Shopify is a powerful eCommerce platform to kick off a thriving online business on the go. Besides its robust features and tools, this platform offers users with free trial package that allows you to use Shopify’s e-commerce platform and its associated features without paying for a subscription. Essentially, it’s an opportunity for potential users to explore and evaluate the Shopify platform before committing to a paid plan.
But what happens if you decide during the trial time that Shopify isn’t the ideal choice for your company’s objectives?
We’ll walk you through the whole process of how to cancel Shopify free trial in this in-depth tutorial.
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What to Do Before Canceling Shopify Free Trial?
How to cancel free trial on Shopify? Before deactivating your Shopify free trial, keep in mind these notes to make sure the transition is seamless and avoid any unexpected problems. Please follow these actions:
- First, you need to make sure that your credit card details are not kept. Since when you are in your Shopify free trial period, Shopify always requires you to confirm the payment card details within your account to get most of the free trial features. If they are still being stored, immediately delete your credit card information from your Shopify account to avoid any potential accidental charges once the trial expires.
- Canceling third-party apps purchased is also important before deleting Shopify free trial. You could have installed a number of third-party applications from the Shopify App Store during your free trial period in order to enhance your store’s functionality as you took advantage of everything Shopify had to offer. So, to prevent unexpected costs of extending third-party apps which do not serve your store, it is advisable to check all your installed apps and uninstall those that come with recurring charges.
- It’s crucial to move your custom domain names to a different registrar or hosting company if you bought them via Shopify and then determine that Shopify isn’t the best option for your online business.
- Data is the backbone of all businesses. Therefore, no matter what you do, continue with Shopify or another platform, never forget to back up your store’s data by exporting CSV files from your Shopify store. This precaution protects your valuable data like product listings, customer information and order details and gives you the permission to access to essential records and data points even after your Shopify trial is no longer active.
- Last but not least, carefully consider Shopify alternatives to find the best one for your e-commerce store. There’s several e-commerce platforms out there with unbeatable power, so do not rush to find a replacement. Look into and contrast several e-commerce options, including aspects like cost, functionality, expandability, and demands unique to your sector to find the best for your store.
How to Cancel Shopify Free Trial? 6 Easy Steps
Step 1: Log into Your Shopify Account
To kick off the cancellation process, visit the Shopify website and log into your Shopify account in the top right corner.
Then enter your email address and password to get signed in.
Step 2: Navigate to the Plan Section
After you’ve logged into your dashboard, there is a Settings icon placed on the bottom left sidebar of the admin dashboard.
Head over the Plan to go over the details of your existing subscription—in this case, the free trial. You will be able to see how many days are remaining in your trial period, how much you still have to pay, and when your next payment is due.
Step 3: Deactivate Your Trial
Navigate to the page’s bottom and hit the Deactivate Trial button to start the cancellation process.
Step 4: Select Cancel Subscription
There is a “Cancel Subscription” or “Cancel free trial” option in your account or billing options. Select this particular option to start the canceling procedure. By doing this, you are letting Shopify know that you would like to end your free trial rather than switch to a premium plan.
You may concern: How To Delete Shopify Account And Cancel Shopify Subscription
Step 5: Explain Why You’re Leaving
At this point, Shopify would love to know your reason for canceling the free trial to gather users feedback and improve services. There are particle reasons from the list, you can choose the one that is your opinion and hit Continue. Additionally, you can write some comments or feedbacks for Shopify if you wish.
Step 6: Confirm the Cancellation
This is the final step. Enter your password to confirm the cancellation and select the Deactivate now. That’s it, you have finally deactivated your Shopify store.
What Happens As Soon As Shopify’s Free Trial Period?
After Shopify’s free trial period comes to an end, several things can happen, depending on your actions:
- If you do not subscribe to a paid plan before the trial expires, your Shopify store will automatically be paused, which means you can not access your online store until you take further action. However, Shopify still allows you to visit your Shopify admin dashboard to take control of your store settings, products, and configurations.
- If you decide to reactivate your store and make it accessible to the customer, it is essential to pick a paid Shopify plan and pay for it. Shopify offers users various pricing plans that best fit all sizes of businesses and specific requirements. Thus, considering your budget and goal, you will find the best one for you to start with Shopify e-commerce originally.
- Now, it’s time to enter your billing information and pay the associated fees. Your Shopify plan’s billing cycle will start, and you’ll be billed according to the plan you choose.
Keep in mind that the Shopify free trial is a fantastic experience to evaluate how this platform meets your e-commerce needs. Therefore, it is appropriate to choose a premium plan after the free trial expires if you want to continue using Shopify to keep your online store operational and open to customers.
Practical Advice for Terminating a Shopify Free Trial
When ending a Shopify free trial, there are a few practical things to take into account, particularly if you’re not sure you should. Here are some helpful tips for managing the end of your Shopify free trial:
#1 – Deal to extend your free trial
Most merchants cancel before completing the 3-day free trial because those days are not enough to evaluate the platform fully. If you’re in the same shoes, it is a good idea to proactively reach out to Shopify Support, and explain your situation and the essential need for an extended trial period to explore its features. This way, you have more time to conduct comprehensive testing before committing to purchase a plan.
#2 – Move safely to another platform
If you find that Shopify is not the best choice for your business, do not hesitate to move to another platform. However, the migration should be performed carefully. You will need to start by researching its best alternatives to find out the one that aligns with your specific requirements. Some popular Shopify alternatives such as BigCommerce, Magento, or WooCommerce somehow can satisfy you with their robust features.
Once you have picked the new home for your online store, create a detailed migration plan for exporting your valuable data (like product listings, customer information, order details, etc.), choosing a hosting provider, configuring your new platform, and ensuring a smooth migration without customer disruption and data loss.
A quick reminder: It would be inconvenient and time-consuming to manually transfer to another platform or lose the data if your Shopify store already has customers, orders, SEO URLs, and other information. Get assistance from a migration specialist in this situation to move all of your data properly and quickly.
#3 – Take consideration a discount after canceling Shopify free trial
To persuade and upsell merchants to buy a paid plan, Shopify occasionally sends all users promotional offers for a limited time after the free trial ends through your email. These offers are about discounts on subscription fees or other incentives. So, consider taking this deal if it matches your budget and business goals. While doing your research is crucial, taking advantage of these offers can help you save money when switching from a free trial to a paid subscription.
FAQs – How to Cancel Shopify Free Trial?
What happens if I forget to cancel my Shopify free trial?
There are two scenarios that may come if you forget to cancel your Shopify free trial.
For those who have chosen a subscription plan during the free trial, your account will be frozen automatically after the trial expires. That means you do not take any action, just let it be.
If you decide to come up with a pricing plan before your free trial period ends, Shopify will automatically charge you for the plan you have selected. This time, you are still allowed to cancel your account, but you will not receive any refund for the charges made before.
Is it possible to re-open my store after canceling Shopify free trial?
Of course yes. Reactivate your store by signing up for a paid Shopify plan and you can use
your previous login credentials to access your account and reactivate your store.
How to delete my Shopify account after the trial?
It is advised that you receive help from Shopify’s live support staff in order to remove your Shopify store from Shopify’s database.
After the trial, you don’t need to remove your Shopify account, though. After your free trial expires, Shopify will automatically freeze your account and stop charging you until you log back in and choose a plan to open the store again.
The final verdict
To conclude, there is no denying the fact that Shopify is a user-friendly, sparkling and powerful platform with great customer support. However, everything has its own downsides, and Shopify may not always be the best choice for everyone. That’s why it led to your decision to cancel the Shopify free trial. Prioritize what’s best for your online business, whether that means extending your trial term, switching to a new e-commerce platform, or taking advantage of special deals.
There you have it—everything you need to know about how to cancel Shopify free trial. Use the tips in this guide to help make the transition as smooth as possible while avoiding potential issues.
