you decide whether to include duties in prices and ship DDP, or show estimated charges at checkout, and compare that with holding stock in a US warehouse.
How do you communicate with a team in China?
Our working day overlaps with your afternoon, so we schedule calls then and keep written specifications for everything we build. Many cross-border teams already work in English with overseas partners, and we keep documents simple and clear so they are easy to translate internally.