E-Commerce & Shopify
Shopify’s Arabic Update Matters Beyond Translation
Mohamad Haidar
Founder of Byblos Horizon
Published October 5, 2026 · 3 min read
On 2 October 2026, Shopify announced improved support for Arabic and other right-to-left languages across its admin, checkout, customer accounts and Horizon themes. The change matters most to merchants selling in Arabic, including stores in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and the wider GCC. It does not translate product descriptions or other merchant-owned content, so the full buying journey still needs testing.
Building an Arabic store should mean more than translating the menu and hoping the rest works. So much effort goes into bringing people to a website, while the experience after they arrive receives considerably less scrutiny.
What does Shopify’s Arabic update change for Saudi and Lebanese merchants?
According to Shopify’s announcement, Arabic and right-to-left layouts are better supported in the parts of the platform Shopify controls: the admin, checkout, customer accounts and Horizon themes. Product descriptions, collection pages and other content written by the merchant still need their own translations.
My reading is that Shopify’s Arabic update could reduce some of the work involved in building an Arabic experience. It does not prove that every existing theme, app or customization will behave correctly in right-to-left layouts.
Why does the whole Arabic buying journey matter?
Someone sees your Arabic ad. The message makes sense. The product looks interesting. They click. Then the store starts switching between languages, the layout feels awkward, or the checkout becomes harder to follow.
The customer does not separate your advertising from your website development. They experience your business as one continuous interaction. Every unnecessary difficulty gives them another reason to hesitate.
This is why I see localization as part of conversion work. It affects how comfortably someone can understand the offer and complete a purchase.
How should merchants check their Arabic store after the update?
The useful next step is simple: test the whole journey on a phone. Read the product information. Select a size. Check the cart. Enter an address. Complete a test purchase and review the confirmation. Pay attention to mixed Arabic and English text, numbers and navigation.
For agencies, Shopify’s improved Arabic support also means revisiting implementation estimates as the platform improves.
An Arabic homepage is a start. The real objective is a store that feels comfortable from the first click to the completed order.