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Quick answer

Before launch, run real transactions through guest checkout, every discount type you plan to use, inventory edge cases, refunds, mobile wallets, and any international or app-touching-checkout paths. Document failures; fix; re-test. Launch should feel dull—that means QA worked.

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This Shopify store testing checklist before launch is for people who ship updates with git, not for vibes. Use it after launch readiness and before removing the password. If you are still setting things up, start with the full how to start and launch a Shopify store runbook and come back here for the final QA pass.

How to do a test order on Shopify

Every check below starts from the same skill: placing a test order properly. Shopify gives you a fake payment gateway for rehearsals, but wallets like Shop Pay and Apple Pay only prove themselves with one real transaction. The sequence:

Test order, step by step

  • ✓ Enable Shopify’s test gateway: Settings → Payments → deactivate your live provider temporarily (or use a development store), then activate "Bogus Gateway" under manual/test providers.
  • ✓ Place an order like a customer: use card number 1 for a successful payment, 2 for a declined card, 3 for a gateway error — any name, any future expiry, any CVV.
  • ✓ Confirm the full trail: order appears in Admin → Orders, confirmation email arrives, inventory decremented, and any post-purchase flows (Klaviyo, review apps) triggered.
  • ✓ Test the refund: refund the bogus order from admin and confirm the customer-facing email and order status update correctly.
  • ✓ Re-activate your real payment provider, then place ONE small real-card order and refund it — Shopify Payments test mode doesn’t exercise Shop Pay/Apple Pay, so one live transaction is the only true end-to-end test. The card fee on a refunded order is the cheapest QA you’ll ever buy.

    • Core functional tests

    Must-pass flows

  • ✓ Guest checkout path: add to cart → checkout → pay → thank you → email receipt received.
  • ✓ Discount codes: percentage, fixed, free shipping, and stacking rules match what marketing promised.
  • ✓ Inventory decrement: buy last unit; confirm product shows sold out or backorder as configured.
  • ✓ Refund and partial refund from admin; customer sees correct email and balance.
  • ✓ Digital or subscription products (if any): delivery or billing cadence tested end-to-end.

    • Edge cases that bite at scale

    Before you call it done

  • ✓ International or secondary market: currency, duties messaging, and payment method availability.
  • ✓ Mobile Safari + Chrome: payment wallets, autofill, and address validation behave.
  • ✓ Apps that touch checkout or cart: one disabled to confirm baseline still works.
  • ✓ B2B or net terms (if used): draft order → invoice → mark paid flow documented.

    • Marketing-linked tests

    Hit every landing URL you plan to use in launch ads or email. Confirm UTM parameters do not break pages, and that thank-you and order events fire for your primary conversion. For post-live discipline, see Shopify post launch marketing checklist.

    More in this series

    PILLAR PAGES

  • Shopify store launch checklist
  • How to launch a Shopify store

    • RELATED GUIDES

  • Shopify pre-launch checklist

    • View all blog posts · Case studies

    FAQ

  • How do I do a test order on Shopify?

    • Two ways: activate the Bogus Gateway (Settings → Payments) and check out with card number 1 for a simulated successful payment — or place a real small order with your live provider and refund it immediately. Do both: Bogus Gateway for the full flow rehearsal, one real order to verify wallets like Shop Pay and Apple Pay actually work. Step-by-step below.

  • Why test before launch instead of after?

    • Because your first real customers are the least forgiving and the most likely to review. A broken edge case on day three is a one-star; the same bug in QA is a ticket.

  • What is the highest-value single test?

    • A full purchase with the same payment method your ads will target (e.g. Shop Pay, Apple Pay) on mobile, including refund. If that works, many other pieces are already aligned.

  • How does this relate to removing the password?

    • Run this checklist while the store is still private or low-traffic, then re-run a shortened version the hour before password-off. See Shopify checklist before removing password page.

  • Does Branva run QA?

    • We focus QA on marketing surfaces and events: email triggers, pixel firing, landing URLs from ads, and post-purchase messaging. Technical theme QA is usually yours or your dev partner.

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