Thank you for bringing this to my attention, you’re fabulous!
Topic summary
Seeking a way to stop abusive or spammy messages in a store’s live chat, specifically the Shopify Inbox (Shopify’s built‑in live chat). The original workaround considered third‑party apps (e.g., IP blocking via Shop Secure, alternative chat widgets like POWR), but suitability was unclear.
Recent update: Shopify Inbox now includes a “Block Conversation” option (via the exclamation icon). Screenshots show how to access it. Testing indicates blocking works at the email level: a blocked email cannot start a new chat and gets stuck on a loading spinner.
Current gaps/concerns:
- After blocking, prior chat logs with that customer appear inaccessible.
- There is no visible list of blocked customers to review.
- There is no option to unblock a previously blocked user.
- Unclear where the blocked conversation history “goes.”
Outcome: Partial resolution. The ability to block abusive senders exists, but management features (view blocked list, restore/unblock, retain or access logs) are missing.
Status: Ongoing. Users are requesting fuller controls for reviewing blocked users and regaining access to conversation histories; no confirmation yet of when/if Shopify will add these features.