Deceptive, fraudulent, or misleading content or business practices: You may not use Shopify's Services to engage in deceptive, fraudulent, or misleading business practices, including but not limited to fake reviews, misleading product descriptions, or deceptive pricing strategies.
The 'including but not limited to' language means Shopify is not bound by an exhaustive list, and can designate any business practice as deceptive and enforce accordingly — a standard that is broader than FTC definitions and creates significant enforcement unpredictability for merchants.
Shopify's AUP primarily affects merchants who build businesses on the platform, as prohibited product categories and enforcement provisions can result in sudden store suspension that disrupts both merchant operations and end-customer shopping experiences. Consumers who shop at Shopify-powered stores benefit from the platform's prohibitions on deceptive practices, counterfeit goods, and fraud-facilitating tools, though the policy does not itself create enforceable consumer rights against merchants. You can protect your business by maintaining independent backups of your customer data, product listings, and order history outside of Shopify's platform.