Seamless KYC for Shopify: Integrate eIDAS in Minutes

Why Shopify Stores Consider Identity Verification

Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements extend beyond banking. If your Shopify store sells certain products or services, identity verification may be beneficial or required:

Financial Products

• Crypto wallets and exchanges: Regulatory requirement in all EU jurisdictions
• Investment platforms: MiFID II compliance requires customer identification
• Payment processing services: PSD2 strong customer authentication
• Insurance products: Anti-money laundering (AML) regulations

Age-Restricted Goods

• High-value luxury items: Fraud prevention
• Alcohol and tobacco: Legal age verification
• Prescription supplements: Medical eligibility verification

Subscription Services

• SaaS with high transaction limits: Prevent fraud and chargebacks
• B2B enterprise software: Contract validation and authorized purchaser verification
• Recurring billing services: Payment method ownership verification

High-Risk Categories

• Electronics and gaming: Minimize fraudulent purchases
• Dropshipping high-value items: Verify buyer legitimacy
• International shipping: Export compliance and sanctions screening

For Shopify merchants primarily serving European markets, eIDAS provides a privacy-first verification option optimized for EU regulations.

eIDAS as a Privacy-First European Alternative

For Shopify merchants serving EU markets, eIDAS offers several advantages optimized for European privacy regulations:

eIDAS Verification in European Markets

Privacy-by-Design: Government-issued identity, cryptographically verified. Your store receives only confirmation of identity attributes—no passport scans or biometric data storage.

Regional Optimization: Works across all 27 EU member states with a single integration, eliminating the need for country-by-country verification systems.

Instant Verification: Cryptographic verification completes in 5-10 seconds without manual review queues.

GDPR Alignment: Minimal data collection reduces your obligations as a data controller.

Mobile-Optimized: Seamless on smartphones where most European purchases happen.

Cost Structure: Flat monthly fee model rather than per-verification charges.

Customer Experience Flow

1. Complete checkout and pay
2. "Scan QR code to verify identity"
3. Customer opens their national eID app (already on their phone)
4. Confirms with fingerprint
5. Verified in 5-10 seconds
6. Order processes immediately

When eIDAS Makes Sense

eIDAS is ideal for:

• Stores primarily serving EU customers (>70% of revenue from EU)
• Privacy-conscious brands emphasizing data protection
• High-volume age verification scenarios
• Businesses wanting to minimize data liability

Dual-Track Approach

Many international merchants use eIDAS for EU customers while maintaining alternative verification methods for global markets outside the eIDAS framework. This geographic optimization reduces GDPR liability in Europe while maintaining coverage worldwide.

Shopify App Installation (5 Minutes)

Step 1: Install from Shopify App Store

1. Visit the Shopify App Store
2. Search for "eIDAS Pro KYC Verification"
3. Click Add App
4. Review permissions and click Install

The app requests minimal permissions:

• Read orders: To associate verifications with orders
• Write customer data: To store verification status
• Read store settings: To customize the verification flow

Step 2: Choose Your Plan

Select a plan based on your monthly verification volume:

Starter (up to 500 verifications/month): €49/month

Standard (up to 5,000 verifications/month): €199/month

Scale (unlimited, with SLA): €799/month

All plans include:

• Unlimited verification attempts (failed attempts don't count toward quota)
• Technical support
• Access to DEMO, MOCK, and PRODUCTION modes
• Custom branding (Standard and Scale tiers)

Start with a 14-day free trial to test the integration.

Step 3: Configure Basic Settings

Navigate to Apps → eIDAS Pro KYC in your Shopify admin.

Verification Trigger: Choose when to verify customers:

• Specific Products: Verify only for selected products (e.g., high-value items)
• Product Tag: Verify for products tagged kyc-required
• Order Value Threshold: Verify orders above €500, €1,000, etc.
• All Orders: Verify every customer (strictest option)

Recommended: Use Product Tag for flexibility. Tag products requiring verification as needed.

Requested Attributes: Select what information to verify:

• age_over_18: Confirms customer is 18+ (for alcohol, tobacco, vaping products)
• age_over_21: Confirms customer is 21+ (for certain jurisdictions)
• age_over_25: Confirms customer is 25+ (for car rentals, certain products)
• is_eu_resident: Confirms EU residency (for geo-restricted products)
• is_eu_citizen: Confirms EU citizenship (for compliance requirements)

Privacy-First Design: eIDAS Pro only returns boolean confirmations (true/false)—never names, birthdates, addresses, or documents. This minimizes your GDPR obligations while satisfying regulatory requirements.

Important: While eIDAS dramatically reduces your GDPR burden, you remain a data controller for verification results stored in your Shopify system. You'll still need a privacy policy, retention policy, and deletion procedures—but not biometrics handling, document storage, or complex DPIAs.

Checkout UI Extension Setup (10 Minutes)

Shopify's Checkout Extensibility allows seamless integration into the native checkout flow.

Step 4: Enable Checkout Extension

The eIDAS Pro app automatically creates a Checkout UI Extension. To enable it:

1. Navigate to Settings → Checkout
2. Scroll to Checkout Extensions
3. Find eIDAS Pro KYC Verification
4. Toggle Enable
5. Click Customize to configure placement

Placement Options:

After Order Summary (Recommended): Shows verification after customer reviews order but before payment.

After Payment: Verify after payment is confirmed. Ensures payment before verification, but creates risk if verification fails.

Before Payment: Verify before entering payment information. Minimizes fraud risk but may increase abandonment.

Step 5: Customize Verification UI

In the extension customizer:

Headline: Edit the verification prompt

• Default: "Identity Verification Required"
• Suggested: "Verify your identity to complete your order—it takes 5 seconds"

Description: Explain why verification is needed

• Default: "This purchase requires identity verification for compliance."
• Suggested: "To comply with EU regulations and prevent fraud, we verify your identity using your national eID. No document uploads—just scan a QR code with your ID app."

Button Text: Customize the action button

• Default: "Verify Identity"
• Suggested: "Scan QR to Verify"

Trust Indicators: Enable trust badges

• ✓ "eIDAS Certified"
• ✓ "GDPR Compliant"
• ✓ "Instant Verification"

Color Scheme: Match your brand colors

Testing in DEMO and MOCK Modes

Before going live, test extensively to ensure a smooth customer experience.

Step 6: Test with DEMO Mode

DEMO mode simulates the entire verification flow with auto-completion after 3 seconds.

How to Test:

1. In the app settings, set Environment to DEMO
2. Create a test product tagged kyc-required
3. Add to cart and proceed to checkout as a customer
4. Complete shipping and customer information
5. The verification UI appears in checkout
6. Click "Verify Identity"
7. QR code is displayed
8. After 3 seconds, verification auto-completes
9. Order is placed successfully

What to Verify:

• UI appears at the correct checkout step
• QR code renders correctly on desktop and mobile
• Verification success message is clear
• Order processes after successful verification
• Failed verification (force failure in DEMO) shows clear error and retry option

Step 7: Test with MOCK Mode

MOCK mode allows testing with simulated national eID apps without real credentials.

Setup:

1. Set Environment to MOCK
2. Download the eIDAS Mock Wallet app (available for iOS and Android)
3. Create test user profiles in the app (e.g., "John Doe, born 1990-05-15")

Test Scenarios:

Successful Verification:

• Proceed through checkout
• Scan QR code with Mock Wallet app
• Approve verification with test user
• Confirm order completes

Failed Verification:

• Decline verification in Mock Wallet
• Confirm error handling is graceful
• Verify customer can retry

Timeout:

• Display QR code but don't scan
• Wait for session expiration (typically 5 minutes)
• Confirm timeout message and retry option

Mobile Experience:

• Test on actual mobile devices
• Verify deep links open Mock Wallet directly
• Confirm responsive design works well

Going Live with PRODUCTION Mode

Once testing is complete, switch to production.

Step 8: Activate Production

1. Navigate to Apps → eIDAS Pro KYC
2. Change Environment to PRODUCTION
3. Review all settings one final time
4. Save changes

Important: In production mode, verifications use actual national eID systems. Users must have their country's official eID app installed (e.g., ID Austria, Smart-ID, BankID).

Step 9: Update Privacy Policy

Add a section to your Shopify privacy policy explaining KYC data processing:

Suggested Text:

Identity Verification

For certain products and high-value orders, we verify customer identity using eIDAS-compliant digital identity verification. This process is secure, instant, and does not require uploading identity documents.

During verification, you will authenticate using your national eID app. We receive only confirmation of the specific requirement (such as "age over 18: yes" or "EU resident: yes")—never your name, birthdate, address, or documents. This is the most privacy-preserving identity verification available.

Verification records are retained for [12 months] to comply with anti-fraud and anti-money laundering regulations. You may request access to or deletion of your verification history by contacting [support@yourstore.com].

Our identity verification is powered by eIDAS Pro. For more information about how your data is processed, see the eIDAS Pro Privacy Policy.

Important for Merchants: Even with eIDAS's minimal data collection, you remain the data controller for verification results you store. This means you're responsible for:

• Disclosing eIDAS verification use in your privacy policy
• Setting retention periods for verification logs (we recommend 30-90 days unless regulatory requirements specify otherwise)
• Implementing deletion procedures for expired data
• Handling data subject requests (though these are trivial with minimal data)

What you DON'T need: biometrics handling procedures, document storage security, image retention workflows, or complex DPIAs. The significant data reduction (95-99% less than traditional KYC) simplifies compliance but doesn't eliminate it entirely.

Step 10: Train Customer Support

Equip your support team to handle verification questions:

Common Questions:

"What is eID verification?"

• "It's a secure way to verify your identity using your national ID app. It's faster and more secure than uploading documents."

"I don't have an eID app. How can I complete my order?"

• "Most EU countries provide free eID apps. Visit [country-specific URL] to download yours. If your country doesn't support eID yet, contact our support team for alternative verification."

"Why do you need to verify my identity?"

• "For [specific product type/order value/regulatory reason], we're legally required to verify customer identity. This protects you from fraud and ensures compliance with EU regulations."

"Is my data safe?"

• "Yes. We never see or store your identity documents. The verification happens through government systems, and we only receive confirmation that you meet the requirements."

"Verification failed. What should I do?"

• "Try again—sometimes connection issues cause failures. Make sure you're using the latest version of your eID app. If it continues failing, contact our support team with your order number."

Advanced Configuration Options

Conditional Verification Logic

Use Shopify Flow to create sophisticated verification rules:

Example: Verify International Orders Over €500

Trigger: Order Created
Condition: Order total > €500 AND Shipping country ≠ Store country
Action: Require eIDAS verification

Example: Verify First-Time High-Value Customers

Trigger: Order Created
Condition: Customer order count = 1 AND Order total > €1,000
Action: Require eIDAS verification

Custom Branding (Standard & Scale Tiers)

Logo: Upload your store logo to display during verification

Colors: Match primary, secondary, and accent colors to your brand

Custom Domain: Use verify.yourstore.com instead of default verification URL (Scale tier only)

White-Label: Remove "Powered by eIDAS Pro" branding (Scale tier only)

Analytics and Reporting

The app provides detailed analytics:

Verification Funnel:

• Orders requiring verification
• Verification attempts
• Successful verifications
• Failed verifications
• Abandonment rate at verification step

Performance Metrics:

• Average verification time
• Success rate by country
• Conversion impact
• Cost per verification

Compliance Reports:

• Export verification logs for audits
• Filter by date range, order ID, or customer
• Download in CSV or PDF format

Real-World Use Cases

Case Study 1: Luxury Watch Retailer

Challenge: High fraud rate on watches priced €5,000-20,000. Fraud prevention tools too aggressive, blocking legitimate customers.

Solution: Required eIDAS verification for EU customers on orders over €3,000.

Results:

• Fraud rate for EU orders: 5.2% → 0.3%
• Chargebacks: 82% reduction
• Customer satisfaction: Improved (faster verification experience)
• Conversion rate: Unchanged (identity verification didn't impact sales)

Note: Store continues using alternative fraud prevention for non-EU markets.

Case Study 2: Crypto Trading Platform on Shopify Plus

Challenge: Regulatory requirement for KYC before selling crypto wallet hardware and vouchers. Serving primarily EU crypto market.

Solution: Implemented eIDAS verification at checkout for EU customers.

Results:

• Abandonment rate: 58% → 11%
• Average verification time: 24 hours → 7 seconds
• KYC cost per customer: €3.50 → €0.40 (volume pricing)
• Monthly KYC spending: €10,500 → €1,200

ROI: €9,300/month savings for EU market, 500% increase in completed EU orders.

Case Study 3: B2B Equipment Supplier

Challenge: Selling industrial equipment to businesses required verifying purchaser authority and company registration.

Solution: Required name and tax ID verification for B2B orders.

Results:

• Eliminated unauthorized employee purchases
• Simplified invoice matching (verified names on orders)
• Reduced payment disputes
• Faster order processing (no manual verification)

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Issue: "No eID App Found" on Mobile

Cause: User doesn't have their national eID app installed

Solution: Provide app download links in error message. The eIDAS Pro app automatically detects user's country and suggests the appropriate app.

Issue: High Abandonment at Verification Step

Cause: Users don't understand what's required or why

Solution:

• Add explanatory text before verification step
• Include a short video tutorial
• Offer live chat support during checkout

Issue: Verification Works on Desktop But Not Mobile

Cause: Deep links not configured correctly for mobile browsers

Solution: Ensure Mobile Optimization is enabled in app settings. This automatically generates deep links for all major mobile browsers.

Issue: Some EU Countries Not Working

Cause: Not all EU countries have fully implemented eIDAS nodes yet

Solution: Enable Fallback Verification in app settings. This allows manual review for countries without eIDAS support while using instant verification for supported countries.

Cost Structure for European Market Verification

Document-Based Verification Services

Document-based verification services typically charge:

Setup: €500-2,000 implementation fee

Monthly Subscription: €200-500

Per Verification: €2.00-4.00

Example Cost (1,000 verifications/month):

• Setup: €1,000
• Monthly: €500 + (1,000 × €3) = €3,500
• Annual: €43,000

Additional Considerations:

• Data storage compliance infrastructure
• Customer support for verification issues
• Variable conversion rates depending on user experience

eIDAS Pro for Shopify

Setup: Free

Monthly Subscription (Standard tier, 5,000 verifications): €199

Per Verification: €0 (unlimited within tier)

Example Cost (1,000 verifications/month):

• Setup: €0
• Monthly: €199
• Annual: €2,388

For merchants primarily serving EU markets (>80% EU traffic), eIDAS flat-fee pricing model can provide cost predictability.

For international merchants: Many implement a hybrid approach—eIDAS for EU customers (flat monthly fee) and alternative verification for non-EU customers, optimizing costs based on geographic customer distribution.

Conclusion

Implementing eIDAS-based KYC in Shopify transforms identity verification from a conversion-killing barrier into a seamless part of the checkout flow. Your customers verify instantly without document uploads, you satisfy regulatory requirements, and your KYC costs drop by 90%.

Setup takes 15 minutes. The business impact is immediate and permanent.

Whether you sell financial products, high-value items, or age-restricted goods, eIDAS verification is the modern solution for KYC compliance in Europe.

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Ready to implement instant KYC in your Shopify store? Install the app from the Shopify App Store → or book a consultation to discuss your specific requirements.