Shopify Documentation Pack Checklist (Every Exhibit Reviewers Want)

Shopify Documentation Pack Checklist (Every Exhibit Reviewers Want) TL;DR: A complete Shopify documentation checklist is the single biggest lever for getting a hold released or suspension reversed. Reviewers approve appeals that show — not tell — operational legitimacy. This checklist covers every exhibit Shopify Risk Operations expects, in the order they want to see them, with format and file-size guidance.

The Shopify documentation checklist below is what we attach to every appeal we submit on behalf of our clients. Missing exhibits is the single most common reason appeals stall — not bad writing, not weak remediation, just gaps in the supporting documentation. This is the full pack, organized so a reviewer can pull what they need in under five minutes.

   Why this Shopify documentation checklist matters

Trust & Safety reviewers don’t have time to chase you for documents. If your initial submission is incomplete, your case goes back into the queue while they ask for what’s missing — adding 5-10 days each cycle. A complete documentation pack on day one is the difference between a 14-day resolution and a 60-day one.

The checklist also signals operator-mode. Real businesses have these documents on hand. A reviewer looking at a complete pack is far more likely to recommend reinstatement than one looking at a half-built submission.

   The complete Shopify documentation checklist

Group exhibits into a single zip file or shared Google Drive folder. Use this naming convention so reviewers can find documents fast:

    Exhibit_A_Business_Registration.pdf
    Exhibit_B_Bank_Statement_Q1.pdf
    Exhibit_C_Supplier_Invoices_90days.pdf
    Exhibit_D_Fulfillment_Records.xlsx
    Exhibit_E_Customer_Communications.pdf
    Exhibit_F_Policy_Screenshots.pdf
    Exhibit_G_Chargeback_Detail.xlsx
    Exhibit_H_Remediation_Evidence.pdf

Below is the full Shopify documentation checklist with what each exhibit must contain.

1. Business registration and ownership documents Government-issued business registration certificate (LLC, Limited, AB, GmbH, etc.)

   Articles of incorporation or equivalent founding document VAT / EIN / tax ID document showing matching legal entity name Government-issued photo ID of the store owner (matched to Shopify account email)

   Proof of address dated within the last 90 days (utility bill, bank letter, or lease)

Why reviewers want it: identity and entity verification is the first gate. If they can’t confirm you exist as a legal business, nothing else matters.

2. Bank and financial documents Most recent business bank statement showing operational activity Bank letter or void check matching the payout account on file with Shopify

   Last 12 months of Shopify Payments payout history (export from Shopify admin) If applicable: copy of the wire/ACH receipt for any large recent deposit

Why reviewers want it: it confirms the payout destination matches the legal entity and that the business has real cash flow.

3. Supplier and inventory documentation Last 90 days of supplier invoices with matching SKUs, dates, and amounts Supplier contract or letter of authorization (especially for branded products)

   Inventory snapshot if you hold stock — warehouse photos with date stamp Customs / import documentation for cross-border shipments For dropshipping: written supplier agreement clarifying fulfillment timeline

Why reviewers want it: this is the single biggest factor in dropshipping-flagged accounts. Showing you have real supplier relationships, with invoices that map to actual orders, defeats most dropshipping objections.

4. Fulfillment and tracking documentation Order-level fulfillment export (Order ID → Carrier → Tracking → Ship Date → Deliver Date) for the last 90 days Average fulfillment SLA broken out by month

   Carrier account details (Shopify Shipping, Easyship, ShipStation, etc.) Sample shipping labels for high-value orders Tracking screenshots for any disputed orders cited in the notice

Why reviewers want it: long fulfillment time (>10 business days) is one of the top three triggers. Documented short fulfillment is the strongest counter-evidence.

5. Customer service and communication documentation

   Customer service ticket export for the last 90 days (anonymized as needed) Response time SLA dashboard or screenshot Email automation flow screenshots (order confirmation, shipping confirmation, delivery confirmation)

   Working contact phone and email screenshots, plus any third-party support tool dashboard Sample resolved-ticket transcripts demonstrating customer-first responses

Why reviewers want it: it proves you handle disputes proactively rather than letting them escalate to chargebacks or Klarna app disputes.

6. Policy and storefront documentation Refund policy URL and screenshot (must be live on the storefront) Shipping policy URL and screenshot

   Privacy policy URL and screenshot (GDPR-compliant if EU/UK) Terms of service URL and screenshot Contact page URL with working phone and email visible

   Product page screenshots showing accurate descriptions, delivery times, and pricing

Why reviewers want it: policies must be visible to customers pre-purchase. Reviewers will check the live store. Inconsistent policies (e.g. 30-day returns in the policy but 14-day in the FAQ) get flagged.

7. Chargeback and dispute documentation Chargeback export from Shopify Payments admin (last 12 months) Chargeback rate calculated month-over-month

   Breakdown by reason code (fraudulent, product not received, not as described, etc.)

   Resolution status of each chargeback (won, lost, pending) Any 3DS / fraud-tool screenshots showing prevention measures

Why reviewers want it: this is the underwriting bank’s primary metric. A documented downward chargeback trend beats almost any other narrative.

8. Remediation evidence Before/after screenshots of any product page or policy changes

   Dated screenshots of new fraud tools enabled (3DS, Shopify Fraud Protect, Riskified, NoFraud, etc.) Email or system log showing fulfillment SLA changes

   Org chart or staffing update if you’ve expanded customer service Any third-party audit reports if available

Why reviewers want it: this is what justifies the reinstatement decision to the reviewer’s manager. The fix has to be specific, dated, and verifiable.

   Section-by-section breakdown — what each exhibit proves

  EXHIBIT                                WHAT IT PROVES                               COMMON GAP

  A. Business registration               You’re a real legal entity                   Mismatched entity name on payout
                                                                                      account

  B. Bank documents                      Funds flow is legitimate                     Personal account used for business
                                                                                      payouts

  C. Supplier invoices                   Real product sourcing                        “Dropshipper from AliExpress”
                                                                                      trigger

  D. Fulfillment records                 Short ship times                             Average >10 business days

  E. Customer service                    Proactive support                            No working phone or 24h+
                                                                                      response time

  F. Policy screenshots                  Customer-facing clarity                      Policy says X, site says Y

  G. Chargeback detail                   Trend is acceptable                          Rate above 1.0% with no
                                                                                      remediation

  H. Remediation                         You’ve actually changed                      Verbal promises, no proof

   Common mistakes with the Shopify documentation checklist

     Submitting Excel files with personal data unredacted. Anonymize customer emails, phone numbers,
     and addresses. Reviewers don’t need PII to evaluate the case.
     Sending one giant 200MB zip. Keep total under 25MB or use a Google Drive folder with view-only
     access. Many corporate inboxes reject attachments over 25MB.
     Skipping the chargeback breakdown. Without it, reviewers default to the worst-case interpretation of
     your rate.
     No screenshots — only PDFs. Reviewers want to see what a customer sees. Screenshots of the live store
     complement PDF exports.
     Outdated documents. Bank statements older than 60 days, business registration not yet showing current
     address, expired ID — all common gaps.
     Documents in the wrong language without translation. If your registration is in Swedish or German but
     the reviewer is in North America, include a certified translation or at minimum a summary in English.
     Citing exhibits in the letter but not actually attaching them. This is the single most common error we
     see when we audit appeals.

   When to use this Shopify documentation checklist

Use this checklist as soon as you receive any of the following:

     Shopify Payments account placed on hold
     Reserve applied to payouts (10%, 15%, 20%, 30%)

     Account under review by Trust & Safety
     “Higher risk than our banking partners can support” notice
     Account suspended or terminated

Don’t wait for the reviewer to ask. Submit a complete pack with the initial appeal letter — see shopify-appeal- letter-template for the cover letter structure.

Need this resolved faster than 120 days? Unholdr is the only company built specifically for Shopify Payments holds and Klarna merchant bans. We’ve helped 200+ stores, win 95% of accepted cases, and resolve in 14-21

If you’d rather have someone build and submit the documentation pack on your behalf — including pulling Shopify exports, formatting exhibits, and escalating through internal contacts — that’s exactly what we built Unholdr for. The checklist above is the same one we use. Direct escalation gets it reviewed faster.

   Frequently asked questions

Can I submit the Shopify documentation pack as a Google Drive link? Yes. Use a view-only shareable link, not “anyone with the link can edit.” Reviewers explicitly told us they prefer Google Drive over 25MB+ zip attachments because their corporate email rejects large files.

What if I don’t have supplier invoices because I use a dropshipping platform? Export the supplier order history from your dropshipping tool (CJ Dropshipping, AutoDS, Spocket, etc.) and submit that. Pair it with a letter from the supplier confirming the relationship. Reviewers know dropshipping exists — they care that it’s legitimate, not that it’s domestic.

How recent do bank statements need to be? Within 60 days. Older statements raise questions about why you didn’t submit current ones. Pull the most recent monthly statement available from your bank portal.

Do I need to translate non-English documents? Yes if the reviewer is likely in North America. Submit the original document plus a one-page English summary at minimum. For high-value cases, a certified translation is worth the cost.

How big should the total Shopify documentation pack be? Aim for 8-20 PDF files totaling 15-50MB. Anything smaller looks incomplete, anything larger gets skimmed. Quality and relevance beat raw volume.

How quickly should I send the documentation after receiving a Trust & Safety email? Within 48-72 hours of the original notice if possible. Same-day responses look frantic; week-plus delays signal disorganization. Two to three days of careful prep is the sweet spot.