When using a Shopify store instance that integrates with Global-E (Outside Managed Markets), the storefront contextualization is disabled by default. This is puzzling, as it works with Shopify Markets. This issue is preventing many brands from adopting a unified instance and is significantly increasing complexity.
The original feature allows brands to configure their home page and storefront campaign per market, displaying different sections to customers based on their region. However, when using Global-E, this functionality is unavailable.
Ironically, the brands that frequently use this feature are often the ones on Global-E. When can we expect this issue to be resolved?
As far as I know, the reason behind that is that the current structure of Global-e Native needs to create one market per country. I think the storefront contextualization is turned off automatically when you have more than 100 markets (theory, not able to test it).
As far as I know, this can’t be improved until Global-e changes this connection. Besides, as far as I heard from the Shopify Markets team:
when the merchant uses Global-e, Global-e is completely responsible for the configuration of Markets - Shopify does not step in at all
Nevertheless, we have been able to work with merchants that customize their storefronts by creating their own JSON contextualization templates (it’s not a good experience as you need a bit of dev skills), but it works.
Ah, now it makes sense! I received the same response many times but without an explanatory reason.
When you say “creating their own JSON,” what do you mean exactly? Many brands we’ve worked with are either using a multi-instance setup or a headless CMS. Can you expand on your solution, please?
@blanklob - You can create copy of template yourself and name it like as shown in screenshots and modify… So, you can do it even with Global-e installed but there is no admin UI and it needs a developer
Yeah, @Rockey_Nebhwani, I also thought it was 50, but we saw a Shopify Plus merchant that had contextualization enabled with more than 50 markets. I am not sure if they have this because it was an old merchant before the change of Markets pricing. That is what I have (the theory) that is more than 50. Thanks for your insights!
When you say “creating their own JSON,” what do you mean exactly? Many brands we’ve worked with are either using a multi-instance setup or a headless CMS. Can you expand on your solution, please?
@blanklob Exactly what @Rockey_Nebhwani explained! We recommend creating a copy of the theme, making the desired changes in the Theme Editor, and then converting it into a market JSON template inside the main theme by adding the country code, as Global-e always puts this name standardization (2 ISO code contry code) for each market they create.
If storefront contextualization is disabled when integrating your store with Global-E, it may limit personalized shopping experiences and localized content for customers. This means that visitors won’t see tailored product recommendations, pricing adjustments based on their location, or relevant shipping options. It’s essential to check the integration settings and ensure that any necessary features are enabled to maximize customer engagement and sales effectiveness. If needed, consult Global-E support for guidance on re-enabling contextualization features.
