Shopify launch checklist after migrating from WooCommerce (2026)
Complete pre-launch checklist for going live on Shopify after WooCommerce — products, payments, shipping, legal pages, DNS, redirects, analytics, testing, and everything to verify before switching over.
Going live on Shopify after migrating from WooCommerce is a high-stakes moment. A missing redirect, broken payment gateway, or incorrect tax setting can directly cost sales. This checklist covers every aspect of the launch — from product data through to DNS — so you can go live with confidence.
Before launch: product data
- All products migrated and visible in Shopify admin
- Product statuses: active products set to "Active," draft products set to "Draft"
- Variant inventory quantities correct per variant
- Product prices correct — including sale prices (mapped to Shopify "Compare at price")
- All product images migrated and displaying correctly (check thumbnails and full size)
- Product variants: all size/colour/material options present and linked to correct images
- SKUs preserved and correct
- Collections created and products correctly assigned
- Product descriptions reviewed: WooCommerce shortcodes removed (e.g. [woo_product_details] renders as plaintext in Shopify)
Before launch: payments and checkout
- Shopify Payments enabled and bank account connected
- Test payment placed and refunded (use Shopify's test card numbers)
- PayPal connected (if relevant to your customer base)
- Correct currency set (GBP for UK stores)
- VAT configured: correct tax rates, digital products zero-rated if applicable
- Checkout email notifications: order confirmation, shipping confirmation working
- Abandoned cart recovery email activated (Shopify native or Klaviyo)
Before launch: shipping
- Shipping zones configured (UK, EU, Rest of World if applicable)
- Shipping rates correct: free shipping thresholds, fixed rates, and carrier-calculated if used
- Shipping profiles: heavy/freight items in separate profile
- Test: add a product to cart and verify correct shipping options appear for UK addresses
- Returns policy page created and linked in footer
Before launch: legal pages
- Privacy policy: updated for Shopify (different cookies and data processors)
- Terms and conditions
- Returns and refunds policy (14-day UK right of return stated)
- Shipping policy (delivery times and methods)
- Cookie consent banner: configured for UK/EU compliance (PECR/GDPR)
- All legal pages linked in footer and checkout
Before launch: SEO and redirects
- 301 redirects created: WooCommerce product URLs → Shopify product URLs
- 301 redirects created: WooCommerce category URLs → Shopify collection URLs
- Redirects tested: visit old WooCommerce URLs and verify they land on correct Shopify page (not 404)
- robots.txt reviewed: Shopify has its own robots.txt — verify no important pages are blocked
- XML sitemap generated: Shopify generates /sitemap.xml automatically
- Google Search Console: submit new sitemap after DNS cutover
Before launch: analytics
- GA4 Measurement ID added in Shopify settings
- Meta Pixel connected via Meta for Shopify app
- Google Ads conversion tracking configured
- Test purchase: verify GA4 and Meta Pixel fire purchase events
Launch day: DNS cutover
- Add custom domain to Shopify (Online Store → Domains)
- Update DNS at your registrar: CNAME www → shops.myshopify.com; A record for root → Shopify IP
- DNS propagation: typically 0–24 hours. Monitor with DNS checker tool.
- SSL certificate: Shopify provisions automatically after domain connection — verify padlock appears
- Set Shopify domain as primary (not yourstore.myshopify.com)
- Redirect yourstore.myshopify.com to primary domain
After launch: verify
- Place a live test order through the full checkout flow
- Check order confirmation email received
- Verify GA4 and Meta Pixel recording the live purchase
- Check Google Search Console: submit sitemap, monitor for crawl errors in first 48 hours
- Test several old WooCommerce URLs to confirm redirects working on live domain
- Check mobile: complete a test checkout on mobile device
- Notify email list: send "We've moved" email to subscribers with announcement
- Update Google Business Profile URL if applicable
- Update any social media bio links to new Shopify URL
WooCommerce shutdown
- Keep WooCommerce accessible (maintenance mode, not deleted) for at least 30 days after migration to allow any remaining redirects or user sessions to resolve
- Do not delete WooCommerce database before all valuable data (orders, customer records) has been archived
- Cancel WooCommerce plugin subscriptions (WooCommerce Subscriptions, Payments, etc.) after confirmed no longer needed
- Cancel web hosting subscription for WooCommerce site after shutdown period
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