Shopify Test Orders: The Ultimate Guide in 2024

Are you confident that your Shopify store is ready for launch? Have you tested your checkout process to ensure a seamless customer experience? What if a small glitch in your order flow could turn away potential buyers? 

In this guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know about testing Shopify orders in 2024. From setting up test payments to troubleshooting the checkout process, we've got you covered. Let’s dive into how to run those test orders like a pro, so you don’t miss out on a single sale! 

Read more:

• Best Payment Gateways for Shopify (for Dropshipping, US, UK, India, Australia)
• How to Set Up Shopify Payments & Additional Payment Methods
• How to Use Shopify Card Reader: The Ultimate Guide in 2024

Shopify Test Orders: An Overview 

Shopify Test Orders refer to simulated transactions you can run on your Shopify store to ensure that the entire checkout process, payment system, and order fulfillment flow are functioning correctly. 

Moreover, these test orders allow store owners to experience the customer journey first-hand, check for errors, and confirm that everything from adding items to the cart to completing payment works seamlessly before going live. 

Now, how does the Shopify checkout process work behind the scenes? 

When customers add products to their cart, Shopify guides them through the process of entering their shipping information and payment details. Then, it checks your inventory levels. If the items are in stock, they’re temporarily reserved while the customer completes payment. But if inventory is low or out of stock, an error message stops the checkout process. Likewise, if a payment fails, Shopify pauses the checkout until the customer tries again.

5 Primary Benefits of Placing Shopify Test Orders

Before you hit “go live” on your Shopify store, running a test order is a total game-changer. Here’s why:

• Catch Checkout Issues Early: Test orders allow you to experience the checkout process yourself, helping you spot and fix any issues before real customers encounter them.
• Validate Shipping, Taxes, and Inventory: Ensure shipping rates, tax calculations, and inventory updates are accurate. Running test orders helps you confirm everything is set up correctly to avoid customer errors.
• No Extra Costs: Shopify doesn’t charge for test orders, so you can run them as often as needed without worrying about transaction fees, even if you cancel or refund them.
• Peace of Mind: Testing your store ensures that every detail, like email notifications and order confirmations, works flawlessly. This gives you confidence that your store is ready to handle real transactions.
• Verify Payment Gateways: Avoid losing sales due to payment failures. Test orders confirm that all your payment methods are functioning correctly, ensuring a smooth purchase process for customers.

Before Placing a Shopify Test Order: What Should You Do?

Before you dive into testing your Shopify checkout, here are a few key things to prep to make sure everything goes smoothly:

• Double-check your payment gateways (like credit card, PayPal, etc.) correctly.
• Review your shipping settings (shipping zones, rates, and delivery options).
• Set up your tax settings to avoid any last-minute surprises at checkout.
• Enable email notifications (like order confirmations and shipping updates)
• Disable third-party apps temporarily to ensure the core checkout functions as expected.
• Clear your browser cache to avoid any weird glitches.

How To Place a Test Order on Shopify: A Detailed Guide

Method 1: Test Orders By Simulating A Transaction through Shopify’s Bogus Gateway

You can use Shopify’s Bogus Gateway (a payment provider used to create test orders) to stimulate a transaction and generate test orders.  This method is ideal for newly launched stores since it temporarily switches your payment gateway to the bogus gateway. During this setup, nobody can place orders on your live store, making it perfect for stores that haven’t started generating traffic yet.

Step 1: Go to your Shopify Admin Settings 

From your Shopify dashboard, head to Settings > Payments.

Step 2: Deactivate any existing credit card payment providers 

• If a credit card payment provider is activated, click “Manage” > “Deactivate,” then confirm the deactivation.

Take notes: 

If Shopify Payments is activated:

• In the Shopify Payments section, click “Manage” > “Manage payment methods.”
• Scroll down and select “Switch to a third-party provider.” Confirm by clicking it again.

If Shopify Payments is Not Activated:

• Click “See all other providers” under Shopify Payments.
• If unavailable in your country, go to Payment providers and select “Choose a provider.”

Step 3: Choose (for testing) Bogus Gateway 

• In the third-party payment providers section, choose “(for testing) Bogus Gateway.”

Step 4: Activate the Bogus Gateway 

Hit “Continue” and then “Activate (for testing) Bogus Gateway” to set it up. You’re almost there!

Step 5: Place a Test Order on Your Store 

Navigate to your online store and place an order as the customer want you to. At the checkout stage, instead of genuine numbers, you need to enter the following credit card details instead:

Field name	Details to enter
Name on card	Enter Bogus Gateway
Credit card number	There are three different types of transaction: 1 (simulate a successful transaction), 2 (simulate a failed transaction), 3 (simulate an exception)
CVV	Enter any 3-digit number (for example, 111.)
Expiry Date	Enter any date in the future

Step 6: Click Manage when Completing Testing  

Once you complete the test order, click “Manage” next to (for testing) Bogus Gateway in the Shopify admin. 

Step 7: Remove Bogus Gateway From Your Checkout

Choose “Deactivate (for testing) Bogus Gateway” to remove this from your checkout. 

Method 2: Test Orders With a Real Transaction

If you want to take your testing up a notch, you can place a real test order using your credit card. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1: Go to Settings and Payment Providers 

From your Shopify admin, navigate to Settings > Payments.

Step 2: Find the ‘Accept Payments’ section 

Under the Accept Payments section, click on “Accept Credit Cards.”

Step 3: Select a Credit Card Gateway 

In the dropdown menu, choose the payment gateway you’ve set up (like PayPal, Stripe, etc.).

Step 4: Enable ‘Test Mode’ 

Once your gateway is selected, click the “Test mode” box and hit “Activate. “This lets you run test transactions without affecting real customers.

Step 5: Place a Real Order on Your Store

Now, head over to your store, add a product to your cart, and go through the checkout process.

Step 6: Log into Your Payment Gateway Account 

If you’re using a third-party gateway (like Stripe), log in to check if the funds were processed correctly. 

Step 7: Review the Order in Your Shopify Admin

Go to Orders in your Shopify admin panel to confirm that the order appears correctly.

Step 8: Cancel and Refund the Test Order 

• Once you’ve confirmed everything is working, it’s time to get your money back!
• Open the order, click the Refund button, and process the refund. 

Method 3: Test Orders By Using Shopify Payments

If you’re using Shopify Payments as your main payment gateway, you can easily run test transactions to ensure everything’s running smoothly - no need for third-party apps or fake gateways. 

Step 1: Navigate to Settings > Payments in your Shopify Admin 

Go to Settings > Payments on your Shopify dashboard.

Step 2: Select Shopify Payments 

In the Accept Payments section, locate “Shopify Payments” and click “Manage.”

Step 3: Activate Test Mode 

• Scroll down to find the “Test Mode” option.
• Toggle the “Enable test mode” switch and click “Save.”

Step 4: Place a Test Order in Your Store 

Now, it’s time to test your setup! Go to your store and add a product to your cart like a real customer would.

At checkout, use the test card details provided by Shopify:

• For a successful transaction:
  Card Number: 4242 4242 4242 4242
  Expiry Date: Any future date
  CVV: Any 3 digits
• For a failed transaction (to test error handling):
  Card Number: 4000 0000 0000 9995

Step 5: Check Your Orders and Notifications 

After placing the test order, navigate to your Shopify Orders section to confirm it appears correctly. Additionally, make sure the order confirmation emails are sent out as expected.

Step 6: Disable Test Mode Once Done 

• Don’t forget to switch off Test Mode once you’re done testing!
• Head back to Settings > Payments, toggle off the test mode, and click “Save” to start accepting real payments again.

Method 4: Test Orders Using Offline Payment Methods

If you want to keep things simple and avoid messing with your online payment gateways, testing orders using Offline Payment Methods (like Cash on Delivery or Bank Transfer) is a quick and easy way to check your checkout flow. 

Step 1: Go to Settings > Payments 

From your Shopify admin, navigate to Settings > Payments.

Step 2: Add an Offline Payment Method 

• Scroll down to the Manual Payment Methods section.
• Click “Add manual payment method,” and you’ll see options like Cash on Delivery (COD), Bank Deposit, or Custom Payment Method.

• Choose one that works for your test and click “Activate.”

Step 3: Place a Test Order on Your Store 

Go to your storefront, add a product to your cart, and proceed to checkout. When asked to select a payment method, choose the newly added offline option (e.g., Cash on Delivery).

Step 4: Complete the Checkout Process 

Finish the checkout as a real customer. No real payment is needed, but you’ll still get a full order confirmation and can check if taxes, discounts, and shipping rates are applied correctly.

Step 5: Review the Order in Your Shopify Admin 

Go to the Orders section and find your test order. Ensure all details like order status, inventory, and notifications work as expected.

Step 6: Mark the Order as Paid (Optional) 

To complete the order, click “Mark as Paid” in the order details.

Step 7: Cancel the Order When You’re Done 

Once you’ve verified everything, cancel and delete the test order.

Shopify Test Order Checklist

When testing your Shopify order flow, it’s essential to cover as many scenarios as possible to confirm that your shipping settings, notifications, and fulfillment processes function correctly.

Creating a Test Order

Consider testing the following scenarios:

• Apply a discount code to your order.
• Place an order while logged into a customer account and when logged out.
• Test various payment methods to ensure they work smoothly.
• Check that your shipping rates display correctly during checkout.
• Use different shipping addresses, especially to verify tax calculations.
• Test orders on multiple devices, like desktops and mobile phones.
• Simulate a failed transaction.

After Placing a Test Order

Once an order is placed, review these elements:

• Confirm that your order notifications appear as expected. Customize email templates if needed through your Shopify admin.
• Test the fulfillment process, whether done manually or using an app/ERP system.
• Add tracking information to the order and check if the shipping notification is accurate.
• Test a partially fulfilled order to confirm it’s handled properly.
• Try issuing both full and partial refunds to ensure they process correctly.

So, How To Delete the Test Orders on Shopify

After you've placed your test order and confirmed that everything's working perfectly, it’s time to clean up. Here’s how you can quickly delete those test orders from your Shopify store:

Step 1: Head to the Orders Section

• Go to your Shopify Admin and click the “Orders” tab in the left-hand menu.

Step 2: Select the Order to Delete

• Find the test order you want to delete by clicking the “Order Number” button. This will open the order details page.

Step 3: Choose Actions and Cancel Order

Once on the order details page, click the “More actions” button and select “Cancel Order” to cancel and remove the test order from your active order list. 

Step 4: Archive the Canceled Order

• After canceling, you can choose “Archive” from the More actions menu to move the order to the archive.

Step 5: Finally, Delete the Order 

• To fully delete the test order, scroll to the bottom of the order page and click the “Delete Order” button.

• Confirm the deletion, and you’re all set! The test order is now permanently removed from your store.

Bottom Line

Shopify test orders are essential to ensure your store runs smoothly - whether you're setting up or updating settings. By testing your checkout, payment, and shipping, you guarantee a seamless experience for your customers.

Shopify Test Checkout Orders: FAQs

How to place a test order on Shopify?

You can place a test order using Shopify's Bogus Gateway, simulating a transaction, or enabling Test Mode with a real payment gateway. Simply follow the setup instructions in the Payment Providers section to activate these options.

How do I enable test orders on Shopify?

To enable test orders, go to Settings > Payment Providers in your Shopify admin. Activate Test Mode for your payment gateway or use the Bogus Gateway to simulate transactions without real payments.

How to do a test order on Shopify 2024?

In 2024, you can use any of the methods mentioned: Test Mode with a real gateway, or the Bogus Gateway. Just follow the setup instructions from your Payment Providers section and place your order like a customer would.

What is a test order?

A test order lets you simulate a transaction to ensure your checkout process, payment methods, and shipping settings work properly - without charging a real credit card.

What is Shopify test mode?

Test Mode is a feature that allows you to process test transactions with your actual payment gateway without charging real money. It's perfect for ensuring your checkout process is smooth before going live.