SHOPIFY HELP

"This is an example of a response that you might give": what it is and how to fix your FAQ page

That sentence is placeholder text that comes with some Shopify FAQ and contact page layouts. It's meant to be replaced with your real answer. To fix it, open the page in the theme editor, edit each question and answer block, and delete the blocks you don't need. Then make sure the answers match your policies.

Last reviewed against Shopify's help center on 9 October 2026. Menu labels vary a little between themes.

What the placeholder looks like

On live stores we found, the full placeholder answer reads "This is an example of a response that you might give. It's good to be as thorough as possible in responses as that has a tendency to improve trust overall." The matching question can read "This is an example of a question that a customer might ask". Some pages also keep a line above the questions that begins "Use this text area to share information about your brand with your customers."

On several live stores one question is filled in and the next still shows the sample.

Fix it in six steps

1. Find the page. In your Shopify admin, go to Online Store, then Pages, and open your FAQ or contact page. Note the Theme template box, which tells you which template the page uses.

2. Open that template in the editor. Go to Online Store, then Themes, and click Edit theme. Use the drop-down at the top to switch from Home page to Pages and choose the template you noted.

3. Edit each block. Click the section that holds the questions and expand it. In most layouts each question and answer is a block with its own settings. Type your real question and answer over the sample.

4. Remove what you don't need. Click a block, then Remove block. Some sections have required blocks that you can hide but not delete, according to Shopify's help center, so hide those instead.

5. Write answers that match your policies. Questions about shipping, returns and order changes should repeat what your policy pages say, so open Settings, then Policies, and copy the facts from there. If your FAQ gives one return window and your policy gives another, that needs fixing, so see our guide to conflicting return windows.

6. Check the live store. Open the page in a private window and search it for "example of a response" and "example of a question". Check your contact page, footer and product pages too, since the same layout can appear on more than one page.

Before you change anything, duplicate your theme from Online Store, Themes. Shopify recommends this too, so you can discard changes and start again.

What to put in the answers

Answer the questions your customers email you about. Give real numbers, such as the days you ship within and the return window, only if they're true today. Skip any question you can't answer well. A short FAQ with real answers is better than a long one with sample text.

What this costs you

We can't give you a lost-sales number and won't invent one. The FAQ page is a natural place for a hesitant shopper to check shipping time and returns before buying. If the answer there is a sample sentence, they've learned nothing and they've seen that the page wasn't finished. Some may email you the same question, which costs you time, and some may simply leave.

Return and shipping answers are promises about your store. A sample answer promises nothing, and a wrong one can promise something you don't offer, so read each one before you publish.

Questions

Is the example response text a Shopify bug?
No. It's sample content that ships with some FAQ and contact layouts and is meant to be replaced.

Can I just delete the whole FAQ section?
Yes, if you don't want an FAQ. Remove the section in the editor and save. If you keep a link to the page in your menu, remove that link too.

Why does the question still say it's an example?
Questions and answers are separate settings inside each block. Edit both.

Where do I find my real shipping and return details?
In your Settings under Policies, and in the shipping and returns pages you published. Use the same facts in your FAQ.

Do I need a developer for this?
No, it's normal theme editing. A developer helps only if the questions come from an app or custom code.

Want someone to look at it?

Send us your store URL through the contact form. We'll do a free first look and send back a short written note listing any placeholder text we can see on the pages that load without logging in. If you'd like us to fix it: small fixes are $49 flat and you pay only if it is fixed. A one-issue fix is $299, with the $99 diagnosis credited in full. Bigger work gets a written quote first. We work on a copy of your theme, and we never need your password by email.

Sources

• Shopify Help Center, Customizing Sections in the theme editor (remove and hide steps, required blocks): https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/online-store/themes/customizing-themes/theme-editor/customizing-sections
• Shopify Help Center, Sections and blocks (template drop-down): https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/online-store/themes/theme-structure/sections-and-blocks
• Shopify Help Center, Templates (applying templates to pages): https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/online-store/themes/theme-structure/templates
• Shopify Help Center, The theme editor (duplicate your theme first): https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/online-store/themes/customizing-themes/theme-editor
• Live store pages that display the placeholder text, seen in search results on 9 October 2026 (store names withheld).