How to Delete or Close Your Shopify Account?
How do you delete or close your Shopify account? Deleting your Shopify account is a significant step, especially if you decide to take a new direction with your business or end your online selling journey. It’s important to approach this process thoughtfully to understand the implications and complete all necessary steps to avoid future complications. This guide will walk you through how to delete your Shopify account in a simple and easy-to-understand.
Step 1: Consider Your Reasons
Before proceeding, take a moment to consider why you want to delete your Shopify account. Deleting your account is a permanent action. Once you delete your account, you cannot recover any data, including product information, customer data, or sales history. If you’re considering a break or a temporary halt, pausing your account might be a better option.
Step 2: Backup Your Data
Before you initiate the deletion process, it’s crucial to back up all your data. Shopify allows you to export various reports and customer data into CSV files.
Go to your Shopify admin panel, find the sections for products, orders, and customers, and export the data you want to save. This step ensures you have all the necessary information for your records or future use.
Step 3: Fulfill Outstanding Orders
Make sure all your orders are fulfilled and completed. Ensuring that your customers are not left in the lurch is essential.
Check your order list for any pending deliveries or returns and resolve these issues before proceeding with the deletion process. This step helps maintain your reputation and avoids potential disputes or chargebacks.
Step 4: Cancel Third-party Apps and Services
Remember to cancel these subscriptions if you’ve subscribed to third-party apps or services through Shopify. Failing to cancel these subscriptions could lead to unnecessary charges even after your Shopify account is gone. Review your app list and visit each app’s settings to find the cancellation or uninstall options.
Step 5: Settle Outstanding Bills
Ensure that any outstanding bills or charges associated with your Shopify account are settled. This includes your monthly subscription fees, any app charges, or transaction fees.
You can view and pay any outstanding charges through the Shopify admin under the ‘Billing’ section. Clearing all dues is necessary to proceed with the account deletion.
Step 6: Delete Your Shopify Account
After completing the preparatory steps, you can delete your Shopify account. Here’s how you can do it:
1. Log in to Your Shopify Admin: Sign in to your account on the Shopify website to access your store’s admin panel.
2. Navigate to Settings: Look for the ‘Settings’ button, usually at the admin panel’s bottom left corner.
3. Go to Account Settings: Find the section labelled ‘Plan’ or something similar.
4. Deactivate Store: Find the ‘Deactivate store’ option. Shopify may place this option at the bottom of the page or within a menu related to your account or plan settings.
5. Enter Your Reason: Shopify will ask for a reason for closing your store. Select the most appropriate option from the list provided. This feedback is valuable for Shopify but won’t affect the deletion process.
6. Confirm Your Decision: You will be prompted to enter your password to confirm that you want to close your store. This step is a security measure to prevent unauthorized account deletions.
Step 7: After Deletion
Once you’ve completed the deletion process, you’ll receive a confirmation from Shopify that your store is closed and your account is deleted. Here are a few things to consider post-deletion:
Email and Domain: If you purchased a domain through Shopify or set up an email, consider transferring your domain to another provider or email forwarding to retain access to any communications sent to your business email.
Keep Your Data Safe: Store the data you backed up securely. Even though you’ve left Shopify, this information might be valuable for tax purposes, future business ventures, or reference.
Conclusion
Deleting your Shopify account is a straightforward process, but it requires careful preparation to ensure you’ve settled all business affairs and saved important data. Following the steps outlined in this guide, you can ensure a smooth transition from Shopify, whether moving to a different platform, taking a break, or ending your online selling journey.
Remember, once your account is deleted, there’s no going back, so make sure this decision aligns with your business goals and personal circumstances.
