How to Remove Commerce from Squarespace: Simplifying Your Website
By Akim Perminov
Founder & Lead Designer
Removing the commerce features from a Squarespace site is an important step for users who originally intended to engage in e-commerce but later decided to shift their focus. While Squarespace is well-known for its integrated commerce platform, which facilitates online selling, there are instances where this functionality becomes unnecessary. For example, if a user has duplicated a site that has commerce features enabled and the new site does not require e-commerce capabilities, simplifying the site by disabling these features can lead to a cleaner administration interface and prevent any confusion for both the site owner and visitors.
Many users find themselves uncertain about how to proceed when it comes to managing or removing the commerce aspect of their Squarespace site. The process involves several distinct steps, including removing commerce-related pages, cancelling any specific commerce-related subscriptions, and finally, deactivating the commerce features. For those who no longer wish to sell products or services online, Squarespace provides options for making these changes through its administrative settings. It's crucial to follow the correct steps in order to ensure that the site continues to run smoothly without the commerce elements.
Key Takeaways
Removing commerce features results in a cleaner admin interface on Squarespace.
Specific steps must be followed to properly disable and remove e-commerce elements.
Squarespace allows users to adjust their site functionality as needed.
Understanding Commerce on Squarespace
When I set up a website on Squarespace, the platform provides integrated commerce tools that allow me to sell products and services directly from my site. This functionality is a cornerstone for businesses looking to operate online stores but may not be necessary for every Squarespace user. If my website operates purely for informational purposes, or I've decided to use a different platform for sales, I'll need to remove or disable the commerce features.
Squarespace's commerce platform is designed to be a seamless part of the overall website experience. It includes features such as:
Inventory management: Keeping track of what’s in stock
Product pages: Displaying goods attractively
Shopping cart: Allowing customers to manage their purchases
Checkout system: Processing customer payments securely
Customer accounts: Letting repeat customers store their information
To remove these features, I need to first understand the structure of a Squarespace commerce site. It typically involves product pages, a shopping cart, and a checkout page. If I’ve opted into Squarespace’s Commerce plans, there may also be additional tools and integrations I've set up, such as accounting tools and shipping options.
When disabling commerce on my Squarespace site, I must be careful to retain any content that I want to keep, such as informational pages or blog posts, while only removing the e-commerce components. Each step can be done through the site's settings, and I may have to cancel or downgrade my subscription if I'm on a Commerce-specific plan.
For detailed guidance on how to disable or remove these features, Squarespace forums and the Squarespace Help Center provide resources and assistance for users like me navigating this process. To start, checking out the discussion on the Squarespace Forum or the official Commerce FAQ may prove helpful.
Preparing to Remove Commerce Features
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cublLEv3erw&embed=true
Before you disable the commerce features on your Squarespace site, it's vital to ensure that your data is secure and to understand how this change will affect your site's search engine optimization (SEO).
Backup Your Squarespace Site
I strongly recommend backing up all your content before making changes to your website's commerce functionalities. This means saving all product information, customer data, and any other relevant details. To do this manually, you can export certain content types to a .csv file. For complete backup, maintain records of your products and transaction details through external means since Squarespace doesn't offer a full-site export feature.
Consider the Impact on SEO
Removing commerce features could have implications for my website's SEO. Product pages and any related content that are currently indexed by search engines will no longer be available, potentially impacting my site's visibility and traffic. To manage this, I will have to implement 301 redirects to relevant pages to maintain SEO value and provide a smooth transition for visitors. Keeping a list of all URLs associated with my commerce pages will assist me in the redirection process.
Removing Commerce Pages
I understand the need for specificity when adjusting your website's functionality. If you're streamlining your Squarespace site by removing commerce elements, below you'll find detailed steps to delete product pages and unlink commerce from your site's navigation.
Delete Products Pages
1. Navigate to your Pages panel:
Go to my Squarespace dashboard and select "Pages" to view all current pages.
2. Locate the product page:
Identify the product pages that I want to remove from my website.
3. Delete the page:
Click on the gear icon next to the product page and select "Delete Page." Confirm when prompted to permanently remove the page and all of its content.
Unlink Commerce Navigation
1. Access the navigation settings:
In my Pages panel, I'll find my site's navigation menu that houses links.
2. Remove commerce-related links:
I'll click and drag commerce page links out of the navigation menu, or click the trash icon to remove them, effectively unlinking any commerce-related navigation from my site.
Cancelling Squarespace Subscriptions
When managing your Squarespace website, there may come a time when I need to adjust my business strategy, which can include cancelling certain subscriptions. Below, I'll walk you through the specific steps for downgrading my Squarespace plan and cancelling any active subscriptions.
Downgrade Your Squarespace Plan
To change my current plan, I navigate to the Billing & Account panel in my Squarespace dashboard. Here, I have the option to select a lower-tier plan suited to my current needs. The downgrade will take effect at the end of my billing cycle, and I'll only have access to the features permitted by the new plan. It's crucial to ensure that I am not using any premium features that are exclusive to higher-tier plans before downgrading.
Cancel Any Active Subscriptions
If I want to cancel my Digital Products plan or any website subscription, I follow the steps provided by Squarespace. For the Digital Products plan, Squarespace outlines the process on how to put an end to my plan subscriptions. Similarly, website subscriptions can also be terminated following a specific guideline from Squarespace. Note that once I cancel, my site will no longer be live, and I may lose content if I choose to reactivate my subscription at a later date.
Disabling E-Commerce Functions
When managing a Squarespace website, you might find that you no longer require the e-commerce features. I'll guide you through the process of turning off the shopping cart and removing the customer accounts option.
Turn Off Shopping Cart
To disable the shopping cart on your Squarespace site, you'll need to navigate to the Site Header Settings. Here, you can easily turn off the cart feature, which will stop displaying the cart icon and prevent customers from adding products to a cart. This action effectively removes the visual commerce elements from your site, offering a cleaner look if you're not selling products or services online. This method is a straightforward approach to customize your site's functionality according to your needs.
Remove Customer Accounts Option
Squarespace's customer accounts feature is another aspect of the commerce experience. If you want to remove the option for customers to create accounts, you should:
Go to the Home Menu.
Click Settings.
Select Customer Accounts.
Choose Disable.
By following these steps, you ensure that the account creation option is no longer available to site visitors, resulting in a simplified user experience for sites that don’t engage in e-commerce activities.
Finalizing the Changes
In this section, I'll guide you through the essential steps to ensure that the removal of the commerce features from your Squarespace site is comprehensive and compliant with relevant policies.
Review the Site Content
After disabling the commerce features, I need to meticulously review the site content to guarantee that all commerce-related elements are no longer visible to site visitors. This includes:
Product Pages: I confirm that they have been removed or hidden.
Shopping Carts: I check that all shopping cart functionality is inaccessible.
Commerce-Related Links: I ensure that links to any commerce services are no longer present.
Ensure Legal and Policy Compliance
Next, I must verify that the site complies with all legal and policy requirements post-disabling commerce features. Here's how I handle this:
Privacy Policies: I update them to reflect the removal of commerce features.
Terms of Service: I review and adjust any terms that pertain to commerce.
Frequently Asked Questions
As someone who has navigated through Squarespace's backend, I understand the importance of streamlining your website and the occasional need to disable certain features. Here, I'll cover some common inquiries about managing and removing commerce functionalities on your Squarespace site.
How can I disable the shopping cart feature in Squarespace?
Disabling the shopping cart feature on Squarespace requires you to go into the Website Manager settings and turn off commerce-related options. For detailed instructions, Squarespace provides a Commerce FAQ that can guide you through the process.
What steps are needed to eliminate product categories from a Squarespace online store?
To eliminate product categories from your Squarespace store, you'll have to access the Inventory panel and remove each category manually. Make sure to also delete or hide the products associated with the categories you wish to remove.
Is a business license required to sell products on Squarespace?
The requirement for a business license to sell products on Squarespace isn't dictated by the platform itself but by your local business laws. Always check with your local governing bodies to ensure you comply with all necessary legal requirements.
How do I remove the 'Add to Cart' button from my Squarespace site?
Removing the 'Add to Cart' button can be done by editing the product details for each item and disabling the commerce features, which will hide the button from your product pages.
Where can I find tax forms for reporting Squarespace commerce sales?
Tax forms for your commerce sales aren't provided directly by Squarespace. You should obtain the relevant tax forms from your local tax authority or a qualified tax professional who understands your specific circumstances.
What are the steps to turning off Squarespace's commerce platform entirely?
Turning off Squarespace's commerce platform entirely entails deactivating all commerce-related pages and features within your site's settings. The Squarespace Help Center offers resources for deactivating your online store and other commerce features.
