Launching an online store is more than installing WooCommerce. Use this checklist before you go live — it comes from the stores we have built for exporters and retailers.
Before You Build
Decide your model. Direct checkout (B2C) or inquiry-based catalog (B2B)? The answer changes the entire page structure. Many export businesses need both.
Plan your payment stack. PayPal, Stripe, credit cards, Alipay — pick gateways your customers actually use. For cross-border B2C, PayPal plus one card processor covers most markets.
Sort logistics. Shipping zones, rates and delivery-time promises must be decided before checkout is built, not after.
Building the Store
Product photography. White-background main images plus 3-5 lifestyle shots per product. This is where most store budgets should go — photography sells.
Product copy that answers objections. Specs, sizing, shipping, returns, materials. Every unanswered question is an abandoned cart.
Mobile checkout testing. Test the full purchase flow on a real phone before launch. Fixing checkout friction after launch means losing orders daily.
After Launch
Analytics. Install GA4 and search console from day one — you cannot improve what you do not measure.
First-100-days SEO. Product titles and descriptions written for search, store blog started, sitemap submitted.
Abandoned cart handling. Email recovery flows typically recover 5-10% of abandoned carts. Set it up early.
Our WordPress e-commerce package includes store features, multilingual support and a payment gateway of your choice — a practical starting point for exporters entering online retail.