Launching a new eCommerce site on Magento is an exciting milestone for any business. You’ve invested months in development, design, product uploads, and testing — and now, the final step is approaching. But before you switch your domain live and open the doors to customers, there are several critical checks that can save you from major issues down the line.

As a Magento developer, I’ve seen how a single overlooked setting can cause problems — from slow page speed to broken checkouts or poor indexing in Google. So, here’s a comprehensive pre-launch checklist written in plain language, to make sure your new Magento store is ready for the public.

1. Infrastructure and Performance

A Magento site is only as stable as the hosting it runs on. Before launch, ensure that your hosting environment meets the technical requirements: PHP 8.2 or higher, MySQL 8, Elasticsearch (or OpenSearch), Redis caching, and Composer. But hardware isn’t everything — scalability matters just as much.

If you’re expecting traffic spikes during promotions or seasonal peaks, make sure your hosting can scale automatically or be upgraded quickly. HTTPS is non-negotiable too; a valid SSL certificate protects both you and your customers, and it’s a ranking signal for Google.

Ask your developer to confirm that caching (Full Page Cache, Redis, and Varnish) and cron jobs are properly configured — these control indexing, scheduled emails, and all background processes that keep Magento running efficiently.

2. Moving from Staging to Live

It’s surprisingly easy to launch a store that still contains test orders, fake customers, or sample products. Before going live, the database should be cleaned and your base URLs updated to the production domain.

Double-check that your robots.txt file allows search engines to crawl the site; during development, it’s often set to block indexing. If you’re migrating from another platform, implement proper 301 redirects to preserve SEO value.

And of course, confirm that all analytics and tracking tools — Google Analytics 4, Google Tag Manager, and Meta Pixel — are active and recording correctly.

3. Security First

Magento is a powerful open-source system, but that also makes it a frequent target for attacks. Change the default admin URL to something unique, enforce two-factor authentication for all admin accounts, and secure your forms with reCAPTCHA.

File permissions should be restrictive, backups automated, and your hosting environment protected by a basic web application firewall. For transparency and accountability, consider installing a module like Amasty Admin Actions Log to track backend activity.

4. Store Configuration

Now’s the time to review the fundamentals: store name, contact details, timezone, currency, and locale. Taxes, shipping, and payment methods must all be configured and tested end-to-end.

Transactional emails — from order confirmations to password resets — should display your logo, use consistent branding, and arrive instantly. Send yourself a few test emails to be certain. You’ll thank yourself later.

5. Catalogue Quality and Content

Your product catalogue is at the heart of your store. Ensure that product data is complete, consistent, and structured logically. Categories should form a clear hierarchy, with SEO-friendly names and clean URLs.

Images need to be optimised for web — ideally under 200 KB each, using WebP or compressed JPEG. Verify that configurable and simple products are correctly linked, and that stock information is accurate.

Small details like these not only improve user experience but also help search engines understand your site better.

6. Checkout and Payment Flow

If there’s one area that deserves extra attention, it’s the checkout. Test every possible journey — as a guest, as a registered customer, and with different payment methods. Make a real transaction (even for £1) to ensure your payment gateway processes orders successfully and sends the correct confirmation emails.

Review shipping rates, voucher codes, and discount logic carefully. The smallest inconsistency here can lead to customer frustration or financial loss.

7. Optimisation and SEO Readiness

Before launch, your site should be switched to production mode, not developer mode. This ensures CSS and JavaScript files are minified and cached, which improves load speed.

Run your pages through Google PageSpeed Insights — ideally, your homepage should load in under 2.5 seconds. Check canonical tags, meta titles, and descriptions across key pages to avoid duplicate content.

Finally, generate your XML sitemap and submit it in Google Search Console so your new store starts indexing immediately after launch.

8. Legal Compliance and Policies

For UK and EU businesses, compliance isn’t optional. You’ll need a GDPR-compliant cookie banner and up-to-date pages for your Privacy Policy, Terms & Conditions, and Returns Policy.

Display your registered company details clearly in the footer, and ensure that VAT calculations appear correctly throughout the checkout process. If you invoice customers directly, confirm that all invoices meet HMRC requirements.

9. Analytics and Integrations

Once your store is live, you’ll want reliable data from day one. Confirm that GA4 Enhanced Ecommerce tracking works — product views, add-to-carts, and completed purchases should all be visible in reports.

If you use Google Ads, check that conversion tracking is active. The same goes for Facebook Pixel, TikTok Pixel, or newsletter tools such as Mailchimp or Klaviyo. If you integrate Magento with a CRM or ERP system, test synchronisation before launch to avoid order duplication or inventory errors.

10. Final Testing and User Experience

Walk through your site like a first-time visitor. Browse categories, add products to the basket, sign up, and check out. Do this from several devices — desktop, tablet, and mobile — to verify responsive layouts.

Test search functionality, filters, sorting options, and ensure that out-of-stock products behave as expected. Ask a few colleagues or friends to do the same; fresh eyes always spot what developers miss.

After Launch: Monitor and Improve

The first two weeks after going live are critical. Monitor your server logs for errors, check conversion rates, and keep an eye on abandoned baskets. Review how search engines are indexing your pages in Search Console, and back up your data regularly.

Listen to early customer feedback — it often reveals small usability issues that are quick to fix but make a huge difference.

Going live with a Magento store isn’t just a technical milestone — it’s a strategic one. Your website becomes the digital face of your business, and every second of downtime or friction in checkout can cost you sales.

This checklist isn’t about perfection, but about readiness: ensuring your platform is fast, secure, compliant, and truly customer-friendly.

If your developer has ticked off each item here, you can launch with confidence — and focus on what really matters: growing your brand and delighting your customers.