Full launch checklist

Use this list before you publish Studio Arcana. Work top to bottom. In the Theme Editor, Afternoon launch shows up to three priority actions at a time (Required, Recommended, or Manual verification), with View full checklist for every row. Auto rows update only from detectable theme signals — not app install or end-to-end tests. When you finish, every row is Complete, one booking path works on mobile, and one aftercare add-to-cart works from cart. Pair with the Hair, Spa, Tattoo, or Beauty homepage preset — choose Conversion Starter for a short, launch-safe first publish or Full Editorial for a content-rich demonstration homepage.

Online Store → Themes → Customize → Theme settings → Launch checklist

Afternoon launch statuses

• Required — must-do setup the theme can often detect (logo, main menu, booking URL or booking page, payments, service products in your services collection). Incomplete rows show what is missing, why it matters, and the exact Theme settings or Admin path.
• Recommended — helpful polish (favicon, local SEO / social URLs, aftercare pairing metafields when a services collection is set).
• Manual verification — tick in Theme settings after you personally confirm (preset applied, specialists/trust, journey tests, first booking, first aftercare sale).
• Complete — the row is done (auto-detected or manually ticked).

In Customize preview, Afternoon launch shows Next up (about three incomplete actions), then View full checklist for every row. Status is always written as text (not color alone). Leaving Hollow Reserve as the booking provider without a booking URL or booking page does not mark booking complete.

Store, account, and installation

• Confirm the correct store, staff access, customer accounts, Markets, primary domain, timezone, currencies, languages, taxes, shipping, payments, checkout, subscriptions, and required apps.
• Duplicate your current theme before installing or upgrading Studio Arcana.
• Install Studio Arcana, confirm the theme version, and preview it — never overwrite the live theme while testing.
• Enable compatible app embeds and app blocks you plan to use (for example Hollow Reserve booking).

Brand and global settings

• Upload logo, favicon, social sharing image, and a transparent-header logo if you use one.
• Set brand name, colors, color schemes, buttons, cards, typography, content width, spacing, and radii.
• Choose conservative motion defaults; verify Animations off, reduced motion, and contrast on key pages.
• Turn off unused advanced effects so the storefront stays fast.

Navigation and discovery

• Configure primary, mobile, secondary, footer, account, and localization menus.
• Verify URLs, nested links, mobile drawer, mega menu, sticky header, search, account, phone, booking, wishlist, and cart utilities.
• Test predictive search, search results, empty results, filters, sorting, breadcrumbs, skip link, and focus order.

Catalog and product data

• Create or verify retail, service, aftercare, package, membership, gift-card, and subscription products.
• Apply service and aftercare tags and metafields only where they belong (`type:service`, `type:aftercare`, pairing metafields).
• Add media with meaningful alt text, variants, inventory, policies, and optional review ratings.
• Verify variant selection, selling plans, gift-card recipients, sold-out, and low-inventory states.

Services, specialists, and locations

• Configure service products with duration, price, preparation, suitability, policies, and booking links.
• Add specialist profiles with credentials, specialties, portraits, bios, portfolios, and booking CTAs.
• Verify specialist profile pages, before/after proof, consent where required, and quiz recommendations.
• Configure locations, addresses, directions, phone numbers, hours, maps, and location-specific booking links.

Booking and qualification

• Set Theme settings → Booking → Booking base URL, or create Online Store → Pages → booking and add a supported booking app block (for example Hollow Reserve).
• Test service handle, specialist, location, and package context where your scheduler supports them.
• Add consultation, preparation, deposit, consent, and cancellation copy where your studio requires them.
• Test Book from header, hero, service menu, specialist card, service product, sticky CTA, and mobile drawer.
• Confirm every Book button has a valid fallback URL when no app is connected.

Homepage and content journey

• Select the Conversion Starter preset for your vertical for a short, launch-safe first publish, or Full Editorial for a content-rich demonstration homepage.
• Confirm the first viewport shows your business, value proposition, primary CTA, and service versus retail path.
• Use a coherent order such as hero → services → specialists → proof → booking → aftercare → local trust → FAQ.
• Replace every sample heading, price, policy, image, claim, and placeholder.
• Remove unused sections; check empty states, mobile length, CTA repetition, and sticky-element overlap.

Retail conversion and cart

• Configure product cards, quick view (ATC should close the dialog), wishlist, complementary products, reviews, subscriptions, and gift cards.
• Confirm Promo tiles and product card badges where used.
• Confirm journal templates: color scheme paints cards; Images and cards mask/ratio look correct on Featured blog or Main blog.
• Set cart type, auto-open, notes, discounts, cart goal, and aftercare upsells (Top pick / Also consider).
• Test retail-only, service-only, and mixed carts — quantity, remove, discounts, checkout, and pairing accuracy.
• Confirm recommendations are accurate and not repetitive.

SEO, localization, privacy, and compliance

• Set titles, descriptions, social metadata, breadcrumbs, and alt text.
• Enable LocalBusiness and product structured data without duplicates; fill service area, hours, and social profiles.
• Configure Markets, languages, and currencies you sell in.
• Configure consent for analytics, marketing pixels, forms, video, booking providers, and age gates.

Accessibility and performance

• Keyboard-test drawers, dialogs, filters, quick view, quiz, age gate, forms, and sticky controls.
• Verify focus visibility, headings, error messages, captions, and alt text.
• Test reduced motion, 200% zoom, narrow widths, and touch targets.
• Keep hero media compressed; leave heavy motion and optional scroll libraries off unless you need them.
• Ask your implementer for Lighthouse on home, product, collection, search, and cart after publish.

Analytics and revenue verification

• Confirm consent-aware analytics (GTM loads only after Shopify Customer Privacy allows tracking).
• Spot-check booking CTA, add-to-cart, pairing impression, upsell click, wishlist, and search events you care about.
• Complete one first booking path and one first aftercare sale path on mobile.
• Note baselines for booking conversion, aftercare attachment, and time to publish when you are ready to measure.

Publish and handoff

1. Preview every configured market and homepage preset you will use.
2. Get approval for content, prices, policies, consent, booking, and mobile layout.
3. Publish only the reviewed theme version through your controlled release workflow.
4. Re-test homepage, product, collection, search, cart, booking, account, and checkout after publishing.
5. Record the release version and date, keep a rollback theme, and note enabled integrations and support contact.

Theme Editor afternoon panel (quick path)

1. Upload logo — Required; auto-detects under Theme settings → Brand logo.
2. Fill main-menu — Required; auto-detects when Online Store → Navigation → main-menu has links.
3. Connect booking — Required; auto-detects when Theme settings → Booking has a base URL, or when a page with handle booking exists for Hollow Reserve. Tick First booking path works after you test CTA → scheduler yourself.
4. Enable payments — Required; auto-detects when Shopify Admin → Settings → Payments has a provider.
5. Select Theme settings → Launch checklist → Services collection and add at least one product tagged type:service — Required when that collection is set.
6. Add favicon and Theme settings → SEO & structured data — Recommended; auto-detect when configured.
7. Link custom.service_pairing on services (or tick pairings) — Recommended when a services collection is selected.
8. Tick Manual verification rows: homepage preset applied, specialists and trust published, journeys tested on mobile, first booking path works, first aftercare sale path works.

How to check it worked

• In Customize preview, Afternoon launch shows Next up (about three actions). Open View full checklist — every row should read Complete, with Required / Recommended / Manual verification labels on unfinished work.
• Incomplete rows name what is missing, why it matters, and where to fix it (Theme settings or Shopify Admin).
• One Book button opens your scheduler with a service handle.
• One service in the cart shows Top pick aftercare you can add.
• Related guides: Booking links, Revenue setup, Locations, Search and discovery, Retail conversion, Retention and accounts, Privacy and consent, Accessibility, and Performance.