What is the _shopify_y cookie?
_shopify_y is an HTTP cookie associated with the Shopify e-commerce platform. It appears on any online store (whether on a „.myshopify.com” subdomain or a custom domain) built on Shopify, set automatically by the platform’s scripts when a visitor loads the site.
It belongs to the family of Shopify cookies with the „_shopify_” prefix, alongside others such as _shopify_s or _shopify_sa_p, which the platform uses to support internal functionality and visitor analytics.
What data it stores
The cookie typically stores a unique identifier generated for the visitor, used to recognize them on subsequent visits. The exact value is an internal alphanumeric string generated by Shopify; its precise format can vary and is not publicly documented in detail.
Data collected through this cookie is sent to Shopify’s infrastructure, a global e-commerce services provider, and may be used together with other Shopify cookies to build an aggregated picture of browsing behavior on the store.
What it is used for
The main purpose of _shopify_y is to support analytics related to visitor behavior on Shopify stores – for example, recognizing returning visitors and correlating their actions across multiple sessions.
For the store owner, this information can help understand traffic patterns and how users interact with products, although Shopify does not publish an exhaustive technical description of every cookie in this family.
Does it require consent?
In CookieFix’s classification, _shopify_y falls under the statistics (analytics) category. Under the ePrivacy Directive (as transposed into Romanian law by Law 506/2004) and the GDPR, analytics cookies are not strictly necessary for the site to function, so they require the visitor’s prior, informed consent before being set.
- The Shopify store owner must list this cookie in the cookie policy.
- Consent must be obtained through a compliant banner before the cookie is set.
- Visitors must be able to refuse as easily as they accept.
How to block or delete _shopify_y
A visitor can manually delete or block _shopify_y from their browser settings (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari), under the cookie and site data management section, or by using dedicated tracking-blocker extensions.
At the site level, a Shopify store owner needs a Consent Management Platform that automatically blocks analytics scripts until consent is given. CookieFix, for instance, can prevent such scripts from loading on a Shopify store until the visitor explicitly consents.
Frequently asked questions
It is a cookie automatically set by the Shopify platform on online stores built with it, used to analyze visitor behavior.
Its typical duration is about 1 year, after which it expires and, if applicable, is reset on a new visit.
Yes, since it is classified as a statistics cookie, it requires prior consent under the GDPR and Romania's Law 506/2004.
It can be deleted from the browser's cookie settings, and site owners can block it automatically until consent is given by using a CMP.