1. Preserve public facts first
Save the exact product and storefront URLs, capture timestamps, page titles, visible copy, images you own, and any customer-confusion examples. A changing storefront is much harder to explain after content disappears.
Capture both the original and suspected pages at the same time when possible. Keep the resolved URL, response status, full-page screenshot, readable text, and unedited HTML together under one case ID. If a page redirects, record both the submitted and final URL. Add annotations only to copies so the source capture remains reproducible.
2. Separate evidence from conclusions
Identify specific works, marks, product photography, or trade dress that you own. Describe what appears similar and where it appears. Avoid presenting an automated similarity score as proof of infringement.
Use a one-row-per-URL comparison. Name the element being compared, link to your original, link to the suspected use, and state the capture time. Keep words such as “appears,” “observed,” and “could confuse” where the record supports only an observation rather than a legal conclusion.
3. Select the relevant Shopify category
Shopify’s official merchant-report tool currently offers separate paths for copyright, trademark or trade dress, fraud, phishing, and other issues. Choose the category that matches the facts and your rights.
Open Shopify’s official merchant report tool
- Trademark for confusing use of a protected name, logo, or source identifier.
- Copyright for specific original photography, graphics, video, or written work.
- Fraud for documented deceptive merchant conduct rather than a routine support dispute.
- Phishing for pages or messages designed to obtain credentials, payment data, or secrets.
4. Prepare a reviewer-friendly submission
Put your identity and authority first, then a short chronology, the relevant rights or observed conduct, and a narrow list of URLs. Match each attachment to a URL and remove passwords, full payment details, identity documents, and unrelated customer data. Read every accuracy, authority, and good-faith declaration before signing it.
5. Save the submission record
Retain the report category, exact fields and attachments submitted, submission date, confirmation, reference number, response, and follow-up date. If the storefront changes later, add a new dated capture instead of replacing the earlier evidence. This creates a history a reviewer can audit.
6. Escalate to infrastructure providers when appropriate
Use ICANN Lookup to identify the registrar and review the host or CDN’s abuse procedure. Reuse the same factual evidence set and retain every confirmation or reference number.
A registrar, host, CDN, payment provider, ad network, and search engine control different systems. Verify the provider from its official site and ask it to review only conduct within its role. DNS or CDN signals are clues, not proof of who owns or operates the storefront.
7. Keep expectations precise
CopyWitness organizes evidence and official routes. It does not determine liability, submit notices, promise removal, or replace advice from a qualified lawyer.
Before you submit
- Every suspected location is an exact, working URL.
- Every copied element maps to an original you can substantiate.
- Capture times and source files are preserved.
- The selected category matches the facts in the report.
- Sensitive and irrelevant personal data has been removed.
For a reusable collection workflow, follow the copycat store evidence checklist. Browse the full brand protection guide library when more than one issue applies.