Shopify Community Guidelines

Announcements

Topic summary

Shopify has published official community guidelines for its Merchant Community forum, establishing behavioral standards and participation rules.

Core Principles:

  • Members must treat others with respect and empathy, avoiding harassment, personal attacks, hate speech, or discrimination
  • Feedback should be constructive and idea-focused rather than personal
  • Impersonating Shopify staff or misusing Shopify branding may result in immediate bans
  • When responding to requests, users should introduce their expertise and clearly outline proposed solutions

Organizational Requirements:

  • Search before posting to avoid duplicates
  • Post in correct categories with accurate tags
  • Only tag users actively involved in discussions
  • Avoid reviving outdated or unrelated threads

Anti-Spam Policies:

  • No unsolicited self-promotion outside designated boards
  • No copying identical content across multiple topics
  • No generic or templated messages
  • Private messaging requires mutual consent and prior public discussion

Additional Notes:

  • Community content is informational only and not vetted by Shopify
  • Guidelines may be updated at any time
  • Users can report violations via communitymailer@shopify.com
Summarized with AI on October 23. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.
1

Welcome to the Shopify Merchant Community—a safe, supportive, and informative space for Shopify merchants, Partners, and ecommerce enthusiasts worldwide. Whether you’re growing your business, exploring entrepreneurship, or delving into ecommerce, you’re in the right place.

By participating in this forum, you agree to follow the principles and rules set out below.

1. Be Kind, Respectful, and Authentic

  • Treat all members with respect and empathy, regardless of background, identity, experience level, or viewpoint.

  • Critique ideas, not people. When giving feedback or suggestions, do so constructively and with the goal of helping others grow. Avoid unhelpful negativity.

  • Harassment, threats, hate speech, trolling, discrimination, personal attacks, or any form of abuse will not be tolerated.

  • Strive to add value to the conversation—tailor each post to the context and needs of the discussion, and focus on original, authentic contributions.

  • Do not impersonate Shopify staff or claim to be a Shopify Partner unless you hold the official Community rank. Using Shopify branding inappropriately (including in avatars) may result in immediate ban.

  • When responding to Ask & Offers requests, introduce your relevant expertise and clearly outline your proposed solution approach.

2. Keep the Community Organized and On-Topic

  • Before posting, search for existing topics or solutions to avoid duplicates.

  • Create new topics in the correct category, with relevant and accurate tags, and avoid reviving unrelated or outdated threads.

  • Reference older topics only if your input is highly relevant, and always clarify the connection.

  • Only tag individuals who have actively participated in the discussion; do not tag groups or Shopify staff unless invited.

3. No Spam; Add Genuine Value

Spam undermines trust and usefulness in our Community. While spam can sometimes be subjective, typical behaviors considered spam include (but are not limited to):

  • Unsolicited/self-promotional mentions, including promoting unrelated products, services, websites, or blogs posted outside the Ask and Offer board.

  • Copying and pasting the same content across multiple boards or topics.

  • Posting generic, templated messages.

  • Contacting users privately without mutual consent or attempting to take conversations off-platform without first helping publicly.

  • Posting irrelevant or off-topic content not related to Shopify or ecommerce.

  • Gaming community features (likes, solutions, ranks) through coordinated or deceptive tactics.

  • Posting links to third party websites as part of your answer, ex. links to a blog or consultancy website.

If you are offering a service or your own app as a possible solution:

  • Explain clearly and contextually why it’s appropriate for the question, and be transparent about any fees.

  • Do not post your contact information (email, phone, WhatsApp, etc.) or solicit contact within replies. Instead, set up your bio in your Community profile.

  • For app developers: You may direct to your official helpdesk or support resources if technical troubleshooting requires it.

  • Replies like “I can help, contact me here” will be removed unless accompanied by genuinely helpful, contextual guidance.

  • Use the Ask and Offer board if you want to post general information about your app or solicit feedback from members about your app or service.

Note: AI produced content is subject to removal and highly discouraged.

4. Confidentiality, Privacy & Store Access

  • Never request store admin logins or other sensitive credentials. Assistance should be provided publicly first.

  • If access is necessary for troubleshooting, always explain specifically why it’s needed, and only proceed through official channels (e.g., collaborator access after public discussion).

  • It’s acceptable to request a URL and storefront password (for locked stores) for troubleshooting, with adequate context.

  • Do not share confidential, intellectual property, or proprietary content unless you have explicit right to do so. Provide attributions where required.

5. Moderation & Reporting

  • Moderators enforce these rules and may remove or edit posts, suspend or revoke accounts, restrict private messaging, or take other actions as deemed necessary.

  • Some violations may result in warnings; others may result in immediate suspension or ban, depending on severity.

  • If you see abuse, spam, or inappropriate content, flag the post or contact communitymailer@shopify.com to alert moderators. Your reporting helps maintain a positive space.

  • Private messaging should only be used after meaningful public discussion and with mutual consent. Unsolicited or promotional private messages are not permitted and may result in moderation action.

6. Legal and Policy Disclaimers

  • The information in this forum is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or business advice by Shopify.

  • Content provided by users is not reviewed, vetted, or endorsed by Shopify, and may not reflect current law or policy. Shopify expressly disclaims all liability in relation to community content.

7. Policy Updates

  • This Code of Conduct may be updated at any time. Continued use of the Community constitutes acceptance of the latest version.

For questions or clarifications regarding the Code of Conduct, email: communitymailer@shopify.com.

Thank you for helping to keep the Shopify Merchant Community inclusive, authentic, and valuable to all its members!

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