Reader instructions
Choose five commercially important products. Use the same five products for every product-level check so your baseline stays comparable.
Score each item:
- 0 — Missing: The information, control, or measurement is not available.
- 1 — Partial: It exists, but it is incomplete, inconsistent, unverified, or not maintained.
- 2 — Ready: It is complete, accurate, visible where appropriate, and recently verified.
Add the score only after you record evidence. A score without a URL, screenshot, report, or named store setting is an opinion, not a baseline.
Important: This checklist measures operational readiness. It does not guarantee inclusion, ranking, wording, recommendations, traffic, or sales in any channel.
Store baseline
| Field | Your entry |
|---|---|
| Store URL | |
| Audit date | |
| Auditor | |
| Market / language | |
| Five products reviewed | 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. |
| Primary discovery concern | |
| Current analytics tools | |
| Next review date |
Section A — Product data clarity
| # | Check | Evidence to review | Score 0–2 | Gap or note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | Each product title clearly identifies the product without relying on vague campaign language. | Shopify product title and visible PDP title | ||
| A2 | Descriptions explain the product, intended use, important attributes, and differentiators in plain language. | Product description and visible PDP copy | ||
| A3 | Product type, vendor, category, collections, and tags are accurate and consistent. | Shopify organization fields | ||
| A4 | Variants and option names are specific, consistent, and understandable without internal codes. | Variant table and PDP selector | ||
| A5 | Price, availability, and inventory status are accurate and synchronized. | Shopify admin, PDP, feed or catalog view | ||
| A6 | Product identifiers such as GTIN, UPC, ISBN, MPN, or SKU are recorded where applicable. | Inventory and product fields |
Section A subtotal: ___ / 12
Section B — Product-page evidence
| # | Check | Evidence to review | Score 0–2 | Gap or note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B1 | The PDP shows price, availability, key features, and essential purchase information clearly. | Visible PDP above and below the fold | ||
| B2 | Specifications, materials, dimensions, sizing, care, compatibility, or usage instructions appear where relevant. | PDP detail sections | ||
| B3 | Images are useful, accurate, and supported by descriptive alt text where appropriate. | Media library and rendered PDP | ||
| B4 | Claims on the PDP are specific, supportable, and consistent with policies and product data. | PDP copy, certificates, internal evidence | ||
| B5 | The page answers the main pre-purchase questions or links to a useful FAQ. | PDP FAQ, store FAQ, customer service log | ||
| B6 | Comparison information helps the shopper distinguish variants or similar products without misleading claims. | Comparison table or selection guidance |
Section B subtotal: ___ / 12
Section C — Store facts, policies, and FAQs
| # | Check | Evidence to review | Score 0–2 | Gap or note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C1 | Shipping information is complete, current, and easy to find. | Shipping policy and checkout information | ||
| C2 | Return and refund terms are complete, current, and consistent across the store. | Return policy, footer, PDP references | ||
| C3 | Warranty, guarantees, subscriptions, or cancellation terms are clear where applicable. | Policy pages and PDP | ||
| C4 | Contact and business information is accurate and consistent. | Contact, About, footer, external profiles | ||
| C5 | Frequently asked questions reflect real customer concerns and have approved answers. | FAQ page, support tickets, Knowledge Base | ||
| C6 | Unanswered or recurring questions have an owner and update process. | Query log or support issue register |
Section C subtotal: ___ / 12
Section D — Structured data and technical access
| # | Check | Evidence to review | Score 0–2 | Gap or note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D1 | Product structured data is present and matches visible price, availability, identifiers, and product information. | Rich Results Test and page source | ||
| D2 | Product variants are represented accurately where the current implementation supports them. | Structured-data output and variant URLs | ||
| D3 | Merchant return policy and other relevant organization information are represented consistently where supported. | Structured data and policy pages | ||
| D4 | Canonical URLs, indexing controls, and public accessibility are correct for the five product pages. | URL inspection, page source, robots controls | ||
| D5 | The XML sitemap is current and includes the intended public product URLs. | Shopify sitemap and Search Console | ||
| D6 | No app, theme customization, or duplicate markup creates conflicting product facts. | Theme output, app audit, validation report |
Section D subtotal: ___ / 12
Section E — Catalog and AI-channel readiness
| # | Check | Evidence to review | Score 0–2 | Gap or note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E1 | The store and reviewed products meet the current Shopify Catalog requirements. | Shopify Catalog requirements and store status | ||
| E2 | Shopify Catalog reads the intended product-data sources and grouping logic. | Catalog mapping and combined-listing settings | ||
| E3 | Product data is clear, complete, current, and consistent across the reviewed catalog fields. | Shopify Catalog and product admin | ||
| E4 | Store policies and facts available to AI shopping agents are current. | Shopify settings and Knowledge Base | ||
| E5 | AI-channel access and supplemental terms have been reviewed by the owner before activation. | Channel controls and owner approval record | ||
| E6 | No one on the team treats catalog inclusion as a promise of display, ranking, or recommendation. | Editorial and operating checklist |
Section E subtotal: ___ / 12
Section F — Measurement and learning
| # | Check | Evidence to review | Score 0–2 | Gap or note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | GA4 and Search Console are configured or have an owner-ready implementation plan. | Account and verification status | ||
| F2 | Product and informational search performance can be reviewed by page and query. | Search Console report design | ||
| F3 | AI referrals and assisted outcomes can be reviewed without claiming perfect attribution. | Shopify and analytics reports | ||
| F4 | Shopify Knowledge Base query, surfaced-product, answered, and unanswered data are reviewed when available. | Knowledge Base metrics | ||
| F5 | Every material product-data or policy change is recorded with a date, owner, and verification method. | Change log | ||
| F6 | The next review date and success measures are set before any new tool is purchased. | Action plan and KPI record |
Section F subtotal: ___ / 12
Score summary
| Section | Score | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| A. Product data clarity | 12 | |
| B. Product-page evidence | 12 | |
| C. Store facts, policies, and FAQs | 12 | |
| D. Structured data and technical access | 12 | |
| E. Catalog and AI-channel readiness | 12 | |
| F. Measurement and learning | 12 | |
| Total | 72 |
Interpretation
- 0–24 — Foundation missing: Fix inaccurate or absent product, policy, and access information before buying a visibility tool.
- 25–48 — Partially ready: The store has useful inputs, but inconsistency and measurement gaps make learning difficult. Prioritize the lowest two sections.
- 49–60 — Operational baseline: Most foundations exist. Resolve critical zero scores, validate the five products, and start a documented measurement cycle.
- 61–72 — Strong readiness: Maintain data quality, monitor channel and query evidence, and test improvements without assuming guaranteed visibility.
These bands are editorial prioritization aids, not industry benchmarks or predictors of channel performance.
Critical-zero rule
Do not rely on the total score alone. Treat any zero in the following checks as a priority even if the total score is high:
- inaccurate price or availability;
- missing or contradictory returns/shipping terms;
- public product pages blocked from intended access;
- structured data that contradicts visible content;
- missing owner review of external-channel terms;
- no change log or measurement owner.
30-minute action plan
| Priority | Gap | Why it matters | Owner | Due date | Verification method | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Not started | |||||
| 2 | Not started | |||||
| 3 | Not started | |||||
| 4 | Not started | |||||
| 5 | Not started |
Use this order:
- Fix incorrect or contradictory facts.
- Fill missing purchase-critical product and policy information.
- Correct structured data and access problems.
- Verify catalog and channel controls.
- Establish measurement before purchasing another tool.
Final checklist note
Shopify currently describes Shopify Catalog as a structured source of eligible product information and states that inclusion does not guarantee appearance, position, or wording in an AI channel. Shopify also recommends clear, accurate, detailed product information and current store policies. Google explains that product structured data and Merchant Center feeds can both improve eligibility and verification, while search-result enhancements remain discretionary. Recheck platform documentation before each material implementation or publication.