Shopify · Shopify Terms of Service

Acceptable Use Policy Compliance Obligation

High severity
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What it is

You may not use the Shopify Service for any illegal or unauthorized purpose nor may you, in the use of the Service, violate any laws in your jurisdiction (including but not limited to copyright laws). You must not transmit any worms or viruses or any code of a destructive nature. A breach or violation of any of the Terms will result in an immediate termination of your Services.

Why it matters

Because 'breach or violation of any of the Terms' triggers immediate termination, even a minor technical violation could result in a merchant losing access to their entire store without warning.

Consumer impact

Shopify's Terms of Service primarily affect merchants who build stores on the platform, granting Shopify broad rights to suspend accounts, modify pricing, and use merchant content, which can directly disrupt a merchant's business and revenue stream. Merchants bear full liability for their store's compliance with laws, meaning Shopify disclaims responsibility if a merchant's products or practices violate sector-specific regulations. You can review and export your store data at any time through the Shopify admin dashboard to maintain an independent backup of your business information.

What you can do

⚠️ These actions may provide transparency or partial mitigation but may not fully address the underlying issue. Effectiveness varies by jurisdiction and individual circumstances.
  • Export Your Data
    Proactively export all store data including products, customers, and orders from your Shopify admin on a regular basis so that you have a complete backup available in the event of an account suspension or termination.

Applicable agencies

  • FTC
    The FTC has jurisdiction over unfair or discriminatory enforcement of platform terms of service that may constitute unfair business practices under FTC Act Section 5.
    File a complaint →

Provision details

Document information
Document
Shopify Terms of Service
Entity
Shopify
Document last updated
March 24, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
March 15, 2026
Last verified
April 4, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-002233
Document ID
CA-D-00123
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
SHA-256
bf64ee5e09c1e154f1f5b1798103d1de0fe8acbc8391414ae7c4b440b513a4fa
Verified
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Change verified
How to Cite
ConductAtlas Policy Archive
Entity: Shopify | Document: Shopify Terms of Service | Record: CA-P-002233
Captured: 2026-03-15 11:53:56 UTC | SHA-256: bf64ee5e09c1e154…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/shopify/shopify-terms-of-service/acceptable-use-policy-compliance-obligation/
Accessed: April 6, 2026
Classification
Severity
High
Categories

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