Does Shopify Have a Maintenance Mode? How to Enable it?

Shopify is the global go-to e-commerce platform for millions of small, medium, and large-scale online businesses. 

Shopify is a well-rounded platform with powerful features out-of-the-box and an easy-to-use interface. 

Despite their capabilities, Shopify stores still require maintenance to stay up and running in a highly competitive market. 

By utilizing password protection or the “Pause and Build” option, you can temporarily restrict access to your site while ensuring that customers are informed about ongoing changes. 

This approach maintains professionalism and prevents visitors from encountering a half-finished site.

We will provide step-by-step instructions and tips for effectively communicating with your customers, ensuring they remain engaged even when your store is temporarily inaccessible.

What is Shopify Maintenance Mode?

While Shopify doesn’t have a proprietary maintenance mode, there are ways to work around it.

Businesses using Shopify have different options to temporarily restrict store access while changes and updates are made. 

Maintenance mode is when your store is temporarily inaccessible for significant changes or during a pause in business activities. 

Visitors don’t see an error message when they come to the site; instead, they get a message saying the site is under maintenance. 

How To Enable Maintenance Mode On Your Shopify Website?

If you’re running maintenance mode on your Shopify store, here’s how to implement the correct settings: 

Implementing Password Protection

• Go to ‘Online Store’ > Preferences in your Shopify admin.
• Scroll to the Password Protection section and check the box to enable it.
• Add a message that visitors will see during this maintenance.
• Save the changes to activate password protection, which will restrict access to your store

Pause and Build Plan

The ‘Pause and Build Plan’ is a Shopify feature that helps merchants temporarily stall business operations while working on the store in the background. 

At $9 monthly, the store’s front end remains functional for customers to browse products, but checkout is disabled, allowing the business to make the required changes. 

While on the Pause and Build Plan, store merchants can access:

• The Shopify admin dashboard is used to manage store settings and make edits.
• Basic performance reports to monitor site activity.
• The ability to view the online storefront.

Using Apps For The Job

With Shopify, there’s always an application to improve performance and functionality.

The different apps for the job include:

T: Maintenance Mode

Pricing: $1/month with a free trial available.

Features:

• Displays a customizable “coming soon” landing page with a countdown timer.
• It allows you to notify customers via email about maintenance status.
• Admins can access the store using an app-assigned password.
• Offers design customization options for the maintenance page.

.LaunchX – Under Construction

• Functionality: This app enables you to create a “coming soon” landing page that informs visitors about ongoing maintenance.
• Customization: Users can tailor the look and message of the page to align with their brand

How to Use Maintenance Mode Apps

To set up maintenance mode using an app, follow these general steps:

• Browse the Shopify App Store for maintenance mode apps and select one that suits your requirements.
• Install the App and follow the installation instructions provided by the app developer.
• Configure settings to customize your maintenance message, design elements, and email notifications as needed.
• Activate maintenance mode to enable the app’s maintenance mode feature, which restricts public access while you work on your store.

Benefits of Using Maintenance Mode Apps

• Professional Communication: These apps allow you to communicate effectively with your customers about ongoing changes.
• Customizable Experience: You can tailor the appearance and messaging to maintain brand consistency.
• Customer Retention: By informing customers about upcoming changes, you can keep them engaged rather than losing them due to unexpected downtime.

How to Pause Your Shopify Store for Maintenance?

We’re now at the business end of the article, covering how to pause a Shopify store for maintenance and updates.

Before you begin maintenance for your Shopify store, here’s what you need to do:

Steps to Pause Your Shopify Store

• Start by accessing your Shopify admin panel as the store owner.
• Navigate to settings in the bottom left corner of your admin dashboard.
• Select ‘Plan’ from the settings menu.
• Deactivate the store by clicking on the Deactivate store button.
• Choose pause and build and review the details regarding the plan.
• Complete any necessary information and confirm your selection to activate the plan.

Features of the Pause and Build Plan

• You get live storefront access, allowing customers to view products but not complete their purchases.
• You get admin access to the Shopify admin dashboard to make edits and manage your store.
• The performance reports features still receive basic performance reports about your store.

Limitations During Pause

• While on the Pause and Build Plan, certain functionalities will be disabled:
• There is no checkout functionality for customers.
• There are no discounts or gift cards since they are temporarily unavailable.
• No Point of Sale Services.
• Third-party integrations are paused, i.e., promotions with platforms like Facebook and Google will not function.

Recommendations for Customer Communication

• To ensure a smooth experience for your customers during this period:
• Inform Customers with a sticky banner or an announcement bar on your website to notify visitors about the maintenance period.
• Update your homepage to communicate that purchases are not being accepted now.
• Consider hiding product prices and turning off the “Add to Cart” buttons to avoid confusion.

Building A ‘Coming Soon’ Page

Now that we’ve covered the technical aspects of Shopify maintenance mode, it’s also important to know what to do during the maintenance. 

Building a ‘coming soon’ page is a great way to achieve this because it can generate customer interest, collect leads, and create hype before the store reopens.

A ‘coming soon’ page is a temporary landing page that informs customers that the website is being maintained or updated. 

The key elements of a ‘coming soon’ landing page include:

• A brand introduction that briefly explains who you are and what your brand represents.
• Product teasers showcasing images or descriptions of products that will be available.
• A launch date should clearly state when the store will go live or when products will be available.
• Email sign-up form that encourages visitors to subscribe for updates or exclusive offers.
• Provide links to your social media accounts to foster community engagement.

Best Practices During Shopify Maintenance Mode

Every Shopify store needs maintenance from time to time; here’s how to get the most out of it:

Plan For Maintenance 

The first rule of store maintenance is to do it off-peak when visits and purchases are at their lowest. 

You do not want to miss precious sales because the store is down.

Review store analytics to identify low-activity periods and plan for maintenance to reduce the impact on sales and the customer experience. 

Additionally, inform customers about upcoming maintenance via social media or a newsletter.

Informing customers helps build trust and prepare them for inconvenience, as the store is offline. 

Use Clear Messaging 

When password protection or a ‘coming soon’ page is live, the store should include clear, friendly, and professional information. Having a return date and time is a bonus. 

Transparent communication reassures customers that the business is working to implement improvements, build trust, and adjust their expectations accordingly. 

Moreover, consider using visual elements, such as an engaging graphic or the business logo, to display a consistent brand identity. 

Just because it’s a maintenance page doesn’t mean it needs to be rugged and all over the place. 

Test Website Changes Before Going Live

It’s always best to run a dummy test on the website before you push actual changes to the store to gauge their performance in the real world. 

Run the maintenance protocol in a staging environment to find out if there are any issues without directly impacting your store. 

Additionally, if something goes wrong or is compromised, you should back up all store data before making any changes.

Every e-commerce store needs to regularly back up their data, ideally daily, to protect your store since cyber attacks are so common. 

Monitor Post-Maintenance Performance

Once the store goes live, it’s essential to check up on progress to ensure everything is running exactly how it needs to.

Proactively looking for potential errors and issues helps identify even the most minor problems before they escalate into serious concerns. 

Additionally, customers should be encouraged to leave reviews and provide feedback about the updates after maintenance. Their insights help identify areas for improvement. 

Customer feedback is a great way to determine if your updates were the right choice for the store. 

Store Management Using Shopify Maintenance Mode

Utilize Password Protection

You can enable password protection to restrict access to your store. 

This feature allows you to display a custom message explaining that the store is temporarily closed for maintenance. 

To enable features, here’s what you need to do:

• Go to Online Store > Preferences.
• Scroll down to the Password Protection section.
• Check the box to enable it and craft a message for visitors.
• Save your changes.

This method keeps your store secure while informing customers about ongoing updates.

Communicate with Your Customers

Prior communication is key. 

Email newsletters and social media channels are used to notify customers about the maintenance schedule. 

This transparency helps manage expectations and reduces frustration.

If you use a coming soon page, include visuals, product teasers, and an email sign-up form. 

This approach not only informs visitors but also builds anticipation for your reopening.

Monitor Store Performance

Even while your store is in maintenance mode, monitor analytics to understand visitor behavior. 

This data can provide insights into the number of visitors attempting to access your site and help you gauge interest in your products.

After making updates or changes, monitor for any errors or broken links that may arise. 

Use tools like Google Search Console to identify issues such as 404 errors, which can negatively impact user experience and SEO.

Optimize Your Store’s Backend

Use this time to implement necessary software updates, including themes and apps, ensuring they are compatible with the latest version of Shopify. 

Regular updates help improve performance and security.

Run security checks to identify vulnerabilities that could compromise your store’s data. 

Implement strong passwords, enable two-factor authentication, and ensure SSL certificates are active.

Prepare for Reopening

Before bringing your store back online, thoroughly test all functionalities. 

Check payment gateways, product pages, and any new features you have implemented to ensure everything works smoothly.

Once the store is live again, encourage customers to provide feedback on their experience. 

This information can be invaluable for future improvements and helps ensure customer satisfaction.

Conclusion

Shopify does not offer a dedicated maintenance mode feature, but it provides effective alternatives to manage your store during updates or construction. 

You can use the password protection feature to restrict access and inform visitors that your site is temporarily unavailable. 

Shopify Maintenance Mode maintains your brand’s professionalism and prevents potential customers from encountering a broken site while you work on improvements.

Consider using the “Pause and Build” option if you need an extended break. 

While this method keeps your store active at a reduced cost, it limits customer interactions. 

Communicating with your audience through social media and newsletters about these changes ensures they remain informed and engaged, minimizing any disruption to your business relationship.