Unable to Place an Order – Site Says Under Review

Payments + Shipping & Fulfilment
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Topic summary

A store owner is receiving complaints from customers who cannot complete purchases because the site displays an “under review” message at checkout.

Troubleshooting steps suggested:

  • Verify the storefront password is disabled (Online Store → Preferences)
  • Check payment gateway status for verification holds or missing documents (Settings → Payments)
  • Confirm Shopify Payments or third-party gateway shows “Active” status
  • Submit any required business documents (bank statements, ID, VAT numbers)
  • Test with a real order in live mode and clear browser cache

Current status:
The store owner checked all suggested settings but did not find the issue. The problem remains unresolved, and they are seeking additional potential causes. If standard checks fail, contacting Shopify Support directly is recommended to identify which specific document or setting is blocking account activation.

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

Hello.
Some time ago I made another store based on my previous experiences, I did tests to see if the payments worked and everything was ok. I launched ads and after 3 days I got an email from the client

" Hi,

I’ve been trying to place an order on your website, but every time I try, I get a message saying the site is “under review." Because of this, I haven’t been able to complete my purchase.”.
What could be the reason for this?
Best Regards.

2

Hello @Blasterm92

This usually means your store’s payment setup isn’t fully live—Shopify (or your payment provider) is holding transactions until they finish verifying your account or you’ve removed a storefront lock. Here’s what I would suggest:

1. Check for password or launch mode
Go to Online Store → Preferences and make sure you’ve turned off the storefront password or any “coming soon” app. If the site is still in password-protected mode, only logged-in staff can check out.

2. Verify your payment account
In Settings → Payments, look at your Shopify Payments (or third-party gateway) status. If it says “under review” or “action required,” click through and submit any missing business documents—bank statements, ID verification, VAT numbers, etc. Shopify won’t let customers pay until that’s cleared.

3. Test in live mode
Once your payment account shows “Active,” place a real (low-value) order to confirm the “under review” banner is gone. If it persists, clear your browser cache or try incognito to rule out a cached banner.

4. Contact Shopify Support if it hangs
If everything’s submitted and you’re still seeing that message after 24–48 hours, reach out via the Shopify Help Center chat or phone. They can tell you exactly which document or setting is blocking the review.

3

Hello, thank you very much for your quick response. I checked what you wrote and I didn’t find the problem anywhere. Are there any other problems that could cause this?