How to Control Product Availability by Country in Shopify

Shopify merchants often face challenges when selling products to customers in different countries, particularly when certain products are unavailable for shipment to specific regions. Showing prices or accepting orders from locations where products cannot be delivered can lead to confusion, increased customer support queries, and logistical issues. For businesses with global audiences, it’s essential to manage product visibility in a way that aligns with regional availability and shipping restrictions. In this blog, we will explore the need of Shopify restrict products by country, and the perfect solution for Shopify merchants to manage product visibility globally.

The Problem: Why Hide Products Based on Country?

For Shopify stores operating in multiple regions, displaying products and prices to every visitor regardless of location can create issues. Shipping limitations, Shopify block countries, and stock availability are common problems that often force merchants to restrict certain products or collections from being available in specific countries.

For example, a store might not have the necessary logistics to deliver a product to certain regions, or there might be regulations that restrict the sale of a product in specific countries. Showing prices and allowing visitors to attempt purchasing these products can frustrate customers and increase cart abandonment rates. Merchants need a way to manage product visibility effectively to ensure that customers only see products they can actually purchase and receive.

Why Is Country-Based Product Restriction Necessary?

Hiding prices and products based on country is essential for the following reasons:

1. Avoid Unfulfilled Orders: Displaying products based on countries where they cannot be shipped leads to abandoned carts and customer dissatisfaction.
2. Compliance with Regulations: Certain countries may have laws or restrictions that prevent the sale or shipment of specific products. Country-based restrictions ensure compliance.
3. Improve Customer Experience: Only showing relevant products and prices to customers based on their location creates a smoother and more trustworthy shopping experience.
4. Streamline Store Operations: Managing product visibility by country helps reduce customer service issues and operational inefficiencies caused by misinformed customers.
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Introducing the Country Restrictions App by Addify

The Country Restrictions App by Addify provides a powerful solution for Shopify merchants to manage product visibility across different countries. With rule-based management, the app allows merchants to hide prices, "Add to Cart" buttons, or entire products based on customer location. This app ensures that your store’s catalog is tailored to each region’s specific availability, preventing customers from seeing products they cannot purchase.

Key Features of the Country Restrictions App

1. Country-Based Product Restrictions: Hide entire products, prices, or just the "Add to Cart" button for customers based on their location. This prevents orders from regions where products cannot be shipped or sold.
2. Rule-Based Management: Set up multiple rules to restrict different products, collections, or categories in specific countries. This provides granular control over what is visible to customers from different regions.
3. Block Access to the Entire Website: For cases where an entire country is restricted, merchants can block access to their site completely, ensuring that customers from those regions don’t even see the store.
4. Customizable Product Listings: Manage how restricted products appear on the listing page. Replace hidden prices and "Add to Cart" buttons with custom text or call-to-action buttons that inform customers about availability.
5. Apply Restrictions to Collections and Categories: You can hide entire collections or categories from customers in restricted countries, keeping your store's catalog tailored to specific regions.

Benefits of Using the Country Restrictions App

1. Increased Control Over Product Availability: Merchants can ensure that only relevant products are visible to customers in each country, preventing unwanted orders or customer confusion.
2. Compliance with Country-Specific Regulations: The app allows merchants to restrict products based on country laws, ensuring that they operate in compliance with local regulations.
3. Improve Customer Trust: By only showing products that are available for purchase and delivery in a customer’s location, you reduce frustration and enhance the overall shopping experience.
4. Enhanced Flexibility for Global Stores: For businesses that operate internationally, the app’s rule-based management system provides a flexible way to manage product visibility and ensure smooth operations.
5. Reduce Customer Support Queries: With products hidden from regions where they cannot be delivered, merchants can reduce the number of customer service queries related to product availability.

Setup Instructions for the Country Restrictions App

Setting up the Country Restrictions App by Addify is simple:

1. Install the App: Find the Country Restrictions App in the Shopify App Store and install it on your Shopify store.
2. Configure Global Settings: Once installed, access the app dashboard and configure global restrictions. You can choose to block entire countries from accessing the site or restrict specific products.
3. Create Restriction Rules: Define rules based on customer location. You can hide prices, "Add to Cart" buttons, or entire products based on the customer’s country. These rules can be applied to individual products, collections, or categories.
4. Customize Messages: For hidden products, customize the message that will be displayed to customers. You can replace hidden prices or buttons with text like "Unavailable in your country" or "Please contact us for details."
5. Test the Restrictions: Before going live, test your store as a customer from a restricted country to ensure that the setup works correctly and that hidden products and messages are displayed as expected.

Conclusion

Managing product visibility based on customer location is crucial for Shopify merchants operating in multiple countries. The Country Restrictions App by Addify provides a comprehensive solution to hide prices, "Add to Cart" buttons, or entire products based on country-specific restrictions. Whether you need to comply with local laws, prevent unavailable orders, or enhance customer experience, this app helps streamline global store management and improve operational efficiency.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can I hide prices for only specific countries?

Yes, the app allows you to hide prices for specific products or collections based on the customer’s location.

2. Will the app allow me to block entire countries from accessing my website?

Yes, you can block customers from certain countries from accessing your store altogether.

3. Can I customize the message shown when a product is hidden?

Yes, you can display custom messages, such as "Product unavailable in your region," in place of the hidden price or "Add to Cart" button.

4. Can I apply restrictions to entire collections or categories?

Absolutely. You can apply country-based restrictions to individual products, collections, or even entire categories.

5. Is this app suitable for global Shopify stores?

Yes, the Country Restrictions App by Addify is perfect for Shopify merchants operating in different countries, allowing for precise control over product visibility and pricing.