Shopify Store Launch Checklist 2026: 30 Things Before Going Live

Launching a Shopify store before it is ready costs you in abandoned carts, lost SEO equity, and legal exposure. This checklist covers every category that matters — work through it systematically before removing your storefront password.

Technical Checks (10 Items)

1. Custom domain connected and SSL active — Verify HTTPS padlock in browser. No mixed content warnings.
2. Payment gateway tested with a real transaction — Process and refund a £1 order. Confirm payout schedule.
3. All product prices set correctly — Check for any £0.00 prices from CSV import errors.
4. Inventory levels entered — No products showing “out of stock” on launch day that should be available.
5. Email notifications customised — Edit order confirmation, shipping notification, and abandoned checkout emails from Settings → Notifications. Remove Shopify’s default placeholder text.
6. Test order placed and fulfilled — Full cycle: add to cart → checkout → payment → fulfilment email → refund.
7. 404 page customised — Shopify’s default 404 page is functional but generic. A branded 404 reduces bounce rate.
8. Checkout tested on mobile — Use an actual phone, not browser emulation. Check Apple Pay / Google Pay if enabled.
9. Robots.txt reviewed — Shopify generates robots.txt automatically. Verify Sitemap: line points to your domain.
10. Google Analytics 4 and Meta Pixel installed — Use Shopify’s native integrations under Settings → Customer events.

SEO Checks (8 Items)

1. Homepage title and meta description set — Go to Online Store → Preferences. Write a unique, keyword-rich title under 60 characters.
2. All product SEO titles written — No products using the auto-generated default that repeats the product title verbatim.
3. All product meta descriptions filled — Shopify leaves these blank by default. Every product needs a 140–155 character description.
4. Image alt text added — Every product image needs descriptive alt text. Shopify does not generate this automatically.
5. URL handles cleaned — Remove numbers and random strings from auto-generated URLs. Use readable hyphenated slugs.
6. Sitemap submitted to Google Search Console — Submit yoursite.com/sitemap.xml after connecting Search Console.
7. Canonical tags verified — Shopify adds canonical tags automatically. Check that collection and product pages are not self-competing.
8. Page speed checked — Run your homepage through PageSpeed Insights. Aim for 70+ on mobile. Flag any sub-40 scores for theme optimisation.

Legal Checks (5 Items)

1. Privacy Policy published — Shopify generates a template under Settings → Policies. Customise it with your actual data practices.
2. Terms of Service published — Required for checkout. Link visible in footer.
3. Refund Policy published — UK law requires clear returns information. Minimum 14-day return right for online purchases under Consumer Contracts Regulations.
4. Cookie consent banner active — Required for UK (PECR) and EU (GDPR) visitors. Install a compliant consent app — Shopify’s native banner does not meet GDPR requirements without customisation.
5. Company registration details in footer — UK law requires company name, registration number, and registered address on every website.

UX Checks (7 Items)

1. Navigation menus complete — Main menu, footer menu, and any mega-menu items link to correct pages.
2. Search working — Type a product name in the search bar. Results return correctly.
3. Contact page live — Form sends email to your inbox. Reply-to address is set correctly.
4. Social media links active — Footer icons link to real, populated social profiles — not placeholder URLs.
5. Discount codes tested — If you plan a launch discount, test the code at checkout before announcing it.
6. Cart and checkout flow consistent with brand — Logo appears in checkout header. Brand colours applied where Shopify allows customisation.
7. Mobile layout reviewed on three screen sizes — iPhone SE (375px), standard Android (390px), iPhone Pro Max (430px).

Category	Items	Estimated Time
Technical	10	3–4 hours
SEO	8	2–3 hours
Legal	5	1–2 hours
UX	7	1–2 hours

For brands wanting a launch-ready store built to these standards from day one, see our Shopify development services and Shopify SEO services.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I remove the storefront password on Shopify?

Go to Online Store → Preferences and scroll to the Password protection section. Untick “Restrict access to visitors with the password” and save. Your store is immediately public.

Do I need a business registration to launch a Shopify store?

Shopify does not require business registration to open a store. However, UK law requires tax registration if you earn above the VAT threshold (£90,000/year) or trade as a company. Selling as a sole trader requires no formal registration but you must declare income in your self-assessment tax return.

What is the most commonly missed item on Shopify launch checklists?

Email notification customisation. Most stores launch with Shopify’s default email templates that reference “Shopify” and contain placeholder text. Customers notice immediately. Spending 30 minutes on branded email templates pays dividends in perceived professionalism.

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