Shopify Launch Checklist (2024) – Start Your Store

Shopify is a name on all budding entrepreneurs’ and corporate giants’ lips. With setting up the store as easy as 1-2-3, a Shopify launch checklist is necessary to help you not miss out on any major step.

It is common for a new business owner to be overwhelmed with innovative ideas and tasks. Trust me! I know! The dos and don’ts are often complex and can leave you more confused than you already are.

Hence, I devised the task of channeling the process and making a directive for it. I have explained the process into 5 stages to simplify it. Your business is your baby and needs proper care, so stick with me until the end to learn how to launch your Shopify the right way!

Importance of a Shopify checklist

While setting up an online store, it is very common to get lost with so many options available. Hence, it is important to have a defined guideline that would act as a boundary within which a user can process a task – that’s what the checklist is for.

For seasoned users or beginners, a checklist is an easy-to-follow document that helps the process stay driven during the entire setup process.

You can also use it to track your progress, giving you a better understanding of the stage of your work. It is essential to ensure you are not missing out on important details.

A checklist is always a good idea for your current and future projects. You can add more to this checklist with the important data you feel is essential for setting up a Shopify store. Let us know too!

My Checklist For Launching Shopify Store

In this post, I have tried and tested this checklist and did my best to keep it simple.

I have been using Shopify for a long time, and it is my favorite e-commerce platform for its breezing user experience. I am always excited with every new update that Shopify comes with. Read more of my thoughts on Shopify in my detailed review here.

Get ready to be part of 4.12 million websites on the Shopify community!

Let’s proceed with our first stage – to set up a Shopify store.

Set up a Shopify store

The most time-consuming and important task in this process is setting up the Shopify store. This includes the main commodity that you will sell. 

You should know your product well and present it in a way that people would be convinced to buy it. The first and most important step is:

1. Do an audit of your business

Understanding your brand and having a vision is really important for starting a store online. Before proceeding, learn more about your product and its strengths and weaknesses.

Make a note of your product’s USP (Unique Selling Point) and how better it is in comparison to your competition. Also, notice the areas where you fall behind. This will help you in your development process.

The time a product takes to be generated from its raw material stage to final packaging should be considered. With online orders, delivery time also comes into the picture. Buyers are often impatient and want their orders to be shipped as soon as possible.

Having an account of your finances and budget is also an important aspect to be considered. The brand forecast, past performance, and market situation will define the path that your brand will take. Analyze it carefully to know the scale on which you can take your brand.

The e-commerce market is full of options for a user. If you don’t satisfy the user’s need, they won’t wait. So, stay true to your customers, state the best you can give them, and accept your flaws and work on them.

2. Analyze your target customer

Finding the right audience for your products is crucial as they will ensure maximum profits and a higher sales volume per month.

Based on the above research, figure out a sweet spot where your ideal customer lies, and don’t sell desserts to a diabetic person!

Follow the market trends and user preferences and integrate them within your brand.

If you already have selected products to sell, use Google Trends to analyze the trends. Follow a holistic approach right from the geographic locations you are selling to, its climatic conditions, the age group of customers, and even their spending potential.

3. Sign Up With Shopify

With the research done, it’s time to sign up with Shopify and create an ID using a few easy steps. 

You can sign up for a free trial of Shopify before deciding on any subscription plan. Check out the free trial below:

Start by describing your business and the name you would like to give your store. Choose a method to sign up using Google, Apple, Email, or Facebook.

Complete the formalities, and you’re in!

Here is a detailed pricing guide for the Shopify subscription plans to help you choose the best plan for you: Shopify Detailed Cost Breakdown!

Once you decide on a plan, you can use this discount code to sign up for a Shopify plan and save big!

4. Get a custom domain

Shopify lets you get a custom domain name if you do not have one already. Depending on the type and availability of the domain, the prices also differ.

You can choose to pay for the domain you want or get a forever-free myshopify.com domain name for all stores.

However, connecting a custom domain gives your store credibility and brand recognition. For starting, you can use the free domain, but for long-term success, use a custom domain purchased from Shopify, Namecheap, or GoDaddy. 

5. Proper product description and specifications

Add your product and type in its specifications and description. You can also use an AI feature provided by x1 to assist you with writing.

Make sure it is well-aligned with your brand and easy to follow. Add appropriate images with higher quality. Check if all the product variants are proper, verify your inventory status, and check the product weight and metrics used.

Also, make sure the data you add is accurate and not misleading. If you add inaccurate photos or descriptions, you might end up with disappointed customers. And it will lead to returns and refunds. 

Customizing Your Shopify Store

This is where you need to focus on the website’s aesthetics and make it more informative to the user. Keep your eyes open and have an open mindset while going through these steps.

6. Set Key Webpages

Have proper website pages set up for customers to know more about your brand and its policies. Make sure you have some customer testimonials and employee testimonials wherever appropriate to help the customers trust you more.

Gather all the information that you can and create the below pages for your website:

• Home page – focus on clear user navigation 
• About page – brand origin story and what it stands for
• Policy page – shipping, refund, and return policies
• Contact page – contact details for buyers to reach you 
• FAQs – answers to some frequent questions that a buyer might have about your brand

7. Select a theme and adjust the layout

Select from a range of themes around which your website will operate. Choose the best one which portrays the product effectively and is visually appealing. 

Ensure to keep it simple and not overcrowd your website by going after unnecessary flamboyance. Remember that the edit options are very less for a Shopify theme; you can only customize it your way.

8. Colors And Fonts

Check that the font and primary colors resonate with each other. Follow popular and eye-pleasing color schemes.

Fonts and colors are sometimes overlooked and affect the buyer’s mindset. Many business owners overlook this and fail to create a unified look throughout their brand. 

Make sure you’re not one of them!

Launching Your Shopify Store

Now that 2/3rd of the work seems done, it’s time to focus on the financials and the logistical technicalities.

9. Set up shipping and set taxes

Make sure you have set up shipping prices correctly and as per the weights, location, and size of your product.

Get a sound understanding of the tax structures of the locations you are shipping to and check the taxes as per the products that you sell. These are sometimes complex, and it is advisable to consult a professional.

10. Add Sales channels and payment method

With the evolution of online shopping, the payment getaways that users seek are increasing. Users are not limited to exploring websites and want to be able to shop and pay via social media handles too.

Shopify offers various payment gateways to accept payment from your customers. You can either choose third-party payment gateways or set up Shopify Payments to accept payments. The best part of Shopify Payments is that it doesn’t charge any transaction fees for sales.

To set up payment gateways, go to the settings and then the Payments option. Enter your business information and choose the payment methods you want to accept. 

Check if appropriate payment methods are set as per the location where you are selling your product. Some channels you can add to your store are Pinterest, TikTok, Google Shopping, Instagram and Facebook, Amazon, and eBay.

You can also learn how much Shopify will charge you per sale with our guide.

11. Set E-mail notifications

Inspect that your automated email content is well-curated. These will be the official communications sent to the customer per their buying cycle, including welcome emails, tracking details, and payment confirmations.

These give you an opportunity to customize the user experience and add value to their purchase. Apart from communication, it helps users feel important to a business. You can use apps like X1 email or other paid options for this.

12. Optimize your store for Search Engine

Understanding the importance of good SEO is key to an e-commerce business. A good SEO will support your business as well as a good product.

Do good keyword research, optimization, Schema markup, optimization of the site speed, and optimization of the images for the website. Users should also consider writing blogs for their x1 store related to their product, adding more traffic via backlinks.

Hire a professional for your SEO needs, or have a look at our Shopify SEO checklist to master the SEO game.

Promoting Your Shopify Store

The final stage of launching a Shopify store includes its reporting and marketing bits. The reach of your product can be increased exponentially using the correct tools.

13. Get An Analytics Tool

To track your business growth, you need an analytics tool to get to track your progress. You can choose popular analytic tools like Google, Adobe, or Shopify’s own analytical tool.

Merchants typically use Google Analytics to crunch the numbers of their sales, revenue, and profits. 

This would give you an insight into your customers, their choices, and their spending patterns. Any overlooked areas of your business can be identified using analytic tools.

14. Proofread your store content

After you finish writing all your content, you must not miss checking it twice. Go through the research you did initially and see if all your thoughts have been covered. Understand the content from a user’s perspective and see if it solves their intent.

Check if the written content is well-optimized and to the point. Go through the homepage, shopping cart, checkout page, and other essential web pages for any grammatical mistakes as well.

15. Inspect your website and checkout experience

This is a stage to see the website fully functional. Think of yourself as a user and go through the areas of the website that you would.

Check if all the buttons, sliders, and drop-downs are working properly. Inspect if all the elements of the website are neatly aligned and aesthetically appealing. A good UX can be a big factor for a user to be loyal to your brand.

16. Download essential Shopify apps

Shopify provides users with apps that can be used to organize and use their stores better. Services like email management, cart tracking, marketing, and upselling too.

On the contrary, ensure you only have the apps you need. Unnecessary apps in your store can slow down your store and effectively slow down your store, hampering the user experience.

Here’s our work on Shopify apps to help you choose the best ones for you.

17. Set a marketing action plan

Have a marketing plan ready simultaneously while launching your store to announce your store to the world. Analyze your spending cap and set aside a budget for all marketing activities.

Get an influencer to promote your product on their handles and have them share promo codes for your products.

Use tools such as an abandoned cart email to bring back diverted users. If your pockets are deep, you can hire a marketing professional or an agency to take care of the promotional activities.

Bonus Step – Be Your Own Customer!

Above are all the steps required for a business owner to launch a store on Shopify. But here’s a bonus step that essentially brings all the steps together and would help you evaluate all your work in one go.

When you’re done with setting up your store, head to your website and order a product for yourself. Every store owner’s favorite memory is their first sale, who’s not a family or friend, but before it goes to them, be your own customer.

Ordering a product from your website would cover all the aspects of your website, from scouting through the website, creating a cart, payment, refunds, email communications, and shipping the entire buying cycle. 

Find loopholes if you can, and assign another person to repeat the same process. This would fetch you problems and inspirations, both together. Do this often to have a frequent check-up of your store.

More Shopify Related Reads:

• Shopify vs Shopify Plus
• Is Shopify Legit?

Conclusion: Follow The Shopify Checklist for 2024

You are now fully equipped to launch your own Shopify store. With so many things to handle and raw thoughts in your brain, you now have a set mold to shape your store!

Save this plan even after you are done opening your store, as it is always better to self-examine and have prevention measures ready. As mentioned in the bonus step, this would keep you immune to loopholes and mishaps. 

Feel free to add to the checklist and share it with anyone needing help with setting up their Shopify store. Happy Selling!

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