Launching a Shopify store is exciting, but small setup gaps — a payment method that fails, missing policies, a broken shipping rate — can cost you your first customers. Use this Shopify store launch checklist before you go live.
Store setup
1. Connect your own domain
Use your brand domain (for example yourbrand.in or .com) rather than the default myshopify address, and make sure it opens over HTTPS. Set the version customers should see as the primary domain.
2. Set up payments and place a test order
Activate the payment methods your customers expect — UPI, cards, netbanking, and cash on delivery if you offer it. Shopify recommends placing at least one test order during setup; its help centre explains how to use a test payment gateway or test mode. Remember customers can’t place live orders while payments are in test mode, so switch it off before launch.
3. Configure shipping
Set shipping zones and rates that match your courier costs, including any free-shipping threshold. Check delivery estimates and that COD charges (if any) are shown clearly.
4. Set up taxes
Configure tax settings for your business with your CA’s guidance, and check that prices, invoices and the order confirmation show tax correctly.
5. Publish your store policies
Add refund/return, privacy, terms of service, shipping and contact information pages and link them in the footer. Clear policies reduce support queries and build trust. Have your legal or compliance adviser confirm what Indian e-commerce rules require for your business.
Products and content
6. Complete every product page
Good photos from several angles, honest descriptions, sizes or specifications, variants, accurate stock, and the price including or excluding tax as you’ve decided. Answer the questions customers would ask in-store.
7. Organise collections and navigation
Group products into collections that match how people shop, and keep the main menu short. Make search and filters work on mobile.
8. Write SEO titles and descriptions
Give each product, collection and page a unique title and meta description, use descriptive image alt text, and keep URLs short and readable. This is the foundation of getting found on Google.
Performance and trust
9. Check speed on mobile
Most customers will shop on their phones. Compress images, remove apps you don’t use, and test key pages with Google PageSpeed Insights.
10. Test the full customer journey
On a real phone: find a product, add to cart, apply a discount code, check out, and confirm you receive the order confirmation email or message. Then test a cancellation and refund.
Measurement and launch
11. Set up analytics and pixels
Connect Google Analytics 4 and the Meta Pixel (through the official sales channel apps) so you can measure traffic, add-to-carts and purchases from day one.
12. Plan your launch and after-sales
Prepare your launch posts, WhatsApp broadcast or email, and a simple process for packing, dispatch, customer queries and reviews. Ask your first happy customers for reviews.
Need a team to build or run your store? See our e-commerce website development and e-commerce management services, or our website development company in Varanasi page. Book a free call.
Frequently asked questions
What should I check before launching a Shopify store?
Domain, payments with a test order, shipping, taxes, store policies, complete product pages, navigation, SEO titles, mobile speed, a full checkout test, analytics, and a launch and after-sales plan.
How do I place a test order on Shopify?
Use Shopify’s test payment gateway, or Shopify Payments’ test mode, as explained in the Shopify Help Center. Switch test mode off before you launch, as customers can’t place live orders while it is on.
Sources
Written by Ravi Khetan, Founder, Wizards Next LLP, a digital marketing agency in Varanasi. About us