Sumas border shoppers: marketing to Washington customers

Abbotsford sits close to the US border, and the Sumas crossing links the Huntingdon area to Sumas, Washington. For households near the line in northwest Washington, a trip into Abbotsford is a short drive. Some already know the neighbourhood well. Others have crossed once, or never, and are deciding whether the trip is worth it before they leave.

A cross-border visitor asks different questions from a local. How do I get to you from the crossing? What currency do I pay in? Are you open on a Canadian holiday? Marketing for them is mostly about removing doubt in the first few seconds of a search result or a page.

Prices on your website are in Canadian dollars, so say that in plain words, near the prices. State whether you accept US cash and cards, and if you do, how you handle the conversion. Do not guess at exchange rates or promise savings. Rates change daily, and this guide makes no claims about them.

Say whether the listed price includes sales tax, because that varies by product and can surprise a shopper at the till. Put the same lines in your Google profile description and on the checkout page, so the message is consistent everywhere a visitor might look.

• Prices shown in Canadian dollars, and labelled as such
• Whether US cash and cards are accepted
• Whether tax is included in the listed price
• A line about returns, in plain words
• A phone number written with the country code

Few things frustrate a visitor more than driving to a closed door. Check your hours on every listing and add special hours for statutory holidays. Canadian holidays do not match US ones, so a Washington shopper may not realize you close on a day they treat as ordinary. Post those closures a week ahead on your site and profile.

If you open later or earlier than neighbouring businesses, say so. If you take phone orders or offer pickup, make that obvious. A visitor who has crossed a border and found you shut is unlikely to try again.

A shopper in Washington typing a search on a phone sees different results from a local in Abbotsford. Make sure your business shows Abbotsford, BC, Canada clearly in its address and descriptions. Mention that you are near the Sumas crossing if that is true. Build a page with directions from the crossing, checked by driving the route yourself.

Some visitors switch off mobile data after crossing, so a fast, light page and an address they can save before they leave help. Add a photo of your entrance and the parking, since an unfamiliar town is harder to navigate than a familiar one.

Google Ads lets you choose the places you reach, including cities and regions in Washington State, and Meta ads can do the same on Facebook and Instagram. Start with a modest budget on nearby Washington communities and Abbotsford together, and read results by location. If one side responds better, move the money there.

Write ad copy that matches the page: Canadian dollars, accepted payments and hours. Keep claims honest. This guide does not cover customs or duty rules, and your ads should not either; point visitors to official border sources for that. Our paid search and social teams can set up and measure the campaign.

Where cross-border marketing is heading

Border conditions, exchange rates and travel habits shift from year to year, so your messaging has to be easy to change. Assistants and map apps already answer questions such as whether a shop is open today, and they take their answers from your profile. Keep hours and payment details current, review your ad locations every season and let your own numbers, not assumptions, decide where to spend.

1. 01Map apps and assistants answering open-today questions for visitors
2. 02Location-aware ads adjusted as travel patterns change
3. 03Payment and currency notes becoming a standard part of local pages

Questions & answers