No matter the reason behind it, shutting your shop down can be an important decision. But before taking this step, it is vital that you understand what will happen when deactivating it.
To close your store, log into the admin panel and click Settings before selecting Plan from there.
You Can’t Access Your Store
Though closing an online store may seem daunting, there are a few key considerations before taking this step. You must back up essential data – from customer records to sales reports – since access will become restricted upon closure. In addition, existing chargebacks or invoices that remain must be settled prior to shutting your store down. Finally, any third-party apps or services with recurring billing accounts connected must also be cancelled before making this decision.
Deactivating your store differs from pausing it in that all data and orders created through it will still exist, while customers won’t be able to place any more orders through it. When deactivated permanently all information associated with your website and account are deleted as well as any related records and accounts are permanently closed off by it being permanently erased – something which shouldn’t be taken lightly but may become necessary under certain circumstances.
When entering your password, select whether you would like to “delete store” or “close store.” Taking care to understand what you are doing before entering it is critical, since once entered it cannot be undone.
As part of making the move permanent, any unused domains associated with your Shopify account will also become inaccessible to you. In order to reopen your store later on, new domains and websites must be purchased and created from scratch.
As a result of closing down, your old theme, POS system, gift cards and discount codes won’t work anymore and abandoned checkout recovery tools won’t either. But if you are not ready to shut down completely just yet, an alternative might be switching over to the Pause and Build plan – this keeps all content intact while still allowing customers to continue buying from you.
However, you should bear in mind that should you choose to reactivate your store later, any credits left from your pause will be used up when annual subscription charges restart and payment must be complete before activation can resume. Whether for personal reasons or new ventures, choosing to close your Shopify store requires careful thought and planning – although its process is straightforward provided you take appropriate precautions.
You Can’t Access Your Data
Choosing to deactivate your store means all of its data will be stored for two years in Shopify’s archives, though your access will be severely limited. To preserve all this valuable data, we suggest exporting it as a CSV file which will save all products, orders, customer info and discount codes as well as financial reports – in addition to any outstanding gift cards or third-party app subscriptions that might still be outstanding.
To minimize these issues, it’s essential that customers know of any internal matters which might influence their store closure or transition in advance. By communicating this news to them, they will be more prepared for what to expect during this transition process, which helps manage expectations and build trust between you and them. Furthermore, any third-party apps which store payment details outside of Shopify should also be cancelled to avoid billing for an extended period after your store has shut down.
Before closing your store, it’s essential that any outstanding debt is cleared – this includes transaction fees and shipping label charges that haven’t been credited back into your account. If unsure about which debts need settling before the closure date arrives, reach out to Shopify Support to assist with resolutions.
Additionally, it’s crucial that you consider whether the third-party app you’re using requires a monthly subscription fee and confirm with them whether that subscription will end upon deactivating your store. If in doubt, reach out directly and inquire.
Before closing your store, it is imperative that any custom domains associated with Shopify accounts be transferred or disconnected as otherwise you could incur charges from service providers and domain registrars.
You Can’t Send Emails
Deactivating your Shopify store means no longer sending emails to customers and losing access to customer data such as contact details and order histories – both can be disastrous for any ecommerce businesses that have been operating for an extended period and accumulated an expansive mailing list.
Before deactivating your store, it’s incredibly important that all of your data is backed up. In case you need to reactivate in the future, accessing this data may be essential; your web developer should be able to assist in retrieving it for you.
Your store doesn’t need to close altogether if you opt to pause it instead of close it, a process which can stop subscription charges but still allow for sales. Before taking this approach, however, make sure any outstanding payments such as transaction fees, shipping costs or app subscription fees have been settled as well as any unfulfilled orders, refunds owed or gift card balances addressed before proceeding with this option.
Additionally, any third-party apps or services linked to your store should also be cancelled, since these likely have their own invoicing systems that won’t be affected by pausing or deactivating your store.
If your store was hosted using Shopify domains, when closing them down it’s essential that they’re removed so you can use them elsewhere – this should happen prior to closing down so if reactivation occurs later on they remain available and secure for use again.
No matter your reasons for considering closing down your Shopify store, it is vital that you carefully consider each aspect before taking this step. By following these tips you can ensure a smooth transition and make the right decision for your business if reactivating later becomes necessary – as simple as selecting another plan!
You Can’t Publish Products
Deactivating a Shopify store means closing it to customers and no longer selling items; this doesn’t necessarily mean all your inventory has been permanently removed from storage, though.
As long as your website isn’t password-protected, customers can still view products listed on your site without password protection; however, purchasing or adding items to cart requires knowing your URL and logging into it with their Shopify account.
If you are considering closing your Shopify store, it is wise to inform customers as soon as possible. Doing so will allow you to manage customer expectations and preserve goodwill as well as explain your decision in an open and honest fashion.
Before deactivating your store, it’s vital that you take time to back up its data. Doing this will allow you to retain access to valuable insights and records that could assist your business later on or help in an easy reactivation. Furthermore, take the necessary steps to settle all outstanding transactions – this means fulfilling orders that remain outstanding, settling existing chargebacks, cancelling third-party subscriptions that might continue draining funds even once your store has been shut down, etc.
If you’re ready to close your store, log into your merchant dashboard and choose “Deactivate Store” from the options. When asked for login credentials or confirmation of deactivation, enter them as requested before being taken through an activation procedure. Afterwards, when deactivation has taken place you can reactivate by choosing another plan option. Your data will remain secure for two years and, should you decide to reopen your store, your domain name can remain the same if possible; otherwise you must purchase it from another provider and configure it correctly so as to redirect traffic back to it when redirecting back. Correct configuration also prevents search engines from penalizing new Shopify stores.
