How To Set Up Policies On Shopify: Step-by-Step Guide in Minutes

Is your Shopify store fully protected and prepared for growth? Setting up clear and professional Shopify policies is not only a legal step but also an essential means of building trust, reducing customer disputes, and establishing expectations from the start.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll show you exactly how to set up policies on Shopify, step by step. You will explore editing, customizing, and displaying key policy pages that ensure legal compliance and amplify the shopping experience. From every angle, we’ll cover your Shopify store!

1. What Are Shopify Policies?

1.1. Shopify Policies Introduction

Shopify policies are your legal pages about returning goods, refunds, shipping, privacy, and terms of service. They keep your business running for the long haul and set customer expectations at the very beginning.

Customers likely find them at the website footer, during the checkout process, or within the main navigation. Shown clearly, the pages build trust and reduce confusion in a customer’s overall shopping experience.

1.2. Why You Need Clear Shopify Store Policies

You need clear Shopify store policies. They are more than just a legal parapet: they are the backbone of trust and usability of the store. Here is why you should never neglect them:

• Builds trust with customers: For a customer who has never bought anything from a store before, a clear and professional presentation of policies always inspires greater trust in the store.
• Prevents misunderstandings and disputes: By setting clear expectations upfront about refunds, shipping, and returns, you reduce the chance of complaints or chargebacks.
• Saves customer service time: Answers to most common customer inquiries will be found on your policy pages, and it will lessen email and support ticket numbers.
• Legal protection for your business: Written policies are a safeguard when disputes arise, particularly around the use of data or in the denial of refunds.
• Professional store appearance: A store with complete policy pages feels more established and credible, helping boost conversions.

2. Must-have Shopify Policies Types in Your Store

A trustworthy and compliant store starts with the right sort of policies. Each policy has its specific purpose-whether about building consumer trust, legal compliance, or covering specific use cases such as refunds or subscriptions. 

We are going to consider 6 must-have Shopify store policies, what they are for, and the contents of each of those policies.

2.1. Refund Policy

The refund policy is one of the most viewed documents by shoppers online, particularly for first-time purchases from a store. It gives information regarding item returns and how customers can request refunds and reduces anxiety after purchasing an item. A good refund policy adds weight to your credibility and prevents chargebacks and negative reviews.

✔️ Your refund policy on Shopify should include:

• Eligible items for return and refund
• Time for returns (such as within 14 days or 30 days)
• Condition requirements (for example, unworn, unopened packaging)
• Process for requesting refunds
• Who pays for return shipping

This should reflect your business model and product type: digital goods might not apply for refunds. 

2.2. Privacy Policy

Privacy concerns are at an all-time high, especially in e-commerce, where names, emails, and even credit card details are collected from customers.

✔️ Your privacy policy should include:

• Types of data collected (personal and behavioral)
• Purpose of data collection (e.g., order processing, marketing)
• Data storage and protection methods
• Cookies or tracking technologies used
• User rights under applicable laws (e.g., GDPR or CCPA)

Since privacy laws vary by country and region, it’s important to tailor this policy based on your store’s location and target market.

2.3. Terms of Service

This policy defines the terms for the operation of your Shopify store. A legal agreement between you and your customers defines the rights and duties of the parties involved. That said, few customers see the specter of the solid Terms of Service document as a legal safeguard for businesses.

✔️ It should address:

• Product description and disclaimers
• Payment and billing terms
• Termination of accounts
• Limitation of liability
• Law controlling these Terms of Service

These terms protect you from disputes in the future and ensure individual experiences throughout the shopping experience. 

2.4. Shipping Policy

Shipping policies address one of the most common questions asked by customers: “How and when will I get my order?” The shipping policy outlines the store’s process for product delivery and sets clear expectations for timelines and costs.

✔️ Include in your policy:

• Shipping methods and carriers
• Estimated delivery timeframes by location
• Processing times (1-3 working days, estimates)
• Shipping costs with conditions for free shipping
• Countries that you ship to
• Order tracking and fulfillment notifications

This policy should be easily accessible from your homepage footer, and a link should be provided at checkout.

2.5. Subscription Policy

If you sell subscription-based products (like a monthly box or digital services), then you need a subscription policy. It explains to the customers how billing cycles operate and what they are committing to by signing up.

✔️ Key details to include in a subscription policy:

• Subscription frequency and billing schedule
• Auto-renewal terms
• Cancellation/pause process 
• Refunds or proration upon cancellation 
• Customer support for subscription queries.

This policy ensures transparency and helps avoid customer frustration or payment disputes down the line.

2.6. Legal Notice

The Legal Notice section houses broader legal disclosures that apply to your Shopify store. Even though customers may visit it less often, it holds great weight in terms of legal protection, particularly for a newer brand, content, or product.

✔️ A complete legal notice might include:

• Copyright and trademark ownership
• Third party content usage or implementations
• Legal disclaimers, such as product usage at customer risk.
• Contact information for legal inquiries.

Depending on your jurisdiction, this section may be combined with your Terms of Service or appear as a standalone page.

💡New to Shopify? Check out this full guide on how to launch a Shopify store to make sure you’ve covered all the essentials from day one.

3. How to Set Up Policies on Shopify

Editing or creating Shopify policies is easy with a few simple steps from the admin dashboard. 

3.1. How to Edit Policies on Shopify

Step 1: In your Shopify admin, scroll to the bottom left and click “Settings“.

Step 2: In the Settings menu, click the “Policies” option to access all policy sections.

Step 3: In the “Written policies” section, click the policy you want to edit

At this point, each policy, such as “Refund Policy,” “Privacy Policy,” and “Terms of Service” appears in separate editor fields. Click inside the one you wish to create or modify.

Step 4: Edit your policy content

There are two methods you could use:

1. Type your text directly in the editor.
2. Use the base template of Shopify’s text by clicking “Insert template”. Then, customize the content using the rich text editor to adjust fonts, add links, insert images, or create tables as needed.

Important Note: Shopify’s built-in templates are only available in English. Minimal support includes French, Italian, and Spanish. If your store uses any other language, you will have to write your own policies, and it may be useful to consider talking to a local legal expert.

Step 5: Click “Save” to update the policy on your live store.

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3.2. How to Add Policies to Shopify Menu

For easy access to your policies by customers, linking them in the navigation of your store is really important, especially in the footer.

Step 1: Go to Shopify Admin > “Content” > “Menus“

Step 2: Choose the menu you want to add the policy to

Most generally, place it in the Footer menu, but you can choose any menu that fits your layout.

Step 3: Click “Add menu item“

A pop-up will appear where you can define the link:

• In the “Label” field (sometimes shown as “Name”): enter the name of the policy, for example, “Refund Policy”
• In the “Link” box: Click “Policies” and select the associated policies link from the dropdown list.

Step 4: Click “Save“

This will add a new policy link to the selected menu and make it publicly visible in your store.

Now, after the saving process, Shopify will also automatically include these policy links at the bottom of the checkout page for extra viewing.

✨Need help setting up your store navigation and policies? Check out our Shopify store setup service for a hassle-free experience.

4. Top Best Shopify Policies Examples

A good policy page not only protects your business but also gives a great customer experience. Let us check out how some of the successful Shopify stores have organized their best policy pages and draw inspiration for functionality and presentation.

4.1. Teddy Fresh

Teddy Fresh offers a dedicated page for customers’ questions about orders and shipping. It features a collapsible FAQ format, making it easy to navigate topics like delivery timeframes and order tracking. This not only makes it burdensome for a visitor looking for answers to find those you say, but does so seamlessly and simply.

4.2. Not Pot

Not Pot shows that design can be pretty clear. Words are strictly short and direct in the shipping and return policy page made up of messages through FAQs. Even better, a quick “Contact” option stays visible on the side, offering extra help without making the layout feel crowded.

4.3. Phomo

In this case, Phomo, representing a ready-made Vietnamese meal kit brand, uses its policy page to set clear expectations concerning refund practices and customer support. There would be no returning because of the nature of the product, so this page emphasizes speedy support in case of damaged or missing items. Simple, focused, and reassuring for first-time buyers.

4.4. Dossier

Dossier takes the return process one notch above with an appealing and conversion-centric design. At the top, a strong message suits the statement, following which are clear disclaimers with a step-by-step interface. The “Start the Return” button leads to a dedicated return flow that is clean, fast, and visually aligned with the rest of the brand.

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5. Conclusion

Mastering how to set up policies on Shopify is a crucial step in making an online business legally sound and trustworthy. Well-organized policy pages have greater security for your store and enhance the customer experience.

As your business grows, don’t forget to review and update your policies regularly to reflect operational changes or new legal requirements. This ongoing attention to detail will help your store remain professional, compliant, and customer-friendly.

Need help getting started? Check out eComStart, we can set up optimized, high-converting Shopify stores complete with tailored policies and legal pages! 

6. FAQs