Shopify Store Pre-Launch Checklist: 25 Things to Check

Why a checklist helps

Launching an online store involves dozens of small settings spread across many screens. Missing one, such as shipping rates for a region or a broken discount code, can cost real sales or create support headaches. Work through the sections below on a real phone as well as a desktop before you remove the password page.

Products and catalogue

• Every product has a clear title, a useful description, and at least three quality images.
• Prices, compare-at prices, weights, and SKUs are correct.
• Variants (size, colour) each have their own inventory count and image where relevant.
• Collections are organised so customers can browse by category.
• Product images have descriptive alt text.

Checkout, payments, and shipping

• Place a test order using a test payment gateway or a real low-value order you then refund.
• Shipping zones and rates cover every region you want to sell to, and free-shipping thresholds work as intended.
• Taxes are configured correctly for the regions where you must collect them.
• Order confirmation and shipping notification emails are customised with your branding.
• Discount codes, gift cards, and abandoned-cart emails are tested.

Legal pages and trust

Add a privacy policy, refund policy, shipping policy, and terms of service, and link them in the footer. Shopify can generate templates, but review them so they match how you actually operate. Add clear contact details and a real return address. Customers look for these before entering card details.

Speed and mobile experience

Most store traffic is mobile, so test there first. Check that images are compressed, that you have not installed apps you do not need (each one can add scripts), and that the menu, cart drawer, and checkout are easy to use with a thumb. Run the home page and a product page through PageSpeed Insights and fix the largest issues it reports.

Analytics and tracking

• Connect Google Analytics or your chosen analytics tool and confirm purchase events are recorded.
• Verify your store in Google Search Console and submit the sitemap.
• Install advertising pixels only for the platforms you will actually use, and confirm they fire on checkout.
• Make sure your cookie consent approach matches the regions you sell to.

Basic SEO

Write unique page titles and meta descriptions for the home page, collections, and top products. Use clean, readable URLs and avoid duplicate product descriptions copied from a supplier, since identical text across many stores gives search engines little reason to rank yours.

The final pass

Ask two people who did not build the store to buy something from a phone and tell you every point where they hesitated. Their confusion is a more reliable guide than your own familiarity. Once they can check out without help, you are ready to launch.