The Fail-Proof Shopify Store Launch Checklist for 2026

1Custom Domain Connected & Verified

Your store's URL is its identity. The default yourstore.myshopify.com looks unprofessional and hurts trust.

What to do:

• Purchase a custom domain (ideally from Shopify for simplicity, or external registrars like Namecheap, GoDaddy)
• Connect domain in Shopify Admin → Settings → Domains
• Set custom domain as primary domain (not the .myshopify.com URL)
• Verify domain is resolving correctly (can take 24-48 hours)

Choosing the right domain:

• Keep it short, memorable, and brandable
• Avoid numbers and hyphens (hard to communicate verbally)
• .com is still king for credibility, but .co, .store, .shop work for modern brands
• Check trademark availability before purchasing

2SSL Certificate Active & HTTPS Enforced

HTTPS (the padlock icon) is NON-NEGOTIABLE in 2026. Google penalizes non-HTTPS sites, and customers don't trust them.

Good news: Shopify provides free SSL certificates for all stores. However, you must verify:

• Green padlock appears in browser address bar
• All pages load via HTTPS (check /collections, /products, /pages)
• Mixed content warnings don't appear (check browser console)
• HTTP requests automatically redirect to HTTPS

Test it: Visit your store in Incognito mode and check for any "Not Secure" warnings.

3Favicon Uploaded

A favicon is the small icon that appears in browser tabs and bookmarks. It's a tiny detail with massive branding impact.

Best practices:

• Size: 32x32px or 16x16px (Shopify accepts larger and auto-scales)
• Format: PNG or ICO
• Design: Simple, recognizable, works at tiny sizes
• Upload in Theme Customizer → Theme Settings → Favicon

4Theme Fully Customized (No Placeholder Content)

Nothing screams "amateur" louder than placeholder text and demo products.

Verify:

• All "Lorem ipsum" text replaced with real copy
• Demo products deleted or hidden
• Theme colors match brand guidelines
• Fonts loaded correctly (Google Fonts or custom)
• Logo displayed properly at all screen sizes
• All theme sections configured (announcement bar, footer, etc.)

5All Products Have Complete Information

Incomplete product listings kill conversions. Every product MUST have:

Essential Product Fields:

• Title: Clear, descriptive, SEO-friendly (include primary keyword)
• Description: Benefits, features, measurements, materials, care instructions
• Price: Accurate pricing with compare-at prices if running sales
• SKU: Unique identifier for inventory tracking
• Barcode: If selling via retail channels or using fulfillment services
• Weight: CRITICAL for shipping calculation accuracy
• Images: Minimum 3-5 high-quality photos per product (more details below)

Variant Configuration:

• All size/color/material combinations created
• Each variant has correct pricing
• Variant-specific images assigned (so selecting "Blue" shows blue product photos)
• Out-of-stock variants handled appropriately (hide or show "notify me")

6Product Images Optimized

Product images are your #1 conversion driver. Poor images = poor sales.

Image Quality Checklist:

• Minimum 1000px width (allows zoom without pixelation)
• Consistent background (pure white #FFFFFF for clean look)
• Multiple angles: front, back, side, detail shots, lifestyle photos
• Compressed for fast loading (use TinyPNG before uploading)
• Descriptive filenames: "blue-cotton-tshirt-front.jpg" not "IMG_4728.jpg"
• ALT text added to every image (essential for SEO and accessibility)

Pro Tip: Include a size chart image for apparel, dimension diagram for furniture/home goods, or usage instructions for electronics.

7Collections Organized Logically

Collections are how customers browse your store. Poor organization = lost sales.

Collection Strategy:

• Create both manual and automated collections
• Use descriptive titles: "Men's Winter Jackets" not "Collection 1"
• Add collection descriptions with keywords for SEO
• Set featured product for each collection
• Organize collections in navigation menu (limit to 5-7 main categories)

8Essential Pages Created

Beyond products, your store needs content pages that build trust and answer questions.

Mandatory Pages:

• About Us: Your brand story, mission, why you're different
• Contact: Email, phone (if offering support), contact form
• FAQ: Anticipate and answer common customer questions
• Shipping Information: Delivery times, international shipping, tracking
• Size Guide: For apparel/footwear stores (reduces returns)

All pages should be linked in footer navigation and accessible from main menu where appropriate.

9Payment Gateways Tested End-to-End

A broken checkout means ZERO revenue. This is the most critical section.

Payment Provider Setup:

• Shopify Payments (recommended): Lowest fees, fastest setup, built-in
• PayPal: Adds familiar option for customers (enable Express Checkout)
• Alternative payments: Consider Apple Pay, Google Pay, Shop Pay for faster checkout

CRITICAL: Test Mode Orders

Before going live, process test orders using Shopify's Bogus Gateway:

1. Enable test mode in Payment Settings
2. Add product to cart and checkout
3. Use test credit card: 1 for success, will fail for different error types
4. Verify order confirmation email sends
5. Check order appears in Shopify admin
6. Verify inventory decrements correctly

10Shipping Profiles Configured for All Zones

Incorrect shipping configuration is a top reason for cart abandonment and negative reviews.

Shipping Setup Checklist:

• All shipping zones defined (domestic, international, specific countries)
• Rates configured for each zone (flat rate, weight-based, or carrier-calculated)
• Free shipping threshold set if offering (e.g., free over $50)
• Delivery timeframes estimated accurately
• Product weights entered for ALL products (required for accurate rates)

Test Shipping Rates:

• Add product to cart
• Enter address from different zones (domestic, Canada, UK, Australia)
• Verify reasonable shipping cost appears (not $0.00 or $9999)
• Check international orders show customs/duties disclaimers if applicable

Advanced: If using real-time carrier rates (USPS, UPS, FedEx), verify API connection is working and rates display correctly.

11Tax Configuration

Incorrectly configured taxes can result in legal issues and lost profit.

U.S. Merchants:

• Enable automatic tax collection for states where you have nexus
• Verify tax rates are current (Shopify auto-updates, but confirm)
• Consider using Shopify Tax if selling in multiple states

International:

• Configure VAT for EU sales if applicable
• GST for Canada, Australia, UK
• Import duties disclaimers for cross-border commerce

12Legal Pages Published & Linked

Legal pages aren't optional. They're required by law and payment processors.

Required Legal Pages:

• Privacy Policy: How you collect, use, and protect customer data (GDPR/CCPA compliant)
• Terms of Service: Rules for using your website, dispute resolution
• Refund Policy: Return window, refund process, exceptions
• Shipping Policy: Delivery times, carriers, international shipping

How to Create:

Shopify provides free legal page templates: Settings → Legal. These are legally reviewed templates you can customize. Don't skip this!

Where to Link:

• Footer navigation (standard practice)
• Checkout page (automatic for Shopify-generated policies)
• Contact page (link to policies there too)

13Cookie Consent Banner (GDPR/CCPA Compliance)

If you have customers in EU or California, cookie consent is legally required.

Solution: Use Shopify's built-in customer privacy features or apps like Cookiebot, CookieYes.

Ensure banner:

• Appears on first visit
• Allows users to accept or reject non-essential cookies
• Links to full Privacy Policy
• Remembers user choice (doesn't show on every visit)

14Security & Fraud Prevention

Protect yourself and your customers from fraud.

Essential Security Measures:

• Enable 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication): Protect admin access with 2FA in Account Settings
• Fraud Analysis: Enable Shopify's built-in fraud detection (flags suspicious orders)
• Limit Staff Permissions: Only give admin access to trusted team members
• Secure PCI Compliance: Shopify handles this, but verify you're not storing card data anywhere

15Google Analytics 4 Installed

You can't improve what you don't measure. Google Analytics tracks traffic, conversions, and user behavior.

Setup Steps:

1. Create Google Analytics 4 property (analytics.google.com)
2. Get Measurement ID (starts with G-)
3. Add to Shopify: Online Store → Preferences → Google Analytics field
4. Enable Enhanced Ecommerce (shows product performance, cart abandonment)
5. Verify tracking with Real-Time reports (visit your store, should see active user)

Bonus: Set up goals/conversions for purchases, newsletter signups, contact form submissions.

16Facebook Pixel & Meta Business Suite

If you plan to run Facebook/Instagram ads (you should), install the pixel NOW to start collecting data.

Why install before launch:

• Pixel needs time to learn and optimize (minimum 2 weeks)
• Building audience data for retargeting
• Tracking adds-to-cart, checkouts, purchases for later ad campaigns

How to install: Use Shopify's Facebook channel from App Store (simplest method).

17Email Marketing Platform Connected

Email is your highest-ROI marketing channel. Set it up before launch.

Recommended platforms:

• Klaviyo: Best for ecommerce, powerful segmentation ($0-45/month)
• Mailchimp: Easier for beginners, good templates (free-$350/month)
• Omnisend: Built for ecommerce, SMS + Email (free-$59/month)

Must-Have Flows to Set Up:

• Welcome Series: 3-email sequence for new subscribers
• Abandoned Cart: Recover lost sales (can recover 10-30% of abandoned carts)
• Post-Purchase: Thank you, request review, cross-sell

18SEO Foundation Set

Start SEO right from day one. It takes months to see results, so don't delay.

Pre-Launch SEO Checklist:

• Google Search Console: Verify ownership, submit sitemap
• Title Tags: Optimized for all pages (products, collections, homepage)
• Meta Descriptions: Compelling descriptions for all pages
• Image ALT Text: Descriptive alt text on all product images
• Blog Setup: Create blog even if not posting yet (shows commitment to content)

19Cross-Device & Browser Testing

Your store might look perfect on your MacBook desktop but broken on an Android phone.

Test on:

• Devices: Desktop (Windows/Mac), iPhone, Android phone, iPad/tablet
• Browsers: Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge
• Screen Sizes: Small (375px), Medium (768px), Large (1920px+)

What to check:

• Navigation menu works (hamburger menu on mobile)
• Images display correctly and don't overflow
• Text is readable (not too small)
• Buttons are tappable (enough spacing)
• Checkout process flows smoothly
• Forms work (contact form, newsletter signup)

20Complete Test Purchase

This is your final verification that everything works.

Full Purchase Test:

1. Add product to cart
2. Proceed to checkout
3. Enter test customer information
4. Apply discount code if testing promotions
5. Review shipping cost calculation
6. Review tax calculation
7. Complete purchase with test card
8. Verify order confirmation email received
9. Check order appears in Shopify admin
10. Verify inventory decremented

Pro Tip: Do this test from multiple devices and as a guest (not logged into admin) to replicate real customer experience.

21Final Speed & Performance Check

Slow stores lose sales. Every second of delay reduces conversions by 7%.

Test your speed:

• Google PageSpeed Insights: pagespeed.web.dev
• Target: 80+ on mobile, 90+ on desktop
• Focus on Core Web Vitals (LCP, INP, CLS all green)

Quick speed wins before launch:

• Remove unused apps (each app adds code weight)
• Compress all images
• Minimize custom code in theme.liquid
• Use lazy loading for below-fold images

22Proofread ALL Content

Typos and grammar errors destroy credibility.

What to review:

• Product titles and descriptions
• Collection descriptions
• Homepage copy
• About Us and other content pages
• Email templates (welcome, order confirmation)
• Error messages (404 page, etc.)

Use Grammarly or have someone else review—you'll miss your own errors.

23Launch Day Checklist

The moment of truth. Here's your go-live sequence:

1. Disable password protection: Online Store → Preferences → Password protection OFF
2. Disable test mode: Settings → Payments → ensure test mode is OFF
3. Verify payment gateway is live
4. Announce launch: Email list, social media, friends/family
5. Monitor Real-Time Analytics: Watch Google Analytics Real-Time to see first visitors
6. Monitor Orders: Keep Shopify admin open for first few orders to catch any issues
7. Test email deliverability: Ensure order confirmations are sending