How to put Shopify store Under Construction

Are you launching a new Shopify store but not really sure when to officially announce this event? With my experience of operating Shopify stores for many years, I notice that the "under construction" setting can help online merchants build brand awareness and attract interest before your official store launches. 

In this article, I will introduce you to everything you need to know about how to put the Shopify store under construction. Ready to learn more? Let's dive in!

Why should you put your Shopify store under construction?

Using an Under Construction page on Shopify can deliver several early advantages for your store's visibility, including:

• Early Brand Awareness: Capture interest with a “Coming Soon” banner, similar to a physical storefront sign.
• SEO Benefits: Get indexed by Google early by setting up a clear title, description, and SEO-friendly URL on your page, driving organic traffic before your launch.
• Lead Generation: Sync with email tools like Mailchimp or Klaviyo to gather contacts for launch updates and early access offers.
• Market Insights: Track pre-launch engagement metrics to understand potential customer interest and fine-tune your marketing strategy.

How to put your Shopify store under construction

There are a few main methods to help you put your Shopify store under construction. I will introduce some easy & effective methods below so you can pick the option that most matches your preferences:

#1 - Use a Password Page

Shopify’s password page is the simplest way to secure your store while keeping visitors informed. Here’s a quick setup guide:

Step 1: Enable Password Protection

• Go to Sales channels > Online Store > Preferences in your Shopify admin dashboard.

• Scroll down to the Restrict Store Access> Password Protection section.

Step 2: Set Your Password

• Check the box that says Restrict access to visitors with the password to activate it.
• In the same Password protection section, enter a password. This will be the code required for visitors to access your store.

Tip: Keep this password simple and easy to remember, especially if sharing it with select individuals for preview purposes.

• Optional: Add a custom message in the Message for Visitors text box to inform them about the upcoming store launch. 

If you don't want to display a message, then leave this field blank.

Step 4: Save Your Settings

• Scroll to the bottom and click Save to apply your changes.

With these steps, your Shopify under construction page is live, providing a secure, professional way to build anticipation for your store’s launch.

#2 - Install a “Coming Soon” app

Using a “Coming Soon” Shopify under construction app allows you to create a dynamic Shopify under construction page with features like countdowns, email capture, and custom branding. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Install a “Coming Soon” App

• Go to the Shopify App Store and search “Coming Soon.” 
• Choose a suitable app, click Install, and then open it in your Shopify dashboard. I choose Pagefly Landing Page Builder, for example:

Step 2: Set a Store Password

• In Shopify Admin, go to Apps > PageFly > Pages.
• Click Create Blank Page in the top-right corner.
• In the blank page setup, select Password to make this page restricted. This ensures visitors need a password to access the store until launch.

Step 3: Select a “Coming Soon” Template

• To design from scratch, click Create Blank Page.
• For a faster setup, click Create from Template and select a pre-designed password template.

Step 4: Customize Page Elements

• Headline: Edit the headline text to highlight your store launch (e.g., “Launching Soon!”). Use brand colors and bold fonts to make it stand out.

• Email Capture Form: Add an email form to collect leads. Connect it to your email marketing platform (like Mailchimp) to capture visitor details automatically.

• Countdown Timer: Add a countdown timer to show the exact time until launch. Customize the format and style to fit the page design.

Step 5: Publish the Page and Set it as Homepage

• Save changes and click Publish to make the page live.

• In your Shopify admin, go to Online Store > Preferences and set the new Coming Soon page as your homepage.

With these steps, your coming soon app page will attract and engage visitors, building excitement as you prepare to launch.

#3 - Use custom “Under Construction” theme templates

Creating a custom theme template gives you control over your under-construction page design. Here’s a step-by-step setup:

Step 1: Duplicate your theme

• Go to Online Store > Themes in your Shopify admin.
• Click Action > Duplicate to create a backup before editing.

Step 2: Create a Custom Template

• In your duplicated theme, go to Actions > Edit Code.

• Under Templates, click Add a new template and select Page as the template type. Name it something like under-construction.

Step 3: Edit the New Template

• In the new under-construction template, add custom HTML, CSS, and text, or integrate a countdown timer and email form for lead capture.

• Style the page with brand colors, fonts, and messaging, ensuring it aligns with your brand identity.

Step 4: Set the Page as Your Homepage

• In Online Store > Pages, create a new page, select the under-construction template, and set it as your temporary homepage.

This method provides full customization and brand consistency, perfect for an engaging Shopify under construction page tailored to your style.

Tips to optimize your Under Construction page

To make your Shopify Under Construction page effective, try the following optimizations:

• Eye-catching Headline: Use large font to showcase your brand promise, e.g., “Launching Soon: Exclusive Activewear.”
• Consistent Branding: Display your logo prominently, and use a bold sign-up button (like a contrasting blue or red color).
• Concise Message: Keep your message brief, about 1-2 lines: “Sign up for exclusive early access and discounts.”
• Remove Extra Links: Limit distractions—focus visitors on signing up.
• Single, Clear CTA: Use a mobile-friendly CTA like “Notify Me” to streamline sign-ups.

Some inspiring examples of the Under Construction page

I really hope that you now have an image of your Under Construction page for your online store. However, if you haven’t, we have selected some examples from different business niches to bring you some inspiring examples for your page. Some examples are from the real stores, and another one from other under construction landing page.

As usual, a standard Under Construction page will have a headline, subheadline, text paragraph, and also contact form to collect leads and social icons plus the contrast background. Scroll down to see some stunning works!

FAQs

Can I capture emails on my Under Construction page? 

Yes! Set up an email capture form to collect leads and use apps like Mailchimp or Klaviyo for efficient data management.

Will Google index my store during this phase? 

Yes, if you include a title, description, and SEO-friendly headings on your Under Construction page.

Can I preview my store without disabling the Under Construction page? 

Yes, use Shopify’s password feature or set up IP address access to preview the site privately.

How can I build excitement for the launch? 

Add a countdown timer, early access deals, or social sharing options to your page to create buzz and encourage visitors to spread the word.

Will disabling Under Construction erase my settings?

No, settings and collected data remain intact when you disable the Under Construction page.

Conclusion

In short, a well-crafted Shopify Under Construction page builds anticipation, increases early engagement, and helps collect leads before your official store launch. By effectively setting up the under construction page on your Shopify store, you can establish a strong foundation for a successful store debut.

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