How To Pause Shopify Store: A Quick Guide In 2024

Everyone needs a break, even your Shopify store! Whether you’re planning a vacation, revamping your store, or just need some downtime to refocus, pausing your Shopify store can be a smart move. But how exactly do you put your store on hold without losing your hard-earned progress? In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to temporarily pause your Shopify store in 2024. Let’s dive in!

Conclusion

What Is the Pause and Build Plan?

Shopify Pause and Build plan

The Shopify Pause and Build plan is a feature designed for merchants who need to temporarily pause their store operations without fully closing down their business. This plan offers a cost-effective solution to keep your store’s infrastructure intact while reducing operational expenses.

When Should We Pause A Shopify Store?

Reasons to pause a Shopify store

Pausing a Shopify store can be a strategic decision for various reasons. Here are some scenarios where pausing your store might be beneficial:

• Seasonal Business Adjustments: For businesses that operate on a seasonal basis, pausing the store during off-peak seasons can help save costs while maintaining the store’s setup for the next busy period.
• Personal Breaks or Emergencies: Entrepreneurs may need to take a break for personal reasons, health issues, or emergencies.
• Inventory and Supply Chain Issues: If you’re facing temporary supply chain disruptions or inventory shortages.
• Store Renovation and Upgrades: Pausing the store provides an opportunity to redesign, rebrand, or upgrade the store.

What Happens When You Pause a Shopify Store?

Pausing your Shopify store initiates several significant changes designed to help you manage your business effectively during downtime while minimizing costs. One of the immediate benefits is the reduction in monthly fees. By switching to a Pause and Build plan, you pay a significantly lower fee compared to the full subscription.

Besides, pausing your Shopify store provides an opportunity to communicate with your customers about the temporary break. Informing them via email newsletters or social media about the pause, and any exciting updates or changes they can expect when the store reopens, helps maintain customer engagement and anticipation.

Pausing a Shopify store Step-By-Step

How to pause Shopify store

Here’s a step-by-step guide to pausing your store:

Option 1: Pausing a Shopify store

• Step 1: Begin by signing into your Shopify account
• Step 2: Navigate to the admin dashboard, select ‘Settings,’ and then click on ‘Plan.’

Choose Plan on Shopify

• Step 3: Proceed to ‘Deactivate store’ and choose the ‘Pause and Build plan.’

Pause and Build Shopify Plan

• Step 4: Carefully review the Pause and Build plan details, then confirm by selecting ‘Switch to Pause and Build.’

This action will disable the checkout option for customers but keep your store visible.

Option 2: Using Shopify vacation mode

• Step 1: Log in to Your Shopify Admin Panel
• Step 2: In the admin panel, click on the “Settings” tab to open various options related to your store’s settings.
• Step 3: Within the settings menu, find and click on the “Sales Channels” section to view a list of your store’s sales channels.
• Step 4: Click on the “Online Store” channel. Scroll down to the “Vacation” section and toggle the vacation mode switch to activate it. 

After enabling vacation mode, customize the message that will be displayed to customers. This message can include details about your absence, alternative contact information, and order processing times. Also, specify the date range for your vacation to inform customers when normal operations will resume.

Considerations When Pausing Your Shopify Store

Pausing your Shopify store can be a strategic decision for various reasons. However, you should take in mind some key considerations:

• Customer Communication: Notify your customers about the pause through your website, email newsletters, and social media channels. Clear communication helps maintain trust and transparency.
• Financial Implications: When you pause your Shopify store, you will still be required to pay a reduced subscription fee. Besides, many third-party apps on your Shopify store may continue to charge you. Therefore, ensure you understand the costs involved and how they fit into your budget.
• SEO and Online Presence: Pausing your store can affect your search engine rankings. To mitigate this, use 301 redirects for key pages and inform your SEO strategy so you can quickly regain your ranking upon reopening.

How To Reactivate Your Store After Pausing?

Reactivating your Shopify store after a pause is a straightforward process that involves a few simple steps:

• Step 1: Log In to Your Shopify Admin
• Step 2: Go to “Settings” and then select “Plan” to access your current plan details.
• Step 3: Under the “Plan” section, you’ll see an option to choose a new plan. Select the plan that fits your needs. This will typically be the same plan you were on before pausing or a different one if your business requirements have changed.

FAQs

1. How long can I keep my Shopify store paused?

You can pause store on Shopify indefinitely. However, you’ll need to pay a reduced monthly fee to keep it paused. If you need to take a break for an extended period, this option is ideal without the full operational cost.

1. Will I lose my data or settings when I pause my store?

No, pausing your store does not result in the loss of any data or settings. Your product listings, customer information, and all other configurations remain intact and can be fully restored when you reactivate your store.

1. Can I still access my store’s admin while it’s paused?

Yes, you will have full access to your store’s admin panel. This allows you to make necessary updates, manage products, and prepare for when your store is active again.

1. What’s the difference between pausing and closing my Shopify store?

Pausing your store keeps it visible to customers and allows you to maintain your backend operations with a reduced fee. Closing your store, on the other hand, removes it from public view and involves stopping all operations. Reopening a closed store may require more effort and reconfiguration.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can easily learn how to pause Shopify store. When you’re ready to resume operations, the straightforward reactivation process ensures a seamless transition back to serving your audience.  

Happy pausing, and here’s to a refreshed return!