--- title: Site Verification Before Your First Payout shortDescription: Fourthwall reviews every new shop before the first payout. Here's what verification checks, how to speed it up, and how to confirm your status. articleType: Reference primaryTopic: site-verification-first-payout categories: - Payments - Account Management tags: - site-verification - first-payout - needs-verification - fraud-mitigation - new-shop - shop-review - payout-hold - stripe-connect - trust-and-safety - shop-status tasks: - Understand why your first payout is held - Prepare your shop for verification - Check your shop verification status - Speed up your first payout review - Identify the needs_verification hold terms: - site verification - shop verification - needs verification - first payout hold - NeedsVerification - new shop review - fraud review - verified shop - trusted shop - shop not verified - why is my first payout delayed - shop marked as needs_verification - new creator payout labels: - payouts - fraud-mitigation - shop-status - billing contextString: Applies to new shops awaiting their first payout. Required step regardless of Stripe Connect status. breadcrumbPath: "FAQs > Payments & Pricing > Site Verification Before Your First Payout" path: frequently-asked-questions/payments-and-pricing/site-verification-before-first-payout relatedModules: - name: settings-billing route: /admin/dashboard/settings/billing/ - name: account-general route: /admin/dashboard/account/ last_updated: '2026-05-11' --- # Site Verification Before Your First Payout Every new Fourthwall shop is held for a one-time manual review before the first payout is released. This is a fraud and trust check that runs in addition to Stripe Connect setup. Once your shop is verified, payouts move to the standard monthly schedule with no further holds. ## Why the first payout is held Site verification is a fraud mitigation step that protects creators, supporters, and the payments ecosystem. Every new shop starts in a **needs_verification** state, and the first payout is paused until the Fourthwall team reviews and clears the shop. This review is separate from Stripe Connect activation. A fully activated Stripe Connect account does not bypass site verification. If a payout transfer is attempted before verification clears, the system returns the error "Shop is marked as 'needs_verification'". While your shop is pending verification: - Search engines see your shop with limited indexing. The shop record carries internal **storefront_noindex** and **storefront_nofollow** restrictions. - Your account has an internal **needs_verification** tag. - The **Billing and payouts** page shows no payout transactions on record. You can still sell, collect orders, and fulfill products while verification is pending. Only the payout transfer is held. ## How to prepare your shop for review Shops that look complete and active are reviewed faster. Before your first scheduled payout date, make sure you have: - **Live product offers.** Publish real products with images, descriptions, and prices. Empty or test-only shops take longer to verify. - **A completed setup checklist.** Work through the onboarding checklist in your dashboard. This signals an active creator and covers the basics Fourthwall checks for. - **A connected custom domain.** A custom domain adds credibility. See [Set Up Your Custom Domain](/getting-started/setting-up-your-shop/get-started/set-up-your-custom-domain) for the steps. Additional tips to speed up review: - Add an "About" section to your shop so reviewers can see who you are and what you sell. - Connect at least one social channel (YouTube, Twitch, Instagram, TikTok) from **Settings**. Reviewers use these to confirm you're a real creator. - Avoid placeholder copy like "Lorem ipsum" or sample images in your live storefront. ## Check your verification status There is no dedicated dashboard indicator for verification status. The clearest signal is your payout history. 1. Go to [**Settings > Billing and payouts**](https://my-shop.fourthwall.com/admin/dashboard/settings/billing/?redirect). 2. Scroll to your payout history. 3. If you see no payouts on record after your first scheduled payout date, your shop is likely still in **needs_verification** status. To confirm your current status or ask for a review update, email [support@fourthwall.com](mailto:support@fourthwall.com) with your shop URL. ## Expected timing Review turnaround depends on shop completeness and review queue volume. There is no fixed window. Most shops are reviewed before their first scheduled payout date. If your first payout date has passed and you see no payout activity, reach out to support to check on your status. Once Fourthwall clears your shop, the status moves to **Verified** or **Trusted**, the **storefront_noindex** and **storefront_nofollow** restrictions are removed, and the next scheduled payout runs through Stripe Connect on the normal monthly schedule. Verification is a one-time step per shop. You do not need to re-verify each month, and there is no manual action required from your dashboard once your shop is approved. ## Frequently asked questions ### Why is my first payout delayed even though my Stripe account is verified? Stripe Connect setup is separate from Fourthwall's site verification. Your first payout is held until the Fourthwall team manually reviews and clears your shop, even if Stripe shows your account as fully verified. This is a one-time check that runs in parallel with Stripe activation. ### Will future payouts also be held? No. Site verification is a one-time review. After your shop is marked as **Verified** or **Trusted**, future payouts follow the standard monthly schedule with no extra holds. ### Can I speed up site verification? Yes. Publish live products, complete your setup checklist, and connect a custom domain before your first payout date. Shops that look complete and active are reviewed faster. ### What does "Shop is marked as 'needs_verification'" mean? It means your shop has not yet cleared the first-payout review. The needs_verification tag is applied to every new shop and is removed once Fourthwall verifies your site. You don't need to do anything to remove the tag. Support handles it as part of the review. ### How do I check the status of my verification? The Fourthwall dashboard doesn't display verification status directly. Check your payout history on the **Billing and payouts** page. If no payouts are on record after your first scheduled payout date, email [support@fourthwall.com](mailto:support@fourthwall.com) with your shop URL to ask for a status update. ### Can I still sell while verification is pending? Yes. You can sell products, collect orders, and fulfill them as normal. Only the payout transfer is paused, not your store.