Topic
Shopify operations for a clean customer list
Shopify’s own rules for merging, importing and customer data, and what each means for a clean customer list.
By MergeGuard team
Last updated
Shopify’s Help Center sets the rules for merging customer profiles. It merges two profiles at a time: “To merge more than 2 customers together, repeat the procedure for each additional profile.” A merge is permanent: “After the profiles are merged, you can’t reverse the process.” The customer isn’t notified, and marketing status carries over: if the customer is subscribed in one profile, the merged profile is subscribed.
Shopify also refuses some merges. Those are protected profiles, and the nine cases are on why Shopify blocks some merges. Shopify also tells merchants they have their own data protection duties; see data minimisation. For the complete list of what moves where, see what happens when you merge customers.
Start with the guide
GuideHow to merge customers in Shopify: the complete rulesShopify merges two profiles at a time, combines their data, keeps the profile tied to the email you choose and can’t reverse it. The rules and choices.Updated 4 min readMore in this topic
- ExplainerWhich profile does Shopify keep when you merge customers?In Shopify’s admin the email you keep decides which profile remains. See the rule, what happens to the other profile, the API rule ladder and how to choose.Updated 3 min read
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- PlaybookClean your Shopify customer list before a migration or campaignShopify’s import matches customers by email or phone and can overwrite existing ones. Export, remove duplicates, fix emails and set consent per channel first.Updated 3 min read
- ExplainerGDPR accuracy and data minimisation for a Shopify merchantWhat the accuracy and data minimisation principles say, and where duplicate customer records meet them. A plain reading of regulator pages, not legal advice.Updated 4 min read