Store Launch Checklist: 40 Points Before Going Live

A launch checklist is only useful if every line is a test you can run: open the page, place the order, click the link. Here are 40 such checks, grouped so a small team can split them. Check a group off only when every line in it passes.

Checklist reviewed: July 21, 2026.

Storefront and content (1 to 6)

#	Check
1	The theme comes from a reviewed catalog such as the official Shopify Theme Store, so updates and support are covered.
2	Every product page has a unique title, description, price and at least one image.
3	All placeholder text, demo products and sample collections are deleted.
4	The navigation menu reaches every collection and key page in two clicks or less.
5	The homepage states what the store sells in the first screen without scrolling.
6	A custom domain is connected and the free platform subdomain redirects to it.

Legal and trust (7 to 12)

#	Check
7	The privacy policy page is published and linked in the footer.
8	The refund and return policy is published and reachable from the footer and checkout.
9	Terms of service are published and linked in the footer.
10	The shipping policy states processing times and destinations you actually serve.
11	A contact page lists a working email address and, where required by law, a business name and address.
12	The cookie consent banner appears for visitors from regions where it is required.

Payments (13 to 18)

#	Check
13	The payment provider account is fully verified, not in a pending or restricted state.
14	Payout bank details are entered and the payout schedule is confirmed.
15	The store currency is correct; changing it after orders exist is painful.
16	Accepted payment methods shown at checkout match what you actually enabled.
17	Taxes are configured for every region where you have an obligation to collect.
18	The order confirmation and receipt emails send from your domain and read correctly.

Shipping (19 to 24)

#	Check
19	Every shipping zone you sell to has at least one rate; no destination dead-ends.
20	Regions you do not serve are excluded so their customers cannot check out.
21	Product weights and dimensions are filled in wherever rates depend on them.
22	Free shipping thresholds, if any, show correctly in the cart.
23	The packing slip or invoice template prints with the right store details.
24	Local pickup and delivery options are either configured or switched off.

SEO basics (25 to 30)

#	Check
25	Every page has a unique title tag and meta description, starting with the homepage.
26	The storefront password is removed and pages are not blocked by a noindex flag.
27	The XML sitemap is submitted to Google Search Console.
28	Old URLs from a previous site are redirected to their new equivalents.
29	Product images have descriptive alt text, not file names.
30	The store returns one canonical address: one protocol, one host, no duplicate www split.

Analytics (31 to 35)

#	Check
31	The analytics property receives real-time data from a test visit.
32	Purchase and add-to-cart events fire once each, verified with a test order.
33	Ad pixels or conversion APIs for each ad channel pass their platform’s own test tool.
34	Marketing consent at checkout maps correctly to your email list.
35	Staff and office IPs are excluded from analytics so internal traffic does not pollute data.

Testing (36 to 40)

#	Check
36	A full test order goes through: pay, receive the emails, then refund it.
37	The whole purchase flow works on a real phone, from homepage to paid order.
38	Checkout is tested with at least two payment methods, including one wallet if enabled.
39	A crawl or click-through finds zero broken links and no 404s on menu items.
40	Key pages load fast on a throttled mobile connection; oversized images are compressed.

The list at a glance