Are you tired of Shopify automatically publishing your products to their Shop app without your permission? Don’t worry, we’ll explain what the Shop app is, and more importantly how you can stop your products from being published on it without your permission.
This is something I personally struggled with, because we have a website with custom options and an upload feature for products, which we need to fulfill the orders. And hence were getting complaints from customers since we weren’t able to fulfill these orders. We were surprised to learn about the Shop app, and quickly decided to turn it off!
Short Guide – This is how you can stop it right away:
- Go to Shopify Settings
- Click on App & Sales Channels
- On the “Shop” app, click the three dots and click on “Open Sales Channel”
- Click on “Settings” under the shop app tabs as shown in the picture below
- Locate “Sell with Shop” and click on “Deactivate”
Now your products won’t show up on the shop app!
What is the Shop App?
The Shop app by Shopify is an increasingly popular marketplace and order tracking tool that automatically includes eligible Shopify stores and their products. By default, if your store meets certain criteria, the Shop sales channel is enabled and your products become visible on the Shop app without any manual setup.
While this can boost your visibility, not every merchant wants their products auto-published on this platform.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explain what the Shop app is, why Shopify auto-enables it, the pros and cons of having your products listed there, and most importantly how to opt out or disable the Shop app so your products won’t be automatically published. We’ll include step-by-step instructions (with menu navigation and screenshots) to help you remove products from the Shop app or control your Shop app product visibility. Recent merchant discussions and feedback are also referenced to give you context on the Shop app’s impact and default settings.
Why Does Shopify Automatically Publish Products to the Shop App?
Shopify automatically publishes products to the Shop app for eligible stores to boost visibility and provide a frictionless shopping experience. Shopify positions the Shop app as a built-in channel, connecting merchants with over 100 million potential buyers and providing enhanced customer engagement without additional setup or marketing efforts.
Pros and Cons of Having Your Products on the Shop App
Pros
- Enhanced Visibility: Exposure to a large audience through the Shop app.
- Convenient Checkout: Customers benefit from one-tap checkout with Shop Pay.
- Order Tracking: Improved customer satisfaction with integrated order tracking.
- Local Discovery: “Shop Local” features attract nearby customers.
- No Extra Cost: Free integration and maintenance by Shopify.
Cons
- Limited Control: Merchants have restricted control over product display and data.
- Automatic Reviews: Merchants cannot opt-out of receiving product reviews.
- Pricing Discrepancies: Potential confusion due to pricing differences.
- Brand Dilution: Standardized Shop app format might diminish brand uniqueness.
- Privacy Concerns: Automatic third-party distribution may conflict with privacy policies.
Step-by-Step Guide to Disable Auto-Publishing to the Shop App
Follow these simple steps to stop your Shopify products from automatically appearing in the Shop app:
Step 1: Access Shopify Admin
- Log in to your Shopify store.
- Click on Settings at the bottom left of your dashboard.
Step 2: Open Apps and Sales Channels
- Select Apps and sales channels from the settings menu.
Step 3: Select the Shop Channel
- Find Shop in your list of sales channels.
- Click on Shop, then select Open sales channel.
Step 4: Deactivate “Sell with Shop”
- Navigate to Settings within the Shop sales channel.
- Find the Sell with Shop option.
- Click Deactivate and confirm the action.
Step 5: (Optional) Remove the Shop Sales Channel Completely
- Return to Apps and sales channels.
- Click on Shop, then select Remove (trash can icon).
- Confirm removal.
Step 6: Confirm Deactivation
- Wait up to 24 hours and verify your products no longer appear on the Shop app by searching for your store.
Merchant Feedback on Shop App Default Settings
Many Shopify store owners have expressed surprise and concern about their products automatically appearing on the Shop app. Common issues include:
- Unexpected Inclusion: Store owners were often unaware their products were auto-listed.
- Inaccurate Data: Integration with third-party apps sometimes led to incorrect product information being displayed.
- Concerns Over Reviews: Merchants unhappy with automatic reviews had no choice but to remove the sales channel entirely.
However, many merchants have also reported increased visibility and sales, especially smaller businesses benefiting from the large user base of the Shop app.
Conclusion
Deciding whether to keep or disable the Shop app integration depends on your business’s specific needs. The Shop app can significantly boost visibility and customer satisfaction but may also raise concerns about control and branding. Using this guide, you can quickly disable auto-publishing and ensure your products only appear on platforms where you’re comfortable having them listed.