Can You Sell Tobacco On Shopify? How to Avoid Getting Suspended By Shopify

Yes, you can sell tobacco products via the Shopify platform, as long as your business aligns with your local laws and regulations, and the age restriction. Shopify fully supports businesses that sell tobacco and it is safe to sell it on Shopify.

In this article, we are going to help you navigate the complexity of the online tobacco business and show you how to operate within the platform guidelines.

Tobacco restrictions on the Shopify platform

Now, while you can sell tobacco products on Shopify, you still need to be aware of certain restrictions or your store might get taken down suddenly for unknown reasons.

Don’t use Shopify Payments

While you can sell tobacco products on Shopify, you cannot use Shopify Payments to make transactions. Basically, Shopify Payments is powered by Stripe so when you are using Shopify Payments, you are basically using Stripe.

Stripe’s banned industry includes adult, CBD, tobacco, and more. So if you are operating in these industries using Stripe or Shopify Payments as your payment processor, you risk getting your merchant account banned.

Here is the list of some payment processors that allow tobacco:

• Soar Payments: Offers credit card processing solutions for tobacco and cigar businesses 
• Authorize.Net: Can be connected to a tobacco-friendly merchant account and a cigar payment gateway 
• BankCard USA: Offers tobacco credit card processing, including online payment gateways, credit card terminals, and point-of-sale systems 
• PaymentCloud: Offers tobacco credit card processing and cigar merchant accounts 
• Corepay: Offers tobacco merchant accounts and payment processing 
• Paykings: Offers payment services for the e-cigarette industry, including international merchant services 
• ECS Payments: Offers credit card processing for tobacco merchants 
• SeamlessChex: Offers online tobacco merchant services, including online tobacco credit card processing, ACH processing, and electronic check processing 

Age Restrictions

In most places, the law is pretty strict about selling tobacco products to minors. You need to make sure that your store is selling products to the right customers or you will be facing great trouble later on.

At the very least, you need a prompt on your website asking if the visitor is within the legal age. For a more secure solution, you can integrate ID scanning to make sure you are not selling to minors.

How to set up a tobacco store on Shopify

1. Sign Up for Shopify

Go to Shopify and sign up for an account by providing your email, store name, and password.

You’ll then need to answer a few questions about your business, such as what you’re selling and where you're located.

2. Choose a Theme

Browse the Shopify Theme Store and choose a theme that fits your store’s style and products.

Install the theme and customize it via the "Online Store" > "Themes" section in your Shopify dashboard.

The Shopify Theme Store doesn’t provide a filter specifically for 

3. Add Products

Go to the “Products” section in your dashboard and click “Add product.”

Enter product details such as name, description, price, and images. Be sure to categorize products in collections to keep everything organized.

4. Set Up Payments

Navigate to the “Settings” > “Payments” section.

As we mentioned above, you should not use Shopify Payments as tobacco products are on their restricted product list. You can look into the suggestions above for a payment method.

5. Launch Your Store

Once everything is set up (design, products, payments), you can remove the password protection in the "Online Store" > "Preferences" section to make your store live.

Ensure all shipping and tax settings are correctly configured under “Settings” > “Shipping and Taxes.”

>>>> Read more: Shopify Tutorial: How to Start a Shopify Store for Beginners

Explore other options to sell tobacco online

Selling tobacco online is heavily regulated due to various legal restrictions and platform policies. Many mainstream e-commerce platforms, like Shopify, Amazon, and eBay, impose strict rules and prohibit the sale of tobacco products.

However, there are some niche platforms and strategies where selling tobacco may be more feasible, although you still need to ensure compliance with local laws and regulations. Here are a few options to explore:

WordPress/ WooCommerce

WooCommerce is one of the best options when it comes to setting up an e-commerce store for small and medium businesses. It allows high customization with thousands of different tools that help you comply with tobacco laws and regulations. You also have control over shipping methods and payment gateways.

BigCommerce

BigCommerce on the other hand is the better option if you have an established tobacco business. BigCommerce allows the sale of tobacco products in specific markets where it's legal. They offer robust tools for e-commerce, including inventory management, marketing tools, and advanced features for compliance.

>>>> Read more:

• Shopify Vs. BigCommerce: Which eCommerce giant suits you the most?
• Shopify vs WooCommerce: Which Ecommerce Platform is Better?

Private Online Communities or Forums

There are forums and communities that are already familiar with your products. Also, these platforms have much fewer restrictions on what you can sell.

Conclusion

While Shopify allows you to sell tobacco products on their platform, it's your obligation to follow your local laws and regulations. Also, you need to find payment processors that accept transactions for your tobacco business.

>>>> Read more:

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• Can you sell CBD on Shopify? The Right Way To Sell CBD on Shopify
• Can You Sell Used Clothes on Shopify? A Comprehensive Guide