Launching a successful Shopify store involves more than just adding products. Use this step-by-step checklist to make sure your store is fully optimized, functional, and ready for customers.

1. Set Up Your Shopify Account

Sign up for a Shopify account
Choose a suitable pricing plan (after free trial)
Add your store name and business email

2. Add Products

Add product title, description, price, and inventory
Upload high-quality product images
Set SKUs and manage inventory tracking
Assign relevant product categories and tags

3. Choose and Customize a Theme

Pick a responsive, fast-loading Shopify theme
Customize the header, footer, and homepage layout
Add your brand colors, logo, and fonts
Optimize navigation and menu structure

4. Create Essential Pages

Home
Shop / Products
About Us
Contact
FAQ
Privacy Policy
Refund & Return Policy
Shipping & Delivery Information
Terms & Conditions

5. Set Up Payment Gateways

Enable Shopify Payments, Stripe, Razorpay, etc.
Test the checkout process
Enable COD (if applicable)

6. Configure Shipping & Delivery

Set shipping zones and rates
Add free shipping or flat rate options
Set up local pickup or delivery (if needed)

7. Connect Domain

Buy a domain or connect your existing domain
Set primary domain and enable SSL (HTTPS)

8. Set Up Taxes & Legal

Configure tax settings based on your region
Add business registration or GST info (if required)
Add legal pages (Privacy, Refunds, Terms)

9. Optimize for SEO

Customize title tags and meta descriptions
Add alt text to images
Use clean URLs (no special characters)
Submit your sitemap to Google Search Console

10. Test Everything Before Launch

Check mobile and desktop responsiveness
Perform a full test checkout
Ensure all links and buttons work
Verify email notifications are set up correctly

Ready to Launch!

Once everything’s tested and ready, remove the password protection and go live!