402 Access Denied for EU Users

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Topic summary

A Shopify store owner reports that EU visitors have been unable to access their website for approximately two weeks, receiving a 402 Access Denied error. This is a new issue that wasn’t present previously.

Likely causes identified:

  • GDPR compliance settings or privacy-related app restrictions
  • Cloudflare or security service rules blocking EU traffic
  • IP blocking through fraud prevention or geo-restriction apps
  • Recent changes to Shopify compliance settings

Recommended troubleshooting steps:

  1. Review Shopify’s Privacy & Compliance settings for EU visitor restrictions
  2. Check third-party apps (fraud protection, country redirect, IP blockers) for geo-blocking configurations
  3. Examine Cloudflare firewall rules and geo-blocking settings if applicable
  4. Test site access using a VPN set to an EU location to confirm the block
  5. Contact Shopify Support if the issue persists

The discussion remains open with no resolution yet confirmed.

Summarized with AI on November 1. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.
1

As the title says, it seems like people from the EU can’t access our store, which wasn’t always the case. Not sure where to start to solve this. As far as I’m aware, this started probably 2 weeks ago. Any advice is appreciated. Canyonadventurevans.com is our website for anyone that wants to do some sleuthing.

Thank you.

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2

Hi @Hofmannly

I totally get how frustrating this must be, especially since it wasn’t an issue before. Let’s go over what might be causing it and how you can fix it.

What’s Happening?

A 402 Access Denied error for EU visitors usually points to one of these issues:

  1. Blocking due to GDPR settings or app restrictions – Some privacy-related settings or third-party apps (like location blockers) may be preventing EU users from accessing your site.
  2. Cloudflare or security settings – If you’re using Cloudflare or a similar service, it could be restricting EU traffic due to certain rules.
  3. IP Blocking in Shopify or a Third-Party App – Some fraud prevention apps block traffic based on IP location.
  4. Changes in Shopify Settings – If any new compliance settings were applied, they might be affecting access.

How to Fix It#### 1. Check Shopify’s Privacy & Compliance Settings

Go to Settings > Privacy & Compliance in your Shopify dashboard. If you’ve enabled restrictions on EU visitors due to GDPR or other regulations, try adjusting those settings.

2. Review Any IP Blockers or Third-Party Apps

If you’ve installed an app that filters traffic (e.g., Fraud Protection, Country Redirect, or IP Blocker apps), check if they’re restricting EU users. Disable the app temporarily to see if it resolves the issue.

3. Verify Cloudflare or Hosting Provider Settings

If you use Cloudflare, log in to your Cloudflare dashboard and:

  • Go to Firewall Rules and check if any rules are blocking EU traffic.
  • Under Security & WAF, disable or adjust Geo-Blocking settings if they’re enabled.
  • Purge the cache to ensure recent settings apply.

4. Test with a VPN

Try using a VPN set to an EU country and visit your store. If the issue persists, it confirms a geo-blocking restriction at some level.

5. Contact Shopify Support

If none of these work, reach out to Shopify Support and provide them with the details. They can check if Shopify has applied any restrictions on their end.

Let me know if you need extra help. Just let me know asap. Thanks
Daisy.