Updated October 2026

Shopify does not have a South African office or a South African phone number. The old local number (012 940 1069) no longer works. The fastest way to reach a real person at Shopify is live chat through the Shopify Help Center, which is open 24/7 on every plan. Phone support is only offered to Shopify Plus, Retail and POS Pro merchants. For South Africa-specific questions, such as payment gateways, couriers and VAT, you will usually get a quicker and more practical answer from other local sellers in the free Insaka eCommerce Community on Facebook.

This guide covers every way to contact Shopify from South Africa, what to do if you are locked out, where to go if you are a shopper with an order problem, and how to get South African help that Shopify support cannot give you.

Is there a Shopify South Africa contact number?

No. Shopify used to list a South African landline (012 940 1069) for 24-hour support, but this number has been discontinued. Calling it will not connect you to Shopify.

Shopify runs its support online from its global Help Center. Phone support is now limited to merchants on Shopify Plus, Shopify POS Pro and Shopify Retail plans. Most South African merchants are on the Basic, Grow (formerly Shopify) or Advanced plans, so live chat is the route you will use.

Be careful of websites and social media accounts that list a "Shopify South Africa" phone number or WhatsApp number. Shopify does not offer either in South Africa. Never share your login details, two-step verification codes or payment details with anyone who contacts you claiming to be from Shopify.

How to contact Shopify support by live chat (step by step)

1. Go to the Shopify Help Center and log in with the account you use for your store.
2. Select the store you need help with.
3. Open the Help Center assistant. It will try to answer your question with help articles first.
4. If the answer does not solve your problem, ask to speak to a Support Advisor or click "Chat with a human".
5. Confirm the details and join the queue. You will see an estimated wait time.
6. Explain your issue clearly. Include your store URL, the order number if relevant, and screenshots of any error message.

For complex issues that are not urgent, the advisor may open a ticket and reply by email. Billing questions tend to be connected faster than technical ones.

All the ways to contact Shopify

Locked out of your Shopify account?

If you cannot log in, you cannot reach live chat for your store. Use Shopify's "Can't log in" form, which you can find from the login page or the Help Center. It is available 24/7 and does not need a login. Shopify will verify your identity instead, so have the following ready:

• Your store URL (for example, yourstore.myshopify.com)
• The email address linked to the account
• Your billing details or a recent Shopify invoice
• Screenshots of any error message

If you think your store has been hacked, report it through this form rather than on a forum or social media. Shopify cannot act on security claims made in public posts.

Are you a shopper with an order problem?

Shopify provides the software that online stores run on. It does not sell, pack or ship the products, so it cannot cancel orders, track parcels or issue refunds for a store. If you bought something from a Shopify store, contact that store directly. You will usually find its contact details at the bottom of its website or in your order confirmation email.

If you used the Shop app to track your order, you can also see the store's contact details there. If the store does not respond and you paid by card, speak to your bank about a dispute.

What Shopify support can't help with

Shopify's support team is good at questions about the platform itself, such as billing, settings, domains and errors. It is not set up to advise on running an online business in South Africa. You will usually need to look elsewhere for help with:

• Choosing and setting up a South African payment gateway. See our guide to the best payment gateway for Shopify in South Africa.
• Choosing couriers and setting shipping rates. See how to choose a courier for your online store.
• VAT, POPIA and other local rules
• Getting found on Google. See how to rank your Shopify store on Google in South Africa.
• Picking the right plan. Use our Shopify price plan calculator.
• Theme customisation and third-party apps, which are handled by the theme or app developer
• Marketing advice and why your store is not making sales

Get help from other South African Shopify sellers

The Insaka eCommerce Community is South Africa's largest eCommerce group on Facebook, with more than 43,000 members. It is free to join. Many members run Shopify stores and have already solved the problem you are facing, whether it is a payment gateway that will not connect, a courier app that is quoting the wrong rates or a question about VAT.

To get a useful answer quickly:

• Search the group first, since your question may already have been answered
• Say which Shopify plan, theme and apps you use
• Describe what you expected to happen and what happened instead
• Add a screenshot, with any personal or customer details hidden

Get VIP help from Team Insaka

If you want answers from experienced South African eCommerce experts rather than the crowd, join Insaka's premium training, eCommerce Next Level. Members get:

• Priority help from Team Insaka with questions about your store
• Regular live Q&A coaching calls, with replays if you cannot attend
• More than 450 training videos covering Shopify, Takealot, Amazon, marketing and operations, with new lessons added every month

Insaka was founded by Warrick Kernes, who has been selling online since 2008, was named Shopify's Top eCommerce Educator in 2021 and has helped more than 100,000 South Africans with their online businesses.

Tips to get a faster answer from Shopify support

• Log in first. Support can only see your store when you contact them from your account.
• Pick the right topic. Choosing the closest category gets you to the right team faster.
• Be specific. "My Payfast payments are failing at checkout since yesterday" gets a better answer than "payments not working".
• Share evidence early. Send screenshots, order numbers and the exact error message in your first message.
• Mention lost sales. If the issue is stopping customers from checking out, say so. It helps the advisor prioritise.
• Save the transcript. Keep a copy of the chat or ticket number in case you need to follow up.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Shopify contact number in South Africa?

There is no Shopify contact number for South Africa. The old number, 012 940 1069, has been discontinued. Use live chat in the Shopify Help Center instead. Phone support is only available on Shopify Plus, Retail and POS Pro plans.

Does Shopify have an office in South Africa?

No. Shopify has no South African office. All support is handled online through the global Help Center.

Is Shopify support available 24/7?

Yes. Live chat with a Support Advisor is available 24/7 on every plan. Wait times vary, so contact support early if an issue is affecting your sales.

How do I contact Shopify about an order I placed?

Contact the store you bought from. Shopify provides the store's software but does not handle its orders, deliveries or refunds.

Can I email Shopify support?

Shopify does not publish a general support email address. Start a live chat, and if your issue needs more time the advisor can open an email ticket for you.

Where can I ask Shopify questions specific to South Africa?

Post them in the free Insaka eCommerce Community on Facebook. For priority help from Team Insaka, join eCommerce Next Level.

Useful links

• Shopify Help Center
• Start a free Shopify trial
• Join the free Insaka eCommerce Community
• Free training: grow your online sales

Written by the Insaka team. Insaka eCommerce Academy helps South African online sellers grow on Shopify, WooCommerce, Takealot and Amazon. Shopify's support options can change, so check the Shopify Help Center for the latest details.