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Processing customer data requests

As a Shopify merchant, you're responsible for complying with the privacy and data protection laws and regulations that apply to your business. Customers might request access to their personal data or ask you to erase it. To edit or delete a customer profile without a formal data request, refer to Managing customers.

If you're a store owner or a staff member with the required customer permissions, then you can complete a customer's request to access or delete their personal data from your Shopify admin.

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Obtain and export a customer's data

Customers may have a right in certain circumstances to access their personal information depending on where they reside. If as a merchant you receive an access or data portability request from a customer, then you can request a copy of the customer's data from visits to your store that is processed by Shopify via the following steps, which can help you in responding to valid customer access requests. You may need to verify the customer's identity before you can process the requests, as permitted or required under applicable law.

Steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, click Customers.
  2. From the customer list, click the customer profile that you want to request a log for.
  3. Click More actions > Request customer data.
  4. Refresh the customer's profile page to access the customer's data. If you're the store owner, then this data is also sent to your email.
  5. Provide the customer with the data that they requested if you have determined this is legally required or consistent with your store's policies.

Erasing a customer's personal data

As a Shopify merchant, you can request to erase a customer's personal data from your store and from any apps and channels that you've installed from your Shopify admin. In response to a request to erase, Shopify erases personal data, such as your customer's name and address. Certain information, like what was sold and the date and time of the sale, is still visible in your admin. It's your responsibility to contact any other companies that you've shared the customer's personal data with.

Steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, click Customers.
  2. From the customer list, click the customer profile that you want to request an erasure for.
  3. Click More actions > Erase personal data.

Processing erasure requests

When you submit a request to erase a customer's personal data from their profile, Shopify processes the request for you. You don't need to submit another request or contact Shopify Support to complete the erasure.

Cancel a pending erasure request

After you submit a request to erase your customer's personal information from your store, you have 10 days to cancel the request. If an erasure request is submitted through the Shopify admin, then only users in your store can cancel it.

Steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, click Customers.
  2. From the customer list, click the customer profile that you requested an erasure for.
  3. In the Erasure request submitted section, click Cancel request.

Editing or deleting a customer profile

Erasing a customer's personal data is different from deleting a customer profile. When you erase a customer's personal data, Shopify redacts personal information such as the customer's name and address, but the customer profile and order history remain in your admin. When you delete a customer profile, the entire profile is removed.

To edit or delete customer profiles, refer to Managing customers.