Your Shopify store setup checklist, tailored to what you sell
You opened a Shopify trial and now face dozens of settings, apps and pages. This prompt has your agent build a step-by-step setup checklist for your exact store, ordered so nothing blocks launch day, with links to the right Shopify help pages and a spreadsheet you can tick off.
The prompt
- Build me a Shopify store setup checklist for my new store selling [WHAT YOU SELL] to customers in [COUNTRIES YOU SHIP TO]. I plan to launch on [LAUNCH DATE]. Cover: store settings and domain, theme and homepage, product pages and collections, payments, shipping rates, taxes, legal pages (refund, privacy, terms, shipping), email notifications, analytics, and the few apps I really need for [SPECIAL NEEDS]. Order the tasks by week up to launch, mark the ones that must be done before the store goes live, and add a link to the official Shopify help page for each one. Deliver it as an Excel file with columns: task, why it matters, week, done (checkbox), link. Then email it to me.
What to change
- [WHAT YOU SELL]: Your products, e.g. "handmade soy candles" or "print-on-demand t-shirts".
- [COUNTRIES YOU SHIP TO]: Where your customers are, e.g. "the US and Canada" or "the EU".
- [LAUNCH DATE]: Your target opening day, e.g. "March 1".
- [SPECIAL NEEDS]: Anything specific, e.g. "product reviews and subscriptions" or "pre-orders". Write "none" if unsure.
Example result
- Week 1: foundations
- • Pick a plan and set the store name, contact email and sender email (use a branded address, not Gmail)
- • Connect your custom domain and set it as primary so links don't show myshopify.com
- • Set store currency, time zone and weight units before adding products
- • Add staff accounts with limited permissions instead of sharing your login
- Week 2: products and design
- • Add products with 4-6 photos each, same background and size (2048 x 2048 px works well)
- • Write titles customers would search, plus a description with size, materials and care
- • Fill in SKU, barcode, weight and inventory tracking for every variant
- • Create collections (by type, by use, best sellers) and build the main menu from them
- • Choose a theme, set brand colors and fonts, and check the homepage on a phone first
- Week 3: money, shipping and legal
- • Must-do: turn on payments and run a real test order, then refund it
- • Must-do: set shipping zones and rates; consider a free-shipping threshold above your average order
- • Must-do: review tax settings for each region you sell to (ask an accountant if unsure)
- • Must-do: publish refund, privacy, terms of service and shipping policies and link them in the footer
- • Edit order confirmation and shipping emails with your logo and tone
- Week 4: launch prep
- • Install only the apps you need now: reviews, email marketing, maybe one upsell app
- • Set up Google Analytics or Shopify analytics, plus your marketing pixels
- • Add a 404 page, favicon and SEO title and meta description for key pages
- • Ask two friends to place test orders on mobile and desktop
- • Must-do: remove the store password and announce the launch
- After launch
- • Check abandoned checkouts daily for the first two weeks
- • Review speed: big images and too many apps slow the store down
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and fill in what you sell, where you ship and your launch date.
- Paste it into todo.is on the Today screen, or send it to your agent on WhatsApp or Telegram.
- Your agent reads Shopify's help pages and returns an Excel checklist with links, by email too.
- Ask for changes like "add a wholesale section" or "I'm launching in 2 weeks, compress the plan".
Tips for a better result
- Place a real test order with your own card before launch. It catches payment, tax and email problems at once.
- Keep apps to a minimum at first. Each one can add scripts that slow your store.
- Write your refund and shipping policies before you set shipping rates, so both say the same thing.
- Make it a weekly to-do: "Every Monday, send me the unchecked tasks from my Shopify checklist."
Shopify store setup checklist: FAQ
- How long does it take to set up a Shopify store? A simple store with a few products can be ready in a few days. Most first-time owners take 2-4 weeks once they include photos, policies and testing.
- What pages does a Shopify store need before launch? At minimum a homepage, product and collection pages, a contact page, and refund, privacy, terms and shipping policies. An About page and FAQ also help build trust.
- Can todo.is set up my Shopify store for me? Your agent plans the checklist, writes product copy and policies, and can work in a browser on your instructions, but it asks for your OK before changing anything important. You stay in control of your store and payments.
- Do I need to charge sales tax on Shopify? It depends on where you and your customers are. Shopify has tax settings for each region, but check with an accountant for your situation.
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