Shopify Test Orders: The best way to eliminate Checkout Risks
Your website is only as good as its conversion rate and if your check out doesn’t work, your website is useless. Before being able to scale your online business, you need to make sure that your website converts by testing the full buying experience, using different devices/web browsers.
Why Test Orders Are Critical for Your Shopify Store
Test orders are more than just a technical formality—they're a comprehensive diagnostic tool that provides:
1. Comprehensive Checkout Verification Simulate real customer experiences to uncover hidden obstacles in your purchasing process. Every click, every form, every transaction matters.
2. Discount and Pricing Precision Validate that promotional strategies work exactly as intended, protecting both your revenue and customer trust.
3. Payment Gateway Performance Ensure smooth, error-free transactions that keep potential customers from abandoning their carts.
Detailed Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Shopify Test Order
Accessing the Order Creation Interface
1. Log into Your Shopify Admin
- Open your web browser
- Navigate to admin.shopify.com
- Enter your login credentials
- Ensure you're using an account with order management permissions
2. Locate the Orders Section
- From the main dashboard, find and click on "Orders" in the left-side navigation menu
- Click the "Create order" button located at the top-right of the screen
Product Selection and Order Configuration
3. Select Test Product
- Use the search bar to find a product
- Pro Tip: Choose a top-selling product to start with
- Consider testing:
Simple products
Variant-based products
Products with multiple options
4. Apply 100% Discount
- Click on "Add discount"
- Select "Percentage" discount type
- Enter "100" in the discount field
- This simulates a free transaction for testing purposes
Customer and Order Details
5. Add Customer Information
- Create a test customer profile
- Use your company email or a designated test email
- Tip: Create a consistent naming convention like "TEST - [Your Name]"
- Ensure all contact details are accurate
6. Payment and Finalization
- Manually mark the order as "Paid"
- Review all order details carefully
- Confirm the order
Advanced Test Order Best Practices
Comprehensive Testing Checklist
- Check add to cart (product can be added/removed to cart)
- Checkout works seamlessly
- Shipping fees are calculated based on location if not free shipping
- Email notifications confirm order and status
- Pricing matches from product detail page to checkout and order.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Always delete or carefully mark test orders to avoid inventory discrepancies.
Conclusion: Test, Optimize, Succeed
Testing your checkout allows you to make sure that your customers will get the best experience. Also, you want to make sure that you don’t have any technical issues before running ads and driving people to your website.
Ready to transform your Shopify store's performance? Our expert team can help you implement comprehensive testing protocols that drive growth and customer satisfaction.
Key Takeaways
- Test orders are essential for eCommerce quality assurance
- Follow a systematic approach to testing
- Continuously monitor and improve your checkout process
Disclaimer: Always consult with your Shopify expert or development team when implementing complex testing strategies