Share your experience with the WSJ - Shopify malicious store deactivating stores

[drewwenning]

Hello All,

My store athletequip.com was deactivated out of the blue on 9/12. This occurred with  no rationale and zero communication. 

This shutdown is particularly devastating as I have personally invested over $15,000 and hundreds of man-hours into building this website for my business. Shopify’s sudden and unexplained decision has not only wasted my time and money but has also jeopardized my ability to operate and serve my customers and my business is at risk of being dissolved.

What’s even more concerning is the complete lack of customer support. Shopify, despite its immense size and resources, offers no direct customer service number. Instead, they provide an impenetrable maze of automated responses and offshore representatives who are ill-equipped to help. Who straight up lies (I have been told three different times I would hear by the end of day). This lack of access to meaningful support is unacceptable, especially when livelihoods depend on their platform's functionality.

I don’t know what else to do, how can I solve a problem when it is not communicated? Shopify is officially holding my store hostage. 

Because of this I have leveraged my connections (I have a relative who is high up in the newspaper industry), and have been in contact with a columnist and assistant editor at Wall Street Journal  who are willing to expose how Shopify (a hosting platform) is holding businesses hostages and in some cases running them into the ground without rationale. Maybe they have legally protected themselves by their terms so time to take it to the court of public opinion!!!

Please email sales@athletequip.com if you have had a similar experience and are willing to share by 9/27.

I would also advise reaching out to better business bureau will your experience as well. 

I don’t know if anyone at shopify cares but i’ve been trying to get in contact since you shut down my site, I am eagerly awaiting any communication!