FREE STORE PLANNING RESOURCE
Your Shopify launch checklist
Work through the decisions that turn a store design into a working business. Check each item on paper or in your own notes. This is a planning checklist; your business and location may require additional steps.
Open printable checklist →Reviewed September 16, 2026 · No email required
1. Decide what you are testing
- Name one customer group and the problem your product solves.
- Record evidence of demand separately from likes and compliments.
- Choose a small initial catalog and one primary sales channel.
- Write your maximum launch budget and a date to review the decision.
2. Build a cash budget
- Record supplier, packaging, shipping, domain, and software quotes.
- Calculate contribution per order after variable costs.
- Separate startup inventory cash from the product cost of units sold.
- Put annual prepayments, introductory offer end dates, and renewals on a calendar.
- Model a slower-sales month and keep a reserve for payout timing and replacements.
3. Prepare your catalog
- Give each variant a consistent identifier and check its price and stock.
- Use accurate photos and descriptions, including dimensions and what is included.
- Check physical versus digital delivery requirements.
- Import a small sample before uploading the rest of the catalog.
4. Configure the store
- Confirm the correct owner account, business details, and access permissions.
- Connect your domain without removing records used by business email.
- Choose a payment provider offered for your business and location.
- Configure delivery or pickup, contact details, and accurate customer policies.
- Add apps only for requirements the built-in tools do not meet.
5. Test the whole order
- Check mobile product selection, cart, payment, and delivery choices.
- Run the appropriate test order and confirm it reaches the right fulfillment workflow.
- Review the customer emails and any digital download or pickup instructions.
- Check your cancellation, refund, stock adjustment, and support process.
- If migrating, test the old URLs that matter most and keep a rollback record.
6. Review the first week
- Compare actual orders, costs, and payouts with the opening budget.
- Record customer questions and fix the product pages that caused confusion.
- Check app renewals and remove tools that are not doing a useful job.
- Choose the next improvement from observed customer behavior.
Use the official setup instructions for your store.
Our sequence is an editorial planning aid. For the current platform steps, see Shopify's setup guide and test order instructions. Confirm current pricing and eligibility before selecting a paid plan.