To delete a Shopify store, go to Settings, then Plan, and choose Cancel plan (or Cancel trial). Review any pending charges and domain renewals, pick a reason, and confirm with your password. Deactivation takes effect at the end of your current billing cycle, and per Shopify's policy your store data is kept for two years in case you reopen.
That is the mechanical answer. The expensive mistakes happen in what people skip before those clicks, so run the short checklist first.
Before you cancel: the five-minute checklist
Export everything while you still can: orders, customers, and products all export as CSV from their admin pages. Point or transfer any custom domain you own; if it was bought through Shopify, decide whether to transfer it out or let it lapse, and note that renewal fees can still bill if the renewal date lands before closure. Cancel third-party subscriptions separately; Shopify apps uninstall automatically at deactivation, but tools billed outside Shopify keep charging until you stop them. And remember Shopify has a strict no-refund policy, so time the cancellation near the end of a billing cycle rather than the start. Only the store owner can deactivate; Shopify Plus stores go through support. The full official flow is on Shopify's deactivation page.
Pausing or cancelling the subscription instead
If the store might come back, do not delete it. Shopify's Pause and Build plan keeps the store and admin alive at a reduced monthly fee while the storefront stops selling: the right choice for seasonal businesses and long breaks. Cancelling the subscription entirely (the same Settings, then Plan flow) stops all billing, and the two-year data window means you can reactivate by choosing a new plan any time before it closes. After a data deletion request, though, reactivation is off the table permanently.
Closing because the store never sold?
A store that gets traffic but no orders is usually a store problem, not a business problem: slow pages, weak product pages, a checkout that leaks trust. Before you delete revenue infrastructure you paid for, it is worth one diagnostic pass; our guide to online store costs in India shows what fixing versus rebuilding runs, and the vetting list in our Shopify development companies roundup applies just as well to a rescue as to a new build.
Frequently asked questions
How do I cancel my Shopify subscription?
Go to Settings, then Plan, and select Cancel plan. Review pending charges and domain renewals, choose a reason, and confirm with your password. Billing stops at the end of the current cycle, with no partial refunds under Shopify's no-refund policy. Apps uninstall automatically, but externally billed tools must be cancelled separately.
What happens to my data after I close my Shopify store?
Shopify keeps your store data for two years after deactivation, so products, orders, and settings survive if you reopen within that window. Customers can request their personal data be deleted sooner. Export your orders, customers, and products as CSV before closing anyway; a local copy costs nothing and removes the deadline.
Can I reopen a closed Shopify store?
Yes, within two years of deactivation. Log in, choose a new plan, and re-enter payment details; your store comes back as it was. Custom domains need reconnecting. The exception is a store whose data was deleted on request, which cannot be reactivated at all, only rebuilt from scratch.
Leaving Because the Store Underperformed?
Send us the URL before you pull the plug. We will tell you in one call whether it is fixable, worth migrating, or genuinely done.
