What changed
Shopify has expanded its risk monitoring beyond payment fraud to include content compliance and product legality. In 2026, Shopify's Trust & Safety team uses AI to scan product listings, store content, and customer reviews for potential policy violations.
The introduction of Shopify's Merchant Risk Score provides a holistic view of store health. This score factors in chargeback rates, customer complaint patterns, product return rates, and content compliance. Stores below a threshold face automatic restrictions.
Shopify has also increased coordination with payment processors. If Shopify Payments flags an issue, it can now trigger a broader store review, and vice versa.
Why enforcement increased
Shopify's growth as an enterprise platform requires maintaining trust with payment processors, regulators, and buyers. As Shopify expands into B2B and international markets, the compliance bar rises.
Payment processor requirements have cascaded to Shopify merchants. Stripe, which powers Shopify Payments, has tightened its own risk requirements, and these flow through to Shopify stores as additional monitoring layers.
What triggers suspensions
- Selling products that violate Shopify's Acceptable Use Policy
- Chargeback rates exceeding payment processor thresholds
- Customer complaints about product quality or fulfillment
- Product listings with health claims or misleading descriptions
- Using Shopify to process payments for an off-platform business
- Operating in a restricted industry without proper disclosure or licensing
Evidence required for recovery
- Updated product listings with compliant descriptions and claims
- Business licensing documentation for regulated product categories
- Supplier agreements and product safety certifications
- Customer service improvement plans with specific metrics
- Chargeback reduction strategy with implementation timeline
How businesses can avoid suspension
Review Shopify's Acceptable Use Policy quarterly. The policy is updated regularly, and products that were allowed last year may be restricted now.
Monitor your Shopify Payments chargeback rate closely. Shopify will place your account in review if the rate exceeds the processor threshold, and resolution can take weeks.
Ensure your product descriptions are accurate and do not make unsubstantiated claims, especially for health, beauty, and supplement products. Shopify's AI scanning targets these categories specifically.