Is Shopify the Best Place to Host Your E-commerce Website?

Not necessarily. Shopify charges high fees and often fails to protect its vendors. If you’re currently using Shopify, it’s smart to create a backup store on another platform as a safeguard.

Let me share a true story that highlights why.

A small business owner running both a brick-and-mortar store and an e-commerce site through Shopify averaged $50K–$60K per month in revenue. They used Shopify as their POS system and online storefront. The site clearly displayed the brands they resold, and all product images were provided directly by their wholesale partners—many of whom also use Shopify.

One day, Shopify received a complaint from a competitor claiming copyright infringement on some of the product images. Rather than investigate or give the vendor a chance to respond, Shopify flagged the account, withheld all payouts, and accused the business of potential money laundering.

The business was forced to provide:

• Invoices from all wholesale partners

• Seller certificates for their state

• A lease agreement for their store

• Purchase orders from overseas suppliers

Even though the issue was eventually resolved without legal action, the company went over 30 days without access to funds—crippling their ability to pay staff, replenish inventory, or cover rent. They were forced to take out loans just to stay afloat.

This situation could’ve been avoided if Shopify had properly vetted the complaint or supported the vendor during the process. Instead, they sided with the competitor and severely damaged a small business.

The lesson?

If you’re using Shopify, make sure you have a contingency plan. Always research your options and consider platforms that actually stand by their users.