The pre-launch QA checklist I run on every Shopify store

Launch day should feel exciting, not nerve-racking. The best way I know to get there is a proper QA pass, done calmly a few days before launch rather than in a panic the night before.

This is the checklist I use. Feel free to steal it.

1. The money path

This is the part I test first and most thoroughly.

• Add a product to the cart from the product page, the collection page and quick view (if your theme has it).
• Change variants (size, colour) and quantities in the cart.
• Place a real test order with every payment method you offer.
• Apply a working discount code, an expired one and a made-up one. The messages should make sense.
• Check taxes and the final total against what you expect.
• Refund or cancel the test order and confirm everything updates correctly.

2. Shipping

• Shipping rates for each region you sell to.
• Free-shipping thresholds kick in at exactly the right amount.
• Heavy or bulky products get the right rate.
• Local pickup or delivery, if you offer it.
• Countries you don’t ship to are handled gracefully.

3. Emails customers receive

Customers judge your brand by these more than you’d think.

• Order confirmation, shipping confirmation and delivery emails show your logo, colours and correct details.
• They look right on a phone.
• Links inside them work and go to the right pages.
• The reply-to address is one you actually check.

4. Every device, every browser

• iPhone (Safari) and Android (Chrome), at minimum.
• A tablet, in both portrait and landscape.
• Desktop: Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Edge.
• Menus open and close on mobile.
• Nothing important is hidden behind the phone keyboard on forms and checkout.
• Buttons are big enough to tap with a thumb.

5. Content and details

• No placeholder text (“Lorem ipsum”, “Your text here”) anywhere, including the footer and policies.
• Product titles, prices and descriptions are correct and consistent.
• Every image has alt text (good for accessibility and Google).
• Policies are filled in: refunds, shipping, privacy and terms.
• Contact details are correct and the contact form actually sends.
• The 404 page looks good and helps people find their way back.

6. Search, filters and navigation

• Search finds products by name, type and common misspellings.
• Collection filters and sorting work and don’t show empty results.
• Every menu link goes somewhere real. No broken links.

7. Speed and SEO basics

• Homepage and product pages load quickly on mobile data.
• Page titles and meta descriptions are written, not left as defaults.
• The store is not still password-protected (it happens more than you’d think).
• Analytics and any tracking pixels are installed and firing.

8. After launch

QA doesn’t stop at launch. In the first week I watch for:

• abandoned checkouts that look unusual,
• customer messages about anything confusing,
• errors in the first real orders.

Small issues caught in week one are easy to fix. The same issues ignored for a month become lost revenue.

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It looks like a lot, but going through it properly usually takes a few focused hours. It’s the best few hours you can spend before launch. If you’d rather hand it over to someone who does this every week, I’m happy to help.