Step-by-Step Guide: How to Pause Shopify Store

Maybe you’ve hit a slow season or need time to revamp your products.  Or, perhaps life threw you a curveball, and running your online store just isn’t in the cards right now.  Whatever your reasons, figuring out how to pause Shopify and pause your store operations without losing all your hard work is essential.  Shopify’s “Pause and Build” plan offers a breather for sellers who need to recharge without losing their momentum.

The Pause and Build plan allows store owners to maintain access to shop management features at a significantly reduced cost of $9 USD per month.

This article explains exactly how to pause Shopify store operations and provides some important things to consider before hitting that pause button.

So, what makes you hit the pause button on your Shopify store?

Let’s be honest, managing an online store is a lot of work.  Whether it’s customer service, marketing, inventory management, or simply keeping up with orders, things can get overwhelming.  Hit the pause button and catch your breath – you can put your shop on hold without shuttering it completely.

Here are a few reasons why hitting pause might make sense for you:

• Seasonal Breaks:  If your business thrives during specific periods (think holidays or summer months), pausing during the off-season can save you money on monthly fees and give you time to prep for your next busy season.  Shopify's Pause and Build plan offers a reduced subscription fee, making it a cost-effective option during these times.
• Website Revamp:  Maybe you’re planning a major redesign or rebranding.  Putting your online store on hold while making those changes keeps customers from experiencing a messy, incomplete site and allows you to unveil your new look with a bang.
• Inventory Catch-Up:  Sometimes, you get hit with a sudden surge in orders, or maybe suppliers experience delays.  Pausing your online store temporarily gives you breathing room to restock, fulfill existing orders, and get your inventory back on track.
• Personal Time:  Being your own boss is great, but sometimes you need a vacation, too.  A pause allows you to unplug and recharge without the pressure of constantly monitoring your store.

Before You Pause Your Store

Before pausing your Shopify store, it’s essential to consider a few things to ensure a smooth transition.  First, review your store’s current plan and understand the implications of pausing on your subscription fee.  If you’re on a paid plan, you’ll need to have been on it for at least 60 days since the end of your free trial to be eligible for the Pause and Build plan.

Next, think about the impact on your customers and business operations.  Pausing your store will disable the checkout function, but your storefront will remain active, allowing customers to view your website.  You’ll also need to consider how you’ll communicate with your customers during the pause period.

Finally, take a moment to review your store’s data and settings.  You may want to download your store data or transfer your domain to another hosting provider before pausing your store.  This ensures that you have all the necessary information and backups in place, just in case you need to access it later.

Understanding the "Pause and Build" Plan

Shopify’s “Pause and Build” is a low-cost paid plan only, typically $9 per month.  Meanwhile, your website stays active, open to the public, and fully yours to oversee and update as needed.  The daily grind of managing products, crafting marketing campaigns, and revising content can be overwhelming without a solid organizational system in place.  With “Pause and Build” engaged, your checkout feature grinds to a halt, turning would-be buyers into frustrated window shoppers until the pause is removed.  Features, like abandoned checkout recovery and checkout recovery, are disabled during the Pause and Build plan.  While the checkout feature is disabled, users can still send draft order invoices to potential customers.

What Stays Active During a Shopify Pause:

• Admin Panel Access
• Basic Report Viewing
• Storefront Visibility
• App Functionality (Note:  Charges will still apply unless apps are removed.)

What Becomes Inactive During a Shopify Pause:

• Checkout Process
• POS (Point-of-Sale) Transactions
• Discount Applications
• Gift Card Creation and Redemption
• Publishing Products to Social Media
• Shopify Email Campaigns
• Order Syncing from Sales Channels

Preparing Your Store for Pause

To prepare your store for pause, you’ll need to make a few adjustments to your storefront.  First, consider hiding product prices and disabling the add to cart button to avoid customer confusion.  This step ensures that visitors understand that purchases cannot be made during this period.

Next, update your website with a message explaining that your store is temporarily closed for renovations or improvements.  Transparency is key, so let your customers know why the store is paused and when they can expect it to reopen.  You may also want to send an email to your subscribers, notifying them about the temporary closure and any upcoming changes or updates.

Finally, take a moment to review your third-party integrations, such as Facebook and Google, and consider canceling them individually if you want to pause them.  This can help reduce costs and prevent any unnecessary charges while your store is on hold.

4 Simple Steps on How to Pause Shopify Store

If the “Pause and Build” plan sounds right for you, here’s the step-by-step on how to pause Shopify store operations:

1. Log into Your Account:  As the Shopify admin, access your Shopify account dashboard.
2. Navigate to Plan Settings:  Go to “Settings” and select “Plan.”
3. Note:  Ensure you have an active subscription plan.  Your account must have been on a paid plan for at least 60 days since the end of the free trial to utilize this feature.
4. Select “Deactivate Store.” This option is temporary, but don’t worry.  Next, select “Pause and Build plan” to avoid completely deleting your store.
5. Review and Confirm:  Shopify clearly summarizes what’s included with “Pause and Build.” Read it and hit the confirmation button when you’re ready.

Important Things to Know Before Pausing

Deciding how to pause Shopify store operations shouldn’t be rushed.  Here are some key factors to consider before pausing shopify store or switching plans:

• Current Plan Eligibility:  The "Pause and Build" option is only available if you’ve already been on a paid Shopify plan.  Merchants using a trial version or a Shopify Plus account are not eligible.  Additionally, those on a $1 for 3 months trial will need to wait until the trial ends and they have paid for 60 days of their new plan before they are able to switch.  Those on long-term plans, such as an annual subscription, can automatically be switched, with the remainder of the billing cycle prorated and credited to your account for future subscription charges.
• App Management:  Paid apps linked to your store continue billing even when your store is paused.  Review your apps, cancel unnecessary subscriptions, and temporarily remove the apps you don’t want to pay for while the pause is in effect.
• Fee Awareness:  Even with a pause, Shopify charges a reduced monthly fee.  Remember, it's much less expensive than maintaining a fully operational online store.
• Order Impact:  Make sure all pending orders are fulfilled.  Consider pausing after a peak season when you can focus on other aspects of your business like inappropriate content reports.  Communicate order deadlines on your website leading up to the pause, and email customers about the upcoming temporary closure so no one is caught off guard.

Setting Expectations for Your Customers

You can help avoid confusion for customers by setting clear expectations around your paused store.  Because your storefront remains live (without a checkout option), adding banners announcing the temporary closure helps inform visitors.  It’s also a good practice to:

• Disable “Add to Cart” Buttons:  Hiding those buttons is an extra step in making the pause clear to customers.  This prevents confusion, especially if product pricing is still visible on the page.
• Adjust Page Visibility:  If you'd rather have your store completely offline while making changes, enabling password protection is a viable option.  This hides your site content completely until you remove the password protection and reactivate it.  Shopify community forums are great places to learn about these features.
• Update Social Media:  Social media is a powerful communication tool.  Consider adjusting profile information or posting temporary closure announcements on your platforms.  To inform customers further, link back to a dedicated page on your paused website.
• Consider Outbound Marketing Efforts:  Explore optimizing your Shopify store for new keywords.  Maybe there is an overlap for products that you sell on other e-commerce platforms like Amazon . You might not need to completely shut off your ad budget during a slow period.  Instead, redirect a small amount to target overlapping product keywords in the search engine results from those e-commerce websites that still sell your items, or items like them.

Managing Your Store During the Pause

While your store is paused, you’ll still have access to your Shopify admin, allowing you to make edits to your products, themes, pages, and more.  Use this time to work on your store’s SEO performance, automate image optimization, and make any necessary updates.  This is an excellent opportunity to enhance your store’s overall functionality and appearance without the pressure of ongoing sales.

You can also use this time to review your store’s data and analytics.  Analyze your past performance, identify trends, and make any necessary adjustments to your marketing strategy.  This proactive approach ensures that your store is in the best possible shape when you’re ready to resume operations.

Revive Your Shopify Store and Get Back in Business

Back in the saddle, ready to reboot your sales engine?  Reviving your Shopify store is even easier than pausing it.  Simply follow these three quick steps to go from paused to fully operational:

1. Go to “Settings” and Select “Plan”:  Access the plan management area, just like you did when setting up your pause.
2. Click “Change Plan”:  Since “Pause and Build” doesn’t support sales, you’ll need a regular plan.  If the rates on your previous plan have changed, you may need to review Shopify’s updated plan options in the Help Center . This also lets you assess if upgrading or downgrading better suits your needs.
3. Select Your New Plan:  Choose the plan you want and provide payment information.

Once your new plan is selected, you can start selling products again.

All set, no more to do.  Shopify gets your store up and running on your newly selected plan so you can get back to what you do best:  running a successful Shopify store.  Maybe this means focusing on extensibility upgrades or building your email list.

Knowing Your Options:  Pause vs.  Delete

Both options - either pausing your store or completely deleting your store - serve different needs.  Knowing the distinctions helps you choose the best route for your unique business.

When to Consider a Shopify Pause

Pausing is an ideal choice if you anticipate resuming sales at some point.  This is useful if you might need to deactivate your store, but are not sure.  Your site and store data is stored by Shopify for two years, based on Shopify’s documentation , which gives you a generous safety net if plans change and you want to reactivate during that two-year period.

Thinking of cutting ties with Shopify?

Wipe the slate clean by deleting something for good if:  If you're a store owner and dead set against selling on Shopify down the line or fret about data privacy, Before requesting deletion, remember that after the two-year holding period your information is completely purged and there’s no restoring it.  You will no longer be able to use that store's RSS feed.

Common Questions & Answers

How do I pause my Shopify store?

You can pause your Shopify store by going to your admin dashboard. Under “Settings,” click on “Plan,” and then choose the “Pause and Build” option. This keeps your store running at a reduced cost while limiting customer activity, so they can browse but not purchase.

What happens when I pause my Shopify store?

When you pause your store, customers can still view your products, but they won’t be able to make any purchases. You’ll also keep access to your Shopify admin, so you can make changes and updates, but checkout functionality will be disabled.

Is there a cost to pausing my Shopify store?

Yes, there’s a reduced monthly fee when you choose to pause your store using the “Pause and Build” plan. It’s cheaper than the regular plan but still allows you to manage your store and keep it online for customers to browse.

Can I reactivate my store after pausing it?

Absolutely! You can reactivate your store anytime by going back to the “Plan” section in your admin dashboard and selecting a new plan. Your store will be back up and running, and customers will be able to make purchases again right away.

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