For Shopify Merchants
Shopify Ecom FAQ
Short, verified answers to the questions Shopify merchants ask most — citing official Shopify documentation.
210 FAQs
Taxes & duties
Which Shopify sales into Australia are GST-free for a non-resident seller?
Basic food, eligible medical services and aids, accredited courses, cars for eligible disabled buyers; they count toward A$75,000 turnover.
September 19, 2026
Plans & getting started
Does Shopify offer a discount for nonprofits?
Yes — Shopify has NPO Lite and NPO Full plans; current rates aren't on its site, so contact Support with your charity ID to apply.
September 19, 2026
Payments & payouts
Does Shopify charge a currency conversion fee on PayPal Wallet payments?
Yes, on Shopify Payments: a PayPal Wallet payment in a currency other than your payout currency carries a 3% fee — US and France only.
September 19, 2026
Restricted & regulated products
Do you need to be an FSVP importer when you import food to sell on Shopify?
Usually yes: the US owner or consignee of the food at entry is the FSVP importer, or else a US agent, unless an exemption in 21 CFR 1.501 applies.
September 17, 2026
Taxes & duties
Does a Shopify store need GST e-invoicing once its turnover crosses Rs 5 crore in India?
Yes, unless excluded — above Rs 5 crore aggregate turnover in any preceding financial year from 2017-18, B2B and export invoices need an IRN.
September 17, 2026
Restricted & regulated products
Do products you sell on Shopify in the EU need user-replaceable batteries from 18 February 2027?
Yes, from 18 February 2027 portable batteries in EU products must be user-removable; LMT ones by an independent professional, with limited exceptions.
September 17, 2026
Restricted & regulated products
Do you need to register as a battery producer to sell into the EU from a Shopify store?
Yes — if you sell batteries direct to end-users in an EU country you're not based in, register there as a producer and appoint an EPR representative.
September 17, 2026
Plans & getting started
Can a Shopify store take real orders before your developer transfers it to you?
Not while it's a client transfer store — real transactions aren't supported; you choose a plan when you accept the transfer, with no free trial.
September 17, 2026
Online store & themes
Can you remove "Powered by Shopify" from your Shopify store and emails?
Yes on your storefront; in emails only if early access gave you the toggle, and Plus customer notification email footers carry no Shopify branding.
September 16, 2026
Plans & getting started
Does Shopify have a bandwidth or traffic limit?
No — every plan includes unlimited bandwidth; real shoppers face no fixed per-minute limit, bots are rate-limited, and file storage is capped by plan.
September 16, 2026
Admin, staff & security
Do suspended users free a seat under your Shopify user limit?
Yes — Shopify suspends over-limit users to fit a smaller plan, so suspended accounts free seats, as do removed ones; pending invites still count.
September 16, 2026
Taxes & duties
Does Shopify collect TCS under section 52 on sales through your own Indian store?
No — section 52 TCS covers other sellers' sales an operator collects payment for; the official GST FAQ says own-site sales need none.
September 16, 2026
Taxes & duties
Does Shopify's total sales figure count as aggregate turnover for Indian GST?
No — Total sales includes tax; aggregate turnover excludes GST but counts exempt, export and every sale under your PAN, not one store.
September 16, 2026
Taxes & duties
Can a Shopify store in India use the GST composition scheme?
Yes, in most states up to Rs 1.5 crore turnover, if you sell goods only within your state — one interstate sale ends it.
September 16, 2026
Payments & payouts
What makes a Shopify order ineligible for PayPal Seller Protection?
A Shopify PayPal order isn't covered if shipped to another address or without proof of delivery; an edit can change its rating.
September 16, 2026
Payments & payouts
How long must you keep a PayPal Express balance after switching Shopify to PayPal Wallet?
Up to 180 days after activating PayPal Wallet on Shopify Payments (US) — keep a PayPal Express and bank balance for old Express refunds or disputes.
September 16, 2026
Apps, channels & AI
Does the Built for Shopify badge mean an app is safe with your customer data?
Partly — a badged app must keep meeting App Store rules, security included, but the badge criteria pages list no separate data-protection test.
September 16, 2026
Plans & getting started
Do you lose the Shopify free trial if a developer builds your store and transfers it?
Yes — a client transfer store a developer hands to you isn't eligible for free trials or promos; open it yourself, then add your developer.
September 16, 2026
Payments & payouts
Does Shopify accept Venmo without Shopify Payments?
Yes, in the US: add PayPal Express as a third-party gateway — Venmo shows to eligible buyers, and Shopify's third-party fee applies.
September 16, 2026
Shipping & fulfillment
What is the maximum package size and weight for a Shopify Shipping label?
It depends on carrier and service — e.g. 70 lb for domestic USPS, 150 lb for most UPS and FedEx services; over it, carriers can bill steep fees.
September 16, 2026
Payments & payouts
Does PayPal Seller Protection cover digital products sold on Shopify?
Yes: not-received claims filed via PayPal and unauthorized claims, each needing delivery proof and an Eligible rating. Not-as-described isn't covered.
September 16, 2026
POS & retail
Which label printers work with Shopify POS?
Shopify lists Brother, DYMO, Zebra and Bixolon models by region, but none print directly from the Shopify POS app; each needs a desktop computer.
September 16, 2026
Orders & customers
Can you edit the Shopify order-confirmation email template?
Yes — order confirmation is an editable notification template under Edit code, once your sender email is confirmed.
September 15, 2026
Payments & payouts
Why hasn't Shopify Payments released your reserve after you met the conditions?
Once your reserve email's listed requirements are met, removal is automatic — but Shopify's chargeback rate counts disputes you won too.
September 15, 2026
Selling internationally
What happens to prices, shipping and taxes when you delete a Shopify market?
Deletion is permanent. No page we read says what a manual delete does to catalog, shipping or duty settings; deactivating saves all settings.
September 15, 2026
POS & retail
Why is your Shopify barcode scanner not working?
No single fix: check pairing, cart vs search bar, product setup and power; reset last unless your model's page puts it earlier.
September 15, 2026
Online store & themes
Why is your Shopify navigation menu not showing on the storefront?
A theme setting, a menu app, an old menu structure or custom theme code — check theme Header/Footer settings first.
September 15, 2026
Products & inventory
Can a Shopify inventory transfer arrive in more than one shipment?
Yes — while a transfer is Ready to ship or In progress you can add shipments, each with its own ID, status and tracking.
September 15, 2026
Products & inventory
What happens if you unlink a purchase order from a Shopify inventory transfer?
Unlinking a purchase order does not undo any receiving or cost adjustments on the transfer, and neither record is deleted.
September 15, 2026
Admin, staff & security
Can you remove Shopify staff accounts through the Admin API?
No — the Admin API lets eligible apps read staff, but no mutation or endpoint removes an account; removal happens outside the Admin API.
September 15, 2026
POS & retail
Can You Set Different Prices per Location in Shopify POS?
Yes — retail market catalogs set per-location prices in Shopify POS, but customizing them needs POS Pro or the Plus plan.
September 14, 2026
POS & retail
Can You Use Your Old POS Hardware With Shopify POS?
Partly — supported readers sync with Shopify, external terminals charge outside it; Shopify-listed printers and drawers and most HID scanners stay.
September 14, 2026
POS & retail
What currency does Shopify POS charge in across retail markets?
Shopify POS uses your store's currency; local currency abroad takes a store per country, or an entity per country on Plus or Enterprise Commerce.
September 14, 2026
Plans & getting started
Does Shopify Plus support SCIM user provisioning?
Yes, for Plus organizations only — SCIM creates users, assigns groups and deactivates them; deletion depends on your identity provider.
September 14, 2026
POS & retail
Does Shopify POS meet fiscal cash register rules?
Not by itself: Shopify names routes for Germany, France, Spain and Italy, and says POS isn't certified for some Danish, Belgian or Quebec firms.
September 14, 2026
Plans & getting started
Is the Shopify 120-day free trial still available?
Not as a current offer — as of September 2026, AI-built stores get 4 months free; old "120-day" guides meant 1MBB, now Basic at $1/mo × 6 (US/CA).
September 14, 2026
Products & inventory
How much file storage does a Shopify store get?
Shopify stores get 100 GB–10 TB of file storage depending on plan, with a separate video quota.
September 13, 2026
Orders & customers
Do Shopify subscriptions work for B2B customers?
No — Shopify lists Subscriptions among the features incompatible with B2B; recurring B2B orders run on draft orders or reorders instead.
September 13, 2026
Shipping & fulfillment
Is there a minimum package size for a Shopify Shipping label?
Yes, per carrier: Shopify's FedEx page sets 6 × 4 × 0.5 in for labels from a US location, and seven European carrier pages name their own.
September 13, 2026
Restricted & regulated products
Do you have to file FDA Prior Notice when you import food to sell on Shopify?
Yes, except USDA-only food: FDA Prior Notice is due at least 2 to 8 hours before arrival, or before mailing, separate from facility registration.
September 13, 2026
Restricted & regulated products
Does the EU Battery Regulation QR-Code Rule Apply to Products You Sell on Shopify?
Yes, if you make, import or distribute batteries for the EU, even inside products: every battery needs a QR code from 18 February 2027.
September 13, 2026
Online store & themes
Can you get a refund for a paid Shopify theme?
No — a paid Shopify Theme Store purchase is final sale; preview up to 19 paid themes at once before you buy.
September 12, 2026
Restricted & regulated products
Which regulated products need a licence to sell on Shopify in the UK?
In the UK the licence follows the product, not your Shopify plan: alcohol needs one in England and Wales, food is registered and cosmetics notified.
September 12, 2026
Plans & getting started
Do you need a paid Shopify plan to sell in multiple languages?
Yes — selling in more than one language needs Basic or higher; Lite and Starter, two of the tiers below it, are closed to new stores anyway.
September 12, 2026
Products & inventory
How many images and media files can one Shopify product have?
Up to 250 media per product on every plan — images, 3D models and videos share that count; a single Files upload stops at 200 files.
September 12, 2026
Products & inventory
Can you upload 3D models and video to a Shopify product?
Yes — GLB/USDZ models up to 500 MB and MP4/MOV/WebM video up to 1 GB and 10 minutes; whether shoppers see them depends on your theme.
September 12, 2026
Marketing & SEO
Does a Shopify product variant get its own URL handle?
No — a variant has no handle of its own: its address is the product handle plus a ?variant= ID, and a theme that supports deep links opens on it.
September 10, 2026
Products & inventory
Can a Shopify market build its catalog from a collection?
No — no page we read names a collection as a source; a market catalog includes or excludes specific products instead.
September 10, 2026
Selling internationally
Can you show different products to different markets on the Shopify Basic plan?
Yes — country or region market catalogs are available on Basic; a customer who opens a product outside their market is redirected to your homepage.
September 10, 2026
POS & retail
Should Shopify POS staff be allowed to see a customer's online cart?
Allow it only deliberately: on POS Pro, a role you grant View abandoned checkouts sees an identified customer's online cart items.
September 10, 2026
Policies & account standing
Does your Shopify store have to honour a universal opt-out signal in Virginia or Colorado?
Colorado yes — honour GPC if you sell data or run targeted ads inside CPA thresholds; no such duty in Virginia's Chapter 53 on September 10, 2026.
September 10, 2026
Payments & payouts
Can a Shopify customer pay by bank transfer?
Yes, as a manual payment method: you arrange the transfer outside checkout and mark the order paid yourself; iDEAL and Bancontact are automatic.
September 9, 2026
Products & inventory
Does Shopify accept WebP and AVIF images for products?
Yes — WebP is one of nine accepted product image types; no upload list we read names AVIF, served only where a browser supports it.
September 9, 2026
Selling internationally
Does Shopify Support Arabic and Other Right-to-Left Languages?
Yes for the language, not automatically for the layout — Shopify tells you to check that your theme supports right-to-left.
September 9, 2026
Orders & customers
Does Shopify recalculate tax when you change an order's shipping address?
Yes — Shopify recalculates the tax for the new destination since August 13, 2026, but only on unfulfilled orders.
September 9, 2026
Shipping & fulfillment
Does Shopify Shipping support FedEx One Rate?
Yes — you can buy FedEx One Rate labels in Shopify Shipping from a US location, but the rates aren't shown to customers at checkout.
September 9, 2026
Payments & payouts
Who handles a PayPal dispute on a Shopify order?
PayPal owns the case, you answer in your Shopify admin, and you get up to 20 days to settle it directly — PayPal Wallet, US and France.
September 7, 2026
Taxes & duties
Does a non-resident Shopify store need to charge Australian GST?
Yes if you carry on a business and sales connected with Australia reach A$75,000; at A$1,000 customs value or less you charge GST at checkout.
September 7, 2026
Taxes & duties
Does your Shopify store need to register for GST in India?
Only above the threshold: Rs 40 lakh for goods-only sellers in most Indian states, Rs 20 lakh for services; interstate goods register you regardless.
September 7, 2026
Policies & account standing
Can CBP detain your Shopify shipment under the UFLPA Entity List?
Yes — CBP presumes any US import tied to a UFLPA-listed supplier or to Xinjiang is prohibited; since 3 August 2026 the list names 187 entities.
September 7, 2026
Policies & account standing
Does California's SB 54 packaging law apply to your Shopify store?
Usually yes — if your own brand's packaged goods reach California buyers, SB 54 can make you the producer even from another state.
September 7, 2026
Admin, staff & security
Can a Shopify collaborator account get POS access?
No — collaborator accounts can't be granted POS permissions; a partner who needs the till needs a separate staff account.
September 6, 2026
Shipping & fulfillment
Does your candle qualify as a USPS Limited Quantity surface material?
Only if the formula tests as a Division 4.1 flammable solid — the federal hazmat table has no entry for an ordinary candle.
September 6, 2026
Admin, staff & security
Can you assign one role to all collaborator accounts across a Shopify organization at once?
Yes — one user role can be bulk assigned to every collaborator account in an organization, but store access is still granted per store.
September 6, 2026
Taxes & duties
Does Shopify's Section 232 setting cover metals other than steel and aluminum?
No — Shopify documents the Section 232 setting for steel or aluminum only, even though US Section 232 itself already covers semi-finished copper.
September 6, 2026
Taxes & duties
Does the US charge import duty on green coffee beans?
Free on the schedule — HTS 0901.11.00 — but products of China carry an extra 7.5% under HTS heading 9903.88.15, read September 6, 2026.
September 6, 2026
Business identity & accounting
Do you need a business license to sell on Shopify outside the US?
No — no Shopify page we checked requires a license for ordinary goods outside the US; your government decides what you register, not the platform.
September 6, 2026
Marketing & SEO
Can you change a Shopify product's URL handle without losing SEO?
Yes — Shopify advises a 301 when moving a product; the automatic redirect it documents is an Admin API field, not one we found in the editor.
September 6, 2026
Products & inventory
Can you reuse one Shopify collection in a discount or a tax rule?
Yes — a discount and a tax override both take a collection, but the override only covers members you added to it by hand.
September 6, 2026
POS & retail
Why is a product missing from the Shopify POS app?
Usually a setup gap, not a bug: check Point of Sale publishing, the device location's inventory, Track quantity, then the first-login sync.
September 6, 2026
Selling internationally
Can you customize your Shopify theme differently for each market on the Basic plan?
No — market-specific theme customization needs Advanced or Plus; Basic still gets up to 20 storefront languages and international domains.
September 6, 2026
Admin, staff & security
Which Shopify permission lets you manage app pixels?
Managing app pixels needs "Manage and install apps and channels", which Shopify lists under App permissions, not Store settings.
September 6, 2026
Policies & account standing
Does a Shopify store handle a Virginia or Colorado deletion request like California's?
Partly: the 45-day clock matches California, but each state sets its own applicability test, and any refusal must carry appeal instructions.
September 6, 2026
POS & retail
Can Shopify run a restaurant group with more than one location?
Yes — venues are locations in one Shopify store, but POS Pro bills per location and no POS page we found covers table service.
September 6, 2026
Admin, staff & security
Does a Shopify organization require the Plus plan?
No — two or more stores you own on one non-INR billing currency can be grouped into an organization; only some features need Plus.
September 6, 2026
Apps, channels & AI
What happens to paid app subscriptions when you transfer a Shopify store?
Shopify puts the app-subscription billing agreement on a merchant's shop — no page we found says Shopify-billed ones continue at transfer.
September 6, 2026
Marketing & SEO
Does a deep Shopify navigation menu hurt SEO?
No Google page we read names a menu-depth penalty — Google infers relative importance from links; Shopify advises 3 clicks from home where possible.
September 6, 2026
Products & inventory
What are cost adjustments on a Shopify inventory transfer?
A cost adjustment records shipping, duties or other fees on a transfer shipment; the variant's Cost per item stays fixed.
September 6, 2026
Products & inventory
Why does a Shopify product show as sold out when you still have stock?
The storefront sells only Available stock at locations that ship to that buyer — on-hand units committed to orders do not count.
September 6, 2026
Payments & payouts
Who reviews a restricted business on Shopify Payments?
Both: Shopify's terms keep the review and approval, while your country's processor supplies the list — and in the US, Stripe runs its own check.
September 6, 2026
Domains & email
Can Shopify send order-confirmation emails from your own domain?
Yes — one Sender email sets the From address on order confirmations; Shopify documents no-action authentication only for a Shopify-bought domain.
September 6, 2026
Admin, staff & security
Can you delete Shopify staff accounts in bulk?
No bulk delete for staff accounts — you remove users one at a time; the only documented bulk path clears suspended duplicate POS accounts.
September 6, 2026
Policies & account standing
Does a private-label brand owner pay the OMUFA facility fee?
Usually no — FDA bills the OMUFA facility fee to whoever owns the facility that makes the drug, not to a brand that only puts its label on it.
September 6, 2026
Selling internationally
Does deleting a Shopify market cancel a scheduled rollout?
No — a scheduled rollout that directly modifies a deleted market's settings is returned to Draft status, not cancelled.
September 6, 2026
Restricted & regulated products
Do you need to register your Shopify store as an FDA food facility?
Usually no in the US: a private residence is not a facility, and selling mostly to consumers can make you an exempt retail food establishment.
September 6, 2026
Admin, staff & security
Can you bulk-import Shopify staff accounts with a CSV file?
Yes — a CSV in Settings > Users creates, suspends and reactivates staff in bulk, but it fills only the seats your plan already allows.
September 5, 2026
Online store & themes
How many levels deep can a Shopify navigation menu go?
Three levels — a top-level item plus two nested. All Online Store 2.0 themes support multilevel navigation; older sectioned themes may not.
September 5, 2026
Products & inventory
What is the difference between a Shopify purchase order and an inventory transfer?
A Shopify purchase order records the supplier agreement; an inventory transfer moves and receives the stock — you can link them, or transfer alone.
September 5, 2026
Restricted & regulated products
Can you sell infant formula or baby food on Shopify?
Yes — US infant formula adds FDA registration and a 90-day premarket notice, written for whoever makes or distributes a new formula.
September 4, 2026
Taxes & duties
Do you need a UK VAT registration to sell into Great Britain from Shopify?
Usually yes — an overseas seller registers regardless of turnover; HMRC's carve-outs are narrow and each needs every UK sale to fit it.
September 4, 2026
Taxes & duties
What is the difference between IOSS and OSS, and which one does a Shopify store need?
IOSS covers imports in consignments up to €150; OSS covers goods already inside the EU — where your stock sits decides.
September 4, 2026
Policies & account standing
What changes for a Shopify store once a cosmetic legally becomes an OTC drug?
In the US: a monograph or approval route, a Drug Facts label and drug listing; registration falls on whoever makes, repacks, relabels or salvages it.
September 4, 2026
POS & retail
Who can manage Shopify POS staff, and does it need POS Pro?
Shopify's user-management page names three: store owner, organization owner or a POS user administrator — only at POS Pro locations.
September 3, 2026
Apps, channels & AI
Why is a Shopify product Active but not showing on a sales channel?
Active is a product status, not a channel publication — the product and its variant must also be published to that channel.
September 3, 2026
Restricted & regulated products
Does the country you source from change the EUDR due diligence your Shopify store owes?
Yes — for an importing operator only Article 10–11 risk steps fall away, and only when every relevant product was produced in a low-risk country.
September 3, 2026
Products & inventory
Does a child product keep its own page after it is added to a Shopify Combined Listing?
Yes — on Plus and enterprise plans a child keeps its page and URL; no help page we read documents a status change for a child. Unlisted is manual.
September 2, 2026
Taxes & duties
Why does Shopify charge Section 232 duty on your whole product value?
Shopify defaults to 100% metal for US Section 232 duty; you can set your real percentage, but only one for the whole store.
September 2, 2026
Products & inventory
Can two Shopify variants share the same barcode?
Yes — no Shopify page we read describes the admin blocking a shared barcode at save time; the clash surfaces later, in the scanner and SFN transfers.
September 2, 2026
Taxes & duties
Can EU/UK B2B customers validate their VAT number at Shopify checkout to get reverse charge automatically?
No — Shopify validates VAT numbers on guest and Shop Pay checkout, not on B2B checkout, and only with Shopify Tax and an EU fulfillment location.
September 2, 2026
Orders & customers
What happens to past Shopify orders when you delete or rename a variant?
Renaming leaves the order's locked snapshot; deleting removes that variant's data from your sales reports — unpublish instead to stop selling it.
September 2, 2026
Policies & account standing
Does a CCPA deletion request work the same way in Shopify as a GDPR one?
Same Shopify erasure tool either way — but a CCPA-covered business answers in 45 days, not GDPR's one month.
September 2, 2026
Selling internationally
Does Shopify Managed Markets add a duty line at checkout?
No — on the default setting Managed Markets includes duties in your product prices, so no duty line appears at checkout.
September 2, 2026
POS & retail
What happens to custom Shopify POS receipts when Liquid editing ends?
Shops still on the Liquid receipt editor migrate automatically on January 1, 2027; some complex POS Pro customizations arrive flagged for rebuilding.
September 2, 2026
Marketing & SEO
What happens to a Shopify collection's SEO when you change its URL handle?
Turn on the redirect and the old URL forwards instead of 404ing; Shopify says to build menu links by selecting, not pasting.
September 2, 2026
Admin, staff & security
Do Shopify collaborators see your other stores?
No — collaborator accounts are per store; even inside one organization each store needs its own approved request.
September 2, 2026
Orders & customers
Is a Shopify customer segment a live list or a snapshot?
Live — Shopify adds and removes members automatically; only the count on the segments index lags until you open the segment or an app uses it.
September 2, 2026
Policies & account standing
Does Shopify handle customer data deletion requests for you?
No — Shopify gives you the erasure tools and notifies your apps, but you generally stay the controller who must answer the customer.
September 1, 2026
Apps, channels & AI
What customer data can a Shopify app access?
An app gets whole classes of store data, not single records — a public app sees name, address, phone or email only after Shopify approves it.
September 1, 2026
Admin, staff & security
Can you sell your Shopify store to someone else?
Yes, but only the store owner — and not for a store using Shopify Capital or Shopify Credit; Payments details and a custom domain move separately.
September 1, 2026
Products & inventory
Should you let Shopify keep selling when stock hits zero?
Only where you can genuinely ship late: it sits on the product or variant, needs inventory tracking on, and never covers POS sales.
September 1, 2026
Orders & customers
Should you fulfill a Shopify order flagged as medium risk?
Don't decide on the flag alone — verify first. Medium risk estimates chargeback probability, and outside Shopify Protect the loss is yours.
September 1, 2026
Orders & customers
Why is Customer events greyed out in your Shopify admin?
Shopify gates Customer events by role permission: "View customer events" opens the screen, "Manage and add custom pixels" does what its name says.
August 31, 2026
Business identity & accounting
Do you need a business license to sell on Shopify?
No — Shopify requires no business license to open a store; your US state, county or city may, and a seller's permit is a different document.
August 31, 2026
Shipping & fulfillment
Can you ship lithium batteries with Shopify Shipping?
No — no Shopify Shipping lane we checked sells you a label for a lithium battery, even where the carrier itself would take the parcel.
August 31, 2026
Selling internationally
Do your own carrier rates cancel Shopify Managed Markets merchant-of-record benefits?
Yes — Shopify ties the merchant-of-record benefits to labels bought from a Managed Markets shipping service, not to your own negotiated rates.
August 31, 2026
Restricted & regulated products
Can you sell alcohol on Shopify?
Yes — Shopify publishes its own alcohol page, but the Shop channel bans alcohol and Managed Markets hides it where it is prohibited.
August 31, 2026
Restricted & regulated products
Can you resell brand-name products on Shopify?
Yes for authentic goods you obtained lawfully — no Shopify page we read describes a reseller approval; it acts on a notice or its own review.
August 31, 2026
Restricted & regulated products
Does Shopify allow peptide sales?
No Shopify policy we read names peptides — the answer comes from your processor list and the Shop and Managed Markets drug categories.
August 31, 2026
Policies & account standing
Can you sell adult or NSFW art on Shopify?
Nothing we read bans it from your own storefront — but Shopify Payments lists adult products as prohibited and the Shop channel won't list them.
August 31, 2026
Apps, channels & AI
Can you sell AI-generated art on Shopify?
No Shopify rule we read makes AI art its own category; the real limits sit in your print-on-demand partner's terms and US copyright.
August 31, 2026
Restricted & regulated products
Can you sell firearms or weapons on Shopify?
The Acceptable Use Policy we read names no weapons ban, but Shopify Payments won't process them and the Shop channel won't list them.
August 31, 2026
Plans & getting started
Is the Shopify Lite plan still available?
No — the Shopify Lite plan is closed to new stores, and a merchant already on it cannot revert to it after changing plans.
August 31, 2026
Selling internationally
What can't you ship with Shopify Managed Markets?
Managed Markets restricts 35 prohibited item categories (August 2026 list) — some everywhere, some in a subset of countries, some above a value cap.
August 31, 2026
Shipping & fulfillment
Does Shopify Fulfillment Network accept regulated products?
Not Shopify's decision — the Fulfillment Network 3PL you pick sets the product rules, and Shopify tells you to verify eligibility with it.
August 31, 2026
Selling internationally
Does Shopify Managed Markets require prepaid duties, and for which destinations?
Managed Markets collects duties at checkout in every country and region where DDP is supported — not a named list of countries.
Updated September 12, 2026
Payments & payouts
Do you need a written PCI agreement with Shopify?
Yes, but nothing new to sign: the acknowledgment 12.8.2 asks for sits in the Shopify Payments terms; another gateway is a separate agreement.
August 30, 2026
Orders & customers
Can a Shopify Forms notification go to more than one person?
Not in the Forms app itself — Shopify documents a Shopify Flow automation as the route to several email addresses.
August 30, 2026
Policies & account standing
Is a virtual try-on app on your Shopify store a biometric categorisation system?
Usually not — Article 3(40) leaves a try-on outside the definition only if it is both ancillary to another commercial service and strictly necessary.
August 30, 2026
Payments & payouts
Where do you see which Shopify orders were charged the international card rate?
Not on the order — in the help pages we checked, Shopify documents the card class only as the Billing country report grouping.
August 30, 2026
Taxes & duties
Can you get a DDP shipping label through Shopify Managed Markets?
Yes — Managed Markets orders can ship DDP on five of the six services Shopify lists, but only where Managed Markets is available to your store.
August 30, 2026
Orders & customers
Can you send WhatsApp marketing messages from Shopify?
Yes, in Shopify Messaging campaigns since July 29, 2026 — but not in automations, and not to customers in the United States.
Updated September 11, 2026
Orders & customers
Does Shopify Forms send an email to the person who filled in the form?
Shopify Forms documents one email of its own — a per-submission notification to the store owner, not to the person who filled the form in.
August 28, 2026
Online store & themes
Does the Horizon theme include a contact form, or do you need the Shopify Forms app?
Yes — Horizon carries the built-in contact form Shopify documents for all themes; the free Shopify Forms app is a separate, optional install.
August 28, 2026
Orders & customers
Why don't login links show on your Shopify order status page?
Shopify documents two causes: the store uses legacy customer accounts, or the links are turned off in Settings > Customer accounts.
August 28, 2026
Payments & payouts
Which card sales count as international on Shopify Payments?
Shopify Payments judges by the card's issuing country, not the buyer's address: cards on its Europe list are domestic, UK-EU sales international.
August 28, 2026
Refunds, returns & disputes
Can you contest a chargeback after you close your Shopify store?
Yes — but Shopify says you need to reactivate the store to contest, and evidence is due typically 7 to 21 days after the chargeback is filed.
August 28, 2026
Shipping & fulfillment
Why can't I buy a shipping label on Shopify?
Shopify's billing page names an unpaid label bill; location eligibility, duties without a DDP carrier and verification holds also block labels.
August 27, 2026
Selling internationally
Can you translate collection filters on a Shopify store?
Shopify's own two pages disagree: the filters page says labels, values and groups translate; the tag filter hides and vendor never does.
August 27, 2026
Payments & payouts
Who can open a Shopify Balance account?
Only US or Puerto Rico merchants who run Shopify Payments and clear Shopify's full checklist — and Shopify says Balance is not a bank account.
August 27, 2026
Domains & email
What DNS records does Shopify Messaging need?
A domain bought through Shopify is authenticated for you; a third-party domain needs Shopify's CNAMEs plus your own DMARC TXT.
August 26, 2026
Payments & payouts
What is the Additional details field on a Shopify manual payment method?
Additional details is the text Shopify shows next to your manual payment method in checkout — before the order, unlike Payment instructions.
August 26, 2026
Payments & payouts
Does Shopify Payments charge more for Amex and international cards?
Yes — Amex/premium cards and international cards each price above the standard online rate, on the US page and on all five country pages we read.
Updated September 16, 2026
Orders & customers
Who can open your customer's Shopify order status page?
Anyone holding the link can open it; Shopify says a shared link shows only limited order details, such as the items, the total and the discounts.
August 22, 2026
Shipping & fulfillment
What does a customer see when one Shopify order ships in two parcels?
Shopify adds a separate order status page section for each fulfillment, each with its own tracking and carrier — different carriers included.
Updated September 16, 2026
Plans & getting started
What invoices can still arrive after you deactivate a Shopify store?
Shopify names three: third-party charges billed outside Shopify, chargebacks from past transactions, and charges from another store you own.
August 22, 2026
Shipping & fulfillment
What does a customer see on the Shopify order status page if your carrier isn't integrated?
For a carrier Shopify doesn't support, the order status page shows a tracking number linking to that carrier's site — no order status, no live pin.
August 20, 2026
Domains & email
What happens to your custom domain when a Shopify store is frozen?
Freezing disconnects your custom domain from the storefront; the registration is separate, and you reconnect by hand after you reactivate.
August 20, 2026
Payments & payouts
What card rate does Shopify Payments charge in my country?
Shopify Payments card rates are set per country as well as per plan — the US 2.9% + 30¢ is a Basic-plan US rate, not a global one.
Updated September 17, 2026
Plans & getting started
What happens to pending app charges when you deactivate a Shopify store?
When you deactivate, outstanding app amounts are charged immediately; charges an app bills outside Shopify keep running until you cancel them.
August 19, 2026
Apps, channels & AI
Are one-time Shopify app charges billed separately from your subscription?
Yes — a one-time app purchase billed through Shopify lands on its own invoice, not on your regular subscription bill.
August 19, 2026
Payments & payouts
What are Payment instructions on a Shopify manual payment method, and where does the customer see them?
Payment instructions are the text you write on a manual payment method; Shopify displays it on the order confirmation page after checkout.
August 19, 2026
Taxes & duties
Does each Shopify store get its own 1099-K?
Shopify combines volume across US Shopify Payments accounts under one TIN; if the total clears that year's threshold, each account gets a 1099-K.
August 18, 2026
Orders & customers
Can you target a shipping discount at B2B customers on Shopify?
Yes — a "Customer is B2B" rule in Checkout Blocks, a route Shopify limits to Plus, or a B2B market assigned to the discount's eligibility.
Updated September 15, 2026
Payments & payouts
What does a customer see while a Shopify order is "Payment pending"?
A placed order and a shipment-tracking status page; no page we read shows payment status there, and manual gateways send no pending-payment email.
Updated September 15, 2026
Taxes & duties
Why isn't my December order on this year's Shopify 1099-K?
Shopify Payments counts the UTC posting date, not the order date — a December 31 order posting January 1 lands on next year's 1099-K.
August 18, 2026
Taxes & duties
Does Shopify charge VAT or GST on app charges?
Only where Shopify is required to tax your account charges — and even there its help page says app charges might be included, not will.
Updated August 19, 2026
Plans & getting started
What is the difference between a frozen and a suspended Shopify store?
Read together, Shopify's terms and help pages describe one unpaid-bill event: 28 days to a freeze, then 60 more before it may terminate.
August 18, 2026
Apps, channels & AI
How many people actually use the Shop app?
No page we read counts Shop app users: Shopify captions 250M+ for Shop Pay or Shop + Shop Pay, and calls its 150M+ global shoppers.
Updated September 15, 2026
Orders & customers
Why is my Shopify order stuck on "Payment pending"?
Payment pending means the money hasn't arrived yet — and Shopify's pages name different actions that might be blocked.
Updated September 13, 2026
Taxes & duties
Does Shopify charge VAT or GST on its own fees?
It depends on your country and tax number — and Shopify taxes your subscription and your Shopify Payments fees under separate rules.
Updated September 12, 2026
Payments & payouts
Which countries can you actually sell with Shopify?
Shopify blocks a named list of countries and regions; Shopify Payments covers 40 countries and regions — everywhere else needs a third-party gateway.
Updated September 7, 2026
Shipping & fulfillment
What are your options if Shopify doesn't support your carrier?
If your carrier isn't on Shopify's list, you buy the label through your own account, an app, or another carrier — not through Shopify Shipping.
Updated September 15, 2026
Payments & payouts
How long does Shopify Payments verification take?
Shopify publishes no timeframe for the account review itself on the pages we read — only up to 24 hours to check documents you upload.
Updated September 13, 2026
Shipping & fulfillment
Can you use your own carrier account on Shopify?
Yes — UPS, FedEx, USPS, Canada Post and Australia Post connect on Advanced and Plus; Grow adds it for a fee; Shopify lists others as not available.
Updated September 12, 2026
Selling internationally
Should you turn off Shopify's automatic hreflang tags?
Only if you already manage hreflang yourself — Shopify warns that turning the automatic tags off otherwise can hurt your SEO.
August 10, 2026
Orders & customers
Do Shopify discount codes apply to B2B orders by default?
Yes — since 23 June 2026 for new B2B stores and existing ones with no active or scheduled discounts; codes stack on catalog prices.
Updated August 24, 2026
Taxes & duties
Does Shopify send you a 1099-K?
Yes — Shopify Payments issues one to US sellers past $20,000 in more than 200 transactions; some states set it lower.
Updated September 12, 2026
Orders & customers
Are duties and taxes calculated on custom items in Shopify?
No — when you edit an unfulfilled DDP order Shopify calculates no duty or tax on custom items; Managed Markets blocks them.
Updated September 12, 2026
Marketing & SEO
Can you customize the Shopify gift card page?
Yes — within your theme's own settings, but gift_card.liquid can't be a JSON template, so it has no drag-and-drop sections.
Updated September 12, 2026
Domains & email
Can you change your myshopify.com domain name?
Yes, and it is free — but if you typed a store name at signup, Shopify counts that as one of your two changes, leaving one.
August 9, 2026
Policies & account standing
What can't you sell on Shopify?
No single Shopify list answers this — the AUP, Shopify Payments' terms, the Shop channel and Managed Markets each restrict something different.
Updated September 12, 2026
Orders & customers
What can you do when Shopify won't let you edit an order?
A store rule blocked the edit, not a bug — of the seven order rules Shopify states, it names an official way out for only two.
Updated September 12, 2026
Refunds, returns & disputes
Do return rules apply to Shopify POS?
Yes on POS Pro — but the counter enforces only your return window and final sale; fee rules apply to self-serve returns.
Updated September 12, 2026
Marketing & SEO
Can you customize the Shopify gift card email?
Yes — the gift card email is an editable notification template, but Shopify limits what you can change.
Updated September 12, 2026
Apps, channels & AI
Does your Shopify store need an llms.txt file?
No — Shopify serves /llms.txt and /agents.md on every store by default; add a theme template only for advanced requirements.
Updated September 12, 2026
Refunds, returns & disputes
Do Shopify return rule changes apply to orders you already have?
No — return rule changes apply only to future orders; orders already placed keep the rules that were in force when they were placed.
Updated September 12, 2026
Orders & customers
Can you add a custom item to a Shopify order?
Yes — as a custom item on a draft order, or by editing an order that already exists; Shopify names several rules that block that edit.
Updated September 12, 2026
Admin, staff & security
Can a Shopify collaborator see your payouts?
Yes — either store-level Finance payout permission shows them; on Plus, payment settings are managed through organization roles instead.
Updated August 25, 2026
Business identity & accounting
Does Shopify integrate with Xero?
Yes — Xero publishes the connector: a live App Store listing (xero-6) plus one on Xero's marketplace; the old address only shows a notice.
August 8, 2026
Domains & email
Can you change your Shopify primary domain?
Yes — Shopify redirects your other domains to the new primary; the domain pages we read give no SEO or backlink guarantee.
August 8, 2026
Taxes & duties
Does Shopify Tax have a yearly cap?
Yes — $5,000 a year per region, published for stores created before May 13, 2026; two other Shopify pages state it with no cohort.
Updated September 8, 2026
Admin, staff & security
Does Shopify require two-step authentication?
Not by default — the choice is yours, unless you use Shopify Payments or an admin sets a secure sign-in method as required for you.
Updated September 12, 2026
Business identity & accounting
Can Shopify send an invoice to a customer?
Not automatically — you send it from a draft or a payment-pending order; Shopify's free invoice generator is standalone and never sees your orders.
Updated September 11, 2026
Business identity & accounting
Does Shopify integrate with QuickBooks?
Yes — but through App Store apps, not a sales connector Shopify publishes; Intuit's own connector for QuickBooks Online is free to install.
Updated September 1, 2026
Taxes & duties
Does Shopify file and remit sales tax for you?
No — filing and remitting are yours by default. In the US the exceptions are paid Shopify Tax automated filing and Shop channel orders.
August 1, 2026
Orders & customers
Can you cancel a Shopify order after you place it?
Only by asking — some stores show a Cancel items button for unshipped items in a window they set, but the store approves or declines it.
Updated September 12, 2026
Apps, channels & AI
Is the Shop app safe?
Yes — Shop is Shopify's own app, but stores in it are listed automatically once they meet Shopify's requirements, not reviewed one by one.
Updated September 12, 2026
Payments & payouts
Can you use Shop Pay outside of Shopify?
Yes — since June 2026 an eligible business can add Shop Pay to a non-Shopify checkout, but you only see it where the store added it.
August 1, 2026
Payments & payouts
Does Shopify support cash on delivery?
Yes — COD is one of the manual payment methods Shopify documents, switched on in Settings > Payments; surcharges and OTP checks need an app.
July 30, 2026
Marketing & SEO
Do Shopify QR codes expire?
No — codes from Shopify's free QR generator carry no expiry date and stay active until you delete the Quick Link behind them.
July 30, 2026
Orders & customers
Does Shopify have a CRM?
No — Shopify documents no product called a CRM and no deal pipeline; customer profiles, segments and automations are documented in the admin.
July 30, 2026
Restricted & regulated products
Does Shopify verify age?
No — Shopify verifies no age natively; the 18-or-majority rule binds the account owner, and customer gating is an app or a Function.
July 30, 2026
Policies & account standing
Can Shopify shut down your store?
Yes — Terms §14.3 allows suspension or termination for any reason, without notice unless law requires it; restricted access is not termination.
Updated August 27, 2026
Business identity & accounting
Does Shopify verify sellers?
No — stores go live without any Shopify review, and no verified-seller badge exists.
July 27, 2026
Plans & getting started
Does Shopify have phone support?
No public number to call — phone help exists only on Shopify Plus, Retail and POS Pro.
Updated September 10, 2026
Refunds, returns & disputes
How long does a Shopify refund take?
Card refunds: Shopify's Pending step takes up to 2 business days; the bank leg runs up to 10 business days.
Updated September 10, 2026
Shipping & fulfillment
How long does Shopify take to ship?
Shopify never ships anything — the store you bought from does, on its own processing and carrier times.
Updated September 10, 2026
Business identity & accounting
Does Shopify need your SSN?
No SSN to open a store — it is required only to activate Shopify Payments in the US.
July 27, 2026
Payments & payouts
Does Shopify take a cut of your sales?
No percentage of your sales — you pay a monthly plan plus card processing, not a commission.
Updated September 10, 2026
Refunds, returns & disputes
Does Shopify offer buyer protection?
No single buyer guarantee — recourse is the store's own policy and a chargeback through your card issuer.
Updated September 10, 2026
Plans & getting started
Do you need to know how to code to use Shopify?
No — the whole core build is no-code; code is optional, for what the theme editor cannot reach.
July 23, 2026
Payments & payouts
Does Shopify use Stripe?
Indirectly yes — Stripe is Shopify Payments' banking partner, but you cannot add Stripe as your own gateway.
Updated September 10, 2026
Domains & email
Does Shopify give you a business email address?
No — Shopify hosts no mailboxes; a Shopify domain gives free forwarding, sending needs Zoho or Google.
Updated September 10, 2026
Apps, channels & AI
Is Shop the same as Shopify?
No — one company, two products: Shopify runs the stores, Shop is the app buyers shop in.
Updated September 10, 2026
Plans & getting started
How long does it take to set up a Shopify store?
7–10 focused hours for a bare-bones store; 1–2 weeks DIY, and months for a full agency build.
Updated September 10, 2026
Payments & payouts
How long does Shopify take to pay you?
3–5 business days from capture to your bank on US Shopify Payments, bank processing included.
Updated September 10, 2026
Online store & themes
Is Shopify a content management system (CMS)?
A hosted commerce platform with built-in CMS features — not a traditional general-purpose CMS.
Updated September 10, 2026
Plans & getting started
What exactly is Shopify used for?
Running the selling side of a business: a hosted online store, payments, in-person POS and other sales channels.
Updated September 17, 2026
Business identity & accounting
Do I need an LLC or EIN before opening a Shopify store?
No — you can open and run a store as a sole proprietor with your SSN, and add an LLC or EIN later.
Updated September 16, 2026
Payments & payouts
What is the Shopify Payments payout schedule in the UK?
Rolling GBP payouts with a minimum 3 business-day settlement, plus 1–3 days for your bank to credit.
Updated September 16, 2026
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