Beginner’s Guide: Troubleshooting Common Shopify Problems

Ever tried to open your Shopify store and saw a blank page or some random error code? It’s frustrating, especially when you don’t know what caused it.

Shopify is one of the most used platforms in the world for online selling. In fact, over 4.8 million live websites are using Shopify right now, according to BuiltWith. So yes, you’re not alone in this.

While the platform works great for most users, errors still happen. A small glitch in theme code, a failed app install, or a server timeout can suddenly break things on your store.

If you’re stuck with a Shopify 500 error, a missing product, a checkout problem, or any similar error, this blog is for you. We’re going to look at some of the most common Shopify issues, what causes them, and how to fix them without going into technical jargon.

Common Shopify Errors and How to Fix Them

In this section, we’ve listed the most common Shopify problems along with clear solutions. Each error includes a simple, step-by-step guide to help you fix it without needing a developer.

1. 500 Internal Server Error When Accessing the Admin Dashboard

Whenever you see the Shopify server error 500, it means there is something wrong with Shopify’s server. This error generally appears while accessing the admin dashboard, inventory, orders, etc., or saving theme changes.

It doesn’t always mean your entire store is down. Sometimes, it only affects specific pages, like the order or customer view. The worst part is, this error doesn’t give you much detail.

To solve this error, you can:

• Refresh the page: Sometimes, it’s just a quick hiccup. Hit refresh and see if things load up properly.
  
• Restart your browser: Clear your browser’s cookies and cache first. After that, close the browser from Task Manager and open it again.
  
• Try another browser: If you’re using Chrome, some extensions might be messing things up. Open your store in Firefox, Safari, or Edge and check if the issue goes away.
  
• Check Shopify’s status page: Go to Shopify Status. If there’s a known issue, it’ll show up there. You won’t be the only one facing it.
  
• Use the mobile app: If the desktop version is acting up, open the Shopify mobile app. It’s a handy workaround when the browser doesn’t cooperate.
  
• Still stuck? Reach out to support: If none of the above work, it’s time to get help. Take a screenshot, note what you were doing, and contact Shopify support.
  

This error can be annoying, but it’s often temporary. Most store owners see it resolved within a few hours.

2. Poor Shopify Store Speed

Ever clicked on a site that took forever to load and just closed it? Your visitors do the same.

Slow store speed is a silent sales killer. As an admin, you don’t see the slow site speed error, and your users never complain about it, but it will definitely affect conversions, sales, etc.

Why does this error occur?

• Maybe due to the large images.
• Due to complex and heavy themes.
• Due to messy or extra lines of CSS and JavaScript code.
• Third-party plugins

Ways to fix it:

• Reduce the Image Size: Use tools like TinyPNG to compress images before uploading to your Shopify store.

• Remove unused apps: If you have installed plugins and third-party applications that are not in use, uninstall them, as they slow down the site by unnecessarily loading JavaScript.
  
• Minify CSS and JS: Ask your developer to clean up unused code or use tools like PageSpeed Insights to identify problems.

• Use fast and lightweight themes: Choose the lightweight Shopify theme that loads quickly. It will significantly increase your site speed.
  
• Install Speed Optimizer Plugins: If any of the above solutions doesn’t work, try installing third-party plugins, such as Website Speedy. This will help you to increase your site speed.
  

Fast stores don’t just feel better, they convert better.

3. 403 Forbidden Error: Access Blocked

Whenever you see an error with a “403” code and a message like “You don’t have permission”, it means that you don’t have permission to access the web page that you are trying.

Sometimes, this error also appears when your IP is blocked.

Ways to fix it:

• Ask the admin to provide proper permissions if you don’t have them.
• Open the web store on a different device to check whether your IP is blocked.
  

If these two solutions don’t work for you, talk with the Shopify support team and ask them to unblock your IP address, and you will be able to access your Shopify store again.

4. Domain’s “A Record” Isn’t Pointing to Shopify

The “A record” of the domain is responsible for connecting the domain with the Shopify store. If it is not configured properly, you’ll face domain connectivity issues.

If you get a notification like “Your domain’s A record doesn’t point to Shopify. Open your domain provider’s DNS settings for example.com and assign 23.227.38.65 to its A record,” it means you need to reconfigure your domain’s “A record.”

Here is the solution:

• Access your domain provider’s DNS settings.
• Locate the A record for your root domain (often represented by “@”).

• Set the A record to Shopify’s IP address: 23.227.38.65.
• Ensure there’s only one A record for your domain to avoid conflicts.
• Also, make sure that there’s only one A record for your domain. If you set multiple A records, you will face other errors.
• Save the changes.
• Allow up to 48 hours for DNS propagation.

If you don’t have any experience in setting up “A records”, you can take the help of domain service providers.

Note: If your A record displays a different IP address provided by Shopify, such as 23.227.38.32, it’s still valid and not a cause for concern.

5. Can’t Publish Theme: Publish Button Not Responding

Sometimes, it happens that Shopify disables the “publish” button and doesn’t allow you to publish new changes to the theme. 

Here is why it happens:

• It may happen due to an outdated browser version.
• Unstable internet can also be a cause for this problem.
• Custom code or third-party apps integrated into the theme can cause unexpected behavior.
  

How to solve the issue?

1. Try using a different browser.
2. Clear the cache and cookies of the current browser.
3. Check the stability of the internet connection.
4. If you have added any custom code, check for errors in the code. Also, revert custom code changes, and check if the theme works as usual.
5. If you are using the free trial of a paid theme, ensure that the free trial has not finished.
   

Addressing these steps should help restore the functionality of the Publish button in your Shopify admin.

6. Products Not Showing Up on Storefront

If your products are missing from your Shopify store, don’t panic. It’s usually a small setting that’s gone unchecked. Here’s a quick list to help you spot the problem:

• Check product status: It must be marked as “Active”
• Sales channel matters: Make sure the “Online Store” box is ticked
• Collections setup: The Product needs to be added to a visible collection
• Tags for auto collections: Tags must match exactly
• Theme display: Sometimes themes hide sections if they’re not properly set
  

These checks don’t take long, and they usually solve the issue. If you want a more detailed guide, you can read this full post on Shopify’s official forum: How to Troubleshoot: Products Aren’t Displaying in Your Store.

7. SSL Pending or Unsecure Connection Warning

If you’re seeing a “Not Secure” label in your browser next to your Shopify store’s URL, it’s likely that the SSL certificate isn’t active yet.

Or, you can also see the “SSL pending” error in the domains section; it means the SSL certificate is not installed on your store, which is very important to secure the site.

Follow the steps below to activate the SSL certificate on your Shopify store:

1. First, log in to the admin dashboard of Shopify.
2. Next, go to settings -> domains.
3. Click on the “Activate SSL certificate.” 

After activating the SSL certificate, wait for a few minutes, and you will see that SSL is activated.

8. Errors in Importing the Product Data Using a CSV File

If you’re adding the products in the Shopify store using the CSV import, and the data inside the CSV file is not configured properly, you can get multiple errors.

You can follow the steps below to troubleshoot the issues:

• Missing Headers: Ensure your CSV file includes all required headers, such as Handle, Title, and Body (HTML).
  
• Incorrect Delimiters: Use commas to separate values. Some spreadsheet programs default to semicolons, which can cause issues.
  
• Exceeding File Size: Keep your CSV file under 15 MB. If it’s larger, split it into smaller files for import.
  
• Duplicate Handles: Each product must have a unique Handle. Duplicate handles can prevent products from importing correctly.
  
• Missing Required Fields: Fields like Title and Price are mandatory. Ensure these are filled out for each product.
  
• Invalid Fulfilment Service: If not using a fulfilment service, set the Fulfilment Service field to manual.
  

For a comprehensive list of common import issues and their solutions, refer to Shopify’s official guide: Solutions to common product CSV import problems.

Closing Thoughts

Fixing Shopify issues can feel like a never-ending task. One day you face DNS and domain-related problems, and another day you face theme-related problems. For a non-technical person, it could be challenging to fix these errors.

That’s where having someone who knows Shopify inside out makes a big difference. You don’t need to learn Liquid or dig through DNS settings on your own.

If you’re stuck or just want things to run smoother, Stellites can help. Our team handles everything from small bugs to full store builds.

So if you’re ready to fix Shopify issues the right way, let the pros take over.

FAQs

1. What is a 403 Forbidden error on Shopify?

It occurs when you add extra space or a delimiter in the store name while logging in to the store.

2. What should I do when a DNS error occurs?

To fix the DNS error, you can log in to the dashboard of the domain service provider and update the CNAME records to “shops.myshopify.com”

3. Can Stellites help with custom Shopify Development?

Yes, we have a dedicated team of Shopify developers who can work in different time zones. You can check our website for more information.