Launching a WooCommerce store is exciting but the choices you make before development determine how fast you go live, how well you rank, and how efficiently you scale. Below is a practical, non-fluffy checklist we use at Gordo Web Design to set stores up for long-term success.
1) Business Model & Goals (Define Success Metrics)
Clarify what “good” looks like.
- Primary KPIs: revenue, AOV, conversion rate, repeat purchase rate, CAC/LTV.
- Sales motions: DTC, B2B, subscriptions, preorders, bundles.
- Geography: local only, nationwide, or international (VAT, currency, translations).
2) Information Architecture (Make Growth Easy)
Plan categories and URLs so you don’t repaint the house later.
- Category tree that supports 18–24 months of new collections.
- Naming conventions for products, variants, and attributes (size, color, material).
- URL rules: short, keyword-aligned, consistent (avoid future-breaking changes).
3) Product Data Quality (Your SEO and UX Depend on It)
Bad data = weak search, low conversions.
- Required fields: SKU, GTIN/MPN, dimensions/weights, materials, care, compatibility.
- Consistent attribute vocabularies power filters and rich snippets.
- Media: 4–8 angles per product, video where helpful, alt text planned upfront.
4) Content & Brand Voice (Conversion Copy Beats Placeholder Text)
Commit to unique copy for categories and top SKUs.
- Category intros (80–150 words) + FAQs improve rankings and trust.
- Product copy: benefits first, specs second; highlight objections, warranty, and use cases.
- UGC plan: reviews, Q&A, and photo uploads.
5) Design System & UX (Mobile-First, Conversion-First)
- Above-the-fold clarity: primary value prop, trust badges, shipping info, returns.
- PDP essentials: sticky add-to-cart, price/stock clarity, variant previews, sizing/fit help.
- Navigation: mega menu with logical grouping and search autocomplete.
- Accessibility: keyboard nav, focus states, contrast, ARIA labels (helps SEO too).
- See similar builds in our portfolio.
6) Theme vs. Custom Build (Choose Your Base)
- Lean custom theme: best performance and control; higher upfront cost, lower tech debt.
- Premade theme: faster start; watch for plugin dependencies and bloat.
- Whichever you pick, ban page-builder sprawl and unused features.
7) Performance Budget (Set Hard Targets Early)
- Core Web Vitals goals: LCP < 2.5s, CLS < 0.1, INP < 200ms on mobile.
- Practices: WebP/AVIF images, lazy loading, server-level caching/CDN, minimal JS.
- Plugin rule: add only when it clearly beats a few lines of code.
8) Payments & Checkout (Friction Kills Conversions)
- Gateways: Stripe/PayPal + Apple/Google Pay; consider BNPL if AOV benefits.
- Address autocomplete, inline validation, and guest checkout.
- Tax handling (US states, EU VAT) and clear total cost before payment.
9) Shipping & Logistics (Reality Meets Cart)
- Zones, methods, live rates, table rates, and rules for oversize/hazmat.
- Packaging data and dimensional weight accuracy save margin.
- Post-purchase: branded tracking, proactive delay emails, clear returns portal.
10) SEO Foundations (Bake It In, Don’t Bolt It On)
- Clean URL structure, canonical tags, breadcrumb and product schema.
- Unique titles/meta, logical internal links, and XML sitemaps.
- Category hubs + long-tail content clusters to defend rankings.
- Don’t index staging; set redirects before launch day.
11) Analytics & Attribution (Measure What Matters)
- GA4 events for view_item, add_to_cart, begin_checkout, purchase; server-side if needed.
- Consent mode and privacy banner requirements by region.
- Source-of-truth dashboards (Looker Studio) for KPIs and channel performance.
12) Integrations & ERP/CRM (Plan the Data Flow)
- Inventory source of truth: POS/ERP or Woo? Decide now.
- CRM/marketing stack: Klaviyo/HubSpot flows for browse/abandon/cart winbacks.
- Marketplace syncs (Amazon, eBay) and feed management with canonical control.
13) Compliance, Security & Risk (Don’t Learn the Hard Way)
- SSL/WAF, backups, malware monitoring, and least-privilege access.
- PCI awareness (gateways tokenize; never store card data).
- Policies: privacy, returns, terms; ADA/WCAG considerations for risk reduction.
14) Team, Budget & Timeline (Be Realistic)
- Roles: product owner, content, design, dev, QA, marketing.
- Budget lines: theme/custom build, content production, photography, integrations, QA, contingency.
- Timeline milestones: discovery → wireframes → build → content load → SEO/QA → launch.
15) Post-Launch Growth Plan (Day 2 is Where Winners Win)
- 90-day roadmap: CRO tests, new landing pages, collection content, link outreach.
- Review/email/SMS automations and loyalty/referral programs.
- Maintenance: updates, uptime, security, and monthly performance reviews.
Technical Checklist
- Category & URL map approved
- Product data template (CSV) finalized
- Media specs (dimensions, file size, alt text rules)
- Payment, tax, shipping matrix signed off
- Page templates: Home, Category, PDP, Cart, Checkout, Account
- Schema: Organization, Product, Breadcrumb, FAQ (where applicable)
- GA4 events + consent & privacy configured
- Redirects list and staging noindex in place
- Accessibility pass (keyboard/contrast/labels)
- Backup + rollback plan documented for launch day
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. How long does a typical WooCommerce build take?
Most small-to-midsize stores launch in 4–8 weeks, depending on product count, integrations, and content readiness.
Q2. Do I need a custom theme to be fast?
Not always. You can ship fast with a lean custom theme or a carefully pruned starter. The key is minimizing scripts, avoiding builder bloat, and optimizing media.
Q3. Will WooCommerce handle B2B needs?
Yes—with the right extensions or light custom code: quotes, POs, tax-exempt rules, net terms, and account-based pricing are all feasible.
Q4. What’s the best way to protect SEO during a relaunch or migration?
Map old→new URLs, set 301s, preserve metadata, replicate structured data, and crawl/compare before and after launch.
Q5. How should I budget for ongoing costs?
Plan for hosting, CDN, updates, security, backups, analytics, and 5–10% of revenue (or a fixed retainer) for continuous CRO/SEO/content.
Want a blueprint tailored to your products, margins, and growth goals? Request a free WooCommerce planning session with Gordo Web Design. We’ll turn this checklist into a step-by-step launch plan built to rank fast and convert reliably.
Gordo Web Design
500 E Broward Blvd Suite #900
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33394
(954) 501-0703
