How to Close Your Shopify Store Without Missing a Step

Sometimes it’s just time to hit pause. Maybe your store isn’t working the way you hoped. Maybe you’re pivoting. Or maybe you’re just burned out. Whatever the reason, closing your Shopify store is simple but only if you handle the details the right way.

This guide walks you through what to do before you pull the plug, how to shut things down properly, and what happens after you click “Deactivate.” It’s not complicated, but there are a few spots where people trip up, like forgetting to cancel app charges or losing access to a domain they still need. Let’s make sure you don’t miss anything.

Why Store Owners Decide to Shut Down

If you’re thinking about closing your Shopify store, chances are it’s not a spur-of-the-moment thing. Maybe your sales have slowed. Maybe you’re switching platforms. Maybe you just need a break. Whatever’s behind the decision, it’s valid.

And you’re not alone. Lots of sellers hit this crossroad at some point. Some return later with a stronger brand, others pivot to something totally different. The important thing is to close things properly, so you’re not stuck with surprise bills, broken domains, or lost data down the line.

First: Are You Sure You Want to Close It?

Not trying to change your mind here, but Shopify does offer options that might work if you’re not 100% set on shutting down.

Consider these before pulling the plug:

• Pause and Build option: Your store stays live, but customers can’t check out. It’s cheaper and gives you time to regroup.
• Scale back instead: Cut inventory, reduce ad spend, or pause third-party apps to lower overhead without closing.
• Switch platforms: If the problem is Shopify itself, not your business, migrating to another platform might make more sense.

But if you’ve thought it through and you're ready to close up shop, let’s do it right.

What You Need to Do Before You Deactivate

Shopify makes it pretty easy to deactivate your store. But there are a few things you should take care of before you click that final button. Miss one, and you could be dealing with some very preventable headaches.

Back Up Your Store Data

Once your store is closed, you’ll lose access to your admin dashboard unless you reactivate. Export your data now so you have it later.

What to export:

• Product catalog
• Customer database
• Order history
• Gift card data (if any)
• Theme files or customizations

You can download CSVs for most of this directly from your Shopify admin. If you’ve made customizations to your theme, download a copy of your theme files, too.

Cancel Paid Apps and Subscriptions

Closing your store won’t automatically cancel charges from third-party apps. Some are billed separately and can keep charging you even after the store is shut down.

Make sure you uninstall apps from the admin panel,double-check for external subscriptions, and read cancellation instructions on each app’s billing page.

Handle Outstanding Orders and Refunds

You can’t just ghost your customers. If you’ve got open orders, subscriptions, or pending refunds, wrap those up before you close.

What to do:

• Fulfill or cancel all open orders.
• Issue refunds if needed.
• Export customer and order records in case of disputes.
• Email customers to let them know what’s happening (optional, but a nice move).

Sort Out Your Domain

If you bought a custom domain through Shopify, you can transfer it to a third-party provider or keep it and point it elsewhere.

If your domain is managed elsewhere, update the DNS settings or remove it from Shopify before deactivation. Also, turn off auto-renewal if you’re done with it.

One more thing: Shopify’s security layer (HSTS) stays on your domain for 90 days after closure. If you point that domain to a non-HTTPS site during that time, browsers might show a security warning.

The Step-by-Step: How to Close Your Shopify Store

Once you’ve handled the prep work, here’s how to actually deactivate your store.

How to close your shopify store:

1. Log into your Shopify admin as the store owner.
2. Go to Settings > Plan.
3. Click Deactivate store (or Cancel subscription).
4. Shopify will prompt you to select a reason for closing.
5. Confirm with your password.
6. Click Deactivate now.

That’s it. You’ll get a confirmation email, and your store will be inaccessible to customers. Your admin will also be locked until you reactivate.

Shopify Plus users need to contact Shopify Support directly to deactivate. It can’t be done through the regular admin.

What Happens After You Close?

The store’s closed. So now what? Here’s what you can expect.

Shopify Keeps Your Data (for a While)

Shopify retains your store’s data for up to two years. That means you can reopen it during that time without having to rebuild everything from scratch.

Reactivation is possible any time by logging in and subscribing to a plan again. Your original myshopify.com domain stays locked. You can’t use it for a new store. If you reopen, you’ll regain access to past orders, products, customers, etc.

You Won’t Be Charged Going Forward

Once your subscription is canceled, you won’t be charged again. But:

• Any unpaid invoices must be settled first.
• App charges won’t stop unless you canceled them beforehand.

If your billing cycle ends next week, the store won’t close until then. If you’re still in a free trial, deactivation is immediate.

What If You Change Your Mind?

No problem. As long as you’re within the 2-year data retention window, you can reactivate with just a few clicks:

How to reopen your store:

1. Log in as the store owner.
2. Click “Reopen store”.
3. Choose a plan.
4. Enter your billing info.
5. You’re back in business.

But heads up: if you wait too long, Shopify may delete your data (past the retention period), and you’ll have to start over with a brand new store.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

You’d be surprised how many store owners miss these. Avoid them, and you’ll make the whole process much cleaner.

Not Canceling Paid Apps

Closing your Shopify store doesn’t automatically stop third-party app charges. If you’ve got paid apps running, some of them may bill you directly, outside of Shopify. Be sure to uninstall them through your admin and double-check any services connected through your store. Otherwise, you might keep paying for something you’re no longer using.

Forgetting to Back Up Your Data

In the rush to close things down, it’s easy to overlook this one. But skipping backups is a big mistake. Even if you think you’ll never need that data again, something might come up, like tax filing, a customer dispute, or launching a future project. Take a few minutes to export your product catalog, customer list, and order history before pulling the plug.

Ignoring Your Domain Settings

If you bought your domain through Shopify, you’ll need to decide what to do with it before shutting the store. Leaving it unmanaged can create a mess, especially if you’re planning to use it again elsewhere. Transfer it to another provider if you’re keeping it, or make sure auto-renew is turned off if you’re letting it go.

Closing While Orders Are Still Open

You don’t want to leave buyers hanging. If you’ve got unfulfilled orders, deal with them before closing. Not only is it the right thing to do, it also protects you from chargebacks or complaints that could follow you after your store is gone. Refunds, too, handle them now, not later.

Thinking It’s Immediate

Even after you click “Deactivate,” your store might stay live until your current billing cycle ends. If you’re trying to avoid another monthly charge, make sure to close it right before your renewal date. Otherwise, Shopify will finish out the billing period before shutting it down.

Before You Leave Shopify, Take One Last Look at Your Ad Performance

If you’re planning to shut down your store, this might be your last chance to learn from what worked and what didn’t. At Extuitive, we help Shopify merchants validate their ad creative before spending a single dollar on real campaigns. So even if you're wrapping things up now, those insights still matter.

Our platform connects directly with your Shopify store and uses AI agents modeled on real consumer behavior to generate and test ads in minutes. If your store’s been underperforming, the issue might not have been your product or market fit – it might have been the message. With Extuitive, you can analyze how your ads resonated with different customer types, identify weak spots, and take those learnings into your next project or platform.

Closing your Shopify store doesn’t have to mean leaving empty-handed. We make it easy to extract value from your existing campaigns, so you walk away with smarter insights and a clearer direction, whether you’re taking a break or getting ready to launch something new.

Quick Checklist Before You Close

Here’s a final run-through before you hit “Deactivate”:

• Export customer, order, and product data.
• Backup theme and customizations.
• Cancel paid apps and external subscriptions.
• Fulfill or cancel outstanding orders.
• Refund where necessary.
• Remove or transfer your domain.
• Turn off domain auto-renew.
• Settle unpaid bills.

To Sum Up

Closing a Shopify store isn’t complicated, but it is final. Even if you plan to return later, handling the details now will save you hours (and headaches) down the road.

Whether you’re done for good or just taking a breather, doing it the right way means you stay in control of your data, your finances, and your brand. And if you come back later? Everything’s still there, ready for you to pick back up.

Just don’t forget to cancel those apps.

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