# How to launch your store: a go-live checklist > Everything to check before you hit Publish — products, payments, checkout, shipping, branding, menu, policies and sharing — in one run-through. Guide: https://sitesplaced.com/help/how-to-guides/go-live-checklist · Section: How-To Guides · Last reviewed: 2026-08-23 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](https://sitesplaced.com/help/md/online-stores/add-products.md). - **Catalog model** set under **Settings → Catalog & fields** if you sell sizes/colours — see [Set up your catalog](https://sitesplaced.com/help/md/online-stores/catalog-and-fields.md). - **Stock** decided: track it (and enter counts) or leave it unlimited — see [Inventory & stock](https://sitesplaced.com/help/md/online-stores/inventory-and-stock.md). - **Categories** defined under **Settings → Categories** so customers can filter, and every product tagged — see [Categories](https://sitesplaced.com/help/md/online-stores/categories-and-collections.md). ## 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](https://sitesplaced.com/help/md/how-to-guides/set-up-payments-the-right-way.md). - **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](https://sitesplaced.com/help/md/online-stores/checkout-options.md). - **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](https://sitesplaced.com/help/md/online-stores/shipping-charges.md). - 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](https://sitesplaced.com/help/md/online-stores/branding-and-colours.md). - **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](https://sitesplaced.com/help/md/online-stores/store-menu-navigation.md). - **Policies** written under **Settings → Pages & policies** (returns, delivery times, COD rules). The [return policy generator](https://sitesplaced.com/tools/return-policy-generator) drafts one in a minute — see [Policies & products page](https://sitesplaced.com/help/md/online-stores/pages-and-policies.md). - **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](https://sitesplaced.com/help/md/online-stores/store-seo.md). - 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. Click **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. Place 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. Walk that test order through **Confirm → Mark shipped → Mark delivered**, then **Archive** it — see [How to fulfil an order](https://sitesplaced.com/help/md/how-to-guides/fulfil-an-order.md). 4. Hit **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. Share 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](https://sitesplaced.com/help/md/account-and-support/publishing-and-sharing.md). - **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. > **Want your own domain?:** Upgrade anytime to use `yourbrand.com` and remove SitesPlaced branding — see [Free store vs premium](https://sitesplaced.com/help/md/online-stores/free-vs-premium-store.md) and [Connect a custom domain](https://sitesplaced.com/help/md/custom-domains/connect-a-domain.md). The [WhatsApp link generator](https://sitesplaced.com/tools/whatsapp-link-generator) and [WhatsApp QR code generator](https://sitesplaced.com/tools/whatsapp-qr-code-generator) are handy for printed material either way. **Q: Do I need to pay before I can publish?** No. Publishing is free, with unlimited products and 0% commission; the only difference is a small SitesPlaced badge on the store. The Starter plan (₹199/month) adds your own domain, badge removal, AI copy, analytics and tracking code; Growth (₹499/month) adds the selling features on top — see Pricing. **Q: Can I publish with only a few products?** Yes. Many stores launch with five to ten items and add more weekly. What matters is that each one has a real price, a good photo and a clear delivery charge. **Q: Will my test order mess up my stats?** Archive or delete it after you've walked it through. Revenue stats on the Home tab count orders in the live list, so a deleted test order disappears from them. **Q: How do I know the checkout actually works?** Place the test order yourself, on your phone, using the method your customers will use. If it lands in Orders and you got the email, it works. **Q: What if I'm not ready after publishing?** Click Unpublish. The store goes offline instantly and everything is kept for when you publish again.