Proposal: App listing updates should require review before going live

Shopify App Store
1

Hey everyone,

I wanted to bring up an issue with how app listing updates are handled right now.

Currently, developers can edit their app listing pages at any time without going through any review. This creates a pretty big loophole for policy enforcement.

Here is the loop I keep seeing:

  1. A developer violates policy by keyword stuffing or using a misleading title
  2. Someone files a partner report, and Shopify emails them to fix it
  3. The developer updates the listing to pass inspection
  4. Once the ticket is closed, they change it back to the bad listing
  5. The cycle repeats endlessly

It turns into an endless game of cat-and-mouse. Because enforcement relies on catching violations after they are already live, it ends up being pretty hit-or-miss. Bad actors get away with breaking the rules most of the time, while developers who follow the rules are left at a disadvantage.

Other platforms like the Chrome Web Store already review every listing change before it goes live, proving this system works even at a scale much larger than Shopify.

In short, requiring a quick review for listing edits on Shopify would:

  • Stop the endless fix-and-revert loop
  • Make policy enforcement consistent
  • Level the playing field for developers who follow the rules
  • Improve overall App Store quality and merchant trust

Would love to hear what other devs and the Shopify team think about this.

2

Personally I don’t think an entire review should be required for all changes. But anything like the app name should 100% require a re-review.

3

No thanks, app reviewers always nit pick the most useless details.

They just need to punish big violations, e.g. copyrigh infringiment, fraud, etc..

Example:

4

At a minimum, the app title and subtitle 100% need to be reviewed since those carry the most weight for ASO keywords.

Fields like support emails, documentation links, or business details probably don’t need manual approval. But any text field that directly impacts search rankings and can be abused for keyword stuffing should definitely require a check before going live.

5

Fair point. Since listing rules are already pretty clear, checking them should be straightforward. Most of it could be automated with basic rule checks or LLMs, reserving full manual reviews for when the system flags a violation or isn’t confident.