1. Check the products a customer will buy
Open each product included in the launch. Are its title, description, images, options, price and availability accurate? Choose different variants and check that the displayed image and price make sense. Follow the collection links and remove empty categories from the main navigation.
Record gaps in a short list: the product, what needs fixing, who supplies it and the approval needed. A smaller complete catalogue is easier to review than a large one with missing information.
2. Shop the store on a phone
Start from the homepage and try to find a product without using the admin. Check menu labels, readable text, image cropping, product options, cart controls and contact links. Repeat with a longer product name and a product that has several options.
Check keyboard focus and whether links or buttons are usable without precise tapping. A decorative animation should never stop someone from reading a description or reaching checkout.
3. Review delivery and payment expectations
Use representative delivery addresses from the markets you actually serve. Confirm that customers see the intended shipping options and currency. Decide how unavailable delivery locations are explained. Have the business approve the delivery promises, payment methods and any applicable tax settings.
Account for provider availability and third-party charges in the project plan. Do not assume a payment option works in every country simply because its logo appears in a design.
4. Place and review a test order
Use the test method supported by your configured payment provider. Follow the order from a product page through checkout, then review the resulting order, inventory change and customer notification. Shopify explains the available methods in its official test-order guidance.
Before accepting customers, confirm that the payment provider is out of test mode and that the approved live configuration is active. Customers cannot place live orders while a provider is in test mode.
5. Make essential customer information easy to find
Check your business contact details and links to shipping, returns, privacy and service information. The business should supply and approve policies appropriate to its operations. Review the footer on mobile and check that each link opens the intended page.
Use accurate page titles and descriptions for important pages. Image descriptions should explain useful product details, rather than repeating a string of search keywords.
6. Check the domain and launch links
Open the final domain over HTTPS. Test important navigation, collection and product links from that address. If you replaced an existing website, list important old URLs and review where each should lead instead of sending every visitor to the homepage.
Keep a record of the domain owner, renewal responsibility and accounts used for the launch. Remove links to draft pages or sample checkout journeys before announcing the store.
7. Agree the handover and launch decision
Confirm who can update products, handle orders and manage recurring apps. Ask the developer to list delivered items, known limitations and any remaining tasks. Agree who decides the store is ready and how issues are reported after launch.
For the platform's broader setup sequence, refer to Shopify's official new-store checklist. This page is a practical review aid; your business requirements and project agreement determine the final launch scope.