Online age verification is always a hot topic and can present unique challenges for Shopify merchants around the world. So we want to reflect on how we've addressed this challenge for our clients in the past as well as consider the current eco-system and tools available to us and review how we might approach this challenge in the future.
Here is your guide to selling age-restricted products on Shopify
The Overview
Getting started on Shopify is quick and easy, but sometimes you need to work with a Shopify Agency to lean on their knowledge and experience to solve some of those more unique challenges. Selling age-restricted products, such as knives or alcohol, is one example where you have a legal and ethical responsibility to ensure that your products do not end up in the wrong hands.
- Understand the legal framework: What market are you selling in and what are the legal requirements for selling those products. We've provided some helpful links to get you started.
- Market your products responsibly: For example, use advertising platforms that allow you to target your adverts at appropriate age groups.
- Educate your customers: If you're selling knives, make sure it's clear what use the knife is intended for.
- Verify your customer's age: Use robust age verification tools to ensure customers are of legal age before they make a purchase.
- And ensure safe/compliant delivery of your products. Safely package your products and use a courier that verifies a customer's age upon delivery to ensure compliance.
Your Shopify Storefront
As a Shopify Development Agency, our area of focus is the in-store customer experience. How do we best educate your customer and how do we verify a customer's age to ensure only genuine orders are placed.
As with most problems there rarely is a one size fits all solution.
Educating your Customers
Once you've got an age verification tool in place it's time to educate your customers. There will be a number of things you will need to do Your storefront should clearly convey your commitment to legal compliance and responsible sales practices:
- Visible Disclaimers: Add visible disclaimers on relevant pages to inform customers of age restrictions.
- Detailed Product Descriptions: Provide clear descriptions of your knives, including intended uses (e.g., kitchen, outdoor, or collector’s items), to prevent misuse.
- Terms and Conditions Page: Outline your store’s policies on age verification, shipping, and returns for age-restricted products.
Selecting an Age Verification Tool
Picking the right age verification service for your needs is the first step in the process. Each tool solves the problem in its own unique way. We worked with Leatherman UK to create a custom integration with AgeChecked that asked customers to verify their age before they proceeded to the Shopify checkout. While Diistil opted to implement OneID which integrates seamlessly into the Shopify checkout experience and silently verifies UK customers as they complete their purchases. Let's look at some of the options available to you.
1. OneID
OneID discreetly verifies your customer's age within a matter of seconds by using the information provided in the checkout to verify the provided details with your customer's personal bank account. This seamless verification process is one of our favourites thanks to the simple setup and great user experience. If you’re a UK-based business selling to the UK market then this is a great option.
2. AgeChecked
AgeChecked provides a robust AgeVerification tool that can be used for UK customers as well as international customers. AgeChecked can be configured to ask customers to verify their age before proceeding to checkout. Customers are offered a wide range of methods to verify their age. In fact, AgeChecked offers more online age verification methods than any other verification provider.
3. Yoti
Yoti allows you to add a “Verify Age’ button to your Shopify checkout process - allowing customers to verify their age without leaving your website. Yoti’s super fast, AI-powered, age verification service automatically verifies the age of the majority of your customers. If a customer fails the verification process then 200+ verification experts are on hand to manually verify the customer - allowing them to complete their order.
Conclusion
Selling knives on Shopify can be a profitable addition to your store, but it requires diligence and responsibility. By understanding UK regulations, leveraging Shopify’s tools, and adopting best practices, you can build a compliant and trustworthy store. Prioritise safety and legal compliance to grow your business while maintaining your customers' confidence.
