How to Delete a Shopify Account: A Step-by-Step Guide
How to Delete a Shopify Account: A Step-by-Step Guide
Blog Article
If you’ve decided to close your Shopify store for any reason—whether it’s because you're no longer selling online, or you’ve switched to a different platform—you’ll need to delete your Shopify account. Deleting your Shopify account will stop all future billing and prevent you from being charged for any services moving forward. It’s important to follow the right process to ensure the closure of your account is done correctly.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the necessary steps for deleting a Shopify account.
1. Backup Your Data
Before deleting your Shopify store, make sure you back up all important data, including:
Customer Data: Export customer information such as email addresses, orders, and shipping details. This is important for keeping track of your past clients or for future marketing efforts.
Product Information: Export a CSV file of your products and their details.
Financial Records: Download any financial data or reports for your accounting purposes.
Blog Posts, Themes, and Files: Save your blog posts, theme files, images, and any other content stored on your store.
To export customer data, orders, and other important information, Shopify offers options to export data as CSV files. Simply go to your Shopify admin panel and follow the steps for exporting.
2. Settle Your Billing
Before you proceed with the deletion of your Shopify account, ensure that all outstanding bills are paid. Shopify will not allow you to close your account if there is any outstanding balance.
To check your billing:
Log into your Shopify account.
Go to Settings > Billing.
Make sure that you’ve paid your latest bill and resolved any open invoices.
3. Pause or Cancel Your Subscription (Optional)
If you don’t want to immediately delete your Shopify account but prefer to stop the service temporarily, you can pause your account. Shopify offers a few options:
Pause and Build Plan: This plan costs a lower fee but keeps your store online, allowing you to continue building your website without selling.
Pause Plan: Your store will be offline but you can still access your admin panel to make changes. The price is significantly reduced.
To pause your store:
Go to Settings > Plan and Permissions.
Under Store status, select Pause.
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.
4. Delete Your Shopify Account
Once your data is backed up, billing is settled, and you’re sure you no longer want to continue using Shopify, you can proceed to delete your account.
To delete your Shopify account:
Log into your Shopify Admin Panel: Use your login credentials to access your store’s backend.
Go to Settings: In the lower-left corner, click on the Settings option.
Click on "Plan and Permissions": This will open a page with your account details and subscription plan.
Scroll to the Bottom: Under the Store status section, you will find the option to Close Store.
Confirm the Deletion: Shopify will prompt you to confirm your decision. You may need to enter your password to confirm the closure.
Select Reason for Leaving: Shopify will ask why you’re closing your store. Select a reason and follow any instructions provided.
Close Store: Click the button to close your store, and your account will be deactivated.
5. Check for Email Confirmation
After you’ve requested account deletion, Shopify will send an email confirming that your store is being closed. It may take some time for all services to be fully disabled. Keep an eye on your inbox, and check the status of your Shopify account to ensure it’s fully deactivated.
6. Consider Deleting Your Shopify Store’s Domain
If you purchased a custom domain through Shopify, you will need to either transfer the domain to another provider or cancel the domain subscription. Shopify will not automatically cancel or transfer your domain after you delete your store.
To cancel a domain:
Go to Settings > Domains.
Select your custom domain.
Click on Manage and follow the steps to transfer or cancel the domain.
7. Reactivate Your Shopify Account (If Necessary)
If you change your mind or accidentally close your store, Shopify gives you a 30-day window to reactivate your account. You can log in with your existing credentials during this period, and your store will be restored with all of your data intact.
8. What Happens After Deleting Your Shopify Account?
After deleting your Shopify account, your store will no longer be accessible to customers, and you will not be billed. Any data not backed up will be lost permanently.
Additionally:
You won’t be able to access your Shopify admin panel.
Your store will no longer be visible to the public.
All apps and integrations you’ve used will be disabled.
Conclusion
Deleting a Shopify account is a straightforward process, but it’s crucial to back up your data, settle any financial obligations, and make sure you're ready to close your store before proceeding. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can ensure that your account is deleted properly and securely.
If you ever decide to come back to Shopify, you can always reactivate your account within 30 days, but it’s important to remember that once that window passes, the data will be permanently lost.
If you’re unsure or need help throughout the process, don’t hesitate to reach out to Shopify’s customer support team, who can assist you in closing your account and answering any other questions you may have.
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