Shopify Glossary Terms

Expansion stores are additional Shopify Plus storefronts included with a Plus contract, typically used for international markets, separate brands, or distinct B2B channels. A standard Plus contract includes the primary store plus 9 expansion stores at no additional licence cost.

Common use cases:

• International rollouts with localised currency, language, tax handling, and payment methods per region
• Separate B2B wholesale stores that share back-end data with a D2C storefront but maintain isolated branding and access
• Distinct brand portfolios under one Plus organisation
• Outlet or specialty channels with separate inventory and pricing

Expansion stores share the parent Plus contract's licence and platform fee calculation. Each operates as a fully independent Shopify Plus store with its own theme, apps, payments, and admin. Beyond the 10 included stores, additional expansion stores cost roughly $300/month each, or a negotiated revenue share across all stores.

Most international rollouts on Plus use Shopify Markets for primary localisation work and expansion stores only where Markets isn't enough (significantly different SKUs per region, distinct fulfilment networks, or regulatory requirements that need separate stores).