Location-Based Marketing for Shopify: Target Customers by Country, Language, and Distance

"One size fits all" doesn't work for marketing—and it definitely doesn't work across borders.

A customer in France doesn't want an insert in English. A customer who lives 5 miles from your physical store would love to know they can visit. A customer in Germany expects different communication than one in Japan.

Location-based insert targeting makes your physical marketing as smart as your digital campaigns. This guide covers three location targeting approaches available in Insertr: shipping country, customer language, and distance from location.

Why Location Matters for Physical Marketing

The Problem with Generic Inserts

Imagine you're a French customer who just ordered from a US-based brand. Your package arrives with:

• A thank you card in English
• A discount code for "10% off your next order"
• A store visit invitation to a location 5,000 miles away

Not exactly relevant.

Now imagine that same package contains:

• A thank you card in French ("Merci pour votre commande!")
• A discount code with French landing page
• Information about shipping times and customs for EU orders

Much better.

The Three Location Dimensions

Dimension	What It Captures	Use Case
Shipping Country	Where the order is going	Country-specific compliance, customs info, localized offers
Customer Language	What language they prefer	Translated materials, cultural relevance
Distance from Location	How close they are to a point	Local store visits, regional events, local pickup

These aren't mutually exclusive. A French-speaking customer in Montreal is different from a French-speaking customer in Paris. You can combine conditions for precision targeting.

Location Option 1: Shipping Country

What It Does

The Shipping Country rule type targets orders based on where they're being shipped.

How it works:

1. Customer places order with shipping address
2. Insertr reads the country code from the shipping address
3. If it matches your rule, the insert is added

When to Use It

Scenario	Country Condition	Insert
French market welcome	Country = FR	French thank you card, EU-specific info
UK compliance insert	Country = GB	UK returns policy card
Canadian promotion	Country = CA	CAD discount code, Canadian landing page
Australian market	Country = AU	AU-specific shipping expectations
European Union	Country IN (FR, DE, IT, ES, NL...)	GDPR-compliant materials
Exclude domestic	Country ≠ US	International welcome insert

Setup Guide

1. In Insertr, create a new rule
2. Click Add Condition
3. Select Shipping Country
4. Choose the comparison:
   • Is – Matches one country
   • Is Not – Excludes one country
   • Is One Of – Matches multiple countries
5. Select country or countries from the dropdown
6. Add your insert product
7. Save the rule

Configure a rule to add French-language inserts to orders shipping to France.

Practical Example: Multi-Country Strategy

Scenario: US-based skincare brand selling to US, Canada, UK, and EU.

Rules:

Rule Name	Condition	Insert
US Welcome	Country = US	English thank you card
Canada Welcome	Country = CA	English card + CAD pricing sheet
UK Welcome	Country = GB	English card + UK returns info
France Welcome	Country = FR	French thank you card
Germany Welcome	Country = DE	German thank you card
EU Other	Country IN (IT, ES, NL, BE, AT)	English card + EU customs info

Cost-efficiency tip: If translated cards are expensive, you can group countries. EU customers might receive English cards with EU-specific information rather than full translations for every language.

Location Option 2: Customer Language

What It Does

The Customer Language rule type targets based on the customer's language preference—typically determined by their browser settings or the storefront language they used.

How it works:

1. Shopify captures customer locale (e.g., "fr", "es", "de", "en-GB")
2. Insertr reads this locale
3. If it matches your rule, the insert is added

When to Use It

Scenario	Language Condition	Insert
French speakers	Language = fr	French materials
Spanish speakers	Language = es	Spanish materials
German speakers	Language = de	German materials
Japanese speakers	Language = ja	Japanese materials
Non-English	Language ≠ en	International welcome

Language vs. Country: What's the Difference?

Dimension	What It Captures	Example
Shipping Country	Physical destination	Order ships to Canada
Customer Language	Preferred language	Customer's browser is set to French

These can overlap or differ:

• French customer in France: Country = FR, Language = fr (both match)
• French-speaking Canadian: Country = CA, Language = fr (different)
• American expat in Germany: Country = DE, Language = en (different)

Use country when the physical location matters (shipping info, compliance). Use language when communication language matters (translated cards).

Setup Guide

1. Create a new rule
2. Click Add Condition
3. Select Customer Language
4. Choose comparison: Is or Is Not
5. Select language code (fr, es, de, etc.)
6. Add your insert product
7. Save

Target French-speaking customers with French-language inserts regardless of shipping destination.

Practical Example: Language-Based Inserts

Scenario: DTC brand with significant Spanish and French-speaking customers in the US.

Insight: Shipping country = US doesn't capture the diversity of US customers. Many prefer Spanish or French.

Rules:

Rule Name	Condition	Insert
Spanish Welcome	Language = es	Spanish thank you card + Spanish product tips
French Welcome	Language = fr	French thank you card
English Default	Language = en	English thank you card

Regional language codes: The system matches on the primary language. "es-MX" (Mexican Spanish) and "es-ES" (Spanish Spanish) both match "es". "fr-CA" (Canadian French) matches "fr".

Location Option 3: Distance from Location

What It Does

The Distance from Location rule type targets customers based on how close their shipping address is to a specific point—typically your physical store, warehouse, or event location.

How it works:

1. You define a reference point (address or coordinates)
2. You set a radius (e.g., 25 miles)
3. Insertr calculates the distance from each order's shipping address
4. If within the radius, the insert is added

When to Use It

Scenario	Reference Point	Radius	Insert
Store visit invitation	Your retail store	25 miles	"Visit us!" card with directions
Local event	Event venue	50 miles	Event invitation
Warehouse local pickup	Your warehouse	10 miles	Local pickup option card
Regional promotion	City center	100 miles	Regional sale announcement
Franchise marketing	Franchise location	15 miles	Local franchise info

Setup Guide

1. Create a new rule
2. Click Add Condition
3. Select Distance from Location
4. Enter your reference address (e.g., "123 Main St, Chicago, IL 60601")
   • The system will geocode this to coordinates
   • Or enter latitude/longitude directly if you know them
5. Set radius (e.g., 25)
6. Select unit: miles or kilometers
7. Add your insert product
8. Save

Invite local customers to visit your physical store with distance-based targeting.

Practical Example: Local Store Promotion

Scenario: You have a flagship store in Denver and want to invite nearby customers to visit.

Rule:

• Name: "Denver Local Customer - Store Visit"
• Condition: Distance from Location
• Reference: "1000 16th Street Mall, Denver, CO 80202"
• Radius: 30 miles
• Insert: "Visit Our Denver Store" card with:
  • Store hours
  • Address and directions
  • In-store exclusive offer: "Show this card for 10% off"

Expected behavior: Customers with Denver-area shipping addresses receive the store visit invitation. Customers shipping to other locations don't.

Distance Targeting Considerations

Address accuracy: Distance is calculated from the shipping address. If the customer is shipping to a work address far from home, they might not actually be "local."

Radius tuning: Start broader (50 miles) and narrow down based on response. Urban areas might use smaller radii; rural areas larger.

Coordinate precision: The system geocodes addresses to coordinates. Major addresses work well; rural or new addresses may have less precision.

Combining Location Conditions

The real power comes from combining location with other conditions.

Example 1: French + First Order

Goal: French-speaking first-time customers get a special French welcome.

Conditions:

• Customer Language = fr
• Order Count = 1

Insert: Premium French welcome card with founder note in French.

Example 2: Local + VIP

Goal: Local VIP customers get an exclusive in-store invitation.

Conditions:

• Distance from Location < 25 miles
• Total Spend > $500

Insert: VIP in-store event invitation with exclusive access.

Example 3: Canada + Not French-Speaking

Goal: English-speaking Canadian customers (not French-Canadian).

Conditions:

• Shipping Country = CA
• Customer Language ≠ fr

Insert: English Canadian welcome with CAD pricing.

Example 4: EU + High Value

Goal: High-value orders to the EU get premium packaging and compliance info.

Conditions:

• Shipping Country IN (FR, DE, IT, ES, NL, BE, AT, PT)
• Order Value > $150

Insert: Premium thank you + EU customs and returns guide.

Use Cases by Business Type

Brands with Physical Retail

Goal: Drive foot traffic from online customers.

Customer Location	Insert Strategy
Within 30 miles of store	Store visit invitation with exclusive in-store offer
Different city but same country	"Find a retailer near you" card
International	Online-only experience focus

Brands Selling Internationally

Goal: Localized experience for key markets.

Market	Insert Strategy
Primary market (US)	English standard inserts
Secondary markets (UK, CA, AU)	English + regional info
Translated markets (FR, DE, ES)	Full native-language experience
Other international	English + international shipping info

Brands with Multi-Language US Customers

Goal: Serve diverse US customer base appropriately.

Customer Profile	Insert Strategy
English speakers	English inserts
Spanish speakers	Spanish inserts (large US segment)
Other languages	English default

Brands with Local Pickup Options

Goal: Promote local pickup to nearby customers.

Distance	Insert Strategy
< 15 miles	"Skip shipping—pick up free!" card
15-50 miles	Standard shipping experience

Localization Best Practices

1. Prioritize Your Top Markets

You don't need to translate for every country. Focus on markets with meaningful volume:

Market Size	Localization Level
Primary (50%+ of orders)	Full localization
Secondary (10-20% each)	Translated key materials
Long tail (< 5% each)	English + international info

2. Consider Cultural Nuances

Translation alone isn't localization. Consider:

• Formality: German tends toward formal; American English is casual
• Holidays: Boxing Day (UK/CA) vs. Thanksgiving (US)
• Currency display: €50 vs. 50€ (French convention)
• Date formats: DD/MM/YYYY vs. MM/DD/YYYY
• Sizing: EU vs. US vs. UK sizing references

3. Start Simple, Expand Later

Phase 1: Single language per major market

• FR → French insert
• US → English insert

Phase 2: Combine language + country

• FR → French insert
• CA + Language = fr → French-Canadian insert
• CA + Language = en → English-Canadian insert

Phase 3: Add distance for local targeting

• Near store → Local insert
• Far from store → Standard insert

4. Track Performance by Segment

Different markets may respond differently:

Market	Conversion Rate	ROAS	Insight
US (English)	8%	12x	Baseline
France (French)	12%	18x	Localization matters!
UK (English)	7%	10x	Similar to US
Germany (German)	14%	22x	Invest more here

Use per-rule analytics to see which localized inserts perform best.

Common Questions

Q: What if a customer's language doesn't match their country? A: Decide which matters more for your use case. For translated materials, use language. For compliance/shipping info, use country. Or combine both conditions.

Q: How accurate is distance calculation? A: Accurate within a few miles for most addresses. Rural or very new addresses may have less precise geocoding.

Q: Can I target by city or state instead of distance? A: Currently, use distance from a central point in that city/state. For example, target Los Angeles customers with a 50-mile radius from downtown LA.

Q: What about customers with multiple addresses? A: The rule evaluates the shipping address on each order. Same customer shipping to different addresses will be evaluated separately.

Q: Do I need translated products or just translated inserts? A: Inserts only. Create separate insert products for each language ("Thank You Card - French", "Thank You Card - German") and use language conditions to add the right one.

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Start Localizing Your Inserts

Generic inserts feel impersonal. Localized inserts feel like you understand your customer.

The technology to personalize by location exists—it's just been underused for physical marketing. With automated rules, you can deliver the right insert to the right customer based on where they are and what language they speak.

Your action plan:

1. Identify your top markets: Where do most of your orders ship? What languages do your customers speak?
2. Install Insertr to enable location-based rules
3. Start with one rule: French inserts for French-speaking customers, or store visit cards for locals
4. Measure and expand: Track conversion rates by market and invest in what works

Your competitors send the same thing to everyone. You send relevant materials that resonate. That's the difference.

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Last updated: February 2026 | Author: Tom McGee, Founder of Insertr

About the Author: Tom McGee is the founder of Insertr and a former Senior Software Engineer at both Shopify and ShipBob. At ShipBob, he worked with brands shipping globally and saw firsthand how localization—done well—improves customer experience and retention.

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