Shopify handles hosting, server security and platform updates, which takes a lot off your plate. What is left is the part that is yours, and it still needs a regular look. Use this checklist once a month. Each point says what to check and why it matters.
1. Place a test order
Go through the store as a customer would: add a product, check shipping options, pay, and confirm you receive the order email. Problems here cost sales directly. Do it on a phone as well as a computer.
2. Review your apps
List every installed app. Remove any you no longer use, and check the rest still do what you need. Unused apps can slow the store and leave scripts running on every page. Note any app whose maker has stopped updating it.
3. Check your theme on mobile
Most shoppers are on phones. Look at your home page, a collection page and a product page on a phone, and note anything that looks off, overlaps or loads slowly.
4. Look at speed
Large images are the most common cause of a slow store. Check that new product photos are sized sensibly, and note any page that feels heavy. Remove banners and sliders that nobody looks at.
5. Review products and collections
Check that prices, stock and descriptions are correct, and that sold-out or discontinued items are handled the way you intend. Tidy collections so customers find things in two clicks.
6. Confirm your tracking
Make sure your analytics and advertising tags still record orders. A broken tag can quietly ruin your reporting for weeks. Place a test order and look for it in your reports.
7. Look at your staff accounts
Remove access for anyone who no longer works with you, and keep permissions to what each person needs. Check that the people who have access use strong, unique passwords.
How often to do each check
| Check | How often | Time it takes |
|---|---|---|
| Test order | Monthly, and after any theme or app change | About 15 minutes |
| App review | Monthly, with a deeper one each quarter | About 15 minutes |
| Mobile check of key pages | Monthly | About 10 minutes |
| Speed and images | Monthly | About 15 minutes |
| Products and collections | Whenever stock or prices change, and monthly | Depends on the catalogue |
| Tracking | Monthly, and after any tag change | About 10 minutes |
| Staff accounts | Quarterly, and whenever someone leaves | About 10 minutes |
The times are rough planning figures for a small store. A larger catalogue takes longer.
Every quarter and every year
- Quarterly: do a deeper app review and remove anything unused, read your key pages for out-of-date offers, and check how your store loads on a slow phone connection.
- Yearly: review your plan and apps, change important passwords, turn on two-factor sign-in for every staff account, and review your privacy and cookie notices with your adviser.
Before a big sale or holiday
- Finish changes to the theme at least a few days before, not on the day.
- Place a test order on a phone and a computer.
- Check discount codes and shipping rules.
- Remove or pause apps you do not need during the rush.
- Agree who to contact if something goes wrong during the sale.
Questions to ask before installing an app
- When was it last updated, and does the maker reply to support?
- What permissions does it ask for, and does it need all of them?
- Does it add code to every page, and does it clean up if you remove it?
- Is there a free trial, and what happens to the data afterwards?
A short routine for a busy owner
If you only have twenty minutes a month, do three things: place a test order, look at your app list, and open the store on a phone. Those three catch most of what goes wrong. Do the rest when you have time, or hand it over.
What to do when you find a problem
- Write down what you saw and where.
- Check whether it started after a theme, app or setting change.
- If an app is the cause, switch it off and test again.
- If you cannot find the cause quickly, ask for help rather than guessing.
Want this handled for you?
This is exactly the kind of work our hands-on hours cover. Read what we do on Shopify maintenance, see our plans, or learn how to put a Shopify store in maintenance mode when you need to close it for a short time.
