So, I joined Shopify, and have been charged my first month’s fees, and I am not too sure what I paid/will be paying for. I am confused due to my non-understanding and amused of said happening.
Context: I have a 3PL business focusing mostly on packaging supplies and packaging of HV items as per the 4 major carriers’ and their requirements. Think of us as the guys who’d come and pack a statue or the guys who are moving expensive art. We sell supplies as well, because the packing is easier when me and my guys have the packing materials too. Started 3 months ago, most of my buyers are 50+ and so far checks and ACH payments have worked really well and it was inevitable that I had to go online.
I started off here because it made sense. First day I sign up, account under review. Shopify’s “regular review” (1st time) I was told; must be I thought to myself. Waited 3/4 days, thought the matter was resolved, took a (my first) payment - BAM! “Account under review/Payouts hold” (2nd time) Banking Partner’s “review” I was told. That is okay as far as I see it, they give me a platform to sell and they provide me a way to keep the money I earn, so it is a fair trade off I though. Fiasco over was my thought, as we had discussed and I was under the impression the matter was resolved. Because there is only so much I or anyone can do to prove their intent.
Took another payment, “account under review/payouts hold” (third time is a bloody charm, eh?) This was a few days before Christmas so I was able to pay my suppliers and the helpers which is most important to me) To make 5% of the gross sales is considered fortunate for the industry I am in, and mind you, I have a reserve of 25%, because, I am an idiot. Jingle bell, cane a message of hope on Christmas Eve, a Christmas Miracle the believers would say! We figured it out, the risk analyst, the banking partner and I. The analyst, who by the way is awesome as a person and has been extremely communicative and precise, just as most of the staff who have been assisting me in this case. We came to an agreement that 25% of the payments would go to the reserve funds. That is fair too I convinced myself. Story over is what I thought with a healthy amount of distrust that it would not happen again. Took 2 more payments, they went through okay - took payment number 3, and there came the banner! As of this writing on Thursday, December 30, 2021 at 8:25 MST (15:28 UTC), The Shopify’s reserve we created to mitigate the risk I may turn out to be has ~$3,100 and the payout hold is for ~$3,600. So ~$6,700 is what I am whining about here. May not be a lot to some, means a lot to me, especially my helpers and suppliers who were expecting a bigger pay day today. But Shopify’s gatekeepers who are the arbitrators of right and wrong; tasked to keep risks like me at bay should be aware that whatever metrics are being used, assuming it is an automatic one that has been causing this - is a failure to a certain extent. If someone has been manually flagging my business, ask what you have to, I am sure I can provide satisfactory proof of why I am correct.
I do not know if that is a lot of money to a company like Shopify and their banking partners, but for someone like me and the people who have faith in me to do right by them so that they can do right by their own, it is a lot of money to be toyed around with. So four (four) reviews, 14 days of the holiday season stressing over it, That is 35% of my tenure being reviewed.
What am I? A human being or a new George Clooney movie that every one on God’s green Earth wants to review me. So I am debating if I refund the money in question and find another way to charge my customer, but 2 weeks have been wasted, so another 2 would go that way, by the time my customer gets the refund and I charge them again, and those funds settle with another processor.
Moderators: Don’t delete it. It does not break any rule - the balance of your universe remains with you. Hail, Hydra, or whichever serpentine your allegiance lays with.
Support: Guys, don’t answer if you have nothing more than the 72 hours/3 business day thing to add. It’s getting old. I get it, small team, yes, things take time. To protect the integrity of the system, yes…I have heard it all. Got anything worthwhile? Maybe an update?
Fellow sellers: Anyone know what I can do? I am just mentally exhausted due to this issue being persistent. I am sure someone has gone through the same and I am not the only one.
