A store audit is a structured review of everything that affects whether visitors buy: how fast the site loads, how clear the offer is, how smooth the checkout feels and whether your data can be trusted. Running one before you spend on ads or redesign saves money, because it shows you where the problems actually are.
1. Define the goal and the numbers
Write down your current conversion rate, average order value, return rate and traffic sources. Without a starting point you can’t tell whether any change helped. Note your main goal for the next quarter, whether that’s more orders, higher order value or better repeat purchase rate.
2. Speed and technical health
- Test the homepage, a collection and a product page in PageSpeed Insights on mobile.
- Look for oversized images, unused apps and scripts, and layout shifts.
- Check for broken links, missing images and 404 errors.
- Confirm the store works well on common phones and browsers.
3. Homepage and first impression
Does the first screen explain what you sell and for whom? Is there one clear next step? Are best sellers and key collections easy to reach? Does the design look credible compared with competitors?
4. Navigation and search
Check that categories make sense, the menu isn’t overloaded and the search returns relevant results, including for misspellings. Look at your search terms report to see what shoppers look for and can’t find.
5. Product pages
- Images: enough angles, good quality, a lifestyle shot.
- Copy: benefits first, specifications clear, no copied manufacturer text.
- Variants: easy to choose, unavailable options clearly marked.
- Reviews: real, visible and recent.
- Shipping and returns: stated near the button.
6. Cart and checkout
Place a test order on your phone. Note every step that feels slow, confusing or surprising. Check shipping rates, taxes, discount codes and payment options. Confirm confirmation emails arrive and look right.
7. Tracking and data accuracy
Verify that Google Analytics, the Meta pixel and any other tags record purchases once, with the correct value. Duplicate or missing events lead to wrong decisions. Check that consent banners and privacy settings comply with the rules for the countries you sell in.
8. SEO basics
Review title tags and meta descriptions, heading structure, image alt text, collection page content and indexing status in Search Console. Look for duplicate pages and thin content, and make sure important pages are in your sitemap.
9. Trust and policies
Customers look for contact details, an About page, clear policies, secure payment and genuine reviews. Make sure these exist, are easy to find and are accurate.
10. Email, SMS and retention
Check that welcome, abandoned cart, post-purchase and win-back flows exist and perform. Look at your repeat purchase rate and whether customers have a reason to return.
11. Prioritize the fixes
List what you found and rank each item by likely impact and effort. Do the high-impact, low-effort items first, such as fixing a broken checkout step or compressing hero images, then plan larger projects like a product page redesign.
If you’d like a second pair of eyes, send me your store link and I’ll review it.
Common questions
How often should I audit my store?
A full audit once or twice a year, and a lighter check after any major theme, app or tracking change.
Can I audit my own store?
Yes, but an outside view is useful because you’re too familiar with your own site to see what confuses new visitors.
