Over 3 weeks since stored closed, appealed straight away, no updates and can't refund my customer

Topic summary

A merchant’s Shopify store was closed overnight after processing their first order—a nearly £2,000 payment from an existing customer. Despite appealing immediately, over 3 weeks have passed with no resolution or meaningful updates.

Key Issues:

  • Unable to refund the customer due to store closure
  • Multiple escalations promised (told 3 times it was escalated, once to senior staff)
  • No follow-through or communication from Shopify support
  • Live chat unable to confirm current status

Merchant’s Concerns:

  • Questions whether withholding funds without ability to refund is legally permissible
  • Seeking advice on next steps or recourse

The situation remains unresolved with the merchant expressing desperation over the lack of progress and communication.

Summarized with AI on October 28. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.