When you purchase a premium theme from the Shopify Theme Store, it is important to understand that the licensing for that theme is strictly tied to the specific store from which the purchase was made. This means that the theme cannot be used on any other store unless the merchant follows the proper theme transfer steps. If a theme is found to be unlicensed, it could lead to temporary restrictions or even locks on your account until the issue is addressed and resolved. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that you are adhering to the licensing terms associated with your theme purchase.
If you find yourself in a situation where you need to use the theme in a different store, it is essential to reach out to Shopify's support team for assistance. They are well-equipped to guide you through the entire transfer process step by step. When you contact them, make sure to provide both the original license URL associated with your theme and the new URL of the store where you wish to transfer the theme. This information will help expedite the process and ensure a smooth transition.
Requirements for transferring a theme
To successfully transfer a paid theme between Shopify stores, you must meet the following criteria:
- Both accounts must be linked to the same account owner's email address.
- You must be the registered owner of both accounts, with administrative access to manage themes on both stores.
- You must close the original store where the theme was purchased. Once the theme is transferred, the closed store cannot be reopened.
Theme transfer process
Please note that the steps below involve deleting the theme and repurchasing it in the new store. It's a good idea to contact the Shopify Support team first to confirm if this process is still applicable before proceeding with the steps below.
- On your Shopify admin, click on Online Store, then select Themes.
- Next to the theme you want to transfer, click on Actions and then choose Download theme file. You will receive an email with the file attached.
- Download the file from the email to your device.
- Make sure that the file is fully downloaded onto your device before moving to the next step.
- Remove the theme from the original store
- Close the original store.
- To upload the theme file to the new store, go to Online Store > Themes, and click on Add theme > Upload zip file.
- Purchase the theme again for the new store.
Once you have closed your old store and repurchased the theme on your new Shopify account, Shopify support will escalate your request to their billing team to process a refund, which is the standard procedure for transferring theme licenses.
Themes that were purchased directly from the archetypethemes.co website
Shopify implemented significant revisions to their partner agreement in 2021, mandating that all theme developers exclusively distribute their themes through the Shopify Theme Store. Consequently, the Shopify Theme Store serves as the sole platform for both theme sales and delivery.
Because of this change, we don't have any systems in place that can track or manage transfers, which are all handled 100% by Shopify. As a result, we are unable to facilitate the transfer of theme licenses for direct purchases made before August 2021. If you want to use the theme on a new storefront URL, you'll need to purchase it from the Shopify Theme Store.