Shopify is a popular hosted ecommerce platform. Shopify is a popular platform for online stores. It’s easy to use and flexible.
A Shopify store can be a great option if you don’t want the hassle of installing, hosting, or configuring a lot of plugins or extensions.
Shopify is a great choice for entrepreneurs looking to quickly launch a store. But what if you wish to cancel your Shopify subscription? Many people don’t know how cancel Shopify or close their shop.
When they want to move or close their business, this becomes a problem. You might not be generating enough sales or feel the monthly fee is too high.
Perhaps you’ve found a better deal. Shopify is not the only ecommerce platform available in 2022. You, the account owner, should know how to delete Shopify accounts.
No matter why you want to delete your Shopify store. This article will show you how.
In 7 Easy Steps, Cancel Shopify Store
Here are five simple steps to help you close Shopify stores if you’re in a rush.
- You should start by uninstalling any third-party apps you have downloaded from the Shopify App Store. You can skip this step if you don’t use any apps.
- You must transfer a Shopify domain you purchased to another domain registrar. You risk losing all domains that you purchased as store owners. This basically means that your store name will be removed as the primary domain.
- As the Shopify administrator, enter your login details.
- Go to Settings from the Shopify admin panel. Click on Plans.
- Click on Cancel Subscription. It is also possible to sell the product on the Exchange Marketplace. To cancel your subscription, click Cancel and close the store.
- The reason you want to cancel your account will be requested. Select one from the drop-down menu.
- Next, enter your password once more and click Close store one last time.
Shopify cannot cancel your store for you due to security reasons. It is up to you.
Factors to consider before you cancel your Shopify Store
Although cancelling seems simple, there are important things you should consider.
Cancellation of all Third-Party Apps
Before you click the Close store button you must cancel all third-party apps and tools that are linked to your Shopify account. Many SaaS apps have a monthly fee. Before you cancel your Shopify subscription, it is important to cancel your subscriptions.
You might be charged a monthly charge for these services if you don’t. Most apps require a monthly fee to be installed on Shopify.
In some cases, it might be more financially prudent to wait until the billing cycle is over before closing your store.
Shopify gives you credits when you downgrade your subscription to a paid application. Credits are usually calculated based on the remaining days in the billing cycle and the price difference for the new pricing plan.
These credits cannot be used for future purchases. These credits are lost if you close your Shopify store. You must also cancel subscriptions if you’ve installed apps manually within your Shopify store.
External service providers will continue to charge you even if the app is uninstalled. It is best to cancel all subscriptions.
There are no refunds
Before you begin looking at how to delete Shopify accounts, it is important to know that you will not be eligible for any refund after deletion. Shopify is very clear on refunds.
However, the Shopify trial is available to you without a credit card. The 14-day trial period is free. You can cancel your trial at any time if you aren’t satisfied.
You must pay any outstanding charges
This is a simple one, but it’s important to mention. Shopify must pay any outstanding balances or charges. These charges become due in full once your store closes. You must pay them off before your store is closed.
You must also clear a final invoice if you cancel Shopify during a billing cycle.
Transfer Custom Domains
Your domain name will not automatically be renewed if it was purchased through Shopify after you cancel your account. It is your responsibility to transfer them to another domain registry before you close your account.
Shopify – Moving Domains
Or you could lose the domain, so it is necessary to transfer it to another registrar. From your Shopify admin panel you can view and modify several DNS settings, including:
- TXT Record
- MX Record
- AAAA Record
- CNAME Record
- SRV Record
- A Record
You must wait 60 days to transfer a Shopify domain. Simply unlock your domain and then add the authorization code to your new host.
Your domain’s information page will display the code. After you click Transfer To Another Provider,you will be asked for it.
Transfer Third Party Domains
You can remove a third-party domain that you have connected to your Shopify store from your Shopify account’s list. Log in to your domain registrar account and modify the DNS settings.
You should be aware that Shopify’s HSTS policy will continue to apply after your store closes. It is best to transfer your domain name to a registrar using HTTPS. Otherwise, the site will display an error message that it is unsafe every time someone visits.
Save Your Information
Before you close down your store, it is possible to export CSV files.
How to close your Shopify store
Once you have a good understanding of the basics, you can go through everything before closing your Shopify store. The process is not difficult and Shopify support staff can help you if you have any questions.
The great thing is the following process can be reversed. Shopify stores store information for two years. You can also reopen your store during this period or view the bills that are linked to it.
Step 1: Log in to your store and go to Settings
Logging into your store’s admin panel is the first step. To do this, just write “yourstorename.myshopify.com/admin” in the address bar.
A list of options will appear that relate to your store. Settings will be located at the bottom of your screen. Click it.
Step 2: Stop Planning
You can cancel your store by going to your account settings via the Shopify dashboard.
Click here to go to Plan.
To close your account, click on Cancel trial
This store was not available during the free trial period so Account won’t be visible in the settings. Cancel subscription would be an option if you were on a premium plan.
Shopify will ask you to enter your password and then close your store.
Note:A Shopify store can be closed at any time. You cannot create a new store using the same name or domain.
Transferring store ownership
It is possible to transfer ownership of a store to another person. Shopify makes it simple to transfer ownership if you sell your store. Simply go to your account settings and click on permissions and users.
To complete the transfer, click on Transfer ownership at the top right.
How to pause your Shopify store
You don’t have the obligation to cancel your Shopify subscription if you don’t feel like working full-time and you need to take a break.
Shopify allows you to “pause” your shop instead. This is a temporary suspension. You can find it in the settings section of your account page. You have two options:
- Stop all activity in your store and just leave it alone.
- To figure things out, stop by your store.
Your store must be eligible for Shopify’s Pause plans. Shopify customers who are on a Shopify trial cannot pause it. A paid subscription is required. Your trial period must have ended at least sixty days before.
Please note: When you pause your shop, the checkout option will be disabled. However, users can still go to your online store.
Shopify offers two options for pause plans:
- Pause plan
- Plan Pause, then Build
Pause Plan
Shopify Pause allows you to suspend the store for up to three months without any subscription fees. This allows you to step back and take a look at other things.
This plan blocks you from being able to access your Shopify admin panel or sell on your store. If someone visits your store URL, they will be prompted with a message advising them that it is temporarily closed.
Visitors can still be asked to provide their email addresses so that you can communicate with them and make announcements.
Log in to your Shopify account and choose a new plan to open your store.
When you pause your store, all app charges are suspended. You’ll be charged for any outstanding charges if you choose to pause your store. You will receive an email confirmation of your action when you pause the store.
What happens if my store isn’t reopened within the three-month period?
Shopify will automatically upgrade you to the Pause or Build plan if you do not login or upgrade. Although the subscription fee is significantly lower, you will still need to pay it.
Go to Settings and click on Plan to pause your store. You have the option to cancel or pause your subscription. Select Pause for 90 Days.
After reviewing the details, click on Pause store.
Stop and build a plan
The Pause and Build plan comes with a lower subscription fee $9/month. This plan is ideal for those who just opened a store and need to take some time to get things sorted out. You can set your store to pause while you work.
The admin console can be accessed to edit products. Visitors can view product pages in your store but they cannot check out. Shopify’s reporting dashboard will continue to provide basic data.
The following options will not work until you have unpaused the store:
- Get Discounts
- POS
- Online checkout
- Integrations with third-party companies, such as Google and Facebook
- Gift certificates
- Shopping cart abandonment recovery
For orders, you can still send draft invoices.
You can choose the Pause and build plan to take steps to stop customers from messing around with your store. For example, you can hide the price of products. You can hide the Add To Cart button.
Customers will be unable to place orders after this is done. Remember that apps can still be used even after the store is paused. You must suspend or cancel them individually.
It might be smart to have a password page and FAQs section when you stop working in your store. This will let customers know when you are available to return. It is important to inform customers why the store has been closed in order to maintain credibility.
How to cancel your free trial of Shopify
It’s much easier than you think to cancel your Shopify trial. You have two options: cancel the trial or do absolutely nothing.
Shopify will eventually freeze your store. Your account will be frozen due inaction, even though the Shopify trial is free.
Although the free trial allows you to set up a store, you cannot sell any products or services. You will need to select a monthly plan for that purpose.
Your Shopify account will automatically be cancelled if you do not choose a pricing plan. After the trial ends, you will need to select a plan. Your account will automatically be frozen if you do not complete the trial.
Payouts not received
Shopify will automatically freeze your store if you fail to pay a bill or miss a payment. The date the bill is due will trigger the freeze.
Before you can unlock your store and activate it, you must pay all outstanding invoices. Exporting your billing history is highly recommended if you’re closing down your store. This will allow you to keep track of all charges.
Shopify: Why Should You Leave?
Shopify is an amazing ecommerce platform. It gives you everything you need to get started selling. Shopify lets you build your business from scratch, unlike setting up a profile in a marketplace like Amazon.
Shopify is often a preferred platform for larger businesses due to its restrictions. This is a hosted platform.
You can’t pick your own hosting. Shopify’s website builder is required, unlike WooCommerce and Magento. Larger companies prefer the flexibility offered by self-hosted platforms.
When comparing Shopify to WooCommerce in a head-to-head comparison, WooCommerce is clearly the better option. This is due to its open-source capabilities. WooCommerce is also free. It is easy to install on your WordPress site and configure it.
WooCommerce is the best choice for those who want total control over their stores. WooCommerce gives you unrivalled control over every aspect of your store and lets you customize it with thousands of plugins.
Popular Shopify Alternatives
You have a number of Shopify alternatives that you can choose from. Here are the top Shopify alternatives if you wish to cancel your Shopify subscription and move to another ecommerce platform.
Wix
Wix is a great store builder for those who are looking for something simple and easy. This store builder requires little technical knowledge and is great for those who are just starting out and don’t feel Shopify is the right fit.
BigCommerce
BigCommerce is a viable alternative for Shopify. It offers tons of features. This is a great alternative to Shopify for those who don’t want Shopify to be discontinued but still want the many features Shopify has.
Square Online
Square Online may be the right solution for you if you are looking for an in-store POS system that can link with your online shop. Square is an extremely popular alternative to Shopify.
It’s easy to cancel your account. But think twice before you do.
Shopify makes it easy for users to cancel their ecommerce store. It doesn’t take long or difficult to cancel your ecommerce store. You can also easily get your store online again if you are unhappy with your decision.
This could jeopardize your credibility so be careful. You should remove all credit card information and sensitive information from the store before closing it.
