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CAPODCanada
Launch planning

Canadian POD Store Launch Checklist

Build a practical launch plan for Etsy, Shopify or WooCommerce. Check design eligibility, supplier routing, delivery promises and money needed before payout—then add your own tasks and print your plan.

Workflow guidance reviewed · PODCanada Editorial Team

Supplier names are alphabetical, not recommendations or promises of integration support. Shared and custom tasks stay checked when choices change; affected checks reset. Progress stays on this page only—print it before leaving.

My Canadian Shop launch progress0 of 10 checked
Your launch checks

Check that your shop name and branding are available to use. Set a customer-support contact; an independent domain is optional for an Etsy shop.

Keep the licences or original files for artwork, fonts and other design assets. A supplier accepting an upload does not establish your right to sell it.

Check whether this supplier supports Shopify for your account and products. If there is no suitable native integration, verify a supported manual or third-party workflow before connecting anything. Check variant mapping, billing and production-approval settings; do not assume an official app exists.

Choose a listing currency for your market, then quote your shortlisted supplier’s product, printing and delivery costs. Include marketplace or payment fees, tax on costs and any currency conversion. A CAD storefront does not eliminate supplier or bank FX charges.

Review GST/HST registration with the CRA and applicable provincial rules. Confirm what Shopify collects or supports and what remains your responsibility before enabling tax settings. Do not apply every province’s sales tax automatically or treat marketplace collection as complete tax advice.

CRA GST/HST registration rules

For each product, confirm your shortlisted supplier’s actual dispatch location, processing time and destination-specific shipping estimate. Separate production from transit, and check cross-border charges. A Canadian seller address does not make fulfillment domestic; do not promise a window you have not verified.

Budget for a sample before promising quality to customers. Check the exact product, print method, sizing where relevant, packaging and the route to your target destination. Record what you observed; one sample does not guarantee every future delivery.

Use buyer-readable titles, accurate product details and relevant size charts. Explain production and delivery expectations, returns, personalization approval and how customers get help. Make sure what the listing promises matches the selected supplier’s capabilities.

Check your payment provider’s verification requirements, deposit timing and any holds. Compare when the supplier charges you with when usable sale proceeds arrive. Keep production, shipping, possible refunds and other startup costs in your cash plan.

Follow Shopify’s test-order instructions for your payment setup. Before testing, verify how every fulfillment app treats test orders and prevent unintended supplier production. Restore the correct payment settings afterwards; cancelling a store order is not a guarantee that supplier production stops.

Shopify test-order guidance

Resolve the checks before you launch

Use a real supplier quote, a sample plan and your account’s payout timing—not a generic promise of instant profit.

Supplier reviews include clearly labelled affiliate links where a partner program is active. This checklist does not rank suppliers by commission.

Before ordering a sample, check your artwork’s print size and effective DPI, then verify the exact product template.