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Text quality

Formatting where only text should appear — Shopify catalog

Finds formatting fragments where only plain text should appear.

Needs your reviewAbout this check

What happens when HTML markup reaches a plain-text field?

Some fields are intended to contain plain text. If an import, copy/paste, or transformation introduces HTML tags, they can appear literally to shoppers or introduce structure that does not belong in the field. This is different from intentional HTML inside a rich-text description.

The detector checks recognized markup inside a field that the contract treats as plain text. PROVEN can prepare cleanup toward text, while review confirms that useful information between tags is preserved and that the sequence was not intentional literal content.

Examples showing why context matters

These examples are fictional and explain the kind of situation the detector can flag. They are not measured store findings and do not justify an edit without checking real product data.

Title: “<strong>Ceramic mug</strong>”“Ceramic mug” after confirming the field is plain text

The tags are not product information and can remain visible literally.

Value: “Size<br>Large” in a non-rich-text field“Size Large” or another merchant-confirmed structure

Cleanup should preserve semantic separation rather than merely deleting characters.

A technical product intentionally needs to display the literal text “<code>”[can be intentional]

Review prevents a valid technical example from becoming an unwanted edit.

01

What does PROVEN check?

Checks formatting fragments inside a field that is treated as plain text.

02

Why does it matter?

Formatting can appear as unwanted text or introduce structure that does not belong in the field.

Why is this useful to a merchant?

Markup leaking into plain-text fields can affect readability and consistency in listings, filters, or other surfaces that expect a textual value. Grouping these findings can reveal a shared import or editor source.

Shopify uses rich text for descriptions, while other fields have different roles. The detector does not ban HTML where it is supported; it checks markup appearing in a field treated as plain text by the check definition.

03

What can PROVEN do?

PROVEN can prepare cleaning of confirmed fragments into plain text; the change requires your review.

How PROVEN handles this check

The workflow separates a reproducible finding from the editorial decision about the final value.

  1. Identify the markup fragmentPROVEN detects recognized HTML tags or structures in the analyzed plain-text value.
  2. Separate useful text from structureThe finding keeps context so the merchant can see which information needs to remain after cleanup.
  3. Prepare final text for reviewPROVEN can prepare a version without confirmed markup, while the merchant validates meaning and semantic spacing.

Why might your review be required?

Mechanical tag stripping can join words, lose separation, or alter an example that was meant to be displayed literally.

Confirm the field type and visible result before application, especially for technical content or values imported from external systems.

What this page does not tell you

  • The detector does not say HTML is forbidden in every Shopify field; descriptions can use rich text.
  • The finding applies to a field treated as plain text by the detector.
  • Some tag-like sequences can be intentional literal text.
  • Examples are fictional and are not measured store data.
  • Markup cleanup does not guarantee SEO results and must not remove product information.

Frequently asked questions

Is HTML wrong in every Shopify description?

No. Shopify supports rich text and HTML in appropriate description contexts. This detector is for fields treated as plain text.

Why not simply strip every tag?

Removing tags can lose separation, useful text, or alter a sequence that should be displayed literally.

Can markup come from an import?

Yes. Feeds, editors, or copy/paste can transfer HTML structure into a field that does not expect it.

Can PROVEN keep the text inside tags?

It can prepare cleanup, but the result should be reviewed to preserve meaning and correct spacing.

Sources and independent context

The sources below explain the relevant platform or standards. They provide context for interpretation but do not by themselves show that your store has this finding.

  • Shopify — Rich text editorShopify explains where rich text is used and warns that unwanted HTML copied from other sources can cause storefront display errors.
  • MDN — Basic HTML syntaxMDN explains HTML element syntax and the distinction between markup and characters rendered as text.