E Commerce

Pakistan's e-commerce industry is booming. With over 40 million internet users actively shopping online and a rapidly growing digital payment ecosystem, there has never been a better time to launch an online store in Pakistan.

Shopify, the world's leading e-commerce platform, is now the go to choice for thousands of Pakistani entrepreneurs, from small home-based sellers in Lahore to full-scale product brands in Karachi. Whether you're selling clothing, electronics, handmade crafts, or digital products, Shopify gives you the tools to build a professional store without writing a single line of code.

But starting a Shopify store in Pakistan comes with its own unique set of challenges: limited payment gateway options, no native Shopify Payments support, and the need to navigate local logistics. This guide covers everything you need to know   from setting up your store to accepting payments and shipping products   so you can launch with confidence.

What Is Shopify and Why Does It Matter in Pakistan?

Shopify is a cloud-based e-commerce platform that lets anyone create a fully functional online store. Think of it as renting a fully equipped shop in a premium digital mall with no construction, no maintenance, just plug-in and sell.

Key features of Shopify include:

• Drag-and-drop store builder with 100+ professional themes

• Built-in inventory and order management

• Mobile-friendly storefront out of the box

• Thousands of apps and integrations in the Shopify App Store

• 24/7 customer support

• Multi-currency and multi-language capabilities

• Analytics dashboard to track performance

For Pakistani merchants, Shopify is especially powerful because it supports third-party payment gateways, meaning you're not locked out even though Shopify Payments (Shop Pay) is unavailable in Pakistan.

Can You Use Shopify in Pakistan? (Yes   Here's What to Know)

Absolutely. Shopify is a global platform accessible from any country, including Pakistan. You can create a store, add products, set shipping rates, and start selling locally or internationally   all from Pakistan.

However, there are two important things Pakistani merchants must understand:

1. Shopify Payments is NOT available in Pakistan (as of 2026). This means you cannot use Shopify's built-in payment processor. You will need to integrate a third-party payment gateway.

2. PayPal has significant restrictions in Pakistan. While technically accessible with a US-linked bank account, it's not a practical default option for most Pakistani sellers.

The good news? There are excellent local and international alternatives that integrate seamlessly with Shopify. We'll cover all of them below.

Shopify Plans and Pricing in Pakistan (2026)

Shopify offers three core plans, billed in USD. Here's a breakdown:

Pro Tip: Shopify offers a 3-day free trial followed by a $1/month deal for the first 3 months on eligible plans. This is the best time to start and you can build and test your store almost risk-free.

Keep in mind that additional costs may include:

• Domain name registration ($10–$15/year)

• Premium Shopify theme (one-time cost, $150–$350)

• Third-party payment gateway fees (varies by provider)

• Shopify apps (many are free; premium ones range from $5–$50/month)

How to Create a Shopify Store in Pakistan: Step-by-Step

Setting up a Shopify store in Pakistan is easier than you might think. Here's a beginner-friendly walkthrough:

Step 1: Sign Up for Shopify

Go to shopify and click "Start free trial." Enter your email address, create a password, and provide your store name. You'll be prompted to answer a few quick questions about your business.

Step 2: Choose Your Plan

Select the plan that fits your current stage. For most beginners in Pakistan, the Basic Shopify plan at $25/month is the right starting point.

Step 3: Customize Your Store

• Go to Online Store → Themes to choose a free or paid theme

• Use the theme editor to add your logo, brand colors, and fonts

• Set your store's language to English or Urdu depending on your audience

• Add your homepage sections: hero image, featured products, testimonials

Step 4: Add Your Products

• Navigate to Products → Add Product

• Add a title, description, images, pricing, and inventory details

• Organize products into collections (e.g., Men's Clothing, Electronics)

Step 5: Set Up a Domain

You can buy a domain directly through Shopify or connect an existing one (e.g., from Namecheap or GoDaddy). A custom domain like yourstore.com looks far more professional than yourstore.myshopify.com.

Step 6: Configure Taxes and Shipping

• Go to Settings → Taxes and Duties and set up Pakistani tax rates as required

• Go to Settings → Shipping and Delivery and add local courier partnerships (more on this below)

Step 7: Integrate a Payment Gateway

This is the most critical step for Pakistani merchants. See the full breakdown in the next section.

Step 8: Launch and Test

Before going live, always run test transactions to ensure everything works. Then hit Publish and start promoting your store!

Shopify Pakistan

Payment Gateways for Shopify Pakistan (2026): Your Best Options

Since Shopify Payments is unavailable in Pakistan, choosing the right third-party payment gateway is your most important decision. Here's a comparison of the top options:

1. JazzCash

Pakistan's most popular mobile wallet with millions of active users, especially among urban, younger demographics. JazzCash can be integrated with Shopify through manual payment methods or third-party Shopify apps.

Best for: Local Pakistani sales targeting mobile-first customers.

2. EasyPaisa

Another dominant mobile payment platform, widely used across smaller cities and rural areas of Pakistan. Many store owners offer both JazzCash and EasyPaisa to maximize payment coverage.

Best for: Reaching a broad, nationwide audience.

3. XPay (by PostEx)

A local payment gateway purpose-built for Shopify merchants in Pakistan. It supports credit/debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, UnionPay), mobile wallets, and Google Pay. It features an on-site checkout experience, which means customers never leave your store to complete payment, a major conversion booster.

Standout feature: Transactions are initiated within 2 seconds, compared to over 40 seconds for traditional gateways.

4. Paymob

Originally popular in the Middle East and Africa, Paymob has expanded to Pakistan. It supports mobile wallets and credit/debit cards, with competitive transaction fees   making it great for growing stores.

Best for: Businesses targeting both local and international customers.

5. 2Checkout (Verifone)

An internationally recognized gateway that supports multiple currencies and payment methods. It's ideal if you're selling to customers outside Pakistan.

Best for: International e-commerce operations.

6. Bank Transfers (Manual)

Still popular in Pakistan, especially for large purchases. You can set up manual bank transfer as a payment method in Shopify under Settings → Payments → Manual Payment Methods. The downside is that this requires manual order reconciliation.

7. Cash on Delivery (COD)

COD remains king in Pakistan's e-commerce landscape. You can activate COD in Shopify under Settings → Payments → Manual Payments → Cash on Delivery. It builds customer trust but comes with a higher return rate.

Payment Gateway Comparison Table

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Shipping and Logistics for Shopify Pakistan

Shipping is the backbone of your e-commerce operation. For Pakistani merchants, here are the most reliable courier options to integrate with your Shopify store:

• TCS Courier: One of Pakistan's most trusted courier services, excellent for nationwide delivery

• Leopards Courier: Strong nationwide network, popular with e-commerce businesses

• M&P Express: Fast growing, competitive rates, solid urban coverage

• Pakistan Post: Affordable but slower; good for remote areas

• PostEx: Growing COD + logistics platform built specifically for e-commerce

Pro Tip: Use Shopify's Shipping and Delivery settings to define flat rates or weight-based rates. You can also use apps like ShipStation or AfterShip for advanced tracking.

Best Business Models for Shopify in Pakistan

Not sure what to sell? Here are the most successful business models Pakistani entrepreneurs are using on Shopify in 2026:

1. Dropshipping

Source products from suppliers (AliExpress, local wholesalers) and sell them without holding inventory. Low startup cost, high scalability.

2. Print on Demand (POD)

Design custom t-shirts, mugs, or phone cases. Use apps like Printful or Printify to fulfill orders automatically.

3. Handmade & Artisan Products

Pakistan has a rich tradition of handicrafts, textiles, and handmade goods. These products perform exceptionally well on international markets.

4. Fashion and Clothing

Clothing remains the #1 e-commerce category in Pakistan. Many local brands have scaled from home-based businesses to major Shopify stores.

5. Digital Products

Sell eBooks, courses, design templates, or software, no shipping required. This is an extremely profitable model for freelancers and creators.

Pros and Cons of Using Shopify in Pakistan

✅ Pros

• Easy to use: No coding required; beginner-friendly dashboard

• Global reach: Sell to customers worldwide, not just in Pakistan

• Scalable: Grow from 10 orders a month to 10,000 without switching platforms

• App ecosystem: Thousands of apps for marketing, SEO, inventory, and more

• Professional storefront: Beautiful themes that build customer trust

• Multiple currency support: Sell in USD, EUR, GBP, or PKR

❌ Cons

• No Shopify Payments: Requires third-party gateway setup, adding complexity

• Monthly fees in USD: Currency conversion can be costly with PKR fluctuation

• Transaction fees: Unless you use Shopify Payments (unavailable), you may pay extra per transaction

• Limited local support: Shopify's official support doesn't cater to Pakistan-specific issues; community forums are your best resource

• COD management: High COD demand increases return rates and cash flow complications

Shopify Pakistan

Real-World Examples: Pakistani Brands on Shopify

Several successful Pakistani brands have leveraged Shopify to scale nationally and internationally:

• Khaadi (fashion): Uses e-commerce infrastructure similar to Shopify for seamless international ordering

• Breakout Pakistan: Fashion brand with a strong direct-to-consumer digital presence

• Numerous home-based businesses: Thousands of small clothing, accessories, and food brands in Pakistan have started on Shopify and scaled into six-figure monthly revenues

These success stories prove that with the right setup, Shopify Pakistan can be an extraordinary launchpad.

Shopify SEO Tips for Pakistani Merchants

Getting traffic to your store is just as important as building it. Here are quick SEO wins:

• Optimize product titles and descriptions: With keywords your Pakistani audience searches for

• Use Shopify's built-in SEO fields: Add meta titles and descriptions to every product and page

• Enable a blog: Publish helpful content to attract organic traffic from Google Pakistan

• Set up Google Search Console: Monitor your store's ranking performance

• Use alt text on images: Helps Google understand your product images

• Get local backlinks: Partner with Pakistani bloggers and influencers to link to your store

Emerging Trends in Shopify Pakistan (2026 & Beyond)

The Pakistani e-commerce landscape is evolving fast. Here's what's shaping the future:

• Mobile commerce dominance: Over 70% of online shopping in Pakistan happens on mobile. Your Shopify theme must be 100% mobile-optimized.

• Social commerce growth: TikTok Shop and Instagram Shopping integrations are becoming major sales channels for Pakistani sellers.

• BNPL (Buy Now Pay Later): Emerging fintech services in Pakistan are introducing installment-based payments, a game-changer for high-ticket products.

• Voice and AI search: AI-powered product discovery is reshaping how Pakistani consumers find products online.

• Cross-border e-commerce: More Pakistani sellers are targeting the US, UK, and Middle East markets, where COD isn't a constraint and margins are higher.

Best Practices for Running a Shopify Store in Pakistan

Follow these tips to maximize your chances of success:

1. Offer both COD and digital payments: Don't limit your customers' options

2. Invest in product photography: High-quality images dramatically improve conversion rates

3. Write Urdu product descriptions: If targeting non-English speakers

4. Use WhatsApp Business: As a customer service channel   it's the preferred communication tool in Pakistan

5. Set up abandoned cart emails: Recover lost sales automatically with Shopify's built-in tools

6. Partner with micro-influencers: Pakistani social media influencers drive significant traffic for low cost

7. Test your checkout flow: Always verify that customers can complete purchases without friction

8. Track your analytics weekly: Use Shopify's dashboard to monitor traffic, conversion rate, and top-selling products

Conclusion: Is Shopify Worth It in Pakistan?

The short answer: Yes! If you set it up correctly.

Shopify is not a magic button, but it is the most powerful, scalable, and beginner-friendly platform available to Pakistani entrepreneurs today. The payment gateway situation requires extra effort, and the USD billing can feel steep but the platform's capabilities, global reach, and professional storefront more than justify the investment.

Whether you're a first-time seller trying to move products from your home in Faisalabad or an established brand looking to go global from Karachi, Shopify gives you the infrastructure to compete on a world-class level.

The best time to start your Shopify store was yesterday. The second-best time is right now.

Start your free trial at shopify, follow this guide, and take your first step toward building a profitable online business in Pakistan.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can I create a Shopify store in Pakistan?

Yes, absolutely. Shopify is available in Pakistan and accessible to anyone with an internet connection. You can sell locally or internationally from day one.

2. Is Shopify Payments available in Pakistan?

No. As of 2026, Shopify Payments (Shop Pay) is not available in Pakistan. You must use a third-party payment gateway such as JazzCash, EasyPaisa, XPay, or Paymob.

3. What is the cheapest Shopify plan in Pakistan?

The Basic Shopify plan at $25/month is the most affordable option. Shopify also offers a 3-day free trial and occasional $1/month promotional plans for new users.

4. Can I use JazzCash or EasyPaisa on Shopify?

Yes. Both JazzCash and EasyPaisa can be integrated with Shopify through manual payment methods or third-party apps. They are among the most popular payment options for Pakistani merchants.

5. Can I do dropshipping from Pakistan using Shopify?

Yes. Many Pakistani entrepreneurs run successful dropshipping businesses on Shopify, sourcing products from AliExpress or local wholesalers and selling internationally.

6. What courier services can I use with Shopify in Pakistan?

Popular options include TCS Courier, Leopards Courier, M&P Express, PostEx, and Pakistan Post. You can set up shipping rates manually in Shopify's settings or use third-party shipping apps.

7. How much does it cost to start a Shopify store in Pakistan?

A basic setup typically costs:

• Shopify Basic Plan: $25/month

• Domain name: ~$10–15/year

• Free theme: $0 (or paid theme: $150–350 one-time)

• Payment gateway setup: Varies by provider

Total startup cost can be as low as $35 - 40 for your first month using a free theme.

Ready to launch your Shopify store in Pakistan? Share this guide with a fellow entrepreneur and drop your questions in the comments below. We'd love to help you get started!