Shopify for Regulated Products

No. Shopify Payments does not support CBD, THC, or several other regulated product categories. Merchants in these categories need a third party high risk payment processor before taking their first order. Suitable processors include Authorize.net, NMI, Bankful, and other providers that work with regulated eCommerce. Payment processor setup is the first step in any regulated product store build, not something added after launch.

Requirements vary by product category and state. Self declaration checkboxes (asking buyers to click 'Yes, I am 21') are no longer legally sufficient in most US jurisdictions as of 2026 for tobacco, vaping products, and similar categories. The FDA, PACT Act, and state laws now require verifiable, auditable age checks. This typically means date of birth validation with records, document verification, or AI based age estimation with ID escalation. Building to the strictest applicable standard across all shipping jurisdictions is the recommended approach.

Yes. Product level age and access controls gate only the restricted products. Buyers purchasing non regulated items proceed through the standard checkout flow without interruption. Buyers who add regulated items to cart trigger the appropriate verification at checkout. A sitewide age gate that blocks all visitors is not necessary and creates friction for buyers of unrestricted products.

Facebook, Google, and TikTok restrict or prohibit advertising for CBD, vaping, THC, alcohol, adult content, and other regulated categories. The restrictions vary by platform and jurisdiction but are significant enough that paid social and paid search cannot be primary acquisition channels for most regulated product stores. SEO, email marketing, direct traffic, and community based marketing typically carry more weight. Archer Roose operates with almost no standard paid channels because of alcohol advertising restrictions.

Shopify requires merchants selling hemp and hemp derived products to complete an attestation confirming the products meet legal requirements for hemp commerce. This is a platform level compliance requirement, not optional. Stores that skip it risk account suspension regardless of payment processor or legal compliance. The attestation is completed in Shopify admin. It is confirmed and completed as part of the store build for any client with CBD or hemp products in their catalog.

Yes. Shopify Plus B2B company accounts support professional buyer accounts with separate catalog access, pricing, and checkout terms alongside the consumer storefront. Painful Pleasures uses this to serve professional tattoo artists and studios at wholesale pricing and terms while retail consumers use the standard store. The professional account login gates the trade pricing and catalog without affecting the consumer experience.