How to launch your store: a go-live checklist

Your store is ready to launch when a stranger can find a product, pay you, and get it delivered without messaging you first. Run this checklist top to bottom — each item names the exact setting and links to the full guide — then place one test order and hit Publish. Publishing is free and takes one click; you can Unpublish any time.

Products & catalog

• At least a few products added, each with a clear Product name, a real Price (nothing left at ₹0 from an import) and good Photos — the first photo is the one on product cards. See Add & manage products.
• Catalog model set under Settings → Catalog & fields if you sell sizes/colours — see Set up your catalog.
• Stock decided: track it (and enter counts) or leave it unlimited — see Inventory & stock.
• Categories defined under Settings → Categories so customers can filter, and every product tagged — see Categories.

Getting paid & delivery

• A working payment method — the Razorpay Payments card under Settings → Integrations shows Active, and/or Show Cash on Delivery, Show Pay with UPI / Bank Transfer or Show WhatsApp checkout is ticked in Settings → Checkout — see How to get paid.
• UPI ID and Payment instructions filled in under Settings → Payments & invoices if you take COD or manual payments.
• Checkout form fields set so you collect what you need — Phone and Delivery Address are Show + Required by default; keep them that way for physical goods — see Checkout.
• Delivery charges decided under Settings → Shipping: a Delivery charge, an optional Free delivery above threshold, and an express option if you offer one — see Set delivery charges.
• Your WhatsApp number under Settings → Store details, with the country code — it powers WhatsApp checkout and the chat bubble.
• Order ID prefix under Settings → Checkout → Order ID format if you want branded numbers like MYSTORE-0001 on invoices from day one.

Looks & trust

• Store Logo, Favicon, Accent colour and the Announcement bar set under Settings → Branding — see Branding.
• Menu tidied under Settings → Navigation & menu — hide Blog if you won't write one, keep Track Order so customers can follow parcels — see Edit your menu.
• Policies written under Settings → Pages & policies (returns, delivery times, COD rules). The return policy generator drafts one in a minute — see Policies & products page.
• Trust badges under Settings → Checkout (e.g. *100% secure payments*) and Product page trust badges under Pages & policies.
• SEO & sharing — Name shown on Google, Short description and the Photo shown when your link is shared under Settings → SEO & sharing, so a forwarded link shows your brand, not a blank card — see SEO & social sharing.
• Open the Design tab and read every section once on your phone — the importer and the AI write good drafts, but it is your shop.

Launch

1. 1Click Open Store at the top of the dashboard and walk through it as a customer on your phone — browse, filter, add to cart, open the cart.
2. 2Place one test order with each payment method you enabled. For Razorpay, pay a small real amount (you can refund it from Razorpay). Confirm the order appears in Orders and you receive the order email.
3. 3Walk that test order through Confirm → Mark shipped → Mark delivered, then Archive it — see How to fulfil an order.
4. 4Hit Publish (on a phone, the Publish store bar at the bottom). A 🎉 Your store is live! popup shows your link with WhatsApp and Instagram share buttons and a downloadable QR code.
5. 5Share the link on WhatsApp and put it in your Instagram bio. Your Home tab keeps the Share store link button and the QR code for packaging and visiting cards. You're open for business!

Good to know

• Your link. Every store gets a free SitesPlaced address based on the Store link slug in Store details — the same one shown on the Open Store button and in the success popup. Change the slug *before* you share it; old links stop working after a change — see Publishing & sharing.
• Unpublish (same button once you're live) asks *Take your store offline?* and hides the store until you publish again. Orders and settings are kept.
• Settings aren't live until saved. If a change isn't showing, look for the floating Save bar in Settings.
• Tracking & code (Meta Pixel, Google Analytics and similar) needs a paid plan (Starter or Growth) — free stores show Upgrade to unlock there. Launch without it; add it when you start running ads.
• Watch the first week in Orders and Messages — questions that arrive on WhatsApp usually point to a missing policy line or an unclear delivery charge.