What essential features should I test during my Shopify free trial before committing to a paid plan?

[EmmaWilson25]

Hi, there, could you help with these - 

First-time store owner here, overwhelmed with Shopify's features
Want to ensure I test all crucial functionalities before paying
Looking for a checklist of must-try features
How to test checkout process without real transactions?
Which payment gateways should I set up during trial?
Can I test abandoned cart recovery during free trial?

[TheUntechnickle]

Hey @EmmaWilson25,

Welcome to Shopify, and congratulations on starting your store! I know how overwhelming it can be to figure out all the features, so here’s a friendly checklist of must-try functionalities during your free trial:

• Store Setup & Design:
  Experiment with the theme editor. Customize your layout, navigation, and key pages (Home, About, Contact). Check how your store looks on both desktop and mobile.

• Products & Inventory:
  Add a few test products with different options and variants. Organize them into collections to see how easy it is to manage your inventory.

• Checkout Process:
  Use Shopify’s Bogus Gateway to simulate transactions without using real money. This lets you experience the entire checkout flow - from adding products to receiving an order confirmation.

• Payment Gateways:
  Set up Shopify Payments if it’s available in your region. You can also connect a PayPal test account. Testing these will help you understand the payment options your customers will see.

• Shipping & Taxes:
  Configure shipping rates and tax settings. Even if you’re not shipping products during the trial, setting these up gives you a realistic feel for your customer’s experience.

• Abandoned Cart Recovery:
  Activate the abandoned cart recovery feature in your dashboard. While you may not be able to send real emails in trial mode, you can still see how the system tracks abandoned carts and prepares recovery messages.

• Apps & Integrations:
  Browse the Shopify App Store to explore any additional tools you might need. Testing free apps now (Like Jugde.me OR Revize) can help you decide which ones are worth integrating later.

• Analytics & Reporting:
  Familiarize yourself with Shopify’s reports. Setting up Google Analytics is also a great way to get deeper insights into your store’s performance.

Take your time exploring these features. Every step will help you build confidence in how your store will run once you commit to a paid plan. And remember, the community is here to support you every step of the way.

Happy testing, and best of luck with your store!

Best,
Shubham | Untechnickle

[Lena42]

Hello Emma,

During your Shopify free trial, prioritize testing these core features to ensure the platform meets your needs.

First, customize your stores theme and test mobile responsiveness to ensure a seamless user experience.

Add sample products, including variants and images, to practice inventory management.

Simulate the checkout process by enabling Shopifys test mode (under Settings > Payments > Bogus Gateway) to process dummy transactions without real paymentsuse fake credit card numbers (e.g., 4242 4242 4242 4242) to confirm taxes, discounts, and shipping rates apply correctly.

Set up payment gateways like Shopify Payments, PayPal, or Stripe (even in test mode) to understand transaction fees and regional compatibility.

Test abandoned cart recovery by adding items to your cart, exiting the checkout, and verifying if automated email reminders trigger (enable this in Settings > Notifications).

Explore SEO tools to optimize product titles and meta descriptions, and use built-in analytics to track traffic.

Finally, experiment with apps like Oberlo or email marketing tools to extend functionality. This checklist ensures you validate store setup, payments, customer journeys, and analytics before committing.