I'm sure you've had that gut-wrenching feeling when you accidentally delete an important file? Now, imagine that happening to parts of your Shopify store!
Before you freak out, know that you have options to protect yourself.
Shopify Backs Me Up... Don't They?
Shopify is guarding the gates of the kingdom. It ensures the kingdom stands tall, but doesn't provide individuals with any protections.
While Shopify does have its backup mechanisms, it's more about keeping the platform stable than backing up individual stores.
They're responsible for the backend security and ensuring stores on it's platform remain operational, but you're responsible for the content within your store. This includes (but is not limited to) Themes, Pages, Blogs and Products.
What Are My Options?
While the thought of losing everything can insight panic, you have options available that can truly save your butt.
Let's look at what you can do to protect yourself:
-
Manual Backups: This is the DIY option. You roll up your sleeves, export files, and set those pesky reminders. It's like cooking from scratch every day. Rewarding? Sure. Time-consuming? Absolutely. Learn more about exporting your data. Keep in mind that not everything can be exported and some data will need to be copy-pasted out as well.
-
The Geek Route: For the tech-savvy souls, there's always the option of crafting a backup solution using Shopify's APIs.This not only requires a good knowledge of development, but will also require consistent and regular updates.
- Automated Backups: This is where third-party tools come into play. Picture a digital guardian angel for your store, working tirelessly in the background. Regular backups and swift restores allow you to rest easy. I suggest Rewind Backups (Affiliate Link) to give you the peace of mind you want and need for your business.
If there is one thing I've learned, even with simply DIY options, most people forget, or push off, doing backups. It's never an issue... until it is. As the title states, it's not if you'll need it, it's WHEN.
Don't Take Any Chances
I've personally done things I didn't mean to that required hours or even days of work to redo or fix. Backups are something people question the cost of until they need it, so you need to ask yourself, can you afford to lose everything?
Whether you're a hands-on merchant, a tech geek, or someone who leans towards the "set it and forget it" philosophy, make sure your backup game is on point.
When you need it, it's something you won't regret getting.