How to Delete a Shopify Store | Here is Your Step-by-Step Guide

How to delete a Shopify store is one of the most searched questions among entrepreneurs who are pivoting their business, closing an online venture, or moving to a different eCommerce platform. Whether your store didn’t perform as expected or you’re restructuring your brand, knowing the correct and safe way to remove your Shopify store is essential.

This guide explains everything you need to know—from preparation and backups to the exact steps, common mistakes, and smart alternatives—so you can close your store confidently without losing important data or running into billing issues.

Why Store Owners Decide to Delete a Shopify Store

Before diving into how to delete a Shopify store, it’s important to understand why business owners take this step. Shopify is powerful, but it may not suit every situation.

Common Reasons for Closing a Shopify Store

Business model change or pivot
Poor sales or low ROI
Switching to another eCommerce platform
Seasonal or temporary store closure
Merging brands or businesses
High operational or subscription costs

Important: Deleting a store is permanent. Once removed, your store URL, data, and admin access cannot be recovered.

Things to Do Before You Delete Your Shopify Store

Before learning how to delete a Shopify store, preparation is crucial. Skipping these steps can cause data loss or unexpected charges.

1. Backup Your Store Data

Shopify permanently deletes your data, so back it up manually.

What to export:

Products and variants
Customer information
Orders and transaction history
Analytics and reports

Therefore, then Go to Admin → Settings → Export data

2. Cancel Third-Party Apps & Subscriptions

Many Shopify apps bill externally, even after store deletion.

Review installed apps
Cancel paid plans manually
Check connected services (email, CRM, payment tools)

Failing to do this may result in continued charges.

3. Resolve Outstanding Payments

Before proceeding with how to delete a Shopify store, make sure:

No pending Shopify invoices exist
All transactions are settled
Chargebacks are resolved

Shopify will not allow closure if there are unpaid balances.

How to Delete a Shopify Store (Step-by-Step Guide)

Now let’s walk through how to delete a Shopify store properly using the Shopify admin panel.

Step 1: Log in to Your Shopify Admin

Visit shopify.com
Sign in with your store owner credentials
Ensure you have Store Owner permissions (only owners can delete stores)

Step 2: Navigate to Settings

From the admin dashboard
Click Settings (bottom-left corner)

Step 3: Open the “Plan” Section

Inside Settings:

Click Plan
Review your current subscription and billing cycle

Step 4: Choose “Deactivate Store”

At the bottom of the Plan page:

Click Deactivate store
Shopify will show warnings and alternatives

This is a critical step in how to delete a Shopify store, so proceed carefully.

Step 5: Select a Reason for Leaving

Shopify will ask why you’re closing your store. Choose the most relevant option.

This feedback helps Shopify improve its platform but does not affect deletion.

Step 6: Enter Password & Confirm

Re-enter your account password
Click Deactivate now

Thus, your Shopify store is now officially deleted.

What Happens After You Delete a Shopify Store?

Understanding the aftermath is just as important as knowing how to delete a Shopify store.

Immediate Effects

Store becomes inaccessible
Public website goes offline
Admin panel access is removed

Data Retention

Shopify retains data for 30 days
You can reactivate by logging in within this window
After 30 days, all data is permanently erased

How to Reactivate a Deleted Shopify Store (If Needed)

If you change your mind shortly after learning how to delete a Shopify store, recovery is possible.

Reactivation Steps

Visit Shopify login
Sign in with your email
Choose a new plan
Restore store access

Remember! Reactivation is only possible within 30 days.

Alternatives to Deleting a Shopify Store

Sometimes, deleting isn’t the best option. Consider these alternatives before finalizing how to delete a Shopify store.

Pause Your Shopify Store Instead

If you want a break without losing data:

Shopify’s Pause and Build plan
Keeps admin access
Disables checkout

Sell or Transfer the Store

You can:

Transfer ownership
Sell your store as a business asset
Hand it over to a partner or investor

This option preserves store value.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Deleting a Shopify Store

Many store owners make costly errors while figuring out how to delete a Shopify store.

Forgetting to cancel apps
Not exporting customer data
Ignoring domain management
Closing store during active billing cycle
Not removing custom domains

What Happens to Your Custom Domain?

If you purchased a domain through Shopify:

You keep domain ownership
Renewals continue unless canceled

If connected externally (GoDaddy, Namecheap):

Update DNS settings
Disconnect from Shopify

SEO Impact of Deleting a Shopify Store

Deleting a store affects your SEO rankings.

What Happens to Search Visibility?

Pages return 404 errors
Google de-indexes URLs over time
Backlinks lose value

SEO Best Practices Before Deletion

Set up 301 redirects if migrating
Notify Google Search Console
Save keyword and traffic data

This is where professional SEO guidance becomes crucial.

How VConekt Helps Businesses During Shopify Store Closure

At VConekt, we help businesses make smart digital decisions—even when closing or migrating online stores.

VConekt Can Help You With:

Shopify store audits before deletion
SEO-safe migration to new platforms
Data backup and recovery planning
Redirect mapping and SEO preservation
Website redevelopment and growth strategy

If you’re unsure whether deleting your store is the right move, VConekt provides expert consultation to protect your brand’s digital assets and future visibility.

FAQs

Can I delete my Shopify store on mobile?

Yes, but the full option works best on desktop via browser.

Will Shopify refund my subscription?

Shopify does not offer refunds for unused subscription time.

Can I reuse my store name later?

Store URLs cannot be reused once permanently deleted.

Do customers get notified?

No, Shopify does not automatically notify customers when a store is deleted.

Final Thoughts

Understanding how to delete a Shopify store is more than just clicking a deactivate button—it’s about protecting your data, finances, SEO rankings, and future business opportunities. Whether you’re closing permanently or planning a fresh start, taking the right steps ensures a clean and stress-free exit.

If you want professional help with store deletion, migration, or SEO strategy, VConekt is your trusted partner for making informed, growth-focused digital decisions.

Need Expert Guidance?

Contact VConekt today to ensure your Shopify store closure or transition is handled the right way—without losing data, rankings, or revenue opportunities.

Finally, we suggest reading out more insightful articles:

How Much Does Shopify Take Per Sale? Fees Explained Clearly

How AI SEO Agency and Intelligent Search Optimization Are Redefining Digital Growth

How An AI Search Monitoring Platform Can Improve Seo Strategy

SEO AI Agent and The Future Of Intelligent Search Optimization