how to delete shopify account

Shopify is one of the most popular e-commerce platforms around, but it's not for everyone.

Maybe you're not making enough sales, or you're finding the monthly premium just too expensive.

Maybe it's time to move your online store to a different e-commerce platform. Wix is an inexpensive option, and it offers lots of great features.

Whatever your reason for wanting to close your store, I'm going to walk you step-by-step through the process of how to cancel Shopify.

If you aren't completely sure yet, I'll also explain how to pause your Shopify store – a temporary solution that reduces your monthly fee.

Don't want to start from scratch again? For as little as $25, you can hire a freelancer on Fiverr to build your store for you. You get a custom design, and you don't have to worry about missing out on important features.

How to Cancel Your Shopify Account in 2021: Quick Guide

Uninstall any apps on your Shopify dashboard.
Transfer your custom domains to another provider or remove domains from your dashboard.
Log in as the account holder.
Click Close Store and select your reason.
Click Close Store again to confirm.

Before You Begin the Shutdown Process

There are a few things you need to understand before you actually start the process of closing down your Shopify store.

1. Shopify Doesn't Issue Refunds

Unfortunately, this is outlined in its terms of service policy. However, there is a free trial with no credit card required — so if you cancel during your trial period, you don't have to worry about being charged.

2. You Need to Pay Outstanding Charges

Before you're able to close (or pause) your Shopify store, you'll have to ensure that you don't have any outstanding bills.

3. You'll Have to Cancel Third-Party Apps and Tools

It's important that you uninstall any apps that have recurring charges – or else you may still be billed.

If you're planning on closing your Shopify store and you have apps with subscription charges, bear in mind that you're charged for the full 30 days from the day you install it – so you might want to wait until later in the cycle before closing your store.

Shopify does give application credits when you downgrade a paid subscription – but these can only be used for application purchases, so if you're closing your store, you're not going to get money back for the unused subscription period.

With apps that you've installed manually, you'll have to cancel any billing agreements you have with the third party vendor. Uninstalling the app from your Shopify store won't automatically cancel those agreements.

4. You Need to Transfer Your Custom Domains

If you have a custom domain name for your Shopify store, you need to take action before you close your store:

If you have connected a third party domain via the 'connect domain' option, you simply have to remove the domain from your Shopify domain list and change the DNS settings with your domain registrar.
If you've transferred your domain to Shopify or purchased a domain via Shopify, you have to transfer the management of the domain to another domain registrar or hosting platform.

How to Cancel Your Shopify Account in 4 Simple Steps

Ready to close your Shopify store? The process is actually really simple – although if you run into problems, the Shopify support team is always on hand to help. The support team can't close your store for you, however.

Your store data and configuration is guaranteed to be stored for 30 days, so if you change your mind, you can reactivate your account within that time period. However, when you close your store, you won't be able to create a new store with the same store name or the same .myshopify URL.

If you cancel your Shopify trial, your store will be immediately closed and you won't be able to log in to the dashboard.

Step 1: Account Settings

Ensure that you're logged in as the account owner. In the admin panel, navigate to Settings > Account.

Step 2: Store Status Section

At the bottom of the account page, there is a panel for Store Status. Here, you need to click Close Store.

Step 3: Select Your Reason

Next, you'll see a pop-up window with options for contacting Shopify support, and a drop-down list where you can select the main reason why you're closing the store. Select your reason and click the Close Store button.

Step 4: Confirmation

You'll be taken to a screen confirming that your store is closed. If you try to log into your Shopify admin panel again, you'll see this screen, where you have to choose a new plan if you want to reactivate your store:

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Pause Instead of Close

There's an alternative to closing your Shopify store completely. When you pause your store, your storefront will still be accessible online, but the checkout process will be disabled. The benefit of pausing your store is that you will still have access to your admin panel.

You will, however, still have to pay a monthly fee while your store is paused. The fee is about half the price of Shopify Basic.

If you're thinking of pausing your store, you'll still need to uninstall any apps with recurring fees. App charges can't be paused.

How to Pause Your Shopify Store

Log into your account as the account owner
Navigate to Settings > Account
Click on 'Pause store' in the Store Status section
Click 'Pause store' in the popup window

Confirm your billing cycle details

When you're ready to unpause your Shopify store, simply go back to the Settings > Account page and click on Compare plans. You won't automatically go back onto the plan you were on previously – you'll need to set up a new plan and confirm your new billing cycle details before your store's checkout is re-enabled.

Best Shopify Alternatives

Need a new e-commerce platform? These are my recommendations:

If you just want to run a small online store for a lower monthly price, try Wix. There are no additional transaction fees to worry about.
If you want an e-commerce platform similar to Shopify that can offer better value for your money, check out BigCommerce. The pricing's similar, but you don't have to upgrade to get features like gift vouchers.
If you're looking for the cheapest way to sell online, WooCommerce is a great option.
And – let's be honest – if what you're really looking for is the easiest solution, SITE123 is worth your attention.

Canceling Is Easy – but You Won't Get a Refund

The process of canceling your Shopify account can usually be completed in a couple of minutes. However, there are several things you need to remember:

You won't get a refund for any unused part of your plan.
You can't close your store if you have any outstanding bills.
You immediately lose access to your admin panel, so make sure you've removed any connected domains before you close your account.
If you don't uninstall apps before you close your store, you could face charges – particularly if these are apps you've installed manually.

FAQ

How do I cancel my Shopify subscription? The Shopify cancellation process is pretty straightforward, although you can always contact the support team if you run into any problems. To cancel your Shopify subscription, navigate to Account Settings in the admin panel and click Close Store on the Store Status panel. After that, you'll see a dropdown list with possible reasons why you're closing the store. Select your reason and click the Close Store button. How do I permanently delete my Shopify account? After you've closed your online shop, Shopify will store your data for 30 days. If you change your mind during that period, you can reactivate your account. Otherwise, Shopify will permanently delete your data. If you decide to give Shopify another chance in the future, be sure to use our coupons to get a better price on annual plans. Can you cancel a Shopify domain? You have to contact the support team and ask them to do it for you. Once your Shopify domain is cancelled, you won't be able to manage its settings using the Shopify admin. If you have transferred your domain to Shopify or purchased it via Shopify, you must transfer its management to another registrar before closing your store. How do I cancel my Shopify free trial? You don't need to do anything to cancel your Shopify free trial; it will expire automatically after 14 days. If you're looking for a new home for your store, check out our list of the best website builders for 2021.