Hey Shopify Community,
I’m in a really difficult situation right now and need some guidance on what to do next. My Shopify store has been taken offline, and unless I find a solution, it will be permanently deleted in six days – along with all of my order data, customer information, and everything else.
The Situation:
My store received five DMCA strikes.
Three of them were legitimate, and I take full responsibility for those.
However, the other two strikes are false and were filed maliciously by a competitor. This competitor copied my entire website and then filed DMCA takedowns against me to harm my business. I personally know the person behind this, as I had previously taken a course from him, and after a disagreement, he specifically threatened to take my site down.
Even one of the legitimate strikes was based on actions I took because a Shopify customer support agent told me it was okay to proceed. Without their guidance, I wouldn’t have gone ahead.
The Current Issue:
My store is already down, and I only have six days left before everything (including data, orders, and access to my Shopify backend) is completely deleted.
I have ongoing customer orders that I need to fulfill, but I can't do that without access to my store data.
My PayPal account is currently on hold, pending proof of fulfillment for the orders. Since my store is down, I can’t provide that proof. The whole situation is locking me in a loop.
What I’ve Done So Far:
Contacted Shopify Support: I’ve explained everything via live chat and email. I provided context on the two false DMCA claims and asked for a review.
Counter-DMCA: I've filed counter-notices for the two false claims.
Tried Appealing: I asked Shopify to consider allowing me to keep the store operational temporarily, not for new sales, but simply so I can fulfill existing orders and resolve issues for my current customers.
My Questions:
Has anyone experienced a similar situation where false DMCA claims led to termination? Is there a real chance that Shopify will reverse their decision if I keep pushing?
Is there any way to access or export my store data, especially order information, during this period when the site is offline?
Should I be exploring a way to migrate my data to another platform so I can at least complete existing orders? Is that even possible given the time constraints?
Any legal advice on how to proceed with countering these DMCA strikes or on how to deal with Shopify would be highly appreciated.
My Priority: I need to fulfill customer orders to avoid scamming anyone, but with everything getting deleted in a few days, I’m really running out of time. I don’t want to leave my customers hanging, but I’m worried that’s exactly what’s going to happen if I can’t find a solution fast.
If anyone has any advice or experience with something similar, I’d be incredibly grateful. I’m in a race against time, and I want to make things right.
Thanks so much in advance for any insights you can provide.
