This really needs to be a feature. even if they are not deleted by shopifys system there needs to be a way to clear them from the queue in the shop. Its obnoxious to look through with no method of sorting. Seems like lazy design to me, hopefully its improved.
Topic summary
Shopify merchants are seeking the ability to delete abandoned checkouts for GDPR compliance and general data management, but the platform does not currently offer this functionality.
Current Limitations:
- Abandoned checkouts cannot be deleted, only archived
- Shopify staff initially claimed checkouts older than 3 months are automatically removed, but multiple users report having abandoned checkouts from 2017-2018 that persist
- Archiving provides no real solution—archived checkouts remain visible and functional
Key Problems:
- GDPR compliance concerns due to stored customer data (names, emails, phone numbers, addresses)
- Spam and bot-generated fake checkouts accumulate with no removal option
- Automated abandoned cart emails continue sending to customers who already completed purchases, causing confusion and potential refund requests
- Test orders from store setup remain permanently visible
Workarounds:
- Archive checkouts and filter by “Status = Open” to hide them from view
- Export data for external management
- Request customer data removal through Shopify support for GDPR purposes
Status: As of April 2023 (6+ years after initial request), this remains an unresolved issue with no delete functionality implemented.
2 Likes