Being charged full fee after pausing shopify site

[Profile87]

My wife has a shopify store which I help her manage. We paused the store mid last year in order to take a break from the business. A couple of weeks ago we noticed we have been billed the full fee for all but one month since then.

We are trying to get a refund but shopify claims we re enabled the site a month after disabling it. This is not true. The shop's splash screen has been displaying continuously since we disabled it in approx July. Moreover we weren't ready to re enable the shop and definitely did not.

We demand a refund. So far dealing with support has been frustrating. They can't seem to agree the site has been disabled.

[Daniel]

Hi there, @Profile87! 

Welcome to the Community! Definitely a great place to gather some input regarding anything about the platform!

With regards to any billing inquiries, we always refer you to our live support team. As much as we would like to assist over social channels, we do not have access to such information which is needed to investigate such matters. Our live team are the ones who can open up back end information to see when the account has been successfully closed and reactivated as well as sift through your billing information. 

I understand that it has been a trying time regarding this matter but our live support team is best to handle this matter for us. I urge you to seek further clarification on what is being discussed so we can all be on the same page about this billing issue. You can always reply to the live interaction transcript you would've received after every interaction. 

[Profile87]

The first thing we did was talk to the billing team. We found their
response inadequate, unfair and unethical. Now it's time to take this
public. You can't expect to charge customers for a service you did not
provide and not get complaints.

You say your billing department can see a history of our account? Well
that is not what I've experienced after two conversations with them. They
insist the site was reactivated. I can assure you it wasn't. A snapshot on
way back machine even proves this. I want a full refund. Sorry this has to
play out in public but the billing team have been incompetent and even
insulting. One of them suggested we should let it go saying "it's only
$150". A ridiculous response.

[Redhelm]

Your Billing team are not helpful at all, they refuse to even consider the real issue which is I cancelled my store, somehow it reactivated without notification or express authority by the owner and continued to make illegal charges. I have only just noticed this as I have not been using my website page and email. I am being refused a full refund only for your team to say it is only a small amount let it go.

I wonder how many other Shopify customers you have ripped off in this same way and refused refunds in the hopes they let it go. That money adds up to a nice profitable SCAM. 

[olasunkanmi]

It is best to contact Shopify support and provide evidence to support your claim that the store was never re-enabled. This may include screenshots of the splash screen, documentation of any correspondence regarding the pause, or any other relevant information. Be patient and persistent in communicating with support and following up on any promised updates or resolutions. If necessary, consider escalating the issue to a higher level of support or seeking assistance from a legal professional

[Redhelm]

I provided multiple sources of proof, including screen shots of my shopify history showing I deactivated my store, proof there was no activity during that last 6 months and a screen shot of a notice on my website stating our online store is currently not active. I have gotten the same response from two different customer service officers and your billing team. They continually refuse to refund ALL the unauthorised payments debited from my account while my site is and continues to be inactive. Shopify continues to claim my site was re-activated by me, however, i did not at any point give express authority to Shopify to re-activate my site and the claims that i may have logged in and triggered in a reactivation is obsurd. Simply logging into a site is not express consent or authority to re-activate and take funds.

I have since only been offered a refund of $29, for this months charges,  which is an insult as I have over 6 months of unauthorised charges that Shopify refuse to refund.

It is absolutely unconscionable that a company can get away with taking unauthorised funds and then refuse to refund it. 

[Redhelm]

I have requested multiple times that my complaint be escalated, however, I have been informed that Shopify will not provide any further assistance. 

Your customers need to be made aware of Shopify's unjust and dishonest service policy and beware when pausing or deactivating a Shopify store.