Can't complete shop verification for Facebook and Instagram on Shopify

[flyintherain]

Hi,

I tried to complete shop verification for Facebook and Instagram on Shopify but every time I click "Start Verification", the pop-up does not load properly and only displays a blank screen. There is no way I can process to the next step to finish the verification. Please see the screenshots below.

After clicking "Start Verification"

I have also tried the following steps below but none of them worked. (I use a Chrome browser on a Macbook)

1. Try other browsers such as Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari et. al.

2. Log in using an Incognito Chrome browser, and reproduce the issue.

3. Do a clear cache/cookies. 

4. Try using another device (if steps 1 to 3 did not work)

I have reached out to Facebook rep and was told this is a technical issue from Shopify end and we need to reach out to Shopify rep.

Our FB & IG sales channel on Shopify will be suspended by Facebook if we fail to verify our shop on Shopify in the next 6 days. Please help!

"You need to complete your shop verification by Jan 24 to continue selling on Shops."

"To continue selling on Facebook and Instagram, you’ll need to verify your details and provide some customer support information. This will need to be completed by Jan 24, 2023 to avoid interrupting your sales. It should only take a few minutes."

Thank you in advance.

Best,

Martin

[Bpage]

A similar thing is happening to me. I verified my business information last November. This past Friday an alert box appeared saying I need to confirm my business information by November 11, 2023. I ran through the wizard and got to the last step, but the process was full of bugs. For instance I entered an email confirmation pin and was able to proceed the next step, which was a phone number confirmation, but after going to the step after that confirmation, the form bombed out and indicated I'd never confirmed the email pin, which I had.

After filling the form out completely for a second time I thought everything was fine... until yesterday. The form is still prompting me to complete the verification process, but I can not get past the first step. I see this message now when I hit the first submit button:

I initiated I chat with Meta support, and they seemed helpful, although what they are telling me is that I need to enable Shopify Payouts. I'm trying to find out if this is accurate, and to learn if it will solve my problems....

All of the Shopify documentation indicates with a Facebook Shop I can have customers checkout on my store, and my payments are set up to use Authorize.net and Paypal. 

If I learn anything more, I'll drop a note here! Do you happen to know if we need to have Shopify Payouts enabled, and can we have it enabled but still only use something like, in my case, Authorize.net or Paypal?

Thank you,

Brian

[LottieandLysh]

Did you manage to get the through the process in the end? I'm having a nightmare with it. UK based, sole trader not a limited company so no CRN number, and my VAT number is not accepted in its place. I have been chatting to Meta help online and they indicate that there should the option to select sole proprietor but it's not there.... Awaiting further info now it's been flagged for investigation by the technical team. I'll come back if I get more guidance as it might help someone else who finds themselves in the same situ. 

I'm not sure what the implications of this restriction currently are? Are my products/ads no longer serving on FB & IG as a result?! I do not hope not. 

[Swannie]

I'm in the same boat as you. I've spoken to Facebook today. They are going to look into it. I can still tag products in Instagram but any new products I can't.

If I hear anything I'll post on here. I'm a sole trader too.

[LottieandLysh]

Hey! So I got a reply from Facebook overnight in which they advised me to remove GB from my VAT number & select sole trader 😒 they then closed the ticket as I didn't reply in 10 mins (I was sleeping 🤣)... absolutely useless. But I might have found a work around..... 

Go to your meta business suite (desktop) and click on the settings icon in the bottom left hand corner. Scroll down to Security Centre and select in. In here you shouls see the verification option. When you click in to it this way the options are different... I filled out the form and uploaded a copy of my VAT registration certificate.  Selected to verify via my domain (didn't work - just kept timing out), so went back and tried email (also did not work, I never received the email code despite requesting it twice), and lastly opted for text confirmation which came through straight away. I put the code in and the verification status changed to 'In review'.... hopefully it works! 

I wasn't overly sure what to put in the name field as my VAT registration is in my personal name, with a trading as name for my business. In the end, I opted for putting my trading as name as it matches the page name... with are present on my VAT certificate. 

Have a look and see if you can get in to it that way

[LottieandLysh]

* Just to add obviously removing GB from the VAT number doesn't magically make it a CRN number so  despite the advice from zmeta support it still wouldn't work, and was something I'd already tried prior to reaching out. They obviously didn't read any of the correspondence that had occurred prior to that point.

[Swannie]

I'm not VAT registered. Will that affect it?

[LottieandLysh]

I don't think think so, there were other documents you could upload I just had that one to hand. They are basically looking for a document that confirms your name & address in an official capacity

[Swannie]

I get this message.  Says I don't need to be verified. 🤷‍♂️

[fpisa]

The same here 😑

[Seekpreloved]

Hi, have you received any response from meta ? I’m in the same situation and am still waiting for a response?

[LottieandLysh]

Nothing of use yet.... just a repeat of the same script by people who don't seem to know what they're doing 🥴 Did you try going in the way I detailed above? Going in that way allowed me to complete a slightly different form.... the status of my verification is still 'in review' at this time.

[Seekpreloved]

Unfortunately on my accounts it says no need for verification which makes no sense and so can’t seem to go in a different way. I’ve tried to explain the system for a sole trader. It seems crazy to have to get a CRN number purely in order to tag items on Instagram and at present am not vat registered due to the nature of my business🤦‍♀️

[jenningsandcox]

I have been having the same issues and can no long tag products on instagram. I did speak to someone on the phone yesterday and did a screenshare with them.  They confirmed that there should be an option to verify the business without having to input a CRN but the option just isn't coming up. Its been "escalated" but I'm not holding my breath. I pausing my ad campaigns as well and pushing it through google instead. They can't seem to get their head around the fact that not all businesses are limited company!

[LottieandLysh]

My verification just got rejected.... no explanation... no notification. Just logged into Meta and the msg/banner telling me to verify was back.... verify by 1 January 1970 no less 😂 The information provided during the verification process was 100% accurate so the system is obviously completely flawed. I've messaged Meta again and will update with any further information I get.

[samwoods]

We have that same Review warning for 1970! But similar to @Swannie it says we are 'Ineligible for verification'. We also have the below warning on both Shopify and Meta... So confusing!

[Seekpreloved]

Still waiting for a response from meta. Had to stop advertising and can’t tag any products. Unfortunately it looks like legitimate sole traders and small businesses don’t have the support of meta at the moment. Now they are saying items are against community guidelines. Think this is all linked to not being able to verify on meta as I’m a sole trader. Never had an issue, completed all info requested and have even had to send my tax return through to show I’m legitimate…. Still nothing 🤷

[SmokedSalt]

At one time or another, we have experienced pretty much all of these messages. We need to verify the shop, we're not eligible, we need to verify by Jan 24, we need to verify by Jan 1970... my own ad account managing our ads has also been affected. Phone and live chat support have not been able to resolve anything, and now when I provide them my case number in live chat they tell me to wipe cookies and then just end the chat. It is very frustrating, as we've certainly noticed poorer results since this all started.

[PoptartPosters]

I'm having the same issue. Being asked for verification in the Shopify Facebook channel but unable to proceed because I'm a sole trader and don't have a CRN.

I've just had this from Meta support.

We will have to forward your case to our internal team for further investigation on the business verification since it is asking you for a CRN number even though you are located in UK. We will put this chat session on hold while the investigation is on going. Once, we have updates on the case we will be contacting you here on this same chat thread. 

[poshlampshades]

I am also having the same issue, had a chat session with Meta, same as everyone else they have forwarded to their "specialist team".. 

I think if enough peope bug them they might do someting. 😁

Also stopped my meta ads, no point if I can't link to my products, I notice that some of mine are no longer showing so it's not just new products this is affecting. Interestingly I am new to to shopify so I have only just set my FB shopping, as part of the process I had to verify in a different part of the system, I uploaded my bank statement and in that part I am verified...green tick happy days.. so why the hell do I need to be verified again? Grrrrr. 

I will keep checking this page for updates. 

[PoptartPosters]

I tried reinstalling the sales channel, didn’t work so I’ve turned my ads off too.

[poshlampshades]

Following up I have had a reply from Meta Support

"Upon checking, you are not required to complete your verification yet.  Rest assured that your shop is already visible as well as your products, as it's already showing as approved"

Just checked and it's letting me tag my products again, although Shopify still not displaying as connected in the products tab, the error message isn't there anymore..... 

[jenningsandcox]

I am still waiting for them to come back to me with my issue however I also have noticed that I can start tagging products again!

The message asking me to verify on commerce manager has also disappeared but like you they are not connected in the shopify sales channels! 

[Seekpreloved]

• I’m still waiting for a response from meta. Gave them more details and will wait with my fingers crossed ! 

[LottieandLysh]

I'm at this stage also.... the message go verify has gone away but not connected in the Shopify dashboard. I do seem to be able to tag products but ad effectiveness definitely drooped off when that verify message appeared and hasn't picked back up again 🥴 So frustrating 

[Seekpreloved]

At least you can tag (I can’t still ) when Instagram went down today I thought I had been locked out (total nightmare) will spend my day trying to contact Meta again tomorrow 🤦‍♀️

[Swannie]

I've been through it all again numerous emails (scripted from Facebook/meta team. They have now forwarded it further up the food chain. I'm able to still tag products but have noticed a significant decrease in visitors from my paid Facebook/Instagram ads ☹️

I had to record my screen and it gets to the end of send a text or call me and none of them work. 

Once I get and update I'll let you know

[jenningsandcox]

I'm in the same boat - it's been escalated for several days now. The verification message for Jan 1970 has now gone away but in Shopify it is still showing that Facebook is an unavailable channel when adding a product.

[Seekpreloved]

I’m the same. Can tag but issue is still showing although no need to verify showing, now I  can’t see what they want 🤷

[clamarha]

Hi, I'm having the same problem. I can't verify my shop because I'm sole trader.  Are you still paying for Facebook/Instagram ads?  I can tag products but I don't want to waste my money.  Also. How did you contact them? I can't find any link or chat for support.  Thanks

[clamarha]

how did you contact them?.  I have the same problem. thanks

[poshlampshades]

You can chat to them by going to Meta business suite, select help from the menu on the left. Be ready for a bit of a wait!

However I have a message on shopify see below, so they are aware, the products tab is still showing the issue but I can tag so i'm proceeding to do as I would normally with ads.