How to Pause Shopify Payment

Introduction
Why Pause Your Shopify Store?
Understanding the Pause Options
Step-by-Step Guide to Pausing Shopify Payment
Communicating the Pause to Your Customers
Resuming Your Store
Alternatives to Pausing Your Store
Conclusion
FAQs

Introduction

Imagine you've built a successful Shopify store, and business is booming. Then suddenly, you need to hit "pause"—maybe to rebrand, focus on new product lines, or even take a much-needed break. But how do you pause Shopify payment without deactivating your store completely? That's the puzzle we'll solve today.

In this blog post, you will learn the nuances of pausing your Shopify store. We'll discuss why you might want to pause payments, how to do it step-by-step, and what happens during the paused period. This guide aims to arm you with all the information you need to make an informed decision, ensuring that your Shopify store remains flexible and adaptable to your needs.

Why Pause Your Shopify Store?

Before diving into the "how-to," it’s essential to understand "why" you might consider pausing your store. Reasons may vary from taking a seasonal break, undergoing major website redesign, dealing with supply chain issues, or reallocating resources to other business aspects.

Pausing allows you to keep your store operational, albeit without the ability for customers to make purchases. This feature enables you to update product listings, maintain customer data, and roll out new strategies without incurring the full subscription cost.

Understanding the Pause Options

Pause and Build Plan

Shopify offers a "Pause and Build" plan designed specifically for merchants who need to temporarily halt transactions but continue to work on their stores. At $9 USD per month, this option disables the checkout functionality but keeps your store visible to customers. You can update the product catalog, change the design, and do everything else except processing payments.

What Works on the Pause and Build Plan:

Access to Shopify admin
Product and inventory management
Theme customization
Blog and page creation

What Doesn’t Work:

Online store checkout
POS
Third-party integrations like Facebook and Google
Discount codes and gift cards

Pausing Payouts

While pausing your entire store might not always be necessary, you could consider pausing Shopify payouts. Unfortunately, Shopify doesn’t offer a direct option to halt payouts. The only workaround involves deactivating your store or switching to a manual payment capture method. However, these methods come with limitations and potential pitfalls.

Step-by-Step Guide to Pausing Shopify Payment

If you decide pausing your store is the best course, follow these steps:

Step 1: Access Your Shopify Admin

First, log into your Shopify admin panel. You need to have the store owner credentials to make changes to your store settings.

Step 2: Navigate to Plan Settings

Go to Settings and then click on Plan. In the Plan section, you will see options to Pause or Deactivate Store. Click on this option.

Step 3: Choose the Pause and Build Plan

A new screen will appear with different options, including Pause and Build and Deactivate Store. Select Pause and Build.

Shopify Pause and Build Plan

Step 4: Confirm the Action

Confirm your selection. Shopify will apply the changes, and your store will now operate under the Pause and Build plan.

Step 5: Customize Storefront for Paused Period

Even though your checkout is disabled, customers can still browse your catalog. Therefore, you may want to:

Hide product prices
Disable the "Add to Cart" button
Enable password protection during significant redesigns

Shopify allows you to customize your theme, so these changes can be implemented easily.

Communicating the Pause to Your Customers

While your store is paused, effective communication with your customers is crucial. Here's how:

Website Updates

Update your homepage with a clear message explaining the pause. Include an estimated time for reopening to manage customer expectations.

Email Notifications

Notify your email subscribers about the temporary pause. Use this opportunity to share your future plans and maintain engagement.

Social Media Announcements

Post updates on your social media channels to inform more casual visitors. This keeps your customer base informed and maintains a line of communication.

Resuming Your Store

When you're ready to resume, reverting to an active plan is straightforward:

Step 1: Log into Shopify Admin

Access your Shopify admin panel again.

Step 2: Navigate to Plan Settings

Go to Settings and then click on Plan. This time, you’ll select Change Plan.

Step 3: Pick a New Plan

Choose the plan that suits your current needs. Confirm your choice, and Shopify will restore your store’s checkout functionalities.

Shopify Change Plan

Step 4: Update Storefront

If you hid product prices and disabled the "Add to Cart" button during the pause, undo these changes to resume normal operations.

Alternatives to Pausing Your Store

If pausing the entire store doesn’t suit your needs, consider these alternatives:

Reducing Operational Hours

Instead of pausing the store, you could reduce your operational hours or limit the availability of certain products.

Manual Payment Capture

Switch to manual payment capture where you validate and process orders manually. However, remember you’ll need to capture payments within the authorization period (usually seven days).

Announce Limited Store Operations

Simply notify your customers via website banners and social media that operations are limited while you’re under reconstruction or adjustment.

Conclusion

Pausing your Shopify store can provide flexibility during times of transition or reorganization. By understanding how and why to pause your store—and what to expect during the paused period—you can better manage your business operations without completely shutting down. Follow the steps in this guide to ensure a smooth pause and a seamless resume, keeping your brand intact and your customers informed.

FAQs

Can I Pause My Shopify Store?

Yes, you can pause your store by switching to the "Pause and Build" plan.

Do I Need to Pay a Fee While My Store is Paused?

Yes, the Pause and Build plan costs $9 USD per month.

What Happens When My Shopify Store is Paused?

Your checkout functionality is disabled, but you can still manage your store’s content and design. Customers can browse but cannot make purchases.

Can I Pause My Shopify Store Without Paying?

No, pausing requires a monthly fee. Deactivating your store is the only way to avoid payments, but this also means losing access to the Shopify admin and other functionalities.