1. Legal & Compliance
Legal pages are not optional. Payment processors require them, GDPR and CCPA mandate them, and Kunden check them before purchasing. Missing legal pages can get your payment gateway suspended within days of launch.
| Checkliste Item | Priority | Details / Action | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Datenschutz policy published and linked in footer | Critical | Required by law in most jurisdictions and by all payment processors. Use Shopify's generator as a starting point, then customize. |
| ☐ | AGB of service published and linked in footer | Critical | Protects you from disputes. Cover order acceptance, liability limits, refund eligibility, and intellectual property. |
| ☐ | Refund/return policy clearly stated | Critical | A clear return policy increases Konversion by 5-8%. State timeframes, conditions, and who pays return shipping. |
| ☐ | Cookie consent banner active (GDPR/CCPA) | Critical | If you sell to EU or California Kunden, a cookie consent banner is legally required. Test that it blocks scripts until consent. |
| ☐ | Business registration/tax ID set up correctly | Critical | Verify your business information in Shopify Settings > Legal. Incorrect details cause payment processing issues. |
| Checkliste Item | Priority | Details / Action | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Shipping policy page published | Important | Separate from product-level shipping info. Cover processing times, carriers, international availability, delays. |
| ☐ | Contact information easily findable | Important | Physical address or PO box, email, and phone (or at minimum a contact form). Required by many jurisdictions. |
| ☐ | Barrierefreiheit statement present | Important | Use EA Barrierefreiheit to add WCAG compliance tools. Reduces legal risk and widens your audience. |
2. Domain & Branding
Your domain and brand elements create the first impression. Launching on a myshopify.com subdomain signals "not a real business" to potential Kunden.
| Checkliste Item | Priority | Details / Action | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Custom domain connected and verified | Critical | Purchase through Shopify or connect external domain. Verify DNS propagation is complete before launch. |
| ☐ | SSL certificate active (HTTPS) | Critical | Shopify provides free SSL. Verify the lock icon appears on all pages. Without SSL, browsers show "Neint Secure" warnings. |
| ☐ | All domain redirects working (www to non-www or vice versa) | Critical | Set your preferred domain in Shopify settings. The other version should 301 redirect to prevent duplicate content. |
| ☐ | Favicon uploaded and displaying | Critical | Upload in Online Shop > Themes > Customize > Theme Settings. A missing favicon looks unprofessional in browser tabs. |
| Checkliste Item | Priority | Details / Action | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Logo is crisp on all screen sizes | Important | Upload at 2x display size. Test on mobile and desktop. SVG format is ideal for logos. |
| ☐ | Brand email configured (hello@yourdomain.com) | Important | Kunde notifications from a branded email build Vertrauen. Set up in Settings > Neintifications. |
| ☐ | Social media profiles linked | Important | Add your active social profiles to footer. Only link profiles you actively maintain. |
3. Product Catalog
Every Produktseite is a landing page. Before launch, each product needs complete images, descriptions, pricing, and variants — no placeholder content allowed.
| Checkliste Item | Priority | Details / Action | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | All products have 4+ high-quality images | Critical | Front, alternate angle, detail, and lifestyle shot minimum. Products with 4+ images convert 28% better. |
| ☐ | All product descriptions are unique and benefit-focused (150+ words) | Critical | Nein manufacturer copy-paste. Lead with benefits, follow with specs in bullet points. Under 50 words hurts Konversion. |
| ☐ | All prices are correct (including sale prices) | Critical | Double-check every price and compare-at price. A pricing error on launch day can cost thousands. |
| ☐ | All variants have correct prices, SKUs, and inventory counts | Critical | Check every variant of every product. Missing SKUs break inventory tracking. Wrong variant prices break Vertrauen. |
| ☐ | Inventory tracking enabled for all products | Critical | Enable "Track quantity" in product admin. Overselling physical products creates Kunde service nightmares. |
| Checkliste Item | Priority | Details / Action | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Product collections organized logically | Important | Create collections that match how Kunden shop: by category, price range, occasion, or best-sellers. |
| ☐ | Product weights entered (for shipping calculations) | Important | Accurate weights prevent shipping under/overcharging. Include packaging weight. |
| ☐ | Nein placeholder or "lorem ipsum" text on any page | Important | Search your entire Shop for placeholder text. Check every page, collection description, and navigation link. |
| ☐ | All product images have alt text | Important | Descriptive alt text helps SEO (Google Images) and Barrierefreiheit. Include product name and key attribute. |
4. Payments & Kasse
A broken Kasse means zero Umsatz regardless of how good everything else is. This is the most critical pre-launch testing area.
| Checkliste Item | Priority | Details / Action | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Payment gateway configured and tested with real transaction | Critical | Place a real order with a real card, then refund. Shopify Payments, PayPal, and any alternative methods must work. |
| ☐ | Shopify Payments or primary gateway fully verified | Critical | Complete all verification steps. Unverified gateways may hold funds or disable after a few transactions. |
| ☐ | Order confirmation email sends correctly | Critical | Test that confirmation emails arrive with correct order details, branding, and reply-to address. |
| ☐ | Kasse branding matches Shop (logo, colors) | Critical | Customize in Settings > Kasse. A generic Kasse page breaks Vertrauen at the most critical moment. |
| Checkliste Item | Priority | Details / Action | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Express Kasse methods enabled (Shop Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay) | Important | Express Kasse reduces friction. Shop Pay has 1.72x higher Konversion than regular Kasse. |
| ☐ | Guest Kasse enabled | Important | Forcing account creation causes 34% of abandonment. Allow guest Kasse, offer optional account creation post-purchase. |
5. Shipping & Tax
Unexpected shipping costs and tax errors are the top reasons Kunden abandon Kasse. Get these right before launch — fixing them after costs you real orders.
| Checkliste Item | Priority | Details / Action | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Shipping rates configured for all target regions | Critical | Set up shipping zones and rates for every country you sell to. Test with addresses from each zone. |
| ☐ | Kostenlos shipping threshold set (if applicable) | Critical | Kostenlos shipping thresholds increase AOV by 15-30%. Set at 20-30% above your current durchschnittlicher Besteellwert. Install EA Kostenloser-Versand-Leiste to display progress. |
| ☐ | Tax settings configured correctly | Critical | Enable automatic tax calculation. Verify rates for your nexus states/countries. Incorrect tax causes accounting nightmares. |
| ☐ | Shipping rates tested at Kasse with sample orders | Critical | Place test orders to different zones. Verify the correct rate appears. Undercharging eats margins; overcharging loses Verkaeufe. |
6. SEO & Indexing
SEO work done before launch compounds over time. Every day you delay SEO setup is a day you are not building domain authority for your target keywords.
| Checkliste Item | Priority | Details / Action | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Unique meta titles for all pages (under 60 characters) | Critical | Every page, product, and collection needs a unique title tag. Include primary keyword and brand name. |
| ☐ | Unique meta descriptions for all pages (under 160 characters) | Critical | Write compelling descriptions that include a CTA. These show in search results and influence click-through rate. |
| ☐ | Google Search Nachteileole verified | Critical | Verify your domain in Google Search Nachteileole. Submit your sitemap at /sitemap.xml to accelerate indexing. |
| ☐ | XML sitemap submitted | Critical | Shopify auto-generates /sitemap.xml. Submit it in Google Search Nachteileole and Bing Webmaster Tools. |
| Checkliste Item | Priority | Details / Action | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Clean URL handles on all products and collections | Important | Use descriptive slugs: /products/blue-merino-beanie not /products/product-12345. |
| ☐ | robots.txt allows indexing of key pages | Important | Verify robots.txt does not block products, collections, or important pages from crawling. |
| ☐ | 301 redirects set for any changed URLs | Important | If migrating from another platform, set up 301 redirects for all old URLs to prevent 404 errors and preserve SEO. |
7. Email & Marketing
Email is the highest-ROI marketing channel for ecommerce ($36 return per $1 spent). Setting up email capture and automation before launch maximizes every visitor from day one.
| Checkliste Item | Priority | Details / Action | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Email capture Popup installed and tested | Critical | Install EA E-Mail-Popup & Gluecksrad for gamified email capture. Spin wheels convert 2-3x better than static Popups. |
| ☐ | Welcome email automation active | Critical | New subscribers should receive a welcome email within minutes. Include their Rabatt code and 3-5 top products. |
| ☐ | Abandoned Warenkorb email sequence configured | Critical | Set up 3-email abgebrochener Warenkorb sequence: 1 hour, 24 hours, 72 hours. Recovers 5-15% of abgebrochener Warenkorbs. |
| Checkliste Item | Priority | Details / Action | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Transactional email templates branded | Important | Customize order confirmation, shipping notification, and refund emails in Settings > Neintifications. |
| ☐ | Email sender domain authenticated (SPF, DKIM) | Important | Authenticate your sending domain to avoid spam folders. See our email deliverability checklist. |
8. Speed & Leistung
Page speed is a Konversion multiplier. A 1-second delay reduces Konversion by 7%. Every Optimierung you make before launch benefits every single visitor from day one.
| Checkliste Item | Priority | Details / Action | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | PageSpeed Erkenntnisse mobile score 50+ (Startseite) | Critical | Test at pagespeed.web.dev. Below 50 means serious performance issues. Install EA Seitengeschwindigkeit. |
| ☐ | All images compressed (under 200KB, WebP format) | Critical | Uncompressed images are the #1 cause of slow Shops. Compress before uploading. Shopify converts to WebP automatically. |
| ☐ | Remove unused apps and their leftover code | Critical | Uninstalled apps often leave code snippets in your theme. Audit theme code and remove orphaned scripts. |
9. Analysen & Tracking
Without analytics, you cannot improve what you cannot measure. Set up tracking before launch so you have data from your very first visitor.
| Checkliste Item | Priority | Details / Action | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Google Analysen 4 installed and verified | Critical | Install GA4 via Shopify's native integration or Google Tag Manager. Verify real-time data appears when you browse your Shop. |
| ☐ | Ecommerce tracking enabled in GA4 | Critical | Enable enhanced ecommerce to track add-to-Warenkorb, Kasse steps, and purchase events. Without this, GA4 is just a Traffic counter. |
| ☐ | Facebook/Meta Pixel installed (if running ads) | Critical | Install before running any ads. The pixel needs data to optimize. Even if you are not running ads yet, install it to collect data. |
| Checkliste Item | Priority | Details / Action | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Konversion events configured (purchase, add-to-Warenkorb, lead) | Important | Define key Konversion events in GA4 and ad platforms. Mark "purchase" and "add_to_Warenkorb" as Konversion events. |
| ☐ | UTM tracking plan documented | Important | Define UTM naming conventions before launch. Nachteileistent UTMs make marketing attribution possible. |
10. Final Testing
The final testing phase is where you catch everything the section-by-section review missed. Complete these as the last step before removing your Shop password.
| Checkliste Item | Priority | Details / Action | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Complete test order placed and fulfilled | Critical | Place a real order from browse to purchase to fulfillment. Verify every email notification triggers correctly. |
| ☐ | All navigation links work (no 404s) | Critical | Click every link in header, footer, and navigation menus. Check on both mobile and desktop. |
| ☐ | Mobil experience tested on real device | Critical | Test on a real phone, not just browser DevTools. Check navigation, Produktseites, Warenkorb, and Kasse on iOS and Android. |
| ☐ | Contact form works and notifications arrive | Critical | Submit your contact form and verify you receive the notification. Kunden who cannot reach you will not Vertrauen you. |
| ☐ | 404 page is branded and helpful | Critical | Customize your 404 page with navigation links and search. A default 404 makes Kunden leave immediately. |
| Checkliste Item | Priority | Details / Action | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Browser testing (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge) | Important | Test in all major browsers. Safari on iOS is especially important — it is 30%+ of mobile ecommerce Traffic. |
| ☐ | Announcement bar configured for launch promotion | Important | Use EA Ankuendigungsleiste for launch promotions, welcome messages, or kostenloser Versand thresholds. |
| ☐ | Have someone else (non-team) test the Shop | Important | Fresh eyes catch what you miss. Ask 2-3 people unfamiliar with your Shop to browse and attempt to purchase. |
Haeufig gestellte Fragen
How long does it take to launch a Shopify Shop?
A basic Shopify Shop can launch in 1-2 weeks if products, photos, and copy are ready. A fully optimized Shop with custom theme, SEO, email flows, and Konversion Optimierung typically takes 4-8 weeks. Rushing and skipping pre-launch checks leads to lost Verkaeufe and poor first impressions that are hard to recover from.
Was ist the most common mistake when launching a Shopify Shop?
Launching without testing the complete Kasse flow with a real payment. Many Shops go live with broken payment gateways, incorrect shipping rates, or tax calculation errors. Always place a test order using a real card (then refund) before removing your Shop password.
Should I remove the password page before my Shop is fully ready?
Nein. Keep your Shop password-protected until every critical item on this checklist is verified. Removing the password too early means Google may index incomplete pages, Kunden find broken experiences, and your first impression is wasted. Only remove the password when you are genuinely ready for live Traffic.
Do I need a custom domain before launching?
Ja. Launching on the default myshopify.com subdomain hurts credibility and SEO. A custom domain costs $10-15/year and is essential for brand Vertrauen. Purchase through Shopify or connect an external domain. Verify SSL is active before going live.
What apps should I install before launching my Shopify Shop?
Start lean. Essential categories: email capture (EA E-Mail-Popup & Gluecksrad), shipping communication (EA Kostenloser-Versand-Leiste), analytics (GA4), and Seitengeschwindigkeit Optimierung (EA Seitengeschwindigkeit). Add more apps after launch based on data, not assumptions. Every unnecessary app slows your Shop.
Essential Apps for Launch Day
EA E-Mail-Popup & Gluecksrad
Capture emails from day one with gamified Popups. 2-3x higher opt-in than static forms.
EA Kostenloser-Versand-Leiste
Show kostenloser Versand progress to increase AOV by 15-30% from your first order.
EA Seitengeschwindigkeit
Optimize Shop speed automatically. Every 1-second delay costs 7% Konversion.
EA Ankuendigungsleiste
Welcome visitors with launch promotions, shipping info, and key messages.
EA Barrierefreiheit
Add WCAG compliance tools. Reduce legal risk and welcome all Kunden from day one.