Before you launch, there are things most tutorials skip that will cost you sales if they're wrong. This interactive checklist covers every step — work through it top to bottom and don't launch until it's done.
How to use this: Click each item to mark it complete. Don't launch until everything in the core sections is checked off.
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🏪 Account & Basic Setup
- Create your Shopify account — start with the free 3-day trial at shopify.com
- Choose a plan — Basic ($39/mo) is the right starting point for most stores
- Set your store currency — Settings → General. Match your target market
- Add your business address — required for tax calculations
🌐 Domain & Branding
- Buy and connect a custom domain — remove the .myshopify.com URL
- Upload your logo — Online Store → Themes → Customize → Header
- Set brand colours and fonts in theme customiser
- Set up a branded email address (hello@yourdomain.com via Zoho or Google Workspace)
- Add a favicon — shows in browser tabs
📦 Products
- Add all products with descriptive, keyword-rich titles
- Write original product descriptions — never copy from supplier
- Upload high-quality product photos — minimum 3 per product
- Set prices and compare-at prices — double-check your margins
- Set up inventory tracking correctly for your business model
- Organise products into collections (Best Sellers, New Arrivals, etc.)
💳 Payments & Checkout
- Enable Shopify Payments (or Stripe) — Settings → Payments
- Enable PayPal — many customers only pay with PayPal
- Place a test order using Shopify's test payment mode
- Configure checkout fields — remove unnecessary friction
🚚 Shipping
- Set up shipping zones and rates — Settings → Shipping
- Configure free shipping threshold if using (e.g. free over $50)
- Add product weights and dimensions
📄 Essential Pages
- About Us page — your story builds trust with new visitors
- Contact page — email form or direct contact details
- Shipping Policy — clear delivery timeframes and costs
- Return & Refund Policy — Settings → Legal → generate template
- Privacy Policy — Settings → Legal → auto-generate
- FAQ page — answer the top 5–10 pre-sale questions
🚀 Pre-Launch Final Checks
- Check store on mobile — over 70% of shoppers browse on phones
- Check all navigation links work — broken links kill trust
- Remove password protection — Online Store → Preferences
- Connect analytics — Shopify Analytics or Google Analytics
You're ready to launch when all sections are checked off and you've placed a successful test order. Everything else can be improved after launch — don't let perfectionism stop you.