This analysis describes what Shopify's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology
Irrevocable and unconditional submission to Ontario courts means merchants outside Ontario—including elsewhere in Canada and the United States—must litigate in a foreign jurisdiction, raising the cost and complexity of any legal action.
Interpretive note: The clause name specifies this provision applies to US and Canada merchants, but that geographic limitation does not appear in the provided excerpt. The canonical claim reflects only the text of the excerpt.
The updated terms clarify the legal identity of the Shopify entity you contract with and establish which courts have exclusive jurisdiction to resolve disputes, depending on your store's billing address. Previously, the terms specified exclusive jurisdiction by region (Ontario for US/Canada, Singapore for Asia Pacific, Ireland for EMEA and other areas). The revised structure presents this information in a table format and adds explicit language stating that disputes can only be brought in the courts listed for your region, with those courts having exclusive jurisdiction. Shopify Inc. may act as a billing agent for other Shopify entities to collect fees and remit taxes in some jurisdictions. You can review the contracting party and forum table in Section 13 to confirm which entity and courts apply to your store based on your billing address.
View change record →Merchants cannot bring or defend claims related to the Terms of Service in any court other than the courts of the Province of Ontario.
How other platforms handle this
Any legal action or proceeding arising under or relating to this Agreement shall be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in New York County, New York, USA...
The jurisdiction and venue for actions related to these Terms will be the state and United States federal courts located in San Francisco, California and both Parties submit to the personal jurisdiction of such courts
it shall be adjudicated exclusively by the state and federal courts located in San Francisco County, California.
"The parties irrevocably and unconditionally submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the Province of Ontario with respect to any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with the Terms of Service.Excerpt from Shopify's Terms of Service
Get the research letter
Companies change their terms quietly. We read every version and catch what actually changed. One email a week on the changes that matter and what they mean.
Irrevocable and unconditional submission to Ontario courts means merchants outside Ontario—including elsewhere in Canada and the United States—must litigate in a foreign jurisdiction, raising the cost and complexity of any legal action.
Merchants cannot bring or defend claims related to the Terms of Service in any court other than the courts of the Province of Ontario.
ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 267 platforms. See the full comparison.
No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Shopify.