Define who buys and what they buy
Describe your customers, selling regions and product types. Record variants, stock rules, bundles, price differences and the information someone needs before purchasing. Build a sample catalogue with real products; it will reveal content and administrative needs that a blank design can hide.
Map the checkout decisions
Agree guest checkout, account requirements, contact information and payment options. Confirm payment-provider availability, account approval and supported currencies directly with the provider. Make space for payment failures, abandoned attempts, confirmation messages and the customer support route.
Follow an order through the business
Document what happens after payment: stock allocation, packing, dispatch, delivery notifications and order status changes. Include cancellations, returns and refunds in the operational brief. Identify who is allowed to perform each action and which system holds the authoritative order and stock records.
Scope the connections
List accounting, inventory, shipping and marketing tools. For each integration, identify required data, sync direction, timing, permissions and the fallback when a service is unavailable. Test a realistic order across the connected systems before launch, including an unsuccessful transaction and a refund.
Prepare for a real launch
Assign owners for product information, photography, customer-facing policies and ongoing catalogue updates. Test navigation, search, product options and checkout on actual mobile devices. Verify order emails and administration access. Define how enquiries and errors will be monitored when the first customers arrive.
Make it specific to your business.
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