Launch checklist for selling online

Payments

• Card payments through a gateway that settles to your local bank account.
• Apple Pay and Google Pay for faster mobile checkout.
• Buy now, pay later options if your average order value suits instalments.
• Cash on delivery rules: which areas, order limits, and any COD fee.

Delivery

• Courier accounts and rates for every region you deliver to, plus international if you ship abroad.
• Clear delivery times on product and checkout pages.
• Tracking links sent automatically by email or WhatsApp.
• A plan for failed deliveries and returned COD orders.

Tax and invoices

If you are registered for VAT or sales tax, your store should show prices and invoices correctly, including your tax number. Rules differ by country and change over time, so confirm your set-up with your accountant before launch.

Policies and trust

• Returns and refund policy written in plain language.
• Delivery policy, privacy policy and terms.
• Your registered business details and a real contact method.
• Product photos that show size, texture and use.

Mobile and languages

Most shoppers browse on their phones. Test your full checkout on a real phone, on mobile data. If your store runs in more than one language, check every page in each one, not just the homepage.

WhatsApp and customer service

Many customers will message before they buy. Put a WhatsApp button on product pages with a pre-filled message, and decide who answers and how quickly.

Tracking before ads

Set up Google Analytics 4, Tag Manager, the Meta Pixel and purchase tracking before you spend on ads. Without it, you can't tell which campaigns make money.