Shopify Store Launch Checklist: What to Check Before Going Live

In short: Everything to check before you open your Shopify store to customers, from payments and shipping to SEO and tracking.

A smooth launch protects your first customers’ experience and your ad budget. Work through this checklist before you remove the store password.

Store settings

• Store name, contact email and sender email are correct.
• Currency, time zone and units are set.
• Domain connected and redirecting to the primary domain.

Products

• Titles, descriptions, images and alt text are complete.
• Variants, prices, SKUs and inventory are accurate.
• Collections and navigation are logical.

Payments, shipping and taxes

• Payment methods activated and tested with a real order.
• Shipping zones and rates cover every country you sell to.
• Tax settings reviewed for your markets.

Legal and trust

• Privacy policy, terms, refund and shipping policies published.
• Contact details and reviews visible.

SEO and speed

• Page titles and meta descriptions written.
• Images compressed and unused apps removed.
• Sitemap submitted to Google Search Console.

Tracking

• Analytics and ad pixels installed and firing on key events.
• Test purchase recorded correctly.

Final testing

Place test orders on mobile and desktop, check emails, and test discount codes and forms.

Want experts to handle the launch? See our Shopify development service.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to launch a Shopify store?

Simple stores can launch in days, while custom themes and integrations usually take three to six weeks.

Do I need legal pages on my Shopify store?

Yes. Publish a privacy policy, terms, refund and shipping policies, and review them for the countries you sell to.

Should I submit my sitemap to Google?

Yes. Shopify generates a sitemap automatically; submit it in Google Search Console after launch.

Need a hand?

Launching a new Shopify store? Contact TrickyBytes for a free audit and a fixed-scope quote.