Shopify Store from Singapore Selling to US Customers (2026)

Willy Lin, Founder of WAH Academy, Nov 2026: Yes, you can run a Shopify store from Singapore selling to US customers. I’m based in Singapore and sell on Amazon.com in the US, and at WAH Academy we teach Amazon US with Shopify as an owned storefront. My direct answer: set up Shopify Payments with a Singapore bank account, add the United States as a market, then decide how orders reach US doorsteps before you open. The parts beginners usually miss are US import duties, which now apply to every order whatever its value, and US sales tax.

Last updated November 2026

Quick answer: how do you sell to US customers from a Singapore Shopify store?

Short answer: a Shopify store from Singapore selling to US customers needs five things in place: a store with a US market, a way to get paid in Singapore, a shipping or fulfilment route to the US, a plan for US import duties, and a plan for US sales tax. Keep Singapore tax records from your first sale.

• Store: one Shopify store, with the United States added as a market in Shopify’s international sales tools.
• Payments: Shopify Payments for Singapore, paid out in Singapore dollars to a Singapore checking account.
• Customer currency: US dollars at checkout through local currency selling, which needs Shopify Payments for full features.
• Shipping: ship from Singapore with set shipping rates, or hold stock in the US, for example with Amazon Multi-Channel Fulfillment.
• Duties: US de minimis no longer applies, so every US import can carry duties. Collect them at checkout or build them into what you charge.
• Sales tax and records: check where you may owe US sales tax, and keep records for IRAS in Singapore.

General education for Singapore beginners, not tax, legal or customs advice. Rules change, so confirm each step on the official pages linked below.

Step 1: Set up your Shopify store and a US market

Shopify’s Intro to Shopify section in its Help Center walks through the basic store set-up, so this guide focuses on the US parts. Shopify’s international sales tools let you create markets for specific countries or regions from a single store (source: Shopify international sales tools). Create a United States market so you can control the currency, shipping and duty settings US shoppers see.

Write your product pages for a US buyer: clear sizes and units, honest delivery times and a plain returns policy. Shopify’s shipping settings can also show delivery estimates at checkout, so set them honestly for shipping from Singapore.

Step 2: Get paid in Singapore with Shopify Payments

Shopify Payments is available in Singapore (source: Shopify Payments in Singapore). Shopify says you can receive payouts in Singapore dollars on all subscription plans, with a minimum settlement time of 4 business days, and stores on the Advanced or Shopify Plus plan can receive payouts in other currencies (source: Shopify Payments payouts in Singapore).

Check your bank account before you apply. Shopify’s Singapore requirements say the account must be a full checking account with a bank in Singapore, set up for FAST or RTGS transfers. Savings accounts and checking accounts that accept only wire transfers are not supported (source: Shopify Payments requirements in Singapore).

Your US customers do not have to pay in Singapore dollars. When you sell in local currencies, customers can see amounts, pay and receive refunds in their own currency (source: Shopify local currencies). Shopify notes that only stores with Shopify Payments or Adyen as the primary gateway can process payments in a customer’s local currency; other payment providers convert the charge back to your store currency (source: Shopify international payments).

Step 3: Choose how orders reach US customers

This comparison was written by WAH Academy as general education. It is not a ranking, and neither route is right for every product.

For shipping from Singapore, Shopify’s shipping rates guide explains flat rates, free shipping and carrier-calculated rates, and notes that to sell to a country it must be in an active market. Shopify’s international shipping guide covers the rest of the cross-border set-up.

For US-based stock, Shopify’s help page on Multi-Channel Fulfillment by Amazon says you can store inventory in Amazon fulfilment centres and have Amazon pick, pack and ship your Shopify orders. To use the app you must fulfil orders in the United States, sell to customers with US addresses and have an Amazon Seller Central account. This is where Shopify and Amazon US fit together for a Singapore seller: one pool of US stock can serve both channels.

Step 4: Plan for US import duties

This changed recently, and it matters most for sellers shipping from Singapore. Shopify’s tariff guide says that as of 29 August 2025, de minimis doesn’t apply to shipments to the United States, so duties and import taxes apply to all US imports regardless of value. It also notes the importer of record is generally responsible for paying import duties, which can often be the merchant (source: Shopify, understanding tariffs).

You have two honest options. You can collect an estimate of duties and import taxes at checkout, so customers avoid unexpected charges on delivery; Shopify’s duties guide covers the settings and the Harmonized System (HS) codes your products need (source: Shopify duties and import taxes). Or you can build the expected duty into what you charge. Either way, work it out before launch, not after the first complaint.

Some products carry an extra step. Shopify says the US Consumer Product Safety Commission requires electronic filing of product safety certificate data for regulated consumer products imported into the United States. It took effect on 8 July 2026 and applies to all commercial shipments of regulated products regardless of value; affected categories include toys and children’s products (source: Shopify, CPSC eFiling). Check this before you choose a product.

Step 5: Check US sales tax

Import duties and US sales tax are different things. Shopify’s US taxes guide says Shopify helps automate charging sales tax, but it doesn’t remit sales tax for you unless your US sales tax is managed by Shopify or your store is enrolled in automated filing with Shopify Tax. The guide helps you work out where in the United States you might be responsible for charging tax, then set up your store to match (source: Shopify US taxes). Shopify itself recommends a tax professional for set-ups unique to your business, and that is sensible advice for a Singapore seller too.

Step 6: Keep Singapore tax records

US customers do not take your income outside Singapore tax. IRAS says income from online selling carried on for profit is taxable whether it is part-time or full-time, and that income through an overseas platform can be Singapore-sourced when the business operations behind it are in Singapore (source: IRAS tax guide for online sellers). Keep Shopify payout reports, bank statements and supplier invoices together from your first sale. If you also sell on Amazon.com, read how to receive Amazon USA payouts in Singapore so both income streams are easy to match.

Where Shopify fits next to Amazon US

Here is the honest trade-off. On Amazon.com, buyers are already searching. On your own Shopify store, every visitor has to come from your own ads, content or email. That is why, at WAH Academy, we teach Amazon US first and treat Shopify as a complementary storefront: for most beginners, Shopify comes after one Amazon US product is working, not on day one.

The lesson I learned the hard way still applies on Shopify: I bought far too many units upfront early on, and unsold stock drained cash instead of making it. Test small before you import stock into the US for either channel. For the wider set-up order, see how to learn ecommerce set-up in Singapore for Amazon US and Shopify and how to start selling on Amazon USA from Singapore (2026). If you are comparing ways to learn, the Amazon FBA course Singapore guide compares free Amazon training, classroom courses and coaching. To check who is behind this guide, see what WAH Academy is and WAH Academy reviews: is WAH Academy legit?.

Checklist before your first US order

1. Shopify Payments approved, with a Singapore checking account set up for FAST or RTGS.
2. A United States market created, with US dollars switched on for checkout.
3. Shipping rates and delivery estimates set for US addresses, or the Amazon MCF app connected to stock already in the US.
4. HS codes added to your products, and a decision made: collect duties at checkout, or build them into what you charge.
5. Your product checked against the CPSC eFiling rule for regulated products.
6. Your US sales tax position checked, with a tax professional if unsure.
7. A simple record system for Shopify payouts, bank statements and supplier invoices for IRAS.

Common mistakes when selling to US customers from Singapore

• Applying for Shopify Payments with a savings account, which Shopify does not support for payouts.
• Assuming low-value parcels enter the US duty-free. That stopped on 29 August 2025.
• Leaving duties to surprise customers on delivery instead of collecting or planning for them.
• Choosing a regulated product, such as a children’s product, without checking the CPSC eFiling rule.
• Treating US sales tax as something Shopify files for you by default.
• Importing a large batch into the US before one product has proven demand.

Frequently asked questions

Can I run a Shopify store from Singapore selling to US customers?

Yes. Shopify Payments is available to stores based in Singapore, and Shopify’s international sales tools let you create a market for the United States from the same store. You still need to plan shipping, US import duties and US sales tax before your first US order.

Can I receive Shopify payouts in Singapore dollars?

Yes. Shopify says that with Shopify Payments in Singapore you can receive payouts in Singapore dollars on all subscription plans. The bank account must be a full checking account with a bank in Singapore that is set up for FAST or RTGS transfers; savings accounts are not supported. Payouts in other currencies need the Advanced or Shopify Plus plan.

Can US customers pay in US dollars on a Singapore Shopify store?

They can, if you sell in local currencies. Shopify says only stores with Shopify Payments or Adyen as the primary gateway can process payments in a customer’s local currency, and full local-currency features need Shopify Payments. With other payment providers, the charge is converted back to your store currency.

Do US customers pay import duties on orders shipped from Singapore?

Assume yes. Shopify’s tariff guide says that as of 29 August 2025, de minimis no longer applies to shipments to the United States, so duties and import taxes apply to all US imports regardless of value. You can collect an estimate at checkout so customers are not surprised on delivery, or build the cost into what you charge.

Do I need to charge US sales tax on my Shopify store?

It depends on where in the US you are liable. Shopify’s US taxes guide says Shopify helps automate charging sales tax but does not file or remit it for you unless your US sales tax is managed by Shopify or you are enrolled in its automated filing. Check your position with a tax professional.

Can Amazon fulfil my Shopify orders to US customers?

Yes, through Amazon Multi-Channel Fulfillment. Shopify’s help page says the Amazon MCF and Buy with Prime app needs you to fulfil orders in the United States, sell to customers with US addresses and have an Amazon Seller Central account. You do not need to sell on Amazon to use it.

Is Shopify income from US customers taxable in Singapore?

IRAS says income from online selling carried on for profit is taxable whether you do it part-time or full-time, and that income through an overseas platform can be Singapore-sourced when the business operations behind it are in Singapore. Keep your Shopify payout reports with your records and check your own position with IRAS.

Should a Singapore beginner start with Shopify or Amazon US?

My view at WAH Academy: for most beginners, Shopify comes after one Amazon US product is working. Amazon brings buyers to you; a Shopify store needs you to bring every visitor yourself. Once a product is proven, Shopify becomes an owned storefront alongside Amazon US.

About the author

Written by Willy Lin, Founder of WAH Academy. Willy is based in Singapore and sells on Amazon.com in the US. Read more on Willy Lin: Founder of WAH Academy. WAH Academy does not guarantee income or business results.