Occupied with taking a break out of your Shopify retailer or closing it for good?

Whether or not you want a brief pause otherwise you’re trying to shut up store completely, managing your Shopify retailer’s standing is easier than you would possibly suppose.

We’ll information you thru the steps that you must observe to both pause or shut your Shopify retailer.

Let’s begin with the way to pause your Shopify retailer.

The way to pause your Shopify retailer

There are two methods to pause your Shopify retailer:

1. Enabling password safety. This feature utterly shuts off your retailer from guests. Prospects cannot view or entry your merchandise and pages or full orders whereas your retailer is paused.
2. Choosing the ‘Pause and Construct’ plan. Your retailer stays on-line, and guests can nonetheless browse, however they will not be capable to make any purchases because the checkout is disabled.

Let’s undergo these two in additional element.

1. Allow password safety

Here is the way to arrange password safety in your Shopify retailer:

1. Log into your Shopify admin and navigate to On-line Retailer > Preferences.

2. Within the ‘Password safety’ space, tick the checkbox labeled ‘Limit entry to guests with the password.’

3. Enter a password that you’ll share with clients you need to grant entry to. Ensure this password is completely different out of your admin login password.
4. Within the ‘Message to your guests’ subject, kind the message you want to show on the password web page. When you want to not show a message, go away this subject empty.
5. Click on ‘Save’ to use the password safety to your retailer.

When you take away password safety, anybody can go to your on-line retailer once more.

Notice: You possibly can edit the looks of your password web page, together with textual content, colours, and typography. To take action, go to On-line Retailer > Themes, choose the theme you need to edit, and click on ‘Customise.’ Then, select Others > Password. This feature is just out there when password safety is lively on your retailer.

2. Choose the Pause and Construct plan

Here is how one can pause your Shopify retailer with the Pause and Construct plan:

1. Check in as the shop proprietor.
2. Go to ‘Settings,’ then ‘Plan,’ in your Shopify admin.

3. Select ‘Deactivate retailer,’ then choose the ‘Pause and Construct’ plan.

4. Take a second to go over the plan particulars, then click on on ‘Change to Pause and construct.’

By following these steps, you may hold your retailer on-line for guests to browse at a decreased month-to-month price of $9 USD.

On the similar time, you keep full entry to your Shopify admin for any changes or updates to your merchandise and retailer design.

Notice: The Pause and Construct plan is unique to Shopify normal accounts; Shopify Plus shops do not have entry to this feature. To be eligible for the Pause and Construct plan, your retailer should at present be on a paid plan. So, if you happen to’re in your free trial interval, you may’t pause your Shopify retailer.

If you wish to begin promoting merchandise once more, you may reopen your retailer anytime by selecting a brand new plan.

To reopen your retailer after you pause and construct, this is what to do:

1. Check in as the shop proprietor.
2. Go to Settings > Plan in your Shopify admin.
3. Choose ‘Choose a plan’ adopted by ‘Select plan’ on your most well-liked possibility.
4. Totally verify the plan’s particulars earlier than clicking ‘Begin plan.’

As soon as you’ve got chosen a brand new plan, you may be all set to begin promoting once more.

The way to shut your Shopify retailer?

Here is the way to shut your Shopify retailer:

1. Log into your Shopify admin, and go to Settings > Plan.

2. Click on on the ‘Deactivate retailer’ possibility.

3. Assessment any options offered, resembling switching to the Pause and construct plan, or beginning a brand new retailer.
4. When you determine to proceed with deactivation, click on ‘Deactivate retailer’ once more.

5. Shopify will ask you to pick a cause on your retailer’s deactivation. Select the one that most closely fits your state of affairs, then click on ‘Proceed.’

6. As a safety measure, you may have to enter your password. This confirms that you’re the account holder and authorizes the deactivation.

7. After getting into your password, click on “Deactivate now” to finalize the method.

As soon as your retailer is deactivated, you may obtain an e-mail affirmation.

Though you will not have entry to your Shopify admin, Shopify ensures your retailer’s data for 2 years.

This implies you may reopen your retailer or entry previous payments inside this timeframe if you happen to determine to return to Shopify or want historic information.

Notice: Your Shopify subscription might be canceled, and you’ll lose entry to your Shopify admin as quickly as you deactivate your retailer.

When do you have to pause your Shopify retailer?

Pausing your Shopify retailer is usually a strategic transfer. Here is why and when it would make sense:

• Seasonal enterprise. In case your retailer makes most of its gross sales throughout sure elements of the 12 months, pausing throughout off-peak occasions can save prices.
• Reevaluate enterprise technique. Use the pause to judge and refine your marketing strategy, advertising and marketing methods, or product lineup with out the fixed stress of every day operations.
• Coping with private issues. For solo entrepreneurs, private life can typically demand undivided consideration—be it well being points or journey plans. Nonetheless, we recommend hiring a digital assistant or leaning on household help to course of orders as a substitute of pausing your retailer.
• Addressing stock or provider points. When you’re operating a one-product retailer dealing with these challenges, pausing provides you time to deal with these points head-on. Nonetheless, we’d nonetheless recommend you supply backorders as a substitute of halting gross sales utterly. This manner, you retain buyer curiosity alive and guarantee you do not flip away potential gross sales.

When do you have to shut your Shopify retailer?

There are numerous causes you would possibly need to shut your Shopify retailer, however one factor is for positive: it is a main determination.

Here is when closing your retailer is perhaps the precise transfer:

• Lack of revenue. In case your retailer constantly fails to show a revenue and changes do not enhance the state of affairs, closing is perhaps the precise alternative.
• Rebranding. You are able to rebrand and launch a brand new retailer underneath a distinct area on Shopify.
• Switching platforms. If Shopify now not meets your wants and you favor to maneuver your operations to a different ecommerce platform like WooCommerce or BigCommerce. (And sure, there are a lot of extra Shopify options)

What do you have to do earlier than closing your Shopify Retailer?

Earlier than closing your Shopify retailer, check out these essential steps to make sure all the pieces goes easily:

1. Promote the shop

Earlier than you determine to close down your Shopify retailer, take into consideration promoting it.

In case your retailer has a robust model presence or has generated some gross sales, it may very well be beneficial to another person!

There are marketplaces like Flippa the place you may checklist your retailer, and patrons can view and probably buy your online business.

Simply so you realize, these marketplaces have their very own set of necessities for itemizing your retailer, like present process an impartial valuation of your online business and accessing authorized assets.

Plus, remember that these marketplaces will cost a fee price upon the profitable sale of your web site.

Study extra: The way to Promote Your Shopify Retailer: The Definitive Information (2024)

2. Cancel third-party apps and instruments

Uninstall all third-party apps and instruments earlier than deactivating your Shopify retailer to keep away from further billing.

When you’re in the course of a cost interval for an app subscription, you would possibly need to wait till this era is sort of over to shut your retailer.

3. Switch your customized area

If in case you have a customized area bought by way of Shopify, it is best to switch it to a third-party area supplier earlier than closing your retailer.

However, in case your area was purchased from a 3rd get together, you may take away it out of your Shopify retailer utilizing the Shopify admin.

When you do not take away your area out of your Shopify retailer earlier than closing it, then you definately won’t be capable to use it for one more web site.

Additionally, bear in mind to show off auto-renewal on your area to keep away from any sudden expenses.

4. Backup your database

Occupied with the way forward for your on-line retailer, even if you happen to’re contemplating closing it for now, is sensible.

You by no means know whenever you would possibly determine to relaunch, and getting access to your earlier retailer’s information may very well be invaluable!

The excellent news is Shopify means that you can manually again up your retailer by exporting elements of your database into CSV information.

This contains merchandise, clients, orders, present card codes, low cost codes, and monetary information.

However doing it manually may be tedious. Fortuitously, Shopify apps like Matrixify simplify the method, permitting you to again up your retailer extra effectively.

As well as, obtain a backup of your retailer’s theme.

Bear in mind, themes are licensed just for the shop the place they had been initially bought.

Nonetheless, if you happen to plan to maneuver your online business to a different Shopify retailer you personal, you may contact Shopify Help to inquire about transferring your theme license to the brand new retailer.

Study extra: Shopify Retailer Backups: The Definitive Information (2024)

5. Deal with excellent buyer orders

When closing your Shopify retailer, take into consideration the impression in your present clients, particularly these with unfulfilled orders.

Here is the way to handle these considerations responsibly:

• Reward playing cards. When you supply present playing cards, ensure you deal with any excellent balances. Export your retailer’s present card CSV file, which accommodates all the mandatory data to resolve any unredeemed playing cards.
• Particular merchandise. In case your retailer has subscription or preorder merchandise, you will need to handle these excellent orders. Whether or not it entails fulfilling these orders or issuing refunds, take the mandatory steps to make sure your clients should not left within the lurch.
• Chargebacks. Bear in mind that clients can nonetheless difficulty chargebacks after your retailer is deactivated. As soon as your retailer is deactivated, you lose the flexibility to submit further proof by way of the Shopify admin to contest these chargebacks.

FAQs

If in case you have any extra questions on pausing or closing your Shopify retailer, check out these FAQs:

Abstract

Earlier than we go, we have created a fast abstract of this text for you, so you may simply bear in mind it:

• To pause your Shopify retailer, you may both password-protect it or go for the Pause and Construct plan.
• Password safety utterly restricts entry to your retailer. However, the Pause and Construct plan permits guests to view your merchandise and browse content material however disables the checkout course of.
• The Pause and Construct plan is just out there to plain Shopify accounts and requires that your retailer be on a paid plan. Shopify Plus accounts don’t qualify for this feature.
• In case your retailer continues to be in its free trial interval, you can not use the Pause and Construct plan, however you may nonetheless password-protect your retailer to pause it quickly.
• Earlier than you shut your Shopify retailer completely, take into consideration promoting it. If you wish to shut it, cancel any third-party apps and instruments, switch your customized area, backup your retailer’s information, and handle any excellent buyer orders.

Ultimate ideas

Pausing gives a brief resolution with out totally disconnecting out of your buyer base whereas closing your retailer requires cautious consideration of what comes subsequent.

Earlier than making a ultimate determination to shut your retailer, totally consider your causes and take into account all options, together with promoting your retailer or backing up information.

When you’re on the lookout for extra management over your on-line retailer, shifting to WooCommerce is perhaps what you want.

On the lookout for one thing much like Shopify however with extra flexibility? BigCommerce may very well be a terrific match.

Take your time to determine what’s greatest for you. And in case you have any feedback, questions, or recommendations, be at liberty to depart them under!

Need to be taught extra about ecommerce?

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