Shopify Launch Checklist: 40 Things to Check Before Your Store Goes Live

Launch day is exciting, and it is exactly when small oversights slip through: test mode left on, a shipping zone missing, a demo product still visible, an order notification going to an inbox nobody checks. Each one can cost you sales, or a customer's trust, in the first week.

This Shopify launch checklist is the one I work through for every client store before removing the password. Go through it in order and tick each item. The printable PDF at the end has the same list ready to print.

1. Store settings

• Store name, contact email and sender email are correct (Settings > General and Notifications).
• Store currency and time zone are set before the first order. Changing currency later affects reports and prices.
• Business address is entered. It appears on invoices and some policies.
• Every team member has their own staff account with only the permissions they need. Never share the owner login.
• Two-step authentication is turned on for the store owner account.
• Your custom domain is connected and set as the primary domain, so the myshopify address redirects to it.

2. Payments and checkout

• A payment provider is activated, and test mode is switched off.
• The payment methods your customers actually use are enabled: cards, UPI, wallets, PayPal or cash on delivery where relevant.
• Checkout asks only for the information you need. Every extra field adds friction.
• Order confirmation, shipping confirmation and cancellation emails show your logo and match your tone.
• Order notification emails go to an inbox that someone checks every day.

3. Shipping and taxes

• Shipping zones cover every country or region you sell to. Missing zones cause "no shipping available" errors at checkout.
• Rates have been tested with a nearby address and a faraway address.
• Any free-shipping threshold is mentioned on product pages and in the cart.
• Product weights are entered if you use weight-based rates.
• Tax settings have been checked with your accountant.

4. Policies and trust pages

• Refund, privacy, terms of service and shipping policies are published. Shopify's templates are a starting point; edit them to match your real process.
• All policies are linked in the footer.
• A contact page shows real ways to reach you: email, phone or WhatsApp, and expected reply times.
• An About page tells the real story and shows the people behind the brand.

5. Products and content

• Every product has an original description, not copied supplier text.
• Product images share the same aspect ratio and are compressed.
• Prices, compare-at prices, variants and stock levels are double-checked.
• Collections are organized the way shoppers think, not the way your warehouse thinks.
• No test products, "Lorem ipsum" text or demo images remain anywhere, including blog posts and pages that came with the theme.
• The product page shows delivery time and returns information near the add-to-cart button. See the product page optimization guide.

6. Navigation and design

• The main menu is short and clear, with your most important collections first.
• Footer links work, including policies and contact.
• Logo, favicon and social sharing image are uploaded.
• The store has been checked on a real phone, not only the editor preview.

7. SEO and tracking

• The homepage title and meta description are written in Online Store > Preferences.
• Each product and collection has its own SEO title and description.
• Product images have descriptive alt text.
• The store is verified in Google Search Console and /sitemap.xml is submitted. Our Shopify SEO guide explains how.
• You know where to find your analytics in the Shopify admin and have a baseline before launch marketing starts.

8. Speed and apps

• Only essential apps are installed. Uninstall anything you tried and no longer use, so it stops loading scripts.
• Homepage banners and hero images are sized for the web, not straight from a camera.

9. The final test

• Place a complete test order on your phone: add to cart, checkout, payment and confirmation email. Then refund it.
• Ask a friend who has never seen the store to buy something while you watch silently. Every place they hesitate is something to fix.
• Remove the storefront password in Online Store > Preferences so the store is publicly visible.

A simple launch-day plan

• Morning: final test order and refund; remove the password; check the live store on mobile and desktop.
• Midday: announce the launch to your email list, WhatsApp contacts and social media.
• All day: keep your phone nearby to answer questions quickly.
• Evening: write down what went well and what to fix tomorrow.

Your first 30 days after launch

• Check analytics weekly: where visitors come from, which products they view and where they leave.
• Reply to every message fast. Early customers become your first reviewers and word-of-mouth.
• Ask for reviews after delivery with a short, polite follow-up.
• Fix the small annoyances customers mention; they are usually quick wins.
• Publish helpful content such as size guides, care guides and gift guides that answer real questions.

Common launch mistakes

• Leaving test products or placeholder text visible.
• Missing shipping regions that block checkout for some customers.
• Order notifications going nowhere, so orders are missed.
• Inconsistent product photos that make the store look untrustworthy.
• No obvious way for customers to contact you.

Still building? Start with choosing and customizing your theme and importing products in bulk. Download the printable checklist below and tick each box before you go live.