Launch Checklist (Payments, Shipping, Test Order, Remove Password)

Pre-launch checklist overview

Before announcing your store publicly, walk through a structured checklist so you don't discover a broken payment method or missing shipping rate after your first real customer already tried to buy.

Treat launch day like a dress rehearsal that already happened — the goal is that nothing on launch day is being tested for the very first time.

Real-life example: A launch checklist is like a pilot's pre-flight checklist — boring to go through every time, but it's exactly why problems get caught on the ground instead of in the air.

Payments, shipping, and taxes check

Confirm your payment provider is fully activated (not just connected) and that a bank account is linked correctly for payouts.

Double-check every shipping zone has at least one working rate, and that tax settings match your business's actual registration and location rules.

Real-life example: This step is like checking the cash register actually opens and the card machine has signal before opening the shop doors for the day.

• Payment provider fully activated with correct bank details
• Every shipping zone has at least one valid rate
• Tax settings reviewed against your business's actual obligations

Placing a real test order

Place at least one full test order yourself — add a product, go through checkout, complete payment (use Shopify's test/bogus gateway if available, or a small real charge), and confirm you receive the order notification.

Check that the confirmation email looks correct, the order shows the right payment and fulfillment status, and that fulfilling it triggers the shipping notification email properly.

Real-life example: A test order is a friend secretly shopping at your store the night before opening day to make sure the till, receipt printer, and bagging counter all actually work together.

1. Add a real product to cart
2. Go through full checkout (shipping + payment)
3. Confirm order appears correctly in Admin
4. Confirm customer receives order confirmation email
5. Fulfill the order and confirm shipping notification sends
6. Refund/cancel the test order afterward if it was a real charge

Removing the storefront password

While building, your store is usually protected by a password screen (Online Store > Preferences) so the public can't see an unfinished site.

Before real launch, remove or disable this password — an easy step to forget, and one that quietly blocks every single visitor if left on.

Real-life example: Forgetting to remove the password screen is like advertising a grand opening but leaving the shop's shutter locked — customers arrive and simply can't get in.

• Go to Online Store > Preferences
• Toggle off 'Restrict access to visitors with the password'
• Double check by visiting your live domain in an incognito window