Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:22/11/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Better Business Bureau Dear *********** am writing to express my dissatisfaction with the business practices of Shopify. I recently subscribed to their services after the free trial period, opting for the basic monthly plan of $39. However, to my surprise, I was charged an annual fee of $3302 instead.Immediately upon noticing this charge on my credit card statement, I contacted Shopify on November 2nd, 2024, to inform them of the error. I clearly stated that I did not select the option for an annual fee and that I had only subscribed to the basic monthly plan. Despite my efforts, I have not received a satisfactory response from *********************** a small business owner, I am working with limited capital and every expense counts. I have invested a significant amount of money in setting up my Shopify store and I can only afford to pay the monthly fee of $39 at this time. However, Shopify continues to hold the annual fee of $3302 on the backend, causing my credit card to be declined and forcing me to replace it with a new one.I am extremely disappointed

  Business Response

  Date: 25/11/2024

  Hi *****, 
  
  My name is **** - I am an Operations Lead here at Shopify. 
  
  Thanks for reaching out with this concern. I was able to see that you spoke with a member of our Billing team on ticket ********, and that we were able to resolve the issue for you. If you still require assistance with this issue, please respond to that ticket directly. 
  
  Thanks, 
  Jack | Shopify Operations

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/12/2024

  Yes they resolved the issue thank you 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:22/11/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have been with Shopify as a POS customer for about 15 months. Within the last 4 weeks 10/28/2024 to be exact I got an alert from Shopify that I needed to update my EIN number. I verified my information on 10/28/2024, and then again a few weeks later. Now Shopify is still saying my EIN number is incorrect so they are withholding my payouts. They have an alert on my account that I need to contact support. When I contact support it takes me to a chat, all they tell me is that they can move my complaint to urgent and Shopify will email me when its next in queue. I have called multiple times, and I have attempted to chat with Shopify multiple times, and I have gotten nowhere. I have had the same EIN number for about 14 years. It makes no sense why Shopify is flagging it, and now withholding my funds. I have yet to receive any sort of communication from Shopify on this issue.

  Business Response

  Date: 26/11/2024

  Hi *****,

  My name is **** an Operations Lead at Shopify. Thank you for reaching out to us regarding the payout hold on your store. Upon review of the store, I see that the hold has been resolved as of November 24 by our Merchant Verification team. If there are any further questions or concerns, please have the Store Owner respond to ticket ID: ************************************.

  All the best,

  Lex | Shopify Operations Lead
  
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:22/11/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am writing to urgently request the release of my payouts, as it has been more than 72 hours since I was informed that a solution would be provided. Unfortunately, I have not received any further response, despite having submitted four tickets and two disputes. The lack of communication and delay is putting me in a very difficult financial position, and I am now facing interest on my debt.If this issue is not resolved promptly, I will be forced to take drastic measures, including selling my car. Please note that I have provided all necessary documentation as requested, and I cannot afford to wait any longer.The following are the reference numbers for my tickets:52546606 ******** ******** ******** I will not allow my money to be held for 120 days without resolution, and if I do not receive the payout or a concrete response within the next **************************************************** court.I look forward to your immediate attention and a swift resolution to this matter.

  Business Response

  Date: 27/11/2024

  Hello *****,

  
  My name is *****, an Operations Lead with Shopify. 

  
  We have reviewed your recent ticket 5a309e9f-d05f-45eb-af96-9910256b95cb with the Merchant Trust team, and wanted to reiterate that due to your stores violation of Shopify's Acceptable Use Policy (AUP), we are no longer able to host your store on the Shopify platform and your account has been closed. 

  
  The full amount of pending payouts will be held by the Processor, in accordance with the Shopify Payments Terms of Service and the Processor's Terms of Service. Payouts are typically held for 120 days. This is a standard policy that cannot be expedited.

  
  Any other questions or concerns you may have should be directed to ticket ID 5a309e9f-d05f-45eb-af96-9910256b95cb. The Merchant Trust team managing this ticket is best equipped to provide more information. If you believe your account was closed in error, this ticket also includes a direct link to a form which you can use to appeal the decision. 

  
  Best regards, 
  *****, Shopify Operations Lead
  

  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 27/11/2024

  Complaint: 22590694
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** Zarbakhsh *******

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/01/2025

  Since November 14, I have submitted 20 open tickets, 4 disputes, one legal notice from my lawyer to your legal team, and one inquiry with the BBB, but I have not received any response. Due to financial difficulties, I had to sell my car to settle debts and avoid interest. Now, I am planning to move to the **** on January 16, and I urgently need the funds to close my Canadian account. Delaying this payment by even two months will result in double taxation on my income in the ****, which I need to avoid. Please expedite the resolution of these matters and ensure that the funds are provided to me as soon as possible. I appreciate your immediate attention to this matter.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/01/2025

  Hello *****,
  
  My name is *****, an Operations Lead with Shopify. 
  
  As mentioned, we reviewed your recent ticket 5a309e9f-d05f-45eb-af96-9910256b95cb with the Merchant Trust team, and must reiterate that due to your stores violation of Shopify's Acceptable Use Policy (AUP), we are no longer able to host your store on the Shopify platform and your account has been closed. 
  
  The full amount of pending payouts will be held by the Processor, in accordance with the Shopify Payments Terms of Service and the Processor's Terms of Service. Payouts are typically held for 120 days. Again, this is a standard policy that cannot be expedited.
  
  Any other questions or concerns you may have should be directed to ticket ID 5a309e9f-d05f-45eb-af96-9910256b95cb. The Merchant Trust team managing this ticket is best equipped to provide more information. If you believe your account was closed in error, this ticket also includes a direct link to a form which you can use to appeal the decision. 

  Best regards, 
  *****,  Shopify Operations Lead

  Customer Answer

  Date: 13/03/2025

  I am writing to formally request the immediate release of my funds. As per your stated policy, the funds were to be held for a maximum of 120 days. That period has now ended, and there is no valid reason to continue holding them. I would like to remind you that I had to sell my car due to accumulating interest and debt during this period. Additionally, I previously sent you a notice through my attorney regarding this matter. Please proceed with the release of my funds without any further delay, as per your policy that clearly states the funds would be released after 120 days. ***** Zarbakhsh ******* Zarghoot *** ********************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 18/03/2025

  I recently received an email from Shopify notifying me that my payouts had been resumed and that I would receive the payout on March 14. However, as of today, I have not yet received the funds. Please release the fund and start the process of payout asap. Thank you for your attention to this issue. I look forward to your prompt response. Kind regards, ***** ********* Zarghoot *** ********************

  Business Response

  Date: 25/03/2025

  Hello *****,
  

  I am *****, an Operations Lead here with Shopify.
  

  Shopify stores undergo periodic reviews by our **************** to ensure compliance with our Terms of Service and Acceptable Use Policy. These reviews can happen at any stage of a store's existence. As communicated previously, our Merchant Trust Team informed you of your account status on Ticket ID: 5a309e9f-d05f-45eb-af96-9910256b95cb. You responded to this notification and acknowledged your understanding of the decision. The Merchant Trust Team also explicitly stated when your payout would be released.
  

  This matter is now closed.
  Sincerely,
  *****
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:21/11/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Shopify does not help or care about the people paying them money to host on their site. I have been trying to get in contact with a manager or someone else to assist because their low level customer support gives you the run around. I have customers who chose ****** wallet at checkout, and the balance is pending still after the items were delivered. Theyre stating the funds will be returned to the buyers because it will time out and they have no way of releasing the funds. This is ********, i am a small business who needs every bit that ive worked for. All my products are handmade and this is unacceptable. Ive reached out multiple times and the only thing done was escalate the complaint to the payment team who never actually emails you back. I have hundreds of dollars just sitting there pending that i have no way of getting access to. Ive read multiple reviews on trust pilot that state the same thing has happened to them and nothing was done about it. So yall need to stop faking reviews on your forum, its BS.I will be moving my website to a different host after i get my funds from them. If i ever get them

  Business Response

  Date: 24/11/2024

  Hi *********,
  
  My name is **** and Im an Operations Lead at Shopify.
  
  Thank you for reaching out in regards to the Shopify account you previously made. In order to review your account and concerns, I will need to receive some further information to look on your behalf. 
  
  Due to the public nature of the BBB I am unable to discuss account specific details. I shall email you at the email provided on this complaint with further information to continue assisting you.
  
  
  Warm Regards
  **** | Shopify, Operations Lead

• Initial Complaint

  Date:21/11/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We have had several conversations with the robots and they have not been much help. We have been a customer for 5 years and now all of a sudden there is something wrong with our account and ******************** is holding our funds. Not sure why this is happening now, but it needs to be corrected or Shopify will put us out of business and then we will have to get a lawyer involved.I have sent to Shopify again this morning the document (CP575) that they keep requesting and I have attached it here as well, showing that we are a legal company as well as our resale license in the state of **************. The first time it was sent on 11/13 ( Ticket ID: *************************************. The second time it was sent was this morning (Ticket ID: *************************************. As of this moment Shopify is holding over $7K. We have rent and numerous other bills to pay by the end of this week. This is very unprofessional. We have had no communication from Shopify other than chat bots that say the same thing every day. You are going to put us out of business without even an explanation or justification of why this is happening. We expect resolution immediately as there is no cause for Shopify to be holding our funds.

  Business Response

  Date: 27/11/2024

  Hello ***, 

  My name is *****, an Operations Lead with Shopify.

  We have reviewed your recent ticket 1f3ffc79-24e1-46cd-8391-9c9d5ad3f470 with the Merchant Trust team, and can confirm that your payouts are expected to be deposited November 29, 2024.

  You can find the amount of these payouts as well as the aforementioned expected deposit date on ticket 1f3ffc79-24e1-46cd-8391-9c9d5ad3f470. The Merchant Trust team is best equipped to answer any questions or concerns you may have, and can assist from this same ticket. 

  Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

  Best regards,
  *****, Shopify Operations Lead
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:21/11/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Shopify markets itself as a company that "empowers entrepreneurs to run their businesses as they see fit," but my experience tells a different story. Despite being compliant with Shopify's Terms of Service and fulfilling all my orders, my account was suddenly subjected to a payout freeze with no warning or explanation.1. Failure to Notify or Communicate Transparently Shopify froze my payouts and paused my Shopify Payments function without providing any prior notice or specific reason. This goes against the spirit of transparency Shopify claims to uphold.Repeated inquiries have been met with vague responses or outright ignored, leaving me without clear guidance or a timeline for resolution.2. Contradictory Practices Shopify claims that its actions "do not limit your ability to utilize the platform," but how is a business supposed to operate when its earnings are withheld without cause?Merchants are encouraged to follow Shopifys policies, yet Shopify itself fails to communicate its decisions clearly or allow merchants a reasonable opportunity to rectify concerns.3. Merchants Are Treated as Disposable Shopify benefits from merchants by collecting feeseven charging me for services after suspending my account functionalitybut then disregards their needs and concerns when issues arise.Instead of treating merchants as valued partners, Shopify imposes arbitrary decisions that harm businesses without offering fair *********** Takeaway:Shopify's behavior reflects a disregard for its own principles of empowerment and fairness. Entrepreneurs place trust in Shopify to support their businesses, yet Shopify has demonstrated through its actions that it prioritizes its own interests over those of its users.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 22/11/2024

  Ticket number
  52657729

  Ticket number
  52584972

  Ticket number
  52610015

  Customer Answer

  Date: 28/11/2024

  No Prior Notice or Explanation:
  My account was paused, and the balance frozen suddenly, with no communication or warning. As a merchant, I rely on timely and transparent updates from Shopify, which I have not received in this case.
  
  Unanswered Communications:
  Over the past few weeks, I have reached out multiple times seeking clarity and resolution. However, I have been met with silence, which is both unprofessional and unacceptable.
  
  Legitimate Earnings Held Without Cause:
  All of my transactions have been fulfilled, with the cargo shipped and delivered to my customers. I have no disputes, chargebacks, or unresolved issues on my account that could justify this hold.
  
  I expect Shopify, as a platform that prides itself on supporting businesses, to address this matter urgently and provide a clear explanation for the frozen balance. Additionally, I request a timeline for when my funds will be released or further information on the next steps.

  Ticket number
  52610015 Ticket number
  52584972Ticket number
  52742793

  Business Response

  Date: 29/11/2024

  Hello ** ****, 

  My name is *****, an Operations Lead with Shopify.

  We have reviewed your recent ticket ID ************************************ with the Merchant Trust team, and can confirm that our banking partners have removed the hold on your payouts following their review.
  You can expect any held funds to be paid out to the bank account on file as per the regular payout schedule. Please note that it typically takes 1-2 days for the Payouts section in your admin to update accordingly.

  Should you have any questions or concerns, please reply to ticket ID ************************************. The Merchant Trust team is best equipped to answer any questions or concerns you may have, and can assist from this same ticket. 

  
  Best regards,
  *****, Shopify Operations Lead
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:20/11/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Shopify is holding our payouts. They stated they could not verify our EIn and we have sent in the letter requested by the *** and verified all info they have asked us to. Their customer service is nonexistent and you get the same non answers and no explanation at all as to why they are holding payouts. This is unacceptable for a small business and is putting us out of business. We need resolution, explanation and our money. After doing a quick search this seems to be a regular practice for Shopify and I cannot see how this is legal. We have been in business with them for 5 years and they just now came up with a fake problem to hold all our money.

  Business Response

  Date: 21/11/2024

  Hi Memory *****,
  
  My name is ********, and I'm a Support Lead here with Shopify. I regret to hear about the challenges you're experiencing. However, the BBB is a public platform, and account details cannot be discussed here for security reasons. I have reached out to you via ticket #******** to continue collaborating in a confidential manner.

  
  Please respond to that ticket in order to proceed.

  
  Kind regards,
  ******** | Support Lead

  Customer Answer

  Date: 21/11/2024

  Complaint: 22584740
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  I have sent the *** EIn  paperwork twice.  This is what they say is the issue. A quick ****** search shows they make up reasons to hold funds and then take months to pay companies.  They continue to send us an email requesting this.  I responded to the email from chat bot support -again no direct email or contact from Shopify.  Still no payout or follow up from them. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Memory *****

  Business Response

  Date: 22/11/2024

  Hi Memory *****,

  Thank you for the additional context. I have responded to you directly on the 52655920 ticket. Please note that no conversations regarding your account can be conducted here due to security reasons. Please direct your communications on the dedicated ticket.
  
  Kind regards,
  ******** | Support Lead

• Initial Complaint

  Date:19/11/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have tried to contact the business and have had no luck. Someone has stolen my emu and created an account. They dont have a phone number to reach them and only uses some AI technology that doesnt solve the problem. This looks like this has become an issue with this company. They dont allow anyone to confirm email. They just allow them to create an account using your information.

  Business Response

  Date: 27/11/2024

  Hi Cocoa,
  
  Thank you for contacting us and reporting this. To assist you in closing a store that was created without your permission, please follow these steps:
  
  Step 1: Claim your account by resetting your password
  
  Its essential for you to regain control of your identity and any associated stores.  Here are the specific steps:
  
  1. Go to the Shopify login page: [ ****************************************************** ].
  2. Enter the email that was used by another party without your permission.
  3. Click on "Forgot password?".
  4. If not already populated, enter the email address again.
  5. Click "Reset password".
  6. Check your email for a link to reset your password, and click "Reset password" in that email.
  7. Enter your new password in the "Confirm password" field.
  8. Click "Reset password".
  9. Return to the Shopify login page: [ ****************************************************** ] and log in with your new password.
  
  Step 2: Deactivate the unauthorized store
  
  After regaining access, please deactivate the unauthorized store. You can do this by:
  
  1. Navigating to Settings > Plan in your Shopify admin.
  2. Selecting the option to deactivate your store. 
  For detailed instructions, refer to this help article: *********************************************************************************
  
  Step 3: Submit privacy forms
  
  Once you've reclaimed your identity and deactivated your account, you can request data erasure by following these steps:
  
  1. Go to  privacy.shopify.com 
  2. Click on "Erase my data".
  3. Select either Shopify merchant, partner, or Compass user.
  4. Click "Next" and complete all required fields as prompted.
  
  If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to reach out.
  
  Regards,
  
  Lali | Shopify Operations Lead
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:19/11/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I activated Shopify Payments for just one day in September, and during that time, I received an amount exceeding $200. However, more than two months have passed, and Shopify Payments still hasn't transferred the funds to me. This situation has made me very upset.I have contacted them multiple times to request the transfer of the amount, but they always tell me to wait. It has been two months, and the issue still hasnt been resolved. This situation makes me feel like my hard-earned money has been stolen by Shopify Payments.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 19/11/2024

  I activated Shopify Payments for just one day in September, and during that time, I received an amount exceeding $200. However, more than two months have passed, and Shopify Payments still hasn't transferred the funds to me. This situation has made me very upset. I have contacted them multiple times to request the transfer of the amount, but they always tell me to wait. It has been two months, and the issue still hasnt been resolved. This situation makes me feel like my hard-earned money has been stolen by Shopify Payments.

  Business Response

  Date: 27/11/2024

  Hello ****** Mhand,
  
  My name is Lali, I am an Operations Lead here at Shopify. I will be supporting you through this request. I can see that you are looking for support with your store. Due to the sensitive nature of this request, I will be sending you a private email through our support system in order for us to discuss more details, however, the email address shared in this complaint is not valid, can you please share the email address linked to your store, so I can email you to authenticate your account and explore next steps to help solve this matter?
  
  I Look forward to hearing from you and moving forward with this request.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Lali | Shopify Operations Lead
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:18/11/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Two orders were placed on my website (September 20, 2024, and September 25, 2024). As of today, November 18, I have not received my payouts for these orders, which have been fulfilled and delivery confirmed to the customers. I first contacted customer service on October 7, 2024, and have since contacted them several times without any updates. I have also not received any emails. In addition, I asked to speak with a supervisor, and the representative refused to transfer me to anyone. I have checked with my bank, and I have no issues with blocks or restrictions. I would like to know the delay so that it can be handled and my payouts can be *********** is *****************************

  Business Response

  Date: 27/11/2024

  Hi *****,
  
  My name is ********, I'm a Support Lead here with Shopify. I regret to hear of the challenges you've been experiencing, however ,I have taken a closer look and have identified no issues connected to what you shared in your complaint.
  
  Kind regards,

  ******** | Support Lead