Objective
Ensure that a scheduled product:
- Goes live at the correct time
- Is visible and purchasable
- Processes orders correctly
- Notifies the customer and admin properly
Phase 1: Pre-Test Setup (24–48 Hours Before Launch)
1. Confirm Product Configuration
- Verify Product Status = Published OR Scheduled
- Confirm Publish Date & Time (IMPORTANT: check timezone under Settings → General)
- Ensure:
- Price is set correctly
- Inventory is configured (stock count or unlimited)
- Product type (Simple, Variable, Auction plugin if used) is correct
- Remove any:
- “Private” visibility
- Password protection
2. Verify Server & WordPress Environment
- Confirm server time matches WordPress time
- Disable or review:
- Page caching (LiteSpeed, WP Rocket, etc.)
- CDN caching (Cloudflare – especially “Cache Everything”)
- Ensure:
- Cron jobs are working (WP-Cron or server cron)
3. Payment Gateway Check
- Verify:
- Stripe / PayPal / Authorize.net are active
- Confirm:
- Test mode OFF (for live test simulation later you may use test mode first)
- Validate:
- API keys are current
- No recent errors in logs
4. Email Notifications
- Test:
- Order confirmation email
- Admin notification email
- Confirm SMTP is working (very common failure point)
Phase 2: Simulated Test Run (Recommended)
5. Duplicate the Product (Staging Test)
- Clone product OR create a test product
- Set:
- Launch time = 5–10 minutes in the future
6. Countdown / Availability Test
At T-minus 2 minutes:
- Open product page in:
- Chrome
- Safari
- Mobile device
- Verify:
- Product is NOT purchasable yet (if intended)
- Messaging is correct (“Coming Soon”, etc.)
7. Go-Live Moment Test
At exact scheduled time:
- Refresh page (hard refresh: Ctrl+F5)
- Confirm:
- Product becomes purchasable immediately
- “Add to Cart” button appears
- No caching delay
Important:
If delay occurs → caching or cron issue
Phase 3: Checkout & Order Flow Testing
8. Add to Cart Test
- Add product to cart
- Confirm:
- Correct price
- No duplicate pricing or missing totals
- Shipping/tax calculates properly
9. Checkout Test
Complete checkout using:
- Real payment (recommended for final test) OR
- Sandbox/test card
Verify:
- No checkout errors
- No reCAPTCHA issues
- No login/guest checkout issues
10. Order Processing Validation
After order is placed:
- Confirm in WooCommerce:
- Order appears instantly
- Status = Processing / Completed
- Confirm:
- Inventory reduces correctly
- No duplicate orders
11. Email Confirmation
Check:
- Customer receives order email
- Admin receives notification
- Email formatting is correct
Phase 4: Load & Concurrency Readiness
12. Simulate Multiple Buyers (Critical for Auctions)
- Open multiple browsers/devices
- Attempt:
- Simultaneous add-to-cart
- Simultaneous checkout
Check for:
- Stock overselling issues
- Cart conflicts
- Session issues
13. Inventory Edge Case Test
- Set stock to a low number (e.g., 2 items)
- Attempt multiple purchases
Verify:
- WooCommerce prevents overselling (unless backorders enabled intentionally)
Phase 5: Final Live Readiness Checklist (Day of Auction)
14. Clear All Caches (VERY IMPORTANT)
- Clear:
- Website cache
- Server cache
- CDN cache (Cloudflare)
15. Disable Aggressive Caching on Key Pages
Exclude:
- Cart
- Checkout
- My Account
- Product page (if time-sensitive)
16. Open Monitoring Windows
Have team ready with:
- WooCommerce Orders screen
- Server resource monitor
- Payment gateway dashboard
17. Live Countdown Monitoring
At T-minus 5 minutes:
- Have multiple devices ready
- Monitor product page
At launch:
- Confirm immediate availability
Common Failure Points to Watch For
- ❌ Product does not go live → timezone mismatch or cron failure
- ❌ Button does not appear → caching issue
- ❌ Checkout fails → payment gateway or plugin conflict
- ❌ Emails not sent → SMTP misconfiguration
- ❌ Overselling → inventory settings incorrect
- ❌ Slow response → server resource limits
Recommended Best Practices
- Use a staging test 1–2 days prior
- Perform final real transaction test same day
- Keep one team member assigned to orders during launch
- Avoid plugin/theme updates within 24 hours of auction
Optional (Advanced)
If this is a high-traffic auction, consider:
- Load testing (e.g., K6, Loader.io)
- Queue system or waiting room
- Object caching (Redis)
- Scalable hosting (not shared hosting)
