STORE BUILD GUIDE

Store build preparation checklist and demo review guide

You may not have a complete feature list when you first speak with a build team. Start by gathering your business goals, existing assets and priorities. An accessible demo can then help you discuss structure and visual direction and identify what still needs to be supplied or agreed. This checklist applies to both new stores and redesigns.

By Himax · Updated

1. Define what the website needs to achieve

A short brief turns a request for a good-looking website into business goals that can be discussed. Use these questions to prepare for the first conversation.

  • Brand and business: what do you sell, and are you launching a new store, redesigning a site or improving ongoing operations?
  • Customers and markets: which regions and languages matter, and what do visitors need to understand?
  • The site’s job: should visitors buy, submit an inquiry, learn about a product or arrange a conversation?
  • Existing setup: your current URL, platform, main traffic sources and most pressing problems.
  • References and priorities: share relevant pages and explain whether you like their content structure, visual treatment or a particular interaction.

2. Gather existing assets and identify what is missing

You do not need every asset to be ready before starting a discussion. Make it clear which materials can be used and which still need production or review. Confirm the permitted use of customer, personal and third-party materials.

  • Brand assets: logo, brand introduction and existing color and typography guidelines.
  • Product information: names, specifications, models or variants, prices, product images and usage scenes.
  • Content: product benefits, common questions, existing copy and languages that need translation or localization.
  • Sales and service information: business-approved shipping, returns, warranty, privacy and other relevant policies.
  • Asset status: identify final materials, placeholders, and the person responsible for supplying and approving each item.

3. Separate launch requirements from later improvements

List the pages needed for launch, then confirm features individually. Himax’s build examples include product video, fixed detail areas, discount or installment information, reviews, product bundles and membership benefits. Suitability and implementation depend on the platform and the project’s needs.

  • Pages: for example, home, collection, product, brand and contact pages. Identify the visitor task each page should support.
  • Feature priorities: separate features needed at launch from improvements that can follow.
  • Dependencies: confirm the platform, theme, apps or external services involved, and who supplies the relevant materials and access.
  • Scope: agree on copy, asset production, product entry, feature development, maintenance and additional fees item by item.

4. Review the accessible demo on desktop and mobile

A demo supports discussion of the site’s structure and visual direction. Reading and clicking through a page can reveal issues that a design screenshot does not show. Keep feedback in one list and specify the page, problem and desired outcome.

  • Structure: can visitors understand the product or service and find the next step? Does the order of content reflect business priorities?
  • Content: are product names, images, specifications and key explanations correct? Which sections still use placeholders?
  • Mobile experience: is text readable, are image subjects complete, are buttons unobstructed, and does the page avoid unintended horizontal scrolling?
  • Interactions: do navigation, sliders, videos, options and contact links work as expected? Is keyboard focus visible?
  • Scope: distinguish working features from unfinished parts before agreeing on the next stage.

5. Clarify launch and handover questions early

After agreeing on the demo direction, confirm design, development, content entry, testing, deployment and handover arrangements. The production launch schedule depends on those tasks and cannot be inferred from the demo timeframe alone. These are questions to agree on, not terms automatically included in every project.

  • Who approves final content, confirms features and decides when to launch?
  • Which pages and features are included, and how will outstanding issues be recorded?
  • Who owns the domain, platform accounts, theme and apps, and how is collaborator access granted and removed?
  • How will the main browsing, purchase or inquiry paths be checked before launch, on desktop and mobile?
  • How are issues reported after handover, and what maintenance scope, response arrangements and fees apply to later changes?

The Himax build conversation and delivery process

Use the checklist at each stage to keep requirements, the proposed direction and implementation scope aligned.

  1. Requirements: explain your business goals, existing materials and priorities.
  2. Demo and review: discuss structure and visual direction through accessible desktop and mobile pages.
  3. Agreement, design and development: confirm the scope and proceed with page design and feature implementation.
  4. Deployment and content: complete publication and content work according to the project plan.
  5. Handover: review the agreed deliverables and arrangements for further communication.

Download a blank working template

Use this blank CSV in a spreadsheet to record responsibilities, dates, evidence and open questions. It is a practical starting point, not a client report or a fixed contract. Keep uncollected values blank and note why they are missing.

Start with the information you already have

Gather your brand details, target market, current URL and three priorities. Other questions can be worked through as you review the demo and define the project scope.

Discuss your store build