Shopify Store Launch Checklist: Everything Before Going Live
Launching a Shopify store without a checklist is risky.
Forgotten settings, broken functionality, or missing legal pages create problems that are embarrassing at best and costly at worst. A customer discovering your shipping does not work is not how you want to launch.
This comprehensive checklist covers everything to verify before removing that password page and going live.
How to Use This Checklist
Complete this checklist one to two weeks before your planned launch. This timing allows you to fix issues discovered during the review rather than scrambling at the last minute.
Work through the checklist systematically. Check items off only after verification, not just completion. Actually test functionality rather than assuming it works.
Assign checklist sections to appropriate team members. Review together before launch to ensure nothing was missed and everyone understands the state of the store.
Store Settings
General Settings
Your store name should be correct and consistent with your branding. Verify that the legal business name is accurate for invoices and legal documents. Confirm the store email address is monitored so you receive order notifications and customer inquiries. Check that the phone number is accurate if you display it on the site. Verify the store address is correct for shipping calculations and customer reference. Ensure the timezone is set correctly so order timestamps and reports make sense. Confirm the unit system is correct for your market, whether metric or imperial. Verify the currency is set appropriately.
Billing
Select the appropriate Shopify plan for your expected volume and feature needs. Confirm a payment method is on file so your store continues operating. Understand your billing cycle to anticipate charges.
Domains
Connect your primary domain and verify it is working. Confirm the SSL certificate is active, which Shopify handles automatically. Configure domain redirects so both www and non-www versions work properly. Set up email forwarding if needed for domain-based email addresses. Configure any subdomains required for your store.
Products
Product Information
All products should have titles that are descriptive and consistent. Descriptions should be written, accurate, and helpful to customers. Verify pricing is correct for all products. Check compare-at prices are accurate if you are showing original prices for sale items. Assign SKUs for inventory management. Confirm inventory quantities are accurate. Mark products as tracking inventory if you want Shopify to manage stock levels. Verify weights are accurate for products that ship, as this affects shipping calculations.
Product Media
All products should have images that show the product clearly. Verify images are high quality and professional. Confirm images are appropriately sized for web display without being unnecessarily large. Add alt text to images for accessibility and SEO. Upload product videos if applicable. Ensure image order is correct with the main image appearing first.
Variants
Verify variants are correctly configured with appropriate options. Confirm variant pricing is correct if prices differ by variant. Check variant inventory is accurate. Assign variant-specific images where appropriate. Remove any duplicate variants that may have been created accidentally.
Product Organization
Assign all products to appropriate collections so they are discoverable. Set product types for each product. Apply tags consistently for filtering and organization. Verify vendor information is accurate. Check for orphan products that are not in any collection and would be difficult for customers to find.
Product SEO
Customize SEO titles for key products rather than using defaults. Write meta descriptions for important products. Verify URL handles are clean and descriptive rather than auto-generated with numbers or codes.
Collections
Collection Setup
Create all necessary collections for your product organization. Verify collection titles are clear and consistent with your navigation. Write collection descriptions that help customers and provide content for search engines. Add collection images that represent the category visually. Curate manual collections if you are using them. Verify automated collection rules are working correctly and including the right products.
Collection SEO
Customize SEO titles for collections. Write meta descriptions for key collections. Verify URL handles are clean and keyword-relevant.
Collection Organization
Confirm collections appear in navigation where customers expect to find them. Verify collection sort order is logical for browsing. Identify featured collections that should appear prominently.
Navigation
Main Navigation
Menu items should be logical and clear to customers. Test all links to verify they work. Test mobile navigation specifically since it works differently than desktop. Verify important pages are accessible without excessive clicking. Check for broken links anywhere in navigation.
Footer Navigation
Include links to policy pages in the footer. Include contact information or a link to the contact page. Verify social media links work and go to the correct profiles. Test all footer links to confirm they function.
Additional Navigation
Test breadcrumbs if enabled in your theme. Verify search function returns relevant results. Configure the 404 page for when customers reach invalid URLs. Test collection filtering to ensure customers can narrow products by attributes.
Pages
Essential Pages
The homepage should be complete with your value proposition and clear navigation. Complete your about page so customers can learn who you are. Create a contact page with working contact form or clear contact information. Add an FAQ page if your products or business model raises common questions.
Policy Pages
Publish your privacy policy explaining how you handle customer data. Publish terms of service establishing the legal relationship with customers. Publish your refund and return policy so customers know what to expect. Publish shipping policy either as a standalone page or clearly on relevant pages.
Policy Content
Customize policies rather than using generic Shopify templates. Ensure policies are accurate for how your business actually operates. Include contact information in policies. Consider legal review for policies if your business warrants it.
Checkout and Payments
Payment Setup
Activate your payment provider. Complete a test order successfully using Shopify's test mode. Test a live payment with a small amount to verify real transactions work. Confirm all intended payment methods function correctly. Verify payment gateway configuration is correct.
Payment Options
Accept credit cards from major brands. Enable Shop Pay if you are using Shopify Payments. Enable Apple Pay for customers who prefer mobile wallet payments. Enable Google Pay as an additional mobile payment option. Configure PayPal if you are offering it as a payment method. Set up alternative payment methods if relevant to your market.
Checkout Settings
Set customer contact method, with email recommended for abandoned cart recovery. Configure form fields appropriately for your market. Verify checkout branding matches your store design. Test the complete checkout process as a customer would experience it.
Checkout Features
Enable guest checkout so customers can purchase without creating accounts. Configure abandoned checkout emails to recover lost sales. Verify order confirmation emails are working. Configure the thank you page with appropriate messaging.
Shipping
Shipping Rates
Create shipping zones for the regions you serve. Configure shipping rates that are accurate and competitive. Set up free shipping threshold if you are offering this incentive. Verify rate accuracy by testing with sample orders. Configure international shipping if you serve customers outside your primary market.
Shipping Settings
Confirm shipping origin address is correct for rate calculations. Configure package dimensions if you are using calculated carrier rates. Connect carrier accounts if applicable for real-time rates. Understand your fulfillment workflow for processing orders.
Shipping Testing
Place test orders with different shipping scenarios to verify rates. Confirm rates display correctly at checkout for various destinations. Test international rates if you are offering international shipping.
Taxes
Tax Settings
Configure tax regions for jurisdictions where you have tax obligations. Verify tax calculations are accurate for your products and locations. Set up tax-inclusive pricing if applicable to your market. Configure tax exemptions if you have exempt products or customers. Set product tax overrides if certain products have different tax treatment.
Tax Verification
Place test orders to verify correct tax calculation. Test tax in different regions to confirm location-based calculations. Understand your tax filing obligations and ensure you can meet them with the data Shopify provides.
Customer Accounts
Account Settings
Select your customer account option based on whether you want to encourage or require accounts. Test the new customer account creation flow. Verify password reset functionality works. Confirm the account page displays order history correctly.
Account Features
Test that saved addresses work for returning customers. Verify order tracking is accessible from customer accounts. Confirm account editing functionality works for updating information.
Notifications
Email Notifications
Review the order confirmation email for branding and accuracy. Review shipping confirmation email content. Customize all email templates to match your brand. Verify the sender email address is correct and recognizable. Test that emails are received successfully.
Notification Testing
Place a test order and verify confirmation email arrives. Test all notification scenarios including shipping, delivery, and account creation. Verify links in emails work correctly. Confirm branding is consistent across all notifications.
Additional Notifications
Configure abandoned cart emails with appropriate timing and content. Verify account notification emails work. Set up SMS notifications if you are using them.
Apps
Installed Apps
Review all installed apps to confirm only necessary apps are present. Verify all apps are configured correctly for your needs. Test that apps are working as expected. Understand app costs and billing. Remove unused apps that add weight without value.
Essential App Check
Configure your reviews app if you are using one. Connect email marketing to Shopify for customer data. Verify analytics apps are tracking correctly. Configure SEO apps if installed.
Analytics and Tracking
Shopify Analytics
Verify you can access Shopify reports. Understand what Shopify analytics provide and how to interpret them.
Google Analytics
Connect Google Analytics 4 to your store. Enable enhanced ecommerce tracking for detailed conversion data. Verify tracking with a test purchase to confirm data flows correctly. Configure goals or conversions for key actions.
Additional Tracking
Install Facebook Pixel if you are using Facebook advertising. Set up Google Ads conversion tracking if running Google Ads. Install other platform pixels as needed for your marketing. Test all tracking to verify data is being captured.
SEO
Technical SEO
Verify the XML sitemap is generated and accessible. Confirm robots.txt is appropriate and not blocking important pages. Connect Google Search Console and verify ownership. Connect Bing Webmaster Tools if you want visibility into Bing search.
On-Page SEO
Optimize homepage title and meta description. Complete SEO for collection pages. Optimize product page SEO for at least key products. Configure blog post SEO if launching with content.
Site Structure
Verify URL handles are clean and descriptive. Confirm internal linking is logical and helps customers navigate. Enable breadcrumbs if using them for navigation context. Check for broken internal links that would frustrate customers.
Content
Copy Review
Proofread all copy throughout the site. Verify no placeholder text remains anywhere. Confirm tone is consistent throughout all pages. Check for spelling and grammar errors.
Media Review
Verify all images display correctly without broken links. Confirm no images are missing from products or pages. Check that image quality is consistent throughout the site. Verify alt text is present on images for accessibility.
Blog
If launching with blog content, verify posts are published. Confirm blog navigation is accessible. Configure blog post SEO for search visibility.
Theme and Design
Visual Check
Verify the homepage looks correct and represents your brand well. Confirm collection pages display products properly. Check that product pages show all information correctly. Test all page templates to ensure they work. Verify branding is consistent throughout the site.
Responsive Design
Verify desktop display looks correct. Check tablet display for proper layout. Test mobile display carefully since most visitors will be on mobile. Test on actual devices rather than just browser simulation.
Functionality
Test add to cart functionality on product pages. Test quick view if enabled in your theme. Verify filtering works on collection pages. Confirm search returns relevant results. Test newsletter signup forms to verify they submit correctly.
Legal and Compliance
Legal Requirements
Verify your privacy policy is appropriate for your jurisdiction. Implement cookie consent if required for your market, particularly for GDPR compliance. Confirm terms of service are complete. Add age verification if selling age-restricted products. Complete tax registration if required for your location.
Accessibility
Verify basic accessibility so your store is usable by people with disabilities. Confirm alt text is present on images. Check that color contrast is acceptable for readability. Test keyboard navigation for users who cannot use a mouse.
Security
Basic Security
Set strong passwords for admin accounts. Configure staff accounts with appropriate permission levels. Enable two-factor authentication for admin access. Verify SSL is active, which Shopify handles automatically.
Fraud Protection
Enable fraud analysis in Shopify settings. Configure AVS settings appropriately for your risk tolerance. Understand high-risk order indicators so you can review suspicious orders.
Performance
Speed Testing
Test homepage speed and verify it is acceptable. Test product page speed for your most important products. Test mobile speed specifically since mobile users are less patient. Check Core Web Vitals scores using Google tools.
Performance Issues
Optimize any large images that slow page loading. Remove unnecessary apps that add weight. Minimize third-party scripts that block rendering.
Pre-Launch Final Steps
Internal Review
Complete a full team walkthrough of the site. Get approval from all stakeholders who need to sign off. Have multiple people place test orders to catch issues. Resolve all issues on your list before proceeding.
Customer Service Preparation
Verify support email is being monitored by someone who can respond. Prepare phone support if you are offering it. Configure chat if using live chat or chatbot. Ensure FAQ covers common questions customers might have. Brief the team on how to handle common issues.
Marketing Readiness
Prepare social media profiles with launch content ready. Draft launch announcement for email and social. Prepare email list for launch notification. Set up paid advertising if using it at launch.
Launch Day
Launch Sequence
Create a final backup of store settings before going live. Remove password protection to make the store publicly accessible. Verify the site is live and accessible from outside your network. Place a test order to confirm the full purchase flow works. Verify email notifications are sending correctly. Check analytics tracking to confirm data is being captured. Announce launch through social media and email. Monitor for issues throughout the day.
First Day Monitoring
Watch for errors that customers might encounter. Monitor orders as they come in. Watch analytics for unusual patterns. Respond quickly to any customer questions. Fix any issues immediately rather than letting them persist.
Post-Launch First Week
Daily Tasks
Review analytics to understand traffic and conversion. Check for errors reported by customers or monitoring tools. Process orders promptly to establish good fulfillment rhythm. Monitor customer feedback through support channels. Address issues as they arise rather than accumulating them.
Week One Tasks
Review complete analytics to understand launch performance. Identify patterns in customer behavior or issues. Fix any issues that have been discovered. Gather customer feedback actively. Plan improvements based on launch learnings.
The Bottom Line
A thorough launch checklist prevents embarrassing and costly mistakes.
Key principles include completing the checklist one to two weeks before launch to allow time for fixes. Test everything as a customer would experience it rather than assuming it works. Have multiple people review the site with fresh eyes. Do not rush because fixing issues before going live is far better than discovering them after. Monitor closely after launch since issues still emerge despite careful preparation.
Launching is exciting. Launching prepared is better.
Getting ready to launch your Shopify store? Book a free CRO audit and we'll review your pre-launch setup, identify any gaps, and help ensure you launch with a store optimized for conversion.
