Have you just received a warning from Shopify saying they are keeping you under watch? If you have, you might have noticed which part of their legal conditions you might have breached.
If you have heard that Shopify shuts down your store, you’ve heard it right. Shopify clearly defines to its users what they can sell, how they should conduct, and what would happen if they don’t clear their payments.
Shopify maintains these legal laws to protect their customers and more so to ensure that the quality of the platform does not dip low.
If you don’t want to suffer the same fate, find out what not to do with your Shopify store.
So, Can Shopify Shut You Down?
Yes, Shopify can shut you down regardless of the size or reputation of your store. It does not matter if you are a new business or a veteran generating high sales revenue, if you’re cleft on Shopify rules, you are to be suspended or banned.
Getting suspended is not an everyday phenomenon and a few times it has happened by accident. However, it is a possibility since Shopify is strict with the maintenance of its policy.
You should go through their Terms and conditions now and then, as they tend to update them. The list of restricted items can also get Shopify to shut your store down.
Shopify Shut Down My Store: Reasons Why It Can Happen
If you can’t access your Shopify dashboard all of a sudden, chances are Shopify has shut down or suspended your store.
If you are scratching your head, wondering, Why My Shopify Store Get Shut Down, here are possible reasons for that to happen:
Violating Shopify’s Terms and Conditions
If you go through Shopify’s clearly defined terms and conditions, you would understand that they prohibit the display and sale of anything that may possess harm to yourself or someone else.
You would not be able to sell any product, service, or content that is illegal, harmful, or hateful.
Not paying Shopify dues
If you are not selling anything illegal or harmful, what could get you suspended or put you under the radar of Shopify policy is unpaid dues. If you have outstanding payments with Shopify, they would notify you for some time before shutting down your store.
They would only put it back when you have cleared your payments. This includes payment processors of third-party apps, customer builders, and gift cards. If you have not paid their transaction fees or monthly subscription fee, you will be locked out of your store.
Poor Store Performance
Several metrics can define whether your store’s performance is dipping. To protect its reputation and quality, Shopify shuts down stores that perform too poorly.
Factors that contribute to poor performance include too many negative reviews, high chargebacks, extreme dips in sales and revenue, inactivity, and complaints.
How To Regain Your Shut-Down Shopify Store
If Shopify has shut down your store or suspended you, there is a way to get it back. Here is how you can regain your store:
Step 1: Identify the Problem
Find out why you have been shut out. If you are aware of any illegal or harmful practices, you would already know why they banned you. Usually, Shopify will send you an email before or after shutting your store down. If they have not, you would want to reach out for help.
You can post in their forum where one of the employees will respond to you as soon as possible. They would send out an email to you defining what protocol you had breached.
Step 2: Rectify the Issue
You would be able to get your account back up if you have paid any outstanding dues if there is any. As soon as you clear out your dues, your Shopify store will be back up. Other than that, if you have violated their privacy policy, you would not be able to restore your account.
As for poor performance, you can reach out to Shopify to buy more time before they shut you out. Remember Customer complaints and chargebacks are proof that you are not delivering quality.
Step 3: Abide by the rules
If you can’t get your store running back again, you would have to open a new store. This time, be sure to understand the terms and conditions clearly and abide by them all though.
How To Make Sure Shopify Does Not Shut You Down?
Precaution is always better than cure, even when it comes to the dangers of Shopify shutting down your store.
The best way to avoid such an unfortunate scenario is by avoiding being in that spot, to begin with. Here are a few practices to make sure your store is not on the list of shut ones:
Don’t Sell What’s Not Allowed
Shopify is precise and clear with what they don’t want you to sell on their e-commerce platform. All you would need to do is read their terms and conditions to know.
Any product, service, or information that may be harmful, illegal, or exploitative would be considered to be on the list of forbidden products. The easiest and simplest way to avoid squabble with Shopify is to know what you are allowed to display and sell in your store.
Keep Your Chargebacks Low
Chargebacks can be a major reason and keeping it as low as possible keeps you out of trouble. Shopify monitors accounts, regardless of size and reputation or sales, that have high chargebacks from customers.
And what is a chargeback? It is when a customer returns the purchase or declines a transaction to go through. Chargebacks are high when you are failing to deliver quality goods and services to customers. Keeping it low is a good metric and keeps the Shopify watchers out of your store.
Be Mindful About Customer Communications
Remember that being rude to customers or sending them unsolicited messages can get you banned. So, to avoid being shut down from Shopify, you would want to be mindful of your conduct with your customers.
Your customers should not get offended in any way or form. This is especially important when you are sending out emails.
Be Real and Transparent
Honesty and transparency will get you far, even with Shopify. Be real with your customers and deliver them products and services that you promote. The quality of products and how they will work can define your honesty.
Keep Good Standing
If you have good metrics and standing, Shopify will not shut your store down. Just keep a good reputation regarding your payments, dues, charges, customer care, quality of product, and overall good store health to avoid any sort of hassle with Shopify.
FAQs
Why Is My Shopify Account On Hold?
Your account could be on hold because of the following reasons:
- You did not pay your dues to Shopify. Their subscription business model entails that Not paying dues puts your account to hold.
- You breached their terms and conditions which may include items relating to harassment, child exploitation, illegal or fraudulent items, self-harm products, confidential information, hurtful content, etc.
- Your performance is too bad with lots of chargebacks and complaints
- You are selling restricted items
Final Thoughts
Shopify is one of the most popular e-commerce platforms and is known to maintain the quality of its stores through its privacy policies and terms and conditions. Failing to abide by these rules, will get you suspended.
Nevertheless, as long as you don’t sell one of the restricted items, maintain a good relationship with your customers, and keep your dues cleared, there’s no reason why Shopify would shut your store down.
However, if you are steering clear of all that has been mentioned, and still get suspended, you would want to contact Shopify to understand what you did wrong.
