1. The Core Distinction
Two distinct layers.
Think of your global store as having two distinct layers:
The Communication Layer (MultiLipi)
Role: Translates "Add to Cart" to "Ajouter au panier."
Goal: Clarity, SEO indexing, and Trust.
The Financial Layer (Your Store Platform)
Role: Converts $100 USD to €92 EUR (or €99 for psychological pricing).
Goal: Margin protection, tax compliance, and conversion optimization.
2. Strategic Integration Patterns
Show the right currency.
Since MultiLipi doesn't overwrite your prices, how do you show the right currency to the right user? We recommend three standard integration patterns:
Pattern A: The "Cosmetic" Switcher (Visual Only)
Best for: Lightweight sites using simple JavaScript conversion.
How it works: You install a 3rd-party "Currency Switcher" plugin/app.
The Workflow: The plugin detects the user's IP (e.g., Japan) and swaps $ symbols for ¥ on the fly.
MultiLipi's Role: We translate the context around the price (e.g., "Tax Included"), while the plugin updates the number.
Pattern B: The "Native Market" Logic (Shopify Markets / WooCommerce)
Best for: Serious e-commerce brands requiring strict margin control.
How it works: You configure Shopify Markets or WooCommerce Multi-Currency to set fixed prices per region.
The Workflow: When a user lands on /fr/ (French), your store backend detects the locale and serves the specific Euro price list you defined.
MultiLipi's Role: We simply render the page as your store delivers it. If your store serves a Euro price on the French page, we display it exactly as received.
3. Why Separation is a Superpower
Three massive advantages.
By keeping MultiLipi out of your pricing logic, you gain three massive advantages:
1. Psychological Pricing Stability
Direct Conversion: $20.00 USD = €18.43 EUR (Looks messy, lowers trust).
Decoupled: You can manually set the price to €19.99 EUR in your store settings. MultiLipi won't overwrite this marketing decision with a literal calculation.
2. Zero-Risk Checkout
Because we don't manipulate the math, there is zero risk of a "translation error" accidentally selling a $1,000 item for $10.00 due to a decimal formatting issue (e.g., 1,000 vs 1.000).
3. Tax Autonomy
Prices in the US are typically "Plus Tax." Prices in the EU are "VAT Included." Your e-commerce platform handles this complexity; we just translate the "VAT Included" label.
4. Summary
MultiLipi
Ensures the customer understands what they are buying.
Your Store
Ensures the customer pays the correct amount.
They work in harmony to build a seamless global storefront.