# Shopify store launch checklist: what to check before going live

> A 12-point Shopify launch checklist: plan and password, products, policies, payments, shipping, SEO basics and a real test order before you go live.

Published 2026-11-04, updated 2026-11-04. Source: https://forgefont.com/blog/shopify-store-launch-checklist

Before you launch a Shopify store, check twelve things: your plan and password, your products, your policies, your payments, your shipping, your SEO basics and one real test order. Most launch problems come from a step that was assumed, not one that was hard.

## Store access

1. **Move to a paid plan.** [Shopify requires a paid subscription](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/online-sales-channels/agentic-storefronts/agentic-plan-setup) before you can remove the password and publish the online store.
2. **Remove the password.** While it is on, shoppers and search engines only see the password page.
3. **Connect your domain.** Set your own domain as the primary one, so your store does not stay on its myshopify.com address.

## Products and pages

4. **Check every product.** Open each one and confirm its price, variants, stock and photos. Make sure it is active and published to the online store.
5. **Read your product pages on a phone.** Google indexes the mobile version of your pages first, and most of your visitors will see that version too. Our guide to [writing a Shopify product page](https://forgefont.com/blog/shopify-product-page-guide) covers what each page needs.
6. **Publish the essential pages.** About, Shipping, Contact, plus your refund, privacy and terms policies. Link them in the footer menu.
7. **Click every link in your menus.** Remove demo links and anything that leads to an empty collection.

## Payments and shipping

8. **Activate your payment provider** and confirm that your payout details are complete.
9. **Set shipping zones and rates** for every country you sell to, and make sure the prices match what your Shipping page says.
10. **Place a real test order**, from the product page to the confirmation email. Refund it afterwards. It is the only check that proves the whole path works.

## Search and tracking

11. **Write a unique title and meta description** for your homepage and your main collections. Shopify already handles the sitemap, robots.txt and canonical tags, as described in its [SEO overview](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/promoting-marketing/seo/seo-overview). Read our [Shopify SEO guide](https://forgefont.com/blog/shopify-seo-guide) for what is left to you.
12. **Add your store to Google Search Console** and submit your sitemap. It is free and shows you how Google sees your pages from day one.

## Publishing without risk

If you already have a live store, do not rebuild it in place. Work in an unpublished theme, preview it, then publish it once you are happy. This is how [Forgefont delivers every store](https://forgefont.com/#fonctionnement): your current theme stays online until you decide to switch.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I launch a Shopify store on a free trial?

You can build during the trial, but Shopify asks you to move to a paid plan before you can remove the password and publish the online store.

### Does Shopify create a sitemap for my store?

Yes. Shopify generates sitemap.xml and robots.txt automatically and updates the sitemap when you add products, collections, pages or blog posts.

### Do I need every page before launch?

At minimum, visitors should find your products, shipping and returns information, a way to contact you and your legal policies.