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MagentoPreLaunchChecklist
byM.AnwaarHaq

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7daysago

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MakingaMagentowebsiteliveisnotchildsplay.IfyouareaMagentodeveloper
youknowthatthisadauntingtaskforevenaseasoneddeveloper.It'sthefinalstep
ofalongandstressfuljourney,andthismakesitevenmorestressful.Inthistutorial,
I'llkeepitsimplebygivingyouaprelaunchchecklist,andabriefexplanationof
eachpoint.

1.GeneralChecklist
Let'sstartwithafewkeypointsthatyouneedtogetrightbeforegoinglive.

A.BaseURL
BeforemakingyourMagentowebsitelive(ormovingit),youshouldupdatethebase
URLsofyourwebsite.OtherwiseyourURLswillredirectvisitorstoyour
developmentwebsite.Toaccessthestorepages,youneedthebaseURLs.Thiscan
beeditedinthestoreview.
ThebaseURLcanbemodifiedintwoways:throughthebackend,orbyapplyinga
SQLquery.
TomodifythebaseURLfromthebackend,gototheMagentoAdminArea.Then
modifytheoptionofBaseURLlikeSystem>Configuration>Web>Unsecure>
BaseURLtoSystem>Configuration>Web>Secure>BaseURL.Donotforget
toincludetrailingforwardslashes.

Ifyouareunabletoaccessthebackendbecauseofsomeerroneousupdateofthe
BaseURLthenyouneedtoupdateitdirectlyinthedatabasetable.TheseURLsare
storedinsidethetable core_config_data ofMySQLdatabase.Changethefield
valuesofthe web/unsecure/base_url and web/secure/base_url paths:

FlushtheMagentocacheunderthedirectoryof var/cache toapplythechanges.

B.Favicon
BeforelaunchingyourMagentowebsite,youshouldcreateFavicons.Thisminor

pointisoftenoverlooked.Mostoftenuserskeepopenmultipletabswhilebrowsing.
Foreaseofbrowsing,donotforgettoincludeFaviconsforyourwebsite.Thisalso
reinforcesvisualbranding.Thepathforthefaviconisasfollows:
/skin/frontend/default/favicon.ico.

C.HTMLHead
ChangetheoriginalsettingoftheHTMLheadforbetterSEOpurposes.Changethe
Title,andsetMetadescriptionsandkeywords.Thepathforthesechangesis
System>Configuration>General>Design.

D.PlaceholderImages
Placeholderimagesaredefaultimagessetforyoursiteifproductsdonothavetheir
ownimages.BydefaultMagentohasanicelightgreysetofdefaultplaceholder
images,butforthepurposeofbranding,youcancreateasetofyourownbygoing
toSystem>Configuration>Catalog>ProductImagePlaceholders.

E.ContactInformation

ForcustomizingtheContactUspage,firstofallenableitfromSystem>
Configuration>General>Contacts.

Tocreatealittleadvancedcontactuspage,removethelinkatthedefaultContact
UsPage.Ifyourthemedoesn'talreadyhavealocal.xmlfile,thencreateanewfileof
local.xmlinyourcurrentthemeslayoutfolder.Thecontentofthefilewillbeas
follows:
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<?xmlversion="1.0"?>
<layoutversion="0.1.0">
<default>
<referencename="footer_links">
<actionmethod="removeLinkByUrl"><url>http://your.site/index.php/contacts/
</action>
</reference>
</default>
</layout>

Ifyourthemefilealreadyhasalocal.xmlfile,thenaddthefollowingcodeunderthe
<default> handle:

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<referencename="footer_links">
<actionmethod="removeLinkByUrl"><url>http://your.site/index.php/contacts/
</action>
</reference>

ReplacethepathwiththecurrentURL.Nowsavethisfileandclearthecache.Then
youshouldcreate contactusform.phtml .Thisisyourformtemplate.Thenext
stepistoplaceitintoyourcurrentthemesTemplatefolder.Thepathisas
follows:app/design/frontend/your_namespace/your_theme/template/contact
us/contactusform.phtml.
Next,pastethiscodeintothefileandsaveit.

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<formaction="<?phpechoMage::getUrl('contacts/index/post');?>"id="contactForm"
<divclass="fieldset">
<h2class="legend"><?phpechoMage::helper('contacts')>__('ContactInformat
<ulclass="formlist">
<liclass="fields">
<divclass="field">
<labelfor="name"class="required"><em>*</em><?phpechoMage::helper(
<divclass="inputbox">
<inputname="name"id="name"title="<?phpechoMage::helper('contac
</div>
</div>
<divclass="field">
<labelfor="email"class="required"><em>*</em><?php
<divclass="inputbox">
<inputname="email"id="email"title="<?phpechoMag
</div>
</div>
</li>
<li>
<labelfor="telephone"><?phpechoMage::helper('contacts'
<divclass="inputbox">
<inputname="telephone"id="telephone"title=
</div>
</li>
<liclass="wide">
<labelfor="comment"class="required"><em>*</em><?php
<divclass="inputbox">
<textareaname="comment"id="comment"title=
</div>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<divclass="buttonsset">
<pclass="required"><?phpechoMage::helper('contacts')>__(
<inputtype="text"name="hideit"id="hideit"value=""style=
<buttontype="submit"title="<?phpechoMage::helper('contacts')
</div>
</form>
<scripttype="text/javascript">
//<![CDATA[
varcontactForm=newVarienForm('contactForm',true);
//]]>
</script>

ThenextstepistocreateaCMSpage,andthepathisCMS>Pages>Addnew
page.TodisplayyourContactUspageinthedesiredplace,pastethefollowing
code:
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{{blocktype='core/template'name='contactForm'template='contactus/contactusform.

Afterthis,savethispageandaddthelinktothefooterofyourwebpage.Toeditthe

ContactInformation,updateyourform.phtmlandsavethefile.

F.Copyright
Itisessentialthatyourcopyrightinformationinthefooteriscorrectanduptodate,
asitwillbedisplayedonallpages.Youcanchange/reconfigureyourcopyright
informationbyfollowingthispath:System>Configuration>General>Design>
Footer>Copyright.

G.StoreLogoandEmailAddresses
Makesurethatyourstorelogo'sfilepathiscorrect,andthatithastherightalttext
andWelcometextconfigured.Toviewtheselogodetails,gotoSystem>
Configuration>Design>Header.

Alsomakesurethatallstoreinformationandbusinessmailaddressesarecorrectly
set.TherequiredpathforconfiguringtheseemailaddressesisSystem>
Configuration>General>StoreEmailAddresses.

Inadditionthetransactionalemailsoftenusedifferentlogos.Savethatlogoas
logo_email.gif inyourcurrentthemedirectory.

2.PerformanceChecklist
Thisperformancechecklistwillimproveyourstoresspeedandresponsiveness,and
ensurethatyoureCommercestorewillbeabletowithstandhightrafficpressure
withoutcrashing.

A.IndexManagement
Magentoindexesdataforfasteraccess.Toupdateaproductinyourstore,you
shouldreindexitsothatitwillbedisplayedonthefrontend.
Toupdatetheindexesfollowthepath:System>IndexManagement.Theindexes
thatneedreindexingwillbedisplayedinredfontandReindexRequiredwillflash.
OtherwiseuptodateindexeswilldisplayReadystatusingreenfont.Untilyoure
indexthedata,thesampleproductswillnotbedisplayedonthefrontendofyour
website.

B.Cache
Fullpagecachinghasanimmenseimpactupontheperformanceofyourstore.A
MagentostorerunsblocksofcodesfordeterminingwhichHTMLtorunontheclient
browser.FullpagecachingstoresemittedHTMLsandresendsthemforevery
subsequentrequest.Thiscachefeatureensuresvariationsofdynamiccontents
(Welcomemessage,cartcount,etc.)fromcustomertocustomer.Makesurethat
beforelaunch,allyourcachesareenabled,bygoingtoSystem>Cache
Management.

C.SystemCompilation
TokeepdowntheloadingtimeofyourMagentowebpage,systemcompilation
provesextremelyhelpful.Pageloadingspeedisincreasedupto50%afteryouapply
thisstep.Thecorrectwaytouseitisthroughthebackendofyourwebsite,andthe
pathisSystem>Tools>Compilation.
Whenacustomerrequestsapage,theserverspendsaconsiderableamountoftime
locatingtheexactfiles.ThisleadstohigherI/Ooperationsthatmaycreate
bottlenecksduringhightrafficcases.Thecompilationprocessstorescodesinone
folderandcompilesthemintoasmallernumberoffilesonthedisk.Thecompiled
codeshouldberefreshedforasinglecodedeployment.

D.LogCleaning
Logcleaningisapartofdatabasemaintenance.MagentoisanexcellentCMS
platformbutitsdefaultdatabasemaintenanceabilityisnotuptothemark.Abig
databasecanmakeyoursitesluggish.
Thesitelatencyandperformancecanbedramaticallyimprovedthroughlog
cleaning.Frequentlycomparedproductsandcustomeraccessdataarestoredin
thesefiles.Enablethisfeature.Theeasiestwaytodothisisthroughthebackend.
ThepathisSystem>Configuration>Advanced>System>Logcleaning.Then

setEnableLogCleaningtoYes.

YoucanmanuallycleanthelogviaPhpMyAdmin.Thelogcleaningfunctionof
Magentomanagesthefollowingtables.
1. log_customer
2. log_visitor
3. log_visitor_info
4. log_url
5. log_url_info
6. log_quote
7. report_viewed_product_index
8. report_compared_product_index
9. report_event
10. catalog_compare_item
SelectyourrequiredtablefromPhpMyAdminandthenclickOperations.Thenclick
Emptythetable(Truncate).

ThengotoStructureonthetopmenuandclickonOptimizeintheWith
Selectedoption.

E.MinifyJSandCSS
MinifiedversionsofJSandCSSwillagainhelpyouspeeduptheloadingspeedof
yourwebsite.Forthistheeasiestwayisfromyourbackend.ThepathisSystem>
Configuration>Advanced>Developer.FirstgototheJavaScriptsettingsand
clickYestoMergeJavaScriptFiles.DothesamewiththeCSSsettings.
YoucanalsoinstallUserInterfaceOptimizationforJSandCSSminification.

3.ErrorManagementChecklist
Awebpagemayundergomaintenanceprocesses.Youmustkeepadefaulterror
pagedesignandadefaultstructureof"pagenotfound"toprovidebetteruser
satisfaction.

A.404andErrorPageDesign
The404pageisagreatplacetoadvertisespecialoffers,couponsandpointstobe
generatedbyusers.ChangetheMagentoStorereferenceonthedefault404page,
whichcanbefoundatCMS>Pages.
Useadifferentthemedesigntodisplayyour404notfoundpage.Changetheaction
ofprintintoemailintheerrors/local.xmlfile.Otherwisecustomerswillviewthe
defaultlogoandtheme.

4.EmailChecklist
Thisfunctionwillhelpyoutokeepapersonalizedcommunicationwithyour
customers.

A.TransactionalEmail
Admincandynamicallychangethecontentoftheemail.Transactionalemailsusea
differentlogotothedefaultone.Makesurethattheimagethatyouwanttouseis
savedinyourthemedirectoryas logo_email.gif .

B.Newsletter
Makesurethatyournewslettersettingsarecorrectandupdated.Youcanaccess
thematSystem>Configuration>Customers>Newsletter>Subscription
Options.CheckoutamoredetailedarticleoncorrectlyconfiguringaMagento
newsletter.

5.SaleSettingChecklist
Makesurethatyourproductshipment,paymentsettingsandtaxsettingsareupto
dateandinaccordancewiththelawsofyourcountry.

A.Tax

Youcanmodify/viewyourtaxsettingsatthefollowingpathintheMagentoadmin
panel:System>Configuration>Sales>Tax>TaxClasses>TaxClassfor
shipping.

ThenchoosebetweentheTaxableGoods,ShippingandNoneoptions.

B.Shipping
SettheshippingsettingsfortheCountry,Region/State,andZip/PostalCodeforyour
localorglobaleCommercewebsitefromSystem>Configuration>Sales>
ShippingSettings.

RatesforshippingcanbeenabledthroughSystem>Configuration>Sales>
ShippingMethods>ShippingTableRatesandmanyotheravailableoptions.You
canincludethemtoenhanceyourstoresshippingfunctionality.

C.PaymentSettings
YoumaychoosedifferentpaymentgatewaysforyouronlinestorelikePayPal,
Authorize.Net,Stripe,etc.throughthispath:System>Configuration>Sales>
PaymentMethods.Youcanalsosetthemodeofpaymentfromhere.

6.SEOChecklist
TooptimizethewebpagesfordifferentSearchEngineResults,makesurethatyour
GooglesitemapandAnalyticsareproperlysetupinyourMagentostore.

A.GoogleSitemap
Searchenginescrawlthepagesusingthexmlfile.Thespidersreadsitemap.xml
andthisimprovesyourvisibilityandrankinginSERPs.Thepathforsettingup
anXMLsitemapinMagentoisCatalog>GoogleSitemap>Addnewsitemap.
ThereyoucansettheFileName(inxmlextension)andPathforyourxmlfile.

B.GoogleAnalytics
GoogleAnalyticshelpsyouanalyzethetrafficofyourwebsite.ForsettingupGoogle
AnalyticsinMagento,youcansetupanaccountwithGoogleAnalyticsandthen
placeitintheAnalyticsaccountID.Thepathis:System>Configuration>Sales>
GoogleAPI>GoogleAnalytics.

7.LegalChecklist
Websiteownersoftenunderestimatethischecklist.Butthisisanimportantfeatureto
include,forkeepingyourbusinessoutoflegalentanglements.

A.PrivacyPolicy
Youcangenerateaprivacypolicyforyouronlinestorebyinstallingiubenda.Itisa
professionalwaytoaddone.Aprivacypolicyismustforeverywebsite.Some
countriesliketheU.K.legallyrequireyoutoshowaprivacypolicyonyourwebsiteif
youarestoringusers'informationonyourserver,asisthecasemostofthetime.
Justaftersettingupyourwebsite,youcangeneratethePolicyattachedasabadge
tothelowerborder.Afterinstallation,anemailwillbeforwardedtoyouexplaining
howtointegrateitandcustomizeitasyouneed.

B.TermsandConditions
Ifyourstoreincludesitsowntermsandconditionsandyourvisitorsneedtoaccept
themtobookanorder,youcansetthatupfromtheadminpanel.Thepathis:Sales
>TermsandConditions>AddNewCondition.
AfteryouclickAddNewContentthefollowingwindowwillopen.

InthefieldShowContentAs,youcangiveastylingeffectusingHTMLtags.
OtherwiseyoucanchoosetheoptionTextforsimpletextandaddthecontentinto
theContentfield.
Inordertoagreewiththetermsandconditionsyouneedtoprovideacheckbox.In
theCheckboxTextyoucanaddtexttobedisplayedbesidethecheckboxlikeI
Agree,etc.PutintheexactTermsandConditionsastextintheContentfield.In
theContentHeight(CSS)youcansettheheightofthetextareainthefrontendin
pixels.Afterspecifyingalltheconditions,clickSaveCondition.
YoumayalsorequiresettinguptheOrderReviewfortheCheckoutprocess.The
pathisSystem>Configuration>Sales>Checkout.ThenintheCheckout
Options,setEnableTermsandConditionstoYes.

C.ReturnPolicy
YoucanaddaCMSpageforsettingtheReturnPolicyofthewebsite,andyou
couldalsouseanextensionlikeMagentoRMAExtension.Usingthisextensionyou
cansmoothlysetuptheReturnManagementAuthorizationpolicies.Afterclients
acceptthem,theycancreaterequestsforRMA.TheeasymethodforRMATracking
helpsyoutotakeprecautionsagainstfraudulentreturns.
UsingthisextensionyoucansetupdifferentRequestTypesbeyondthedefault
typesofrefundorreplacement.Forexampleyoucanaddcredit,repairoranyother
requesttype.Foreverystatusandrequesttypeyoucanalsospecifythestoreview.
Inthiswaytheextensionsupportsmultistoreview.

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D.ShippingInfoPages
TheshippinginfopagecanbecreatedasaseparateCMSpagefromCMS>Pages
>ManagePages>AddNewPage.Ifyouwant,youmayalsouseanextensionlike
CustomShippingOptions.Theprimaryfunctionofthisextensionistoenableyour
customerstohavetheirpersonalshippingaccountsatthetimeofcheckout.
YoucancreateanoptionforCustomShippingtobedisplayedontheShipping
Methodportionofthecheckoutpage.Usingthisextensionyoucandemanda
surchargeforshipping.Therateofsurchargewilleitherbeperorder,orwillbe
basedonthenumberofitems.

FinalWords
Inthisarticle,I'velistedimportantpointstobecheckedbeforelaunchingyouronline
Magentobasedstore.Inadditiontothesepoints,youshouldalsocarefullycheckthe
functionalityofallpagesandextensionsbeforelaunch.Asmallbugorextension
incompatibilitycancreateabaduserexperience.Thismayalsocausevaluableloss
toyourbusinessinthelongrun.
Didyoulikethearticle?Pleaseletmeknowinyourcommentsandyourfeedbackfor
thisarticle.

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AboutM.AnwaarHaq
I'matechnologywriterandMagentodeveloperlivinginPakistan.IalsocreateMagentoThemeson
Themeforestandofferwebdevelopmentservicesonmyownsite,webdezyner.com.Youcanfindmeon
TwitterandGoogle+.

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