Launch Your Squarespace Ecommerce Store

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you'll be able to:

• Publish your Squarespace ecommerce store and make it live
• Preview and test your store thoroughly before launch
• Check your store works properly on mobile devices
• Understand the basic steps to prepare for going live

Introduction

Getting your Squarespace ecommerce store live is the moment when your hard work pays off. This chapter walks you through the essential steps to publish your store safely and confidently. We'll cover how to test everything works before you go live, and make sure your customers get a smooth shopping experience from day one.

Lessons

Lesson 1: Preparing Your Store for Launch

Before you can go live, your store needs to be complete and ready for customers. Here's what to check:

Step 1: Review Your Products

• Log into your Squarespace account and go to Commerce > Products
• Check every product has a clear title, description, and price
• Make sure all product images are high quality and load properly
• Verify your inventory levels are accurate

Step 2: Set Up Payment Processing

• Go to Commerce > Payments
• Connect your preferred payment processor (Stripe or PayPal)
• Test a small transaction to confirm payments work
• Set up your payout schedule

Step 3: Configure Shipping

• Navigate to Commerce > Shipping
• Add your shipping zones and rates
• Set up any free shipping thresholds
• Include estimated delivery times

This is the bit most people miss: always test your checkout process before going live. A broken checkout means lost sales from day one.

Lesson 2: Preview and Test Everything

Testing prevents embarrassing mistakes and lost customers. Here's how to do it properly:

Step 1: Use Preview Mode

• Click the Preview button in your dashboard
• Browse your store as a customer would
• Check every page loads correctly
• Test all navigation links work

Step 2: Test the Complete Purchase Process

• Add products to your cart
• Go through the entire checkout process
• Use a test payment method to complete a purchase
• Check you receive the order confirmation email

Step 3: Check Mobile Responsiveness

• View your store on your phone
• Test the checkout process on mobile
• Make sure all buttons and links work on smaller screens
• Check images display properly

Get a friend or family member to test your store too. Fresh eyes often spot issues you've missed.

Lesson 3: Publishing Your Store

Once you're confident everything works, it's time to go live:

Step 1: Final Checks

• Ensure you have a site plan that supports commerce
• Check your domain is connected properly
• Review your site title and description

Step 2: Make Your Site Live

• Go to Settings > Site Availability
• Toggle the switch from 'Private' to 'Public'
• Your store is now live and accessible to customers

Step 3: Monitor Your Launch

• Check your live site immediately after publishing
• Test a real purchase to confirm everything works
• Monitor for any error messages or broken links

Remember: you can always switch back to private mode if you discover issues after launch.

Practice

Complete this checklist before publishing your store:

1. Test purchase at least three different products
2. Complete the checkout process on both desktop and mobile
3. Check all product images load correctly
4. Verify your contact information is accurate
5. Test your payment processing with a small transaction
6. Review your shipping rates and delivery information
7. Check your site displays correctly on mobile devices

Walk through your store as if you're a first-time customer. If anything confuses you, it'll confuse your customers too.

FAQs

Can I make changes to my store after it goes live?
Yes, you can update products, prices, and content anytime. Changes appear immediately on your live site.

What happens if something breaks after I launch?
Switch your site back to private mode in Settings > Site Availability while you fix the issue. This prevents customers from experiencing problems.

How long does it take for my site to go live?
Your site becomes accessible immediately after you publish it. However, it may take a few minutes for all changes to propagate fully.

Do I need to worry about SEO when launching?
Basic SEO settings help, but focus on launching first. You can improve your SEO after your store is live and functioning properly.

Can I preview my store before going live?
Yes, use the Preview button in your dashboard. You can also share a preview link with others to get feedback before launching.

Jargon Buster

Commerce Plan: A Squarespace subscription that includes ecommerce features like product listings and payment processing.

Payment Gateway: The service that processes customer payments securely (like Stripe or PayPal).

Site Availability: The Squarespace setting that controls whether your site is public or private.

Preview Mode: A feature that lets you see how your site looks to visitors without making it live.

Domain: Your website address (like yourstore.com).

Wrap-up

You've now got the knowledge to launch your Squarespace ecommerce store confidently. The key is thorough testing before you go live – it prevents problems and gives you peace of mind. Remember, launching is just the beginning. Once you're live, keep monitoring your store's performance and making improvements based on customer feedback.

Ready to take your store live? Roll your sleeves up and work through the checklist. Your first sale is waiting.

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