How to Delete Shopify Account & Cancel my Shopify Subscription?
By Sam Nguyen
In this article, we’ll walk you through the precise steps you need to take to cancel your Shopify subscription and delete your Shopify account effectively.
Things to do before canceling your Shopify store
Before canceling your Shopify store, you should consider several essential preparations to ensure a smooth transition and avoid any potential issues that could harm your business.
Cancel Third-Party Apps & Tools
Before closing your Shopify store, it’s essential to cancel any third-party apps or tools with recurring charges. If you don’t, you might face unexpected fees because some app providers might not know you’ve closed your store. To avoid this, follow these steps to cancel your app subscriptions:
- Login To Your Store: Access your Shopify store admin panel.
- Navigate to the Apps Section: Locate the “Apps” section from the Shopify Dashboard.
- Find and Delete the App: Find the app you want to uninstall and click the “Delete” button to remove it.
Transfer Your Custom Domain
If you’re using the Shopify default domain myshopify.com, you can not use the same myshopify.com domain again when you deactivate your account.
If you purchase the domain through Shopify, it’s crucial to transfer your domain from to another domain provider before closing your Shopify store.
If you have a custom domain that was purchased through a third-party registrar, make sure to remove it from your Shopify store. Otherwise, you risk losing access to your domain, preventing its use on another site. Here’s how to transfer your domain:
Remove the Domain from Shopify: Access your Shopify admin panel and remove the custom domain from your Shopify domain list. Change DNS Settings: Contact your domain registrar and update the DNS settings to point to your new hosting or website platform. Remember that Shopify’s HTTP security will remain active on your domain for 90 days after you deactivate your store, ensuring the protection of your business and customers during the transition.
Backup Your Database
Before shutting down your Shopify store, make sure to save your data for future use. Shopify lets you back up important details like products, orders, and discount codes. Here’s a guide to exporting your information:
- From your Shopify admin panel, go to “Products” and select “All products.”
- Click “Export” and choose the products you want to export and the type of CSV file you prefer. Click “Export products.”
You can follow a similar procedure to export other data types, such as customers, orders, gift card codes, discount codes, and financial data. Storing this data ensures you have a valuable resource if you decide to start a new venture or relaunch your store.
Once your Shopify store is shut down, you won’t be able to access this information without reactivating your store by purchasing a Shopify plan.
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Canceling Your Shopify Store: Step-by-step guide
Case 1: Pausing Your Shopify Store using the “Pause and Build” Plan
If you need a break from selling on Shopify but still want to work on your store, consider the Pause and Build option.
With the Pause and Build plan, you only pay $9 USD monthly. This lets you access your Shopify admin and tweak your products but deactivates the checkout. So, customers can view products but can’t buy them. This plan suits seasonal stores or those open for a limited time.
While on this plan, you can:
- Access your Shopify admin.
- Check basic performance reports.
- See your online storefront.
However, you can’t:
- Have online checkouts.
- Use POS, discounts, or abandoned checkout recovery.
- Offer gift cards.
- Use third-party integrations like Facebook or Google.
- Complete customer checkouts with draft order invoices.
Here are the steps to pause your store:
- Step 1:Log in to your Shopify store as the store owner.
- Step 2:From your Shopify admin, click “Settings” and select “Plan.”
- Step 3:Under Plan details, click “Deactivate store.”
- Step 4:Choose the “Pause and Build” plan.
- Step 5:Carefully review the plan details and click “Switch to Pause and Build.”
- Step 6:Your store will now be paused and running at a reduced subscription fee. You can work on your store during this time.
On this plan, your old store data will be saved, and your store will remain intact. You can reopen it at any time by selecting a new plan.
Customizing Your Store During “Pause and Build”
While on the Pause and Build plan, you can customize your store to improve the customer experience. Here’s how:
- Step 1:Log in to your Shopify store as the store owner.
- Step 2:Go to “Online Store” from your Shopify admin and then select “Themes.”
- Step 3:Choose your current theme and click “Customize.”
- Step 4:To hide product prices and “Add to Cart” buttons, modify the theme settings or use custom code.
- Step 5:If you don’t want to display products during the pause, you can set up a password page to protect your online store.
The same conditions apply as in Case 1 since you are using the Pause and Build plan. Your store data is saved, and you can reopen your store at any time.
Reopening Your Store After “Pause and Build”
When you’re ready to reopen your store after using the Pause and Build plan, follow these steps:
- Step 1:Log in to your Shopify store as the store owner.
- Step 2:Go to “Settings” from your Shopify admin and then select “Plan.”
- Step 3:Click “Pick a plan” and choose a new plan that suits your needs.
- Step 4:Carefully review the plan details and click “Start plan.”
- Step 5:After selecting a new plan, your store will be open for business again.
When you reopen your store, you’ll be charged according to the pricing of the new plan you select. Your old store data will be accessible, and you can continue where you left off.
Case 2: Canceling Your Subscription and Deactivating Your Shopify Store
If you decide to deactivate your Shopify store permanently, follow these steps:
- Step 1: Log in to your Shopify store as the store owner.
- Step 2: Go to “Settings” from your Shopify admin and select “Plan.”
- Step 3: Click “Cancel subscription.”
- Step 4: Carefully read and follow the prompts to cancel your subscription. Your Shopify subscription will be canceled, and you won’t have access to your Shopify admin.
- Step 5: From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Plan.
- Step 6: Click Deactivate store.
- Step 7: If applicable, review the options to switch to the “Pause and build” plan or start a new store.
- Step 8: If you still want to deactivate, click Deactivate store.
- Step 9: Select a reason for the deactivation, then click Continue.
- Step 10: Enter your password, and then click Deactivate now.
After deactivating your store, you won’t be charged any further. Your Shopify subscription is effectively canceled, and you won’t have access to your Shopify admin. Your old store data is typically saved for a period of 2 years, but it’s important to note that Shopify may delete your store data eventually.
It’s recommended to export essential data like customer information, orders, and product details before cancellation if you wish to retain it. Shopify’s data retention policies may change over time, so checking with Shopify Support for the most current data retention and deletion information is advisable.
FAQs:
To ensure you have access to your store data even after canceling, it's a good practice to export your data before canceling Shopify. You can export various data types in CSV format, such as product information, customer details, and order history.
This way, you'll have a data backup that you can use or migrate to another platform if needed. Exporting your data before canceling ensures you have a copy of your vital information and makes the transition process smoother if you decide to return to Shopify or use your data elsewhere.
If you decide to reactivate your store in the future, you must enter a valid payment method. It's important to note that once your store is deactivated, you won't have access to your data and settings, so be sure to back up any critical information before canceling if you need it in the future.
It's important to note that when you cancel your Shopify store, you won't receive a refund for any unused portion of your current billing cycle. For example, if you cancel your Shopify plan on July 1st, but your billing cycle is monthly and doesn't end until August 1st, you will not receive a refund for the month of August.
Your Shopify subscription will remain active until the end of the current billing cycle, and you won't be billed for the following month. So, while you can cancel Shopify every month, you won't get a partial refund for the remaining days of your current subscription period.
If you decide to cancel your Shopify account, you can do so anytime. To avoid charges altogether, you can take advantage of Shopify's 3-day free trial period to evaluate the platform and its suitability for your needs before committing to a paid subscription. This trial period allows you to explore the platform's features and functionality without incurring charges.
It's important to review your account and ensure all financial obligations are met before deactivating or closing your store to avoid unexpected charges. Additionally, please note that if you only pause your store rather than deactivate or close it, you may still incur a monthly fee, as mentioned in your provided information.
When your store is frozen, you won't be able to access your Shopify admin, and your customers won't be able to view your store. You must settle the outstanding payments with Shopify to regain access and reactivate your store. It's essential to address any billing issues promptly to avoid disrupting your business operations and access to your Shopify store.
