To be compliant with the GDPR and CCPA and keep customers safe and happy, Shopify Businesses must offer an easy path towards exercising the right to erasure and answer user deletion requests. The following steps explain how to achieve this goal.

In 2020, more than 450 million shoppers chose to use Shopify, boosting the profit of 1.75 million merchants. In 2023 that number has has grown to 4.4 million daily users. As one of the most popular eCommerce platforms globally, Shopify offers sellers great opportunities that come with a matching level of responsibility for users’ personal information.

Users shop for online data privacy ‍

These past few months, the impact of the holiday season on eCommerce is impossible to ignore. Business owners sense both the growth and its consequences on data privacy issues. Shopify store owners, for example, enjoyed $6.3 billion in sales between Black Friday and Cyber Monday but must also face the growing number of data removal requests following big sales. 

Laws like the GDPR and CCPA offer customers the option to delete their personal information from services. Many put this right to use around the holidays due to the flood of marketing emails or in an attempt to battle the temptation to buy. Shopify recognizes this eCommerce challenge, offering detailed guidance for businesses that deal with privacy regulations. 

However, these manual deletion procedures can be daunting and lead to human errors. No need to worry, because this article explains how companies can use an automated system to complete erasure requests instantly. Using the Mine for Business Shopify integration, companies can automate their processes to easily manage and complete privacy request handling.  

We previously discussed shoppers’ tendency to ask for their data to be deleted from eCommerce platforms following major shopping events. We strongly recommend following these tips for businesses that want to create a solid data privacy strategy. Today, we’ll focus on Shopify merchants and the steps they can take to meet regulatory requirements and audiences’ demands. 

Here’s how to manually delete users from Shopify

When merchants receive a request for data deletion according to the GDPR or CCPA (and other applicable regulations), Shopify offers them the following route:

1. Log in to your Shopify admin account. 
2. Verify the user’s identity to ensure that they have the right to have this data deleted.
3. Check to ensure there is no valid reason to keep this data. Each regulation states specific cases that grant businesses the option to refuse deletion, but they must be used carefully. In any way, merchants must inform customers regarding their decision. 
4. In your Shopify admin account, click ‘Customers.’
5. Select the relevant customer.
6. Click ‘Erase personal data.’
7. Inform the customer that their request has been processed. 
8. Shopify will send a deletion request to every integrated app that has access to this data.  
9. The requested data will be deleted within ten days, and you will receive a confirmation email.

Important Notes About Deleting Shopify User Data

• Anonymized information will not be deleted and can still be used for different business purposes.
• Due to the possibility of chargeback procedures, requests from customers who placed an order six months before submitting their request will be pending until the required time has passed. 
  

Deleting user data from Shopify and other data sources

Managing several erasure requests across multiple data sources can be really time-consuming and take up a lot of resources. With Mine for Business, organizations can minimize the risk of errors and save time with their DSR process. Access the Privacy Portal for free to discover the many automations that help businesses save time and reduce risks.

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How to automate your privacy requests fulfillment by integrating Mine PrivacyOps to Shopify

Mine PrivacyOps helps companies handle deletion requests in an automated, convenient way. To set up the Mine PrivacyOps integration on Shopify, visit this short tutorial.

Afterward, integrate our Privacy Portal by following these steps:

1. Go to your Mine Portal. Click ' Data sources' on the left sidebar menu and search for Shopify in the integrations list.

2. Enter your API password and your shop URL (example: https://{exampleshop}.myshopify.com).

3. Once ready, use the toggle to "enable the integration" and click “Save.”

4. That's it! You’ve now connected the Mine Portal to your Shopify admin account, allowing you to delete customers’ data with a single click. 

Deleting your customers' data from Shopify with Mine PrivacyOps

 Enter the Privacy Portal and follow these steps to remove user data from Shopify. 

Stage 1 - Review:

Click on a verified request to view its identifying details, including: 

1. Email evidence by Mine
2. Additional information reported by the user
3. Communication with the users done via the privacy portal 

Based on these details, you may choose to proceed with the deletion process or reject the request.  

Stage 2 - Process:

Select Shopify and any other data source from which you want to delete the user's data.

Next, check the box to confirm that "all data was deleted" from the company's data sources.

Click "Continue" and move to the next stage.

Stage 3 - Reply:

Use our email templates to provide consistent responses and save time. To complete the request, click "Reply & close.”

Stage 4 - Close:

Congrats! You have successfully fulfilled a request.

Mine PrivacyOp saves time and keeps you updated, ensuring that no request goes overlooked. Use the portal's automations and integrations to keep users’ data safe and your business fully compliant.