The eCommerce market is rapidly growing, and Shopify is one of the best online store builders. One of Shopify’s unique strengths is enabling numerous entrepreneurs to establish and sustain businesses. Shopify is excellent and works very well for many companies, but there are several reasons why one would cancel the account.
Another common reason is simply looking for more options and exploring alternatives, such as switching platforms, developing a new business model, or just taking a break.
This article provides a guide on how to cancel your Shopify subscription. Whether you need help backing up your store data or closing your account, we’ve got you covered. For those who plan to switch to another eCommerce solution or temporarily suspend online sales, it is recommended that you read the following sections to make the transition as transparent and comprehensible as possible.
Basic Overview
Did you know that over 2.4 million businesses worldwide are powered by Shopify as of 2023?
Based on the provided figures, it is possible to state that Shopify has firmly established itself as an industry leader. Nevertheless, it is important to note that even the giants are not exempt from churn. There are many reasons why someone might want to end the Shopify subscription account, from downsizing to switching to a platform that best meets the company’s underlying needs. This guide aims to give you a simple step-by-step process to cancel your Shopify subscription while educating you on what decisions to make and where to avoid them.
Shopify Drawbacks (Why You Might Want to Cancel Subscription)
Due to its simplicity and operability, Shopify is a perfect option for many entrepreneurs. However, some negative features may make customers think about canceling their subscriptions. Despite the numerous advantages of using these services, several things need to be considered, such as the price and the extent to which they can be customized.
High Costs
Shopify provides various plans, and the prices can easily expand with extra apps and transaction costs. For small businesses, these expenses might be more costly than any benefits they can offer, so that they will look for more cost-effective alternatives.
Limited Customization
Shopify’s customization options can be extensive but have limitations for customers with unique and specific requirements. This potential weakness can challenge companies striving for an exceptional web identity and presence.
Dependency on Apps
Many of Shopify’s features are based on third-party applications, which can be challenging to manage and require a high price tag for the site. This dependency may not be effective for businesses that want ready-to-use features and systems.
Transaction Fees
Shopify also charges additional transaction fees unless a user pays for the services through Shopify Payments. These fees help lower profits for businesses with high sales volumes or a narrow margin of profits.
Preparing to Cancel a Shopify Subscription
“Time to cancel” a Shopify account is not a simple matter of pressing a button. It is important to take some measures to avoid possible difficulties in the work and secure your business’s data. Being well-prepared to prevent problems and make things faster is always good. The following are some important actions you need to take before canceling a Shopify subscription.
Backup Your Data
Backup is also very important before canceling the plan as it can help retrieve important data such as product information, customer information, and sales records, among others. This ensures you have valuable information for future use or shifting to another platform.
Notify Customers
Let the customers know about the coming changes and what could be the consequences of this transition. It facilitates setting expectations and keeping trust and can even direct them on how things will likely turn out after the transition.
Settle Outstanding Balances
Confirm that all balances owed to Shopify or the third party are closed. This is important to prevent any problems arising from interrupting the service as you try to cancel it.
How To Cancel a Shopify Account—Step-by-Step Guide
When you want to cancel your Shopify account, you must take some precautions to facilitate the process. The steps that one must adhere to to cancel one’s Shopify subscription are as follows.
Step 1: Log into Your Shopify Admin
Logging into Your Shopify Admin is the same as logging in to the standard Shopify website. Sign in to your Shopify admin using your Shopify credentials. This will provide you with full access to all the settings to manage your store.
Step 2: Go to the Account Settings page
Navigate to the admin panel, click “Settings,” and then “Account.” This section contains buttons related to your subscription and billing.
Step 3: Close Your Store
Go to “Store status” and click “Close store.” There may be many options to cancel the transaction, and it is advised not to skip any of the steps until they have terminated the account and it is complete.
Step 4: Follow the Prompts
Shopify will require you to state your cancellation reason. You should pick the feedback you think is best for improving the Shopify company.
Step 5: Confirm Cancellation
You will be prompted to reconfirm by entering your password to cancel the subscription. Do not forget to read any final notices before completing the process.
Wrapping Things Up
Shopify is still a top option for many entrepreneurs because of its robust toolbox and simple interface. It is a perfect choice for starting and running a web-based store and provides various features to enable businesses to compete successfully in e-commerce. However, as your business grows and its needs change, you may realize that Shopify does not meet your requirements or fit your budget.
There are all legitimate reasons to cancel, from more control and flexibility to lower fees to a change of mind about online business.
If you’ve found that Shopify is no longer an ideal space for your venture’s development, it may help you cancel your account. With the help of this guide, the company could avoid numerous issues that might arise from moving away from the platform and losing data and/or contact with customers. It should be remembered that cancellation is all about ensuring that you will be in your preferred state hence, taking the required time to ensure that you are getting the best process will facilitate the success of the process.
Frequently Asked Questions on Canceling Subscription
When do I cancel my Shopify subscription? What will happen to it?
Once you cancel the Shopify subscription, your store will stop operating, but Shopify will continue storing your files and data for some time if you want to reopen your store or access your files.
What happens when I decide to discontinue my Shopify subscription?
Shopify usually does not exchange refunds for subscriptions terminated within a billing cycle. The ideal time to cancel your service is right before the end of your billing cycle to get the most out of your new service.
Can I put my store live on pause instead of closing it?
Shopify also has a plan called “Pause and Build,” whereby, for a lower fee, the store is put on hold to be relaunched when the owner sees it helpful.
Do I need to cancel the apps on my Shopify account before closing it?
To avoid further charges and complications, remove all third-party applications before closing the account and settle any outstanding balances.
When I cancel the Shopify subscription, what will happen to my domain?
If you registered your domain through Shopify, you can transfer it to another domain registrar before canceling it. If you registered a third-party domain, you must set it up correctly to prevent the web hosting services from being terminated.