Shopify · Shopify Acceptable Use Policy

Deceptive, Fraudulent, and Misleading Practices Prohibition

High severity
Share 𝕏 Share in Share

What it is

You may not use the Shopify Services to engage in deceptive, fraudulent, or misleading business practices, including making false or misleading claims about products or services, using fake reviews, or engaging in bait-and-switch tactics.

Why it matters

Because Shopify defines 'deceptive, fraudulent, or misleading' broadly and retains unilateral authority to make this determination, merchants face account termination risk based on Shopify's subjective assessment of their marketing practices — even where those practices may not violate applicable advertising law.

Consumer impact

Shopify's AUP primarily affects merchants who use the platform to run their businesses, as it defines the full scope of what can and cannot be sold — with violations potentially resulting in immediate store termination and loss of access to funds held in Shopify Payments. Consumers shopping on Shopify-powered stores benefit indirectly from these rules, which prohibit counterfeit goods, fraudulent schemes, and dangerous unregulated products. You can review the full list of prohibited and restricted product categories at shopify.com/legal/aup before building your store to ensure compliance.

Applicable agencies

  • FTC
    The FTC enforces Section 5 of the FTC Act prohibiting deceptive advertising and has direct enforcement authority over fake reviews under the 2024 final rule on fake reviews and testimonials.
    File a complaint →
  • State AG
    State Attorneys General enforce UDAP statutes that parallel FTC Act Section 5 and have independent authority to pursue merchants engaged in false advertising or deceptive practices.
    File a complaint →

Provision details

Document information
Document
Shopify Acceptable Use Policy
Entity
Shopify
Document last updated
March 24, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
March 15, 2026
Last verified
April 4, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-002238
Document ID
CA-D-00124
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
SHA-256
c3d037196ffbb1471c40eb696d0527749e9581d33970cdd9620dc96a8e8dfbdb
Verified
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Change verified
How to Cite
ConductAtlas Policy Archive
Entity: Shopify | Document: Shopify Acceptable Use Policy | Record: CA-P-002238
Captured: 2026-03-15 12:02:55 UTC | SHA-256: c3d037196ffbb147…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/shopify/shopify-acceptable-use-policy/deceptive-fraudulent-and-misleading-practices-prohibition/
Accessed: April 6, 2026
Classification
Severity
High
Categories

Other provisions in this document