Version 2 of the Store Launch Checklist is live. If you bought v1, it’s already in your dashboard — no action needed. Here’s what changed and why.
## Why we rebuilt it
V1 was written for someone who had never touched WordPress. That was the right call at the time. But after 200+ support emails, we noticed a pattern: most people weren’t stuck on the basics. They were stuck on the middle — the part where you’ve installed WooCommerce, set up a product, and then hit a wall configuring payments or taxes.
So we restructured. The new checklist is front-loaded with the decisions that actually block you, and the basic setup is compressed into a single page.
## What’s new
### 1. A decision flowchart up front
The first page is now a simple flowchart: What are you selling? Digital or physical? One country or many? Based on your answers, you get a specific path through the checklist. This replaces the old ‘read everything and figure out what applies’ approach.
### 2. Screenshots for every payment gateway step
Stripe, PayPal, and Square all changed their dashboards in the last year. V1 had outdated screenshots. V2 has fresh ones, plus a note on where the settings moved. We’ll keep these updated.
### 3. A dedicated tax section
This was the most-requested addition. V1 mentioned taxes in passing. V2 has a full section on when you need a tax plugin, how to set up EU VAT with WooCommerce’s built-in tools, and when to just hire someone. It’s not legal advice, but it’ll keep you from making the common mistakes.
### 4. A pre-launch test script
We added a step-by-step test you can run before announcing your store: place a test order, check the confirmation email, verify the download link works, test a refund, and check the order in your dashboard. It takes 15 minutes and catches 90% of launch-day problems.
### 5. Troubleshooting expanded from 1 page to 6
Based on real support tickets. The most common issues — blank checkout, download link not showing, emails not sending — now have dedicated sections with fixes.
## What we removed
We cut the section on choosing a host. It was too dependent on region and budget, and it dated quickly. Instead, we added a one-line rule: pick a host that supports PHP 8.2 and has one-click staging. That’s the whole recommendation.
We also removed the ‘advanced customization’ appendix. Almost nobody used it, and it made the guide feel longer than it was.
## What’s next
We’re working on a companion piece for stores that sell both physical and digital products — the hybrid case is more common than we expected. That’ll ship in the next few weeks.
If you have feedback on v2, reply to your purchase email. We read everything, and the best suggestions usually end up in v3.