Checklist

The Online Store Launch Checklist

Use this checklist before you remove your store password. It covers the payments, trust signals, SEO and analytics that new stores most often miss.

Part of our guide: How to start an online store

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Payments and checkout

  • ☐ Payment provider activated and payouts connected to your bank
  • ☐ Test order placed and refunded
  • ☐ Wallets enabled (Shop Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal)
  • ☐ Order confirmation and shipping emails customized

Shipping and taxes

  • ☐ Shipping zones and rates set, including free shipping threshold if used
  • ☐ Product weights entered for accurate rates
  • ☐ Tax settings reviewed for where you're registered

Trust signals

  • ☐ About page with your story and real photos
  • ☐ Contact page with email (and phone/address if possible)
  • ☐ Refund, shipping, privacy and terms policies linked in the footer
  • ☐ Clear delivery times on product pages
  • ☐ Reviews app installed and ready to collect reviews
  • ☐ Custom domain connected and SSL active

Trust matters for shoppers and payment providers alike. See what makes a store look legit.

Products and content

  • ☐ Every product has multiple quality images
  • ☐ Descriptions are original and answer common questions
  • ☐ Collections and navigation make sense
  • ☐ No placeholder or lorem ipsum text

Mobile and speed

  • ☐ Full purchase tested on a phone
  • ☐ Images compressed; unused apps removed
  • ☐ Pop-ups don't block content on mobile

SEO

  • ☐ Title tags and meta descriptions for home, collections and products
  • ☐ Image alt text added
  • ☐ Sitemap submitted to Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools
  • ☐ Redirects set up if migrating. See migration guide

More in our Shopify SEO guide.

Analytics and marketing

  • ☐ Google Analytics / Search Console connected
  • ☐ Meta, TikTok and Google channels connected (if used)
  • ☐ Email sign-up form live with a welcome email
  • ☐ Abandoned checkout email enabled

Frequently asked questions

When is my online store ready to launch?

When a stranger can find a product, understand it, trust you and check out on mobile without problems. Perfect design is not required.

Keep reading

About the author: The BOSP Editorial Team

We build and run test stores on each platform we cover, track pricing changes, and write up what we find in plain English. No platform pays for placement in our rankings.

Read our review methodology and affiliate disclosure.