Shopify Guide

How to Report Infringement on a Shopify Store

On Shopify, infringement usually means an independent store, not a big marketplace, is using your product photos, descriptions, or brand name to sell competing or counterfeit goods.

🕑 Guide last reviewed: July 2026. Shopify's own process can change; the official link above is always the source of truth.

Because every Shopify store is its own independent business, Shopify's role is closer to a host than a marketplace. It has a strong incentive to act quickly on valid reports to limit its own liability, and often responds within about 24 hours on clear-cut cases.

Important: Self-help templates and general information only, not legal advice. Using this site doesn't create an attorney-client relationship, and we're not affiliated with any platform named on this page. Full details in our Terms of Service.

Step-by-step process

1

Use Shopify's online report form

In your Shopify admin, use "Report a Merchant," or the public reporting form if you don't have a Shopify account.

2

Or email the designated agent directly

If the online form isn't available to you, send the same required information to legal@shopify.com.

3

Include page-level URLs

The exact page URL(s) of the infringing content. A general store homepage link is not accepted.

4

Shopify reviews and acts

It may remove the content, restrict the store, or terminate repeat infringers; response ranges from about 24 hours for clear cases up to 10–14 business days for others.

Shopify Copyright Policy →
⏱️ Typical response time: as fast as 24 hours for clear reports, up to 10–14 business days otherwise
Evidence Checklist

What to have ready

  • Page-level URL(s), not just the store homepage
  • Your original content or registration
  • Description of exactly what's been copied

Need the notice text?

Use our free generator to draft the actual copyright notice or cease-and-desist language, then paste it into Shopify's report form above.

Generate Your Notice →

Common Mistakes That Delay This Process

Reporting the store's homepage instead of the specific product page is the most common reason a Shopify report stalls, since Shopify requires the exact page URL where the infringing content appears. Reports missing a clear description of what was actually copied, photo, description, or brand name, also take longer, since Shopify evaluates copyright and trademark claims differently even within the same report.

If the Merchant Doesn't Comply

Shopify's enforcement can range from removing the specific infringing content to restricting store functionality, and in cases of confirmed repeat infringement, terminating the store entirely. Because each Shopify store is independently owned, Shopify has a direct incentive to act on well-documented reports quickly, since unresolved infringement exposes Shopify itself to liability as the underlying host. If a counter-notice is filed and you intend to pursue the matter further, you generally need to initiate legal action within the 10 to 14 business day window Shopify allows before the content may be restored.

Frequently Asked Questions About Shopify Takedowns

Yes. Send your notice to legal@shopify.com with all required DMCA information.
They can file a counter-notice through their Shopify admin; you then generally have 10–14 business days to pursue legal action before the content may be restored.
Yes, Shopify handles both copyright and trademark complaints through a similar reporting process.
You can still email legal@shopify.com with the store's name or URL and your evidence. Shopify may still act if there's a documented pattern worth recording.
Yes, but include both issues clearly in the same report, since Shopify handles copyright and trademark within one process, unlike some marketplaces.
It's possible for severe or clear-cut cases, but Shopify's typical pattern is escalating response, from content removal to store restriction to termination for repeat violations.
Yes, Shopify will inform you if a valid counter-notice is filed, since that starts the window for you to decide whether to pursue legal action.
The reporting process is the same, though print-on-demand stores sometimes involve a third-party fulfillment partner, which can add a step if Shopify needs to confirm who controls the listing.
Yes, Shopify's process covers any page on the store, not just product listings. Include the specific page URL where the infringing content appears.

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Need to report infringement somewhere else? See the full Platform Guides directory.