Shopify Store Launch Checklist: Everything to Do Before Going Live

Going live means turning off the Online Store password so the public can check out. It is not a theme publish, an Instagram post, or a paid plan by itself. Use this checklist the day before password-off. Tutorials for each row are linked. Shopify’s own going live notes still apply when admin labels differ.

Quick answer

Do not remove the password until you have: real store details, a plan you understand, payments that can capture a test order, shipping or pickup, policy pages, at least one honest product, a primary domain you intend to advertise (or a conscious choice to launch on myshopify.com), working notification email, and a test order you fulfilled or refunded on purpose. Then follow how to launch a Shopify store.

1. Account and identity

• [ ] Email you control; you can log in to your-store.myshopify.com/admin
• [ ] Store name is the brand you will keep — store name
• [ ] Store details, address, customer email — business information
• [ ] You know the list price of the plan, not only a $1 promo — pricing / choose a plan

2. Catalog (minimum)

• [ ] At least one product with a real price, photo, and inventory quantity
• [ ] Weight set if you ship on weight-based rates
• [ ] Product is not named “Example”
• [ ] Collections and navigation can wait for more SKUs; a single product store can still launch

3. Money in

• [ ] Shopify Payments or another gateway completed, not “skipped”
• [ ] Payout identity matches the legal business
• [ ] You know extra fees if the gateway is third-party
• [ ] Test checkout succeeded — checkout setup

4. Goods out

• [ ] Shipping profile or local pickup for every product you sell
• [ ] Zones match countries you allow in Markets
• [ ] Packing materials exist in the real world
• [ ] Carrier account or label process decided (Shopify Shipping vs your courier)

5. Pages and legal

• [ ] Shipping, refund, privacy, terms, contact, about — important pages
• [ ] Policies linked in checkout / shop policies
• [ ] Footer menu includes them
• [ ] No lorem ipsum

6. Theme and navigation

• [ ] Published theme shows logo, prices, and add-to-cart on mobile
• [ ] Password page does not leak a half-built homepage you are ashamed of—or you accept that friends with the password will see it
• [ ] 404 and cart are not broken
• [ ] No five popup apps stacked on first load

7. Domain and email

• [ ] Primary domain set, HTTPS working — connect a domain
• [ ] MX records still work if the domain had email
• [ ] Notification templates use the brand name — settings map

8. Currency, language, taxes

• [ ] Default currency is the one you meant — currency and language
• [ ] Tax setup enabled for your region (confirm with your accountant)
• [ ] Extra Markets are off until shipping exists there

9. Staff and access

• [ ] You know who has admin access
• [ ] Theme contractor does not have billing if they should not
• [ ] Staff passwords are not shared in a group chat screenshot

10. The moment of launch

• [ ] Place one more test order on the primary domain
• [ ] Fulfill or refund it so you practice the workflow
• [ ] Remove store password in Online Store → Preferences
• [ ] Open the site in a private window as a stranger
• [ ] Tell customers where to go (email, social, packaging). Launch without a URL in the bio is a mute launch.

What “done” does not include

SEO rankings, a full ad account, Klaviyo flows, and ten apps. Those are after the cash register works. The Shopify 101 complete guide maps that work. This checklist is the door, not the whole building.

Common mistakes

• Password-off with no shipping rate.
• Launching on myshopify.com in ads, then switching primary domain a week later.
• Test order only in the theme editor preview, never as a customer.
• Policies that contradict checkout.

Need someone to run launch with you?

You can complete this list yourself. If you want Shopify store setup and launch support, AalphaLeo Digital Solutions does that work. Phone / WhatsApp: +91 9288621081. Bring this checklist to the call so nobody “launches” a password store.

Frequently asked questions

Can I launch without a custom domain?

Yes. Bookmark and share the myshopify.com URL. Switch primary domain later and expect some people to have the old link. Prefer connecting DNS first if ads start the same day.

Should I announce before password-off?

Soft traffic from friends with the password is fine. Public ads against a password page waste money.

What if the test payment fails?

Fix payments before launch. A public store that cannot charge is a brochure.

Do I need Plus to launch?

No. Plus is a different product. See which plan.