Account Suspension Issue:
Multiple users report their Shopify stores being blocked within days of signup for alleged Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) violations, despite claiming no actual violations occurred. Access to admin panels and support tickets is often restricted, preventing users from managing domains or appealing decisions.
Support Experience:
Users describe frustrating interactions with Shopify support, including:
Repeated promises of escalation to validation/Trust and Safety teams with no follow-up
No clear timelines provided (official response: 5-7 business days, but can take longer)
Chat sessions ending abruptly
Being told not to open new tickets as it resets the process
Escalation Attempts:
One user waited 5-6 weeks before escalating to the Irish regulator (Coimisiún na Meán), citing EU Online Safety Framework requirements for direct user communication. They recommend:
I have contacted you four times, and my client has contacted you once. Each time, we have been told that our issue would be escalated to the validation team. We have been hearing this since August 1st, but nothing has happened. We can’t even access our support ticket. When I ask when this will be resolved, no one can give me an answer. I am posting in the forum in hopes of getting a better response. I am really tired of this situation. We want to use your product, but the support we have received has been very disappointing. Additionally, two of your support representatives have ended the chat without asking if I was finished. What kind of support is this? Can you help explain? Is this the standard practice at Shopify?
Hi Hendra, thank you for reaching out and for sharing your recent support experience. I understand that the store you were building for your client was closed due to a possible AUP violation. In the communication that was received, was there an option to appeal this decision? If yes, please ensure that the appeal form is filled out as soon as possible. That will be required in this case.
There is no set turn-around time for reviews of this nature. While we strive to reply back within 5-7 business days, it can take longer depending on the volume of requests the team has received. If your ticket has been submitted to our Trust and Safety team then there is nothing more our standard support will be able to do to expedite this process.
I also understand that you have some concerns about your chat sessions ending abruptly. If no response has been received from the user after a period of time then the chat will automatically time out. If you believe this is not the case and that the chat advisors were not supporting you appropriately, then I recommend replying back to those tickets with that feedback. You should also be provided a survey you can fill out at the end of your chat sharing feedback on the chat experience.
I’m in a very similar position, worse however as I have transferred my domain to Shopify and now can’t access the admin panel to move it back. Did this get resolved? Shopify support is no help and the chat function is useless ?
I’ve used the Shopify help chat 12 times over the last 7 weeks and they just say ‘we have escalated the matter to our internal team’ and then you hear nothing back!
Yes, dont open new chat, they said it will be open the new ticket number than start over and over, they usually need 1 week, you try reply ticket in account portal?
Did this ever get resolved? How long did it take. I’m over the customer support that can’t even give me a timeline. I can’t access anything either so I’m SOL at the moment.
Hi, assuming you’re in the EU or UK you need to report Shopify to the ‘Coimisiún na Meán’ - This is the relevant Irish regulator since they are registered in the ROI for their EU and UK Operations. I did this after trying everything else imaginable over the course of 5-6 weeks, make sure to 'cc in Shopify Legal to the email. The Coimisiún na Meán stated to be compliant “Under the Online Safety Framework [EU], online platforms [Shopify] (and search engines) must provide a single point of contact for users to contact the provider electronically, allowing for direct and rapid communications” to sort out any issues regarding your data / IP. Shopify up to this point were not doing this. You need to report this as soon as you can! Shopify support are terrible and do not help in my opinion. I’d also bombard them openly on ‘X/Twitter’ with the complaint, that does trigger a response.
My Advice from my own experience, get your account back, move your domains and get off Shopify.
Same thing happened to me. Created account 2 days ago and now it’s “in violation of AUP” but I haven’t done a thing yet. What is going on with Shopify?