Solved

Shopify deleted my store and kept my money (thousands of $)

doucelove
Excursionist
15 0 19

my shopify store  doucelove.myshopify.com/

Long story short...

I created a Shopify store for my service business to start accepting electronic payment and decided on Shopify because my daughter recommended it based on the buzz around the company.  But my store was live for a few days with a selected plan and domain when it was deleted completely. I could not log in to the Shopify dashboard nor was my domain working. I contacted support multiple times with the same promise of having their risk team contact me shortly. I would wait days with no response and then contact them again just to get the same response. When I finally hard from the risk team they told me that my site was deleted because it presented a risk and they could not provide further explanation. I was told to go to another platform since they can not work with me. Which I am fine with, regardless of the amount of money I paid to have the site designed and ready for my customers and all the time invested. But I continued to ask them about the money that had been paid by my customers that was never deposited into my account nor returned to the customers. Every time I contact the gurus I am told the same thing, someone will contact you with a response but no one ever does and its like they expect me to just forget about the money (thousands of $). I have already performed the services for my customers but yet my money is not deposited to me nor is it given back to the customers. I can not ask my customers to pay me twice for a mistake that is not theirs, so this is my last option to try to get this fixed and get my money from Shopify so that I can go to another platform that has more respect for their customers than Shopify.

Please any help would be greatly appreciated on how to handle this issue.

Accepted Solution (1)
hellosimmy
Tourist
4 1 8

This is an accepted solution.

Folks, I got restored! This actually validates a niche I want to create for business communications; getting things done by being demanding, respectful and polite at the same time. I have a site where I sell formatted forms required for truck drivers (NOT THROUGH SHOPIFY!!). If you want to know how I worded my email, write me in the Contact Us portion of the site and I'll send you EXACTLY what I wrote, and got a response in less than a week. I am STILL iffy about getting started on here after this, but considering others have been waiting 3 months with no result, I think what I said may have worked. The time for my trial period is down too, I have asked that it be restored, I am waiting on what they will say about that, I'll update later. 

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Replies 26 (26)

Shawn24
New Member
24 0 0
This happened to me yesterday. I’m definitely trying to file a lawsuit
doucelove
Excursionist
15 0 19

I might consider doing that if they don't do anything because this is ridiculous !!

RandomDeletion
Tourist
5 0 3

This actually just happened to me today. I paid for advertising and received a few sales and my store was deleted with no explanation I don't understand. No email or anything. 

 

Everything done was completely legal and original I don't understand why they would delete my store with no explanation.

doucelove
Excursionist
15 0 19

I keep contact the support team and all I get is that you will hear from our risk team soon and its been a while now and nothing. This is stressful and can truly harm someone's business reputation. 

doucelove
Excursionist
15 0 19

I had my store designed professionally on Shopify and ready to take my service business into the digital age, only to have Shopify delete my entire site without notice and then never deposit my customer payment money to me without any explanations. Business please be aware, they will take your money and never try to communicate with you. I will be talking to a few small tv networks to try and get Shopify to pay me MY money and also warn other businesses about their SCAM

RandomDeletion
Tourist
5 0 3

I am being fed the same thing. I wonder why they are being so unprofessional about this? Makes no sense... this is very frightening. How many other successful businesses closed out the blue?

doucelove
Excursionist
15 0 19

@RandomDeletion it really does make you wonder if those youtube reviews are just paid promotions because of this really unprofessional and I don't think we are the only ones they have done this to!

hellosimmy
Tourist
4 1 8

Has anyone resolved this issue for you? I am on day 5 on waiting for a response as to why my site was deleted after I put sooo much work into it. I am so confused as to how there are so many stores and my first attempt at using this site, it is such a horrible experience. I received no email giving an explanation and the rep has given me no help as of yet. I'm hoping there is a way to retrieve the progress but when you request a password, it looks as though your account never existed. It's very odd.

doucelove
Excursionist
15 0 19

hi @hellosimmy 

No, they never resolved the issue and they never even gave me the money I from sales ($1500) nor refunded me for the subscription I had paid for (1 year). The customer service was no help either because they always said that it was not their department and to contact the risk team which you can not contact since the do not have an email or a phone number for that department. Just a terrible experience and horrible platform for business owners.

hellosimmy
Tourist
4 1 8

I never got a response either. I am shocked that this happened with NO resolution!! I'm happy that I didn't start receiving payments when it was shut down, but I keep seeing other Shopify stores and wonder "What did I do wrong?" But they don't care to explain, and take our money??...So be it. 

Dani123456789
Visitor
1 0 0

Did you ever get your money? 

Pikolo
Visitor
1 0 2

i changed my billing credit card and my store got deleted after that. (luckily it was just a test store) 

doucelove
Excursionist
15 0 19

@Pikolo did shopify ever reach out with a solution?

swiroll
Visitor
1 0 2

Same here they just deleted my store was talking with the customer service and she just hunged up after saying she cant find my store swiroll.com This is a huge scam. After i have spent money on facebook adverts, Fulfilled most orders built my customer database they just decide to close my account.....I pray their business crumble the way they are crumbling others for no reason.

hellosimmy
Tourist
4 1 8

This is an accepted solution.

Folks, I got restored! This actually validates a niche I want to create for business communications; getting things done by being demanding, respectful and polite at the same time. I have a site where I sell formatted forms required for truck drivers (NOT THROUGH SHOPIFY!!). If you want to know how I worded my email, write me in the Contact Us portion of the site and I'll send you EXACTLY what I wrote, and got a response in less than a week. I am STILL iffy about getting started on here after this, but considering others have been waiting 3 months with no result, I think what I said may have worked. The time for my trial period is down too, I have asked that it be restored, I am waiting on what they will say about that, I'll update later. 

doucelove
Excursionist
15 0 19

@hellosimmy did your store get restored or refunded ?

hellosimmy
Tourist
4 1 8

It is restored. Although I had done extensive research over several months, and contacted vendors for quotes and details for dropshipping, I hadn't spent any money with Shopify (I was utilizing the free trial) or with any vendors. I am very meticulous, and I made sure every single detail was right and the site was done to COMPLETION, before I picked a plan. Even had an IG, and twitter made that had gained some followers. After thinking about how many people actually lost money, and customers over their "delete without explanation" policy, I don't want to be involved with the site anymore. The time I spent and frustration caused was loss enough for me. I can't imagine starting now, and having another issue in a few months after I get customers. I have a site for my LLC made through godaddy. Thankfully, I didn't do that through shopify. 

Prjonar
Visitor
1 0 1

Hi 

They did the same thing to me and these are the replies I have gotten so far.

Took 2 days.

 

This email is to inform you that after reviewing your information and website we believe your business presents a level of risk that we will be unable to support with Shopify. I know this is not ideal, however we won't be able to help with your business.

At this time since Shopify has been deemed not a good fit for your business you will need to research other e-commerce platforms to find one that will be suitable. Regrettably we are not able to make recommendations to merchants.

Please note that for security and privacy reasons we are unable to divulge the results of our reviews and investigations. Once an account has been declined the decision is final.

Thank you and I wish you all the best with your business going forward!

#####

I do understand your frustration in this, regrettably, for security and privacy reasons, we are unable to divulge the results of our reviews and investigations so we would not be able to provide you with additional details as to why we will not be able to support your business on Shopify.

Every .myshopify.com link can only be used once, so it won't be available for use again in the future.

 

USER000
New Member
19 0 0

What e-commerce platform you have been using now?

nextclean
Tourist
6 0 15
Hi everyone, I was also effected. I made a post to gather interest from all of you affected for a possible lawsuit:
https://community.shopify.com/c/Shopify-Discussion/Class-action-lawsuit-for-suspension-of-stores-los...
doucelove
Excursionist
15 0 19

@nextclean I am definitely interested because what they are doing is not right or fair. They are destroying small businesses and taking our money with no explanation whatsoever. 

Kidballoon
Visitor
2 0 2

The same exact thing just happened to me and support isn’t giving me any answers. I haven’t done anything wrong I provided tracking numbers for all my orders and don’t have any drawback. They deleted my account took all my clients money without any explanation 

T-Obi
Visitor
2 0 1

Hey. Were you able to solve this problem? Did shopify ever send you your money? I'm facing the same issue. Shopify seized over $40,000 and won't speak to me. I heard there's a class action lawsuit and i would like to get in on it.

Kidballoon
Visitor
2 0 2
It took a couple of months but they gave me my money back. They won't allow
me to create another shopify account. I Had to create my website with
another provider.
LR-ecom
Visitor
1 0 0

Hey man, great to hear! 
Can you explain how exactly you got the money back? 
They closed 2 stores of mine in 2 days and kept over $15.000 ... 

Niiikema
Tourist
6 0 1

Hi… I’m going through the same issue right now with Shopify. I opened an online boutique through them and was selling my clothing for 5 days. I had an order came in and they claimed it was high risk, I went as far as have the customer send a copy of DL and debit Card to verify before I processed the order but Shopify suspend my account, and I appealed it but they they still sent an email they are closing my site and holding the funds due to their policy. I’ve been emailing 1 week now and the email came back twice saying the same thing. The chat is inefficient because they saying the same thing the email says and they cannot give me any further information as another department deals with closure and I have yet till someone contacts me or explain why neither me or the customer received a payout or refund. The customer went as far as sending a bank statement to show the charge is still valid on her account and this have been over a week. 
This is unbelievable because I invested my savings in my inventory and to know Shopify is holding on my funds is without explanation and we basically have no rights as a small business owner is very unfair.