Seventeen things to check before you open an online store in Pakistan, from cash on delivery to a real test order. Tick them off as you go.
The day an online store opens is exciting, and it’s the worst day to find out the payment page doesn’t work on a phone. Most launch problems are small and easy to catch beforehand: a missing delivery charge, a product with the wrong price, a confirmation message that never arrives.
Here is the list we go through with clients before a store goes live. Tick off what’s done. Your ticks are saved in this browser, so you can come back to it.
Why these matter most
Cash on delivery. For many shoppers in Pakistan, paying on delivery is the only way they’ll try a new store. Offer it, then encourage online payment for repeat customers once they trust you.
Delivery costs before checkout. A surprise delivery charge on the last step is one of the most common reasons people leave without buying. Show it early, on the product page or the cart.
A way to reach you. A visible WhatsApp number does more for trust than any badge. People want to know a real person is behind the store.
Order confirmation. If someone pays and hears nothing, they assume the worst. An instant SMS, WhatsApp or email message with the order number calms them down and cuts “where is my order” calls.
Speed on mobile data. Most shoppers browse on their phones, often on mobile data. Heavy product photos slow everything down. See how much in our page weight playground.
The test run. Place a real order yourself, from a phone, on mobile data, paying the way your customers will. Then cancel and refund it. Then ask someone outside the team to buy something while you watch, without helping. You’ll learn more in ten minutes than from any checklist.
After launch
Opening is the start. In the first weeks, watch which products get viewed but not bought, where people leave the checkout, and which questions customers ask on WhatsApp. Each one is something to fix on the site.
We build e-commerce stores with a panel your team can run, and we train you to use it. If your checklist has gaps, use Email us what’s left above and we’ll help close them.