You have found a Shopify store using your product images, brand name, or creative content without permission. Whether it is a counterfeit store selling knockoffs under your logo or a listing copying your original photos, Shopify has a formal process for getting it taken down. This guide covers exactly how to file a copyright or trademark infringement report with Shopify, what evidence to prepare, how to handle rejections and counter-notices, and what to do when infringing stores keep coming back.
TL;DR
- Shopify handles both copyright and trademark infringement reports through its IP reporting form or by email to legal@shopify.com
- Copyright protects original creative works like product photos and text; trademark protects brand identifiers like names and logos
- Shopify responds to complete, valid reports within 24 hours in many cases and can remove listings or suspend stores
- Page-level URLs are required for every report. A general store link will not be accepted
- If the infringer files a counter-notice disputing the removal, you have 10–14 business days to initiate legal action before Shopify may restore the content
What is Shopify copyright and trademark infringement?
A Shopify store is infringing on your intellectual property when it uses your original content or brand identifiers without permission. Shopify powers over 1.75 million online stores worldwide, which makes it one of the most targeted platforms where copyright infringement and trademark misuse occur at scale.
Shopify complies with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and has a dedicated process for handling both copyright and trademark complaints. When it receives a valid report, Shopify can remove the infringing content, restrict the store, or terminate repeat infringers entirely.
Shopify copyright vs. trademark infringement: what is the difference?
Both types of complaints protect your intellectual property, but they cover different assets and require different information.
| Copyright Infringement | Trademark Infringement | |
| What it protects | Original creative works (product photos, written content, videos, graphics) | Brand identifiers (name, logo, slogan, trade dress) |
| Registration required | No, but recommended for U.S. legal action | Yes, registration number required |
| Typical example | A store using your product images without permission | A store selling goods under your brand name or logo |
| Filing route | Shopify IP form or legal@shopify.com | Shopify IP form or legal@shopify.com |
| Resolution timeline | Often within 24 hours for complete reports | Often within 24 hours for complete reports |
| Counter-notice window | 10-14 business days | Not formally defined but similar in practice |
What do you need before filing a Shopify infringement report?
Preparing your evidence before opening the form is the single most effective way to avoid delays and rejections. Shopify requires specific information for every report, and vague or incomplete submissions are the most common reason reports are dismissed.
Page-level URLs of the infringing content: Collect the exact page URLs where the infringement appears. Shopify explicitly states that a general store link will not be accepted. You need links to the specific product pages, listings, or content in question.
Links to your original work: Provide direct URLs to where your original content is published. If your work is not available online, a detailed description of the work is acceptable as an alternative.
A description of the infringement: Explain specifically what has been copied or misused and where it appears. For images, specify which images on which pages. For trademarks, describe how the infringing use causes customer confusion.
Your contact information: Full legal name, company name, mailing address, phone number, and email. Shopify will forward your contact details to the reported party, so use your business address rather than a personal one.
For trademark reports only: Your trademark name or description, registration number, the countries where it is registered, and the category of products or services covered. Without a registration number, Shopify’s ability to act is significantly limited.
Your signature: A physical or electronic signature confirming you are the rights owner or an authorized representative, and that the information in your report is accurate under penalty of perjury.
How to file a Shopify copyright infringement report step by step
Step 1: Go to Shopify’s copyright reporting form
Navigate to Shopify’s IP complaint form. You will need to log in with a Shopify account. If you do not have one, you can create a free account to access the form.
Step 2: Select copyright as the issue type
When prompted, select “Copyright” and indicate whether you are the copyright owner or an authorized representative filing on behalf of someone else.
Step 3: Fill in your contact information
Enter your full legal name or company name, mailing address, phone number, and email address. This information will be shared with the reported party.
Step 4: Provide links to your original work
Enter direct URLs to where your original copyrighted content is published. If it is not available online, describe the work in enough detail that it can be identified.
Step 5: Identify the infringing content
Provide the specific page-level URLs on the Shopify store where the infringement appears. For each URL, describe exactly which content is infringing and where it appears on the page, for example which images, text blocks, or video content. Shopify’s form allows up to 100 individual links per submission using the “Add another link” option, so you can report multiple infringing pages in a single notice rather than filing separately for each one.
Step 6: Complete the declaration and sign
Confirm the good faith belief statement, agree that the information is accurate under penalty of perjury, enter your electronic signature, and submit.
Alternative: File by email
You can also submit your copyright report directly to Shopify’s Trust and Safety team by email:
- Email: legal@shopify.com
- Mailing address: Shopify Trust and Safety, Shopify Inc., 151 O’Connor Street, Ground Floor, Ottawa, Ontario, K2P 2L8, Canada
Your email must include all the same information as the online form. The online form is recommended because it is structured to capture every required field and reduces the risk of an incomplete submission.
How to file a Shopify trademark infringement report step by step
Step 1: Go to Shopify’s trademark reporting form
Navigate to Shopify’s IP complaint form. Log in with your Shopify account.
Step 2: Select trademark as the issue type
When prompted, select “Trademark” and indicate whether you are the trademark owner or an authorized representative.
Step 3: Fill in your contact information
Enter your full legal name or company name, mailing address, phone number, and email address.
Step 4: Provide your trademark details
This is the key difference from the copyright form. You must provide: your trademark name or description, the registration number, the countries where it is registered, and the category of products or services covered by the registration. You also need to describe how the infringing content misuses your trademark and why it is likely to cause customer confusion.
Step 5: Provide links to your trademark
Include direct links showing examples of your legitimate trademark in use, such as your official website, product pages, or brand assets.
Step 6: Identify the infringing content
Provide specific page-level URLs on the Shopify store where your trademark is being misused. Describe exactly how each page uses your trademark without authorization.
Step 7: Complete the declaration and sign
Confirm the good faith belief statement, agree the information is accurate under penalty of perjury, enter your electronic signature, and submit.
Alternative: File by email
Send your trademark report to legal@shopify.com with all the same information listed above.
What happens after you submit a Shopify infringement report?
Once submitted, Shopify’s Trust and Safety team reviews your report. According to Shopify’s own policy, it aims to respond expeditiously and, in many cases, acts within 24 hours for complete, valid reports.
If Shopify determines your report is valid, it will remove the infringing content from the platform and notify the merchant via their Shopify admin. The merchant will see which content was reported and when it will be removed.
If Shopify does not find sufficient grounds to act, it will decline the report. You can refile with stronger evidence addressing the specific gaps.
What should you do if Shopify rejects your report?
A rejection typically means the submission was incomplete, the description was too vague, or the evidence did not clearly establish infringement. Review any feedback from Shopify carefully.
The most common fixes are: replacing general store links with specific page-level URLs, providing clearer and more detailed descriptions of exactly what was copied and where, adding copyright registration documentation or trademark registration numbers, and making sure the links to your original work are publicly accessible.
Do not simply resubmit the same information. Strengthen every field before filing again.
What happens if the infringer files a counter-notice?
After Shopify removes content based on your report, the merchant has the right to dispute the removal by filing a counter-notice. If the counter-notice meets Shopify’s requirements, Shopify will generally allow the content to be reposted within 10 to 14 business days unless you notify Shopify that you have filed a legal action to keep the content offline.
This window is why it is worth having a legal response plan ready before you file, particularly for high-value infringement cases. A well-documented report with strong evidence is also much harder to successfully counter than a vague one.
What if the same store keeps reappearing after a takedown?
A successful takedown does not prevent a bad actor from creating a new Shopify store. This is one of the most common patterns brands face: the infringing store is removed, and a near-identical one appears at a new URL within days. The WIPO 2025 Emerging Trends in Online Brand Enforcement Report found a significant increase in AI-driven site generators that automate counterfeit storefront creation, duplicating logos, layouts, and product descriptions within minutes, which means reappearance is faster than ever.
When this happens, you need to identify the new store and file a new report. Documenting repeat offenses in your new submission builds a pattern that strengthens your case for more decisive action from Shopify’s Trust and Safety team.
If the infringing content also appears in search results, filing a parallel Google DMCA takedown deindexes those pages and cuts off organic traffic to the fake store while your Shopify report is processed. If the same content appears on social media, the same logic applies to filing through Instagram or Facebook.
How Red Points automates Shopify infringement enforcement at scale
Filing one Shopify report is manageable. Keeping up with dozens of infringing stores, tracking which ones reappear under new URLs, and monitoring for new violations across search engines and social platforms is a different problem entirely.
Red Points’ Brand Protection platform scans Shopify and thousands of other online channels continuously. Its detection engine uses image fingerprinting, text matching, and bot-powered search to identify unauthorized use of your product images, brand name, and creative content across storefronts, marketplaces, and search engines simultaneously.
Red Points has enforced over 5.1 million infringements per year across Shopify, major marketplaces, social platforms, and search engines, with an average 95% enforcement success rate and a customer base of over 1,300 brands. For Shopify-specific enforcement, the platform’s detection engine flags new infringing storefronts within hours of creation, and the centralized dashboard tracks every active case so repeat offenders are identified before a second store reaches customers.
Request a demo to see how it works.
Frequently asked questions about Shopify infringement reports
Shopify’s designated contact for copyright and trademark infringement reports is legal@shopify.com. You can also write to Shopify Trust and Safety, Shopify Inc., 151 O’Connor Street, Ground Floor, Ottawa, Ontario, K2P 2L8, Canada.
Shopify aims to respond expeditiously and acts within 24 hours for complete, valid reports in many cases. Reports with missing information or vague descriptions take longer.
No. Copyright protection is automatic upon creation of an original work. However, U.S. copyright registration is required if you want to pursue statutory damages in court. Registration fees at the U.S. Copyright Office range from $45 to $65, and multiple works can be submitted at once.
Yes. Shopify requires a trademark registration number to process trademark complaints. Without registration, Shopify’s ability to act is limited. If your trademark is not yet registered, consider filing with the USPTO or your local IP office as a priority.
The Shopify IP form separates copyright and trademark reports by issue type. If the same store is violating both, file two separate reports to ensure each claim is reviewed on its own merits.
The merchant can file a counter-notice through their Shopify admin. If the counter-notice is valid, Shopify will generally allow the content to be reposted within 10 to 14 business days unless you initiate legal action and notify Shopify within that window.
Yes. Shopify accepts intellectual property reports from rights holders worldwide. The DMCA governs the obligations of Shopify as a U.S.-based platform, not the nationality of the person filing. If your copyright or trademark is registered outside the U.S., include documentation of your registration and a clear statement that the content infringes your rights under applicable local law.
Using a general store URL instead of specific page-level links, providing vague descriptions that do not identify exactly what was copied, missing contact information, and, for trademark reports, failing to include a registration number. All of these can be fixed by refilling with more complete information.
