Not sure if Shopify have not changed the behaviour.
Topic summary
Merchants seek a straightforward email-based account activation/verification flow: sign-up, “activation email sent,” click-to-verify, then redirect to login. They cite years without a native, reliable solution.
Shopify staff clarify customer accounts were designed for order tracking and faster checkout, not approval/denial or gated access. They recommend third‑party apps (e.g., Locksmith for access control) and share a code workaround thread, offering to pass feedback to the product team.
Reported pain points:
- Activation/verification emails not sending or inconsistent across stores (one store sends activation, another only welcome).
- Post‑purchase activation: adding activation links to order confirmations fails; Shopify Flow (automation) can’t send activation invites.
- Need for end‑user email verification to reduce typos/spam remains unmet natively.
Third‑party options and reactions:
- Locksmith suggested for wholesale/retail gating; some merchants say an external app finally delivers needed behavior.
- Helium Customer Fields claims to support the flow (video provided), but mixed feedback; one merchant seeks a free, code-only solution via theme files (register.liquid/login.liquid) and shares an email input snippet.
Status: Unresolved. No built-in, configurable activation/verification; reliance on apps or custom workarounds persists; key questions about consistent email delivery and native verification remain open.