Avada AI SEO Image Optimizer

UPDATE (after Avada’s response):

I’ve read their reply carefully. I’m not here to argue technical semantics. I’m here to document what actually happened as a merchant.

After installing Avada SEO Suite, my Google Ads account was suspended due to “Unknown DNS Errors” and “Malicious Redirects.” My store was effectively disrupted for over 48 hours.

I contacted Shopify Support, and during that process:

There were discussions around redirects (including xnxn.win)
There were concerns about URL structure and crawling behavior
There was initial mention that canonical tags MAY have been affected

Avada is now stating that Shopify ultimately concluded everything was “clean” and not related to their app. I cannot independently verify their internal interpretation of those logs, and I acknowledge that the final root cause may not be definitively attributed.

However, here is what I can confirm with certainty:

1. The issue happened immediately after installing the app

Before installation: no Google Ads suspension
After installation: account flagged and disrupted

You can decide for yourself whether that timing is coincidence.

2. The experience during support was not reassuring

When I raised concerns and shared Shopify findings:

The response was defensive
Responsibility was immediately denied
The burden of proof was pushed entirely onto me

Whether or not the app was the root cause, this is not the level of support I expect when my business is impacted.

3. Refund experience was extremely difficult

This part is not disputed, and it’s important for other merchants:

I canceled during the free trial period
I was still charged
I was asked to provide billing screenshots (which they already have access to)
After providing them, I was told to wait for the billing team with no clear timeline

At this point, getting a refund has been unnecessarily complicated.

4. My takeaway for other merchants

I cannot conclusively prove the app caused the issue.
Avada claims it did not.

But what I experienced was:

A major disruption shortly after installation
A support process that felt dismissive
A refund process that was not straightforward

That combination alone is enough for me to advise caution.