Store Termination Appeal

Shopify Discussion

Topic summary

A Shopify merchant’s store was terminated before launch due to suspected illegitimate commerce practices, with no prior warning or clear explanation. They filed an appeal seeking restoration or at least clarification on the violation.

Timeline expectations:

  • Review process typically takes 5 business days to 3 weeks
  • Most responses arrive within 3-7 business days
  • Some cases extend to 14+ business days depending on review team workload

Common triggers for pre-launch termination:

  • High-risk product categories (supplements, electronics, branded goods)
  • Missing or incomplete legal pages (Privacy Policy, Terms of Service)
  • Unverified business credentials or mismatched account information
  • VPN/proxy usage during setup
  • Placeholder content triggering automated fraud detection

Recommended actions:

  • Follow up politely after 7 business days with ticket number
  • Prepare documentation: ID, business registration, product descriptions
  • Ensure all legal pages are complete and visible
  • Be transparent in appeal about business model and compliance readiness

Status: The discussion remains open with another merchant reporting a similar 12-day wait without resolution or refund access.

Summarized with AI on October 28. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.
1

Hi All,

At the beginning of this week my Shopify store was terminated without any prior warning due to suspected illegitimate commerce practices. My store had not even launched yet, but I had put a lot of time and money into it already, it is frustrating to say the least. I have launched my appeal and I am optimistic I will get access to my site back once the review process is complete however as time goes on I am not so sure it will be reviewed properly.

Can anyone give me insight into how long this process takes? I really like the Shopify platform and hope that they come to the table with a positive outcome, or at least a reason as to why the termination occurred, I am happy to fix anything I may have done that caused the termination… though I am unsure what it could have been.

Thank you all :slightly_smiling_face:

2 Likes
2

Hello @tajjon

From what merchants in the Community report, the Trust & Safety review can take anywhere from five business days up to three weeks, depending on how busy they are. If you haven’t heard back after seven business days, it’s perfectly reasonable to follow up on your original appeal email or in live chat—just reference your ticket number and politely ask for a status update.

As for why it might have happened, Shopify typically flags stores for things like unverified business credentials (missing Policies pages, unclear brand details), selling high-risk or trademarked products without permissions, or matching patterns they’ve previously shut down. Even having demo products or placeholder pages can sometimes trip the automated checks.

In your appeal, the best approach is to be completely transparent: explain exactly what you’ve built so far, share links to your Privacy Policy, Terms of Service, and any business registration documents you have. Let them know you’re ready to fix anything that’s out of compliance**.**

Once (hopefully) restored, double-check your store against Shopify’s Acceptable Use Policy and get all your legal pages live even if you’re not public yet. That usually keeps the bots off your back.

1 Like
3

Hello @tajjon

That sounds incredibly frustrating, especially after investing time and money and not even having launched yet. You’re definitely not alone—Shopify can be quick to act if their automated systems flag something as suspicious, even when there’s no bad intent. Let’s unpack what’s happening and what you can do:

Why Shopify Might Terminate a Store (Even Pre-Launch)
Shopify’s automated fraud detection systems can sometimes flag a store for:

. Suspicious products or listings (e.g., high-risk categories like supplements, electronics, branded goods, etc.)

. Unverified identity or mismatched info between domain, payment method, and business details.

. Chargeback risk or early connection to payment processors like Shopify Payments without verified business details.

. High-risk IP or proxy usage during setup (VPNs can sometimes trigger flags).

. Spam complaints — if your email or domain is being abused by bots or flagged as spammy.

Since you said you hadn’t launched yet, it’s likely one of these automatic flags hit you preemptively.

How Long Does the Appeal Process Take?
Based on other merchants’ experiences:

. Typical response time: 3 to 7 business days after the appeal is submitted.

. In some cases, it may take up to 14 business days, especially if it’s being reviewed by Shopify’s Risk or Legal team.

. You might receive a message saying “we’re reviewing your case” without further updates unless you follow up.

What You Can Do Right Now

  1. Follow Up on Your Appeal
    . Respond to any confirmation email you got after submitting the appeal.

. Be polite but firm in your tone, and request a clear reason for termination.

Example message:

“Hi Shopify team, I’m following up on my appeal regarding the recent termination of my store. I have not yet launched and am unaware of any policy violations. I’d really appreciate any clarity you can provide so I can resolve any issues and move forward. Thanks!”

  1. Make Sure Your Business Info is Clear
    . In case they ask for more details, prepare:

. A copy of your ID

. Business registration documents (if available)

. A short explanation of what you plan to sell and how your store will operate

. Screenshot of your homepage or product categories

  1. Check Your Domain & Hosting
    . If your domain is public, make sure there’s no suspicious content on it.

. If bots were hammering your email, Shopify might’ve misread it as a phishing site — consider switching to a private email domain setup temporarily while the issue is being looked at.

If Shopify Rejects Your Appeal
If it doesn’t go your way:

. You can request a secondary review by replying to the denial.

. If that also fails, consider:

. Rebuilding your store with a new Shopify account (different email & payment method).

. Or using a different eCommerce platform temporarily (e.g., WooCommerce, BigCommerce) while Shopify sorts out your case.

Thank you :blush:

4

Hello, were you able to resolve this issue? The same thing happened to me and I haven’t had any answers for 12 days. I don’t know what to do anymore, and I can’t get a refund for the item.