open_inventory vs Shopify
Shopify built the playbook for online commerce. We rebuilt it for merchants who refuse to compromise on privacy, payment freedom, and data ownership.
Customer data
Data retention
Shopify
Stored on Shopify servers indefinitely. Deletion requires a manual GDPR request.
open_inventory
Shipping address, IP, and wallet address auto-deleted on order fulfillment. Database trigger, not a policy.
Cross-store profiling
Shopify
Customer data pooled across all merchants via "Network Intelligence." Buyer profiles built for ad targeting.
open_inventory
Each store is its own isolated database. No cross-store data. No profiling. No ad network.
Tracking
Shopify
Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, Shopify tracking JS active by default.
open_inventory
Zero tracking. No cookies, no pixels, no third-party scripts. Content-Security-Policy blocks all external loads.
Account creation
Shopify
Email required.
open_inventory
Account required. Only a Signal username needed — no email. Shipping address auto-purged on fulfillment.
Payments
Processing fees
Shopify
2.9% + 30¢ per transaction via Shopify Payments.
open_inventory
Zero platform fees. Self-custody crypto — customer pays you directly on-chain.
Crypto support
Shopify
Third-party apps only. Custodial. Limited chains.
open_inventory
Native self-custody: Monero, Bitcoin, Zcash, Ethereum, Base, Polygon, Arbitrum. Monero featured first.
Payment data
Shopify
Card numbers stored by Stripe. Transaction records kept permanently.
open_inventory
No payment processor. Wallet addresses purged on order close. Monero transactions are protocol-level private.
Ownership
Hosting
Shopify
Shopify cloud only. No self-hosting option.
open_inventory
Standard Next.js + Postgres. Host on Vercel, your own VPS, or a privacy-focused provider in any jurisdiction.
Database access
Shopify
No direct access. Data locked in Shopify's proprietary system.
open_inventory
Your own Postgres database. Query it, back it up, migrate it anytime.
Deplatforming risk
Shopify
Shopify can suspend your account overnight. Your store vanishes.
open_inventory
You own the code and the data. If we ceased to exist, your store keeps running.
Security
Third-party apps
Shopify
~180,000 users impacted by a compromised third-party app leaking names, emails, purchase history.
open_inventory
Zero third-party apps. No plugin ecosystem. No supply chain attack surface.
Data controller
Shopify
Shopify processes your customer data as a Data Controller for their own "Enhanced Services."
open_inventory
The store operator is both controller and processor. No third party makes decisions about your data.
Transparency
Shopify
Complex 47-page privacy policy.
open_inventory
Warrant canary updated monthly. Privacy policy lists the exact cookies and columns by name.
Ready?
No email required. No credit card. Store is live in under a minute.