21 Ecommerce Website Checks Before Launch

The practical guidance

Steps, tools and examples

Use the 21 checks with an evidence record

Give every check a result, an owner and a link to the evidence. “Needs work: collection option appears for an unsupported location” is actionable. “Checkout seems fine” is difficult to assess. Use passed, needs work or not applicable; do not disguise an untested integration as a pass.

Products and discovery: checks 1–8

1. Store scope: list products, customers and delivery areas; confirm the first release.
2. Categories: ask someone unfamiliar with the catalogue to find a named item.
3. Search and filters: try real product names, useful attributes and a search with no result.
4. Descriptions: check materials, dimensions, compatibility and what is included against supplied product information.
5. Images: review actual cropping, scale and details on mobile; confirm usage rights.
6. Variations: verify each relevant selection has the correct price, image and availability.
7. Prices: confirm currency, sale conditions and totals; have the responsible business adviser approve applicable tax settings.
8. Stock: check sold-out and backorder behaviour and identify who maintains availability.

Buying and order handling: checks 9–16

9. Delivery information: explain supported areas, charges and collection before payment; distinguish dispatch from transit.
10. Delivery rules: test supported and unsupported addresses, basket thresholds and collection combinations.
11. Cart: change quantities, remove items and return to shopping; inspect totals and unavailable products.
12. Checkout fields: check each field’s purpose, labels and errors on a phone.
13. Accounts: test the chosen guest or registration route, sign-in and recovery where relevant.
14. Gateway setup: confirm the supported methods and distinguish test from live settings.
15. Payment outcomes: use documented tests for successful, failed and interrupted payments; inspect order status and duplication.
16. Order communication: verify both the customer’s message and the store’s record or notification through the agreed test.

WooPayments testing guidance is relevant to that gateway. Use the instructions for the gateway actually installed, rather than transferring test details from another service.

Support and ongoing care: checks 17–21

17. Support and policies: make the contact and policy routes visible; use wording approved for the actual business.
18. Marketing choice: distinguish order communication from an optional subscription and test leaving the list.
19. Mobile and keyboard use: complete the journey with real content, readable controls and understandable errors.
20. Search foundations: review useful titles, original product information, internal links and changed URLs.
21. Care and measurement: assign backup/update responsibilities and compare purchase tracking with identifiable test orders.

Use the business website SEO checklist for the wider page foundations. Visits alone do not confirm that the store can accept and fulfil an order.

A test record you can copy

Record: scenario; product/variant; address type; expected delivery and total; payment outcome; order status; customer message; store record; evidence; owner; unresolved issue. Keep sensitive customer details out of a general review document.

Fictional example: a ceramics store tests a fragile-item basket, a collection order and an unsupported address. The collection test passes; a delivery charge needs correction; the unsupported address is blocked with an understandable explanation. Each result belongs to a specific scenario rather than a broad “store tested” label.

Group remaining work into content, user experience, integrations and operations. That makes a redesign or launch brief easier to discuss and gives the next reviewer a practical starting point.