Why are my payments on hold even after proving no CBD in my product?

Shopify Discussion
1

here is the arbitrary saga of Shopify damaging my cashflow even after providing photographic proof of no CBD in a drink product. Poor response obviously not reading my detailed replies.. temperature rising…while support has the weekend off.. my business does not take time off.

resend… no reply… Shopify holding payments of my legitimate business revenue impacting cashflow..

-------- Original message --------

From: Steve

Date: 20-08-2022

To Shopify Reactivations

Subject: RE: Re: [Shopify Policy Operations Support] Shopify Payments - Information Required

Sadie,

I do not know where you get the idea as you sate below “ As the product states it contains cannabis”

NOWHERE on the product is this stated!

I am attaching the product label as reference:

IT DOES state ‘Does not contain THC or CBD’

I am really angry that Shopify arbitrarily freeze payment of my legally generated shop revenue even though I have already as per my email below says:

I have removed from the Shopify channel until I hear back from you.

YET SHOPIFY STILL have a hold on my revenues (screen shot attached)

I assume, my next recourse is to go public with how a big international corporate arbitrarily damages small business?

Please stop ending ‘Kind Regards’ your actions are not the least bit kind! They are arbitrary an punitive.

Regards

S Tewkesbury

Cowes Town Central Ltd

-------- Original message --------

From: Sadie <reactivations@shopify.zendesk.com>

Date: 20/08/2022 10:47 am (GMT+00:00)

To: Steve

Subject: Re: [Shopify Policy Operations Support] Shopify Payments - Information Required

Sadie (Shopify)

Aug 20, 2022, 05:47 EDT

Hello,

Thank you for following up with me here and for confirming the product does not contain CBD. As the product states it contains cannabis can you please provide us with an ingredients list in order for us to determine if it would be supportable? Please note that we may not be able to support this product on the Shopify Payments gateway as products containing cannabis are generally unsupportable.

Once we have this information we will be able to continue our review. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

If you have any questions regarding this issue please respond to this email. For everything else please check in with our Support Advisor Team

Kind regards,

Sadie
Trust & Safety | Shopify

Your ticket ID is 32463553.

On Aug 19 09:13 EDT, Steve wrote:

Hello again

Sorry for three replies regarding this.

I have rechecked the Chronic Spirits.. It does NOT contain CBD… it is artificially flavored as Cannabis. It is subject to UK liquor laws so cannot contain real Cannabis.

Please reassess your incorrect assumption.

Temporarily I have removed from the Shopify channel until I hear back from you.

From a relationship perspective this is a terrible assumption on Shopifys oart and a damaging action to my business if you suspend the payment gateway. I am fine to refer this to my legal counsel.

kind regards

Steve

On Aug 19 09:03 EDT, Steve wrote:

Sadie , to follow on from the below .I already have an alternative payment gateway I could use if this non CBD product is assumed by Shopify as not appropriate.

As an FYI, this Chronic Sprits GIN is sold throughout the UK.

Please advise.

-------- Original message --------

From: Steve

Date: 19/08/2022 1:56 pm (GMT+00:00)

To: reactivations+id32463553@shopify.zendesk.com

Subject: Re: [Shopify Policy Operations Support] Shopify Payments - Information Required

Hello Sadie,

Ths product is NOT a CBD product.

I run a £360,000 revenue business with zero CBD product in our range.

Please advise

regards

Steve

Sent from my Galaxy

-------- Original message --------

From: Sadie <reactivations@shopify.zendesk.com>

Date: 19/08/2022 1:08 pm (GMT+00:00)

To: Steve

Subject: Re: [Shopify Policy Operations Support] Shopify Payments - Information Required

Sadie (Shopify)

Aug 19, 2022, 08:08 EDT

Hello,

Sadie here from Shopify’s Trust & Safety team.

We found that your store, xxxx is selling items that we consider to be CBD which are not supported on Shopify Payments, as outlined in section B(5) of our Shopify Payments Terms of Service.

In order to continue processing with Shopify Payments however we will require you to remove these products from the store. Please note that if the products are re-published or re-added after this review your account will be subject to further reviews and actions. Please let us know the products have been deleted by responding directly to this email.

  • Chronic Spirits Northern Lights Vodka 700ml

If you do not wish to remove the product(s), to continue accepting payments from your customers you’ll need to set up an alternative payment provider. You may consider using Pinwheel Pay or Authorize.net. Check out our Payment providers page for a complete list of payment providers that integrate with Shopify in your country.

As a reminder, all Shopify merchants are responsible for complying with Shopify’s Terms of Service and Acceptable Use Policy. We recommend you review these policies to ensure your account remains in good standing.

If you have any questions, please reply directly to this email.

Thank you,

Sadie
Trust & Safety | Shopify

If you have a minute, tell us about your support experience.
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Your ticket ID is 32463553.

[KZP79X-4LEKP]

On Aug 19 08:56 EDT, Steve Tewkesbury wrote:

Hello Sadis,

Ths product is NOT a CBD product.

I run a £360,000 revenue business with zero CBD product in our range.

Please advise

regards

Steve Tewkesbury

Sent from my Galaxy

On Aug 19 08:08 EDT, Sadie wrote:

Hello,

Sadie here from Shopify’s Trust & Safety team.

We found that your store, cowes-town-central.myshopify.com, is selling items that we consider to be CBD which are not supported on Shopify Payments, as outlined in section B(5) of our Shopify Payments Terms of Service.

In order to continue processing with Shopify Payments however we will require you to remove these products from the store. Please note that if the products are re-published or re-added after this review your account will be subject to further reviews and actions. Please let us know the products have been deleted by responding directly to this email.

If you do not wish to remove the product(s), to continue accepting payments from your customers you’ll need to set up an alternative payment provider. You may consider using Pinwheel Pay or [Authorize.net](https://www.authorize.net/). Check out our Payment providers page for a complete list of payment providers that integrate with Shopify in your country.

As a reminder, all Shopify merchants are responsible for complying with Shopify’s Terms of Service and Acceptable Use Policy. We recommend you review these policies to ensure your account remains in good standing.

If you have any questions, please reply directly to this email.

Thank you,

Sadie
Trust & Safety | Shopify

[KZP79X-4LEKP]

2
  • My account was out on hold for pay outs. This is impacting my business cashflow. You gave me 48 hrs to submit documents, I did so as of a day ago, yet still no release of what is MY MONEY FOR MY BUSINESS>
  • Chat started with Klaudine
  • Klaudine

Hi thanks for reaching out to Shopify this is Klaude, your Support Advisor and I’ll be assisting you today. Hope you are doing well.

  • No I am not doing well, I am fed up with Shopify frankly.

I get this message Your payouts from Shopify Payments are on hold while we review your account

Contact Support for next steps on this standard review. This hold does not prevent your customers from checking out.

Then says to Contact Support

  • Klaudine

Hi, I have seen your message. I understand that you need help as your Shopify Payments are on hold. No worries, Let’s look for better options on how we can get the best resolution for your concern. I got you!

  • I operate a reputable business selling licnsed brands from offcial supply sources and Shopify decide they want proof, I have sent reams of official invoices

The stupid thing is every produut has a barcode that is loaded in your system that actully has th Country ID, Supplier ID, Item Code etc, so proves the products listed are legal.

For example this barcode 5050574265508

5 is UK 050574 is the supplier (Pyramid International) 26550 is the item Batman Mug and the 8 is a derived check digit as a validator

As another example if you enter 5050574265508 this same barcode into Google up will com the product as it is a legitimate item sold by legitimate retailers.

stevetCTC_0-1661532699934.jpeg
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  • Klaudine

I appreciate you further explaining this. Allow me to check this with our Account team and see what we can about this issue. Please stay on the chat.

This is the global barcode data search engine: https://www.ean-search.org/ entering theitem barcode will determine if the prodcuc is legitimate and therefore legally available for retail sale.

I do not know why Shopify are suspending my payouts becauseyou think I am not a legitimate retailer.

This next example is Funko Pop as the brand owner internationally, licensed in the USA and sells in the UK and worldwide, who supply me directly.

stevetCTC_2-1661532699938.jpeg
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My point is SHOOIFY have all this data in your item master data base by customer. e. g Me … CowesTownCentral. the physical item as the License stamp on it

  • Klaudine

Sometimes this really happens to make sure the security of our merchant’s accounts. Now, if you are confident that you did nothing wrong and you present the documents needed for the verification, then for now we just really have to wait until it gets verified. Now I have reached out to our verification team and they have mentioned that we already received the documents that you have sent us, we are just waiting for the review reports from our banking partners. And they are asking me to refer you back to this ticket ID 25d42815-9412-4a57-a170-19536e2b20af. If in any case you need to reach out the team, the one who handles your case, you can directly send them a message.

  • Whatyoudo not bloody understand or want to listen to is you are holding uo 5000 GBP of my money for goods I have paid for and legally sell, you are screwing with my cashflow.

Shooifyfirst of auto hold my money, THEN have the audacity to demand I submit document within 48 hours, then you now tell me I have to WAIT???

  • Klaudine

I completely understand Stephen and I know how important this is for you. As an Advisor, this is already out of my control. Your case is actually being sent to our Accounts Team which is a higher Department already. I hope you won’t take this against me. I actually tried to reach out to our verification team and I just rely the message that they have with regards to your issue.

  • I have never had such shocking treatment by a software provider, it is essentially equal to theft. You are holding onto my money and no doubt using it o the shirt term n money markets

I am so fed up with Shopify these past two weeks. No wonder the financial markets are reporting the negative performance

Disgraceful no wonder other providers are gaining share,

  • Klaudine

I apologize for the inconvenience, The team is doing their best to give you the resolution that you need for this issue. Right now, there is nothing I can do for you as this is already assigned to our higher department. As much as I would love to help you, this is actually a limitation of my scope of support.

  • Financially damaging your customers is not a good way to conduct business it will eventually bite you

I get it big business kicks the little guy into the gutter and hides behind policy or faceless people. i think this exploitation needs to be publicised in social media and warn small business off.

3

Hi @stevetCTC

Thank you for sharing your experience here in the community forums for our other merchants. I recognize that this has been a less than ideal situation for you as our team reviews this gin product on your store.

Payout holds can be initiated for a number of reasons, I can see from the email excerpt that you shared that in this case it is most likely due to this gin product that is flavored like cannabis. Our team will need to review the ingredients list and also submit their findings to our banking partners as well to ensure that your business is a good fit for the Shopify Payments gateway. This is in line with our verification and underwriting terms, which can be found in Shopify Payments Terms of Service (UK) Section B-3 and B-5. Please ensure you are reviewing the Terms of Service for your registered business country.

There is a possibility that Shopify Payments will be deemed not a good fit for your online store, please know that if that is the case that doesn’t mean we don’t value your business. We do offer a range of alternative payment gateways you can connect to if Shopify Payments isn’t the right one.

Please note that our community support is unable to review open tickets as we can’t authenticate merchant accounts, but I am happy to answer any general questions you might have about the review process to the best of my ability.

That being said, following the instructions shared to you by the team handling the review is the fastest and most effective way to have this payout hold resolved.

4

Hey @ @stevetCTC how long did this issue take to resolve? At least back in the day they were at least sending you what the issue was for your hold. I’ve been waiting 5 days reaching out daily and still can’t even get a reasoning as to why funds are held.

Super frustrated with the platform now and the terrible ethics employed. Would love to hear if this was ever resolved. We sell protein powder and bars so I’m really interested to see what this is all about.

5

Hi Steve,

Thanks for sharing your situation — it’s clearly been incredibly frustrating.

Since Shopify Payments is extremely strict (and often overly cautious) with anything even suggestive of CBD or cannabis-related branding, even flavored drinks or non-CBD alcoholic products with cannabis-like names or labels can trigger flags. As you’ve seen, even when there’s no actual CBD or THC, their team may still suspend payouts based on the product’s perceived association.

Recommended Solution: Use an Alternative Payment Gateway

We strongly recommend WallidPay — it’s a reliable, UK-friendly payment gateway that supports high-risk products and works smoothly with Shopify.

Why WallidPay is ideal for your case:

  • Accepts hemp/CBD-flavored or themed products

  • Doesn’t suspend payments over misunderstood product descriptions

  • Fully integrated with Shopify

  • Ideal for UK businesses with alternative wellness, beverage, or novelty products

Set up WallidPay on Shopify: Install here

This switch would allow your store to keep running without relying on Shopify Payments and give you better control over your cash flow. If you’d like, I can help guide you through the setup process too.