Deleting inactive accounts in WooCommerce can be a real headache, especially if you’re not even aware that it’s happening. This tutorial is based on a real-life scenario where a WooCommerce shop owner found customer accounts mysteriously disappearing. The culprit? A WooCommerce setting that automatically deletes inactive accounts. Let’s dive into how to prevent this from happening.
Identify the Problem
Before you can solve the issue, you need to know it exists. In this case, the shop owner received an email from a concerned customer whose account had vanished. If you’ve experienced something similar, it’s time to investigate.
Navigate to WooCommerce Settings
- Navigate to
WooCommerce > Settingsand then click on the Accounts & Privacy tab. - Scroll down to the section labeled Personal Data Retention. Here, you’ll find an option called Retain Inactive Accounts.
Understand the Setting
The Retain Inactive Accounts setting will automatically delete accounts that have not logged in or placed an order for the specified duration. If you set this to 6 months, for example, accounts that have been inactive for that period will be deleted.
Disable Automatic Deletion
- To disable this feature, simply leave the field empty. This will prevent WooCommerce from automatically deleting inactive accounts.
- Alternatively, if you want accounts to be deleted after a certain period, you can specify the duration in days, weeks, months, or years.
- Save your changes.
Deleting Inactive Accounts in WooCommerce – Conclusion
Deleting inactive accounts in WooCommerce can be prevented by simply adjusting a setting in your WooCommerce dashboard. Always be vigilant about the settings you choose, as they can have unintended consequences.
