Testing your subscription order process is an important step before launching your store or after making changes to payment settings. Placing a test order helps you experience the checkout flow as a subscriber and confirm that your order processing, inventory, shipping, email notifications, and taxes are set up correctly.
When should I place a test subscription order?
We recommend placing at least one test order:
During initial store setup
After updating payment provider settings
Whenever you change shipping or notification settings
How can I place a test subscription order?
You can simulate a subscription order using either a test payment method or a real transaction (if supported by your payment provider). Always check your provider’s terms before running real transactions.
Option 1: Using Shopify Payments test mode
If you are using Shopify Payments, you can activate test mode to simulate a subscription checkout. This allows you to go through the order process without charging your card.
Steps:
Enable test mode in your Shopify Payments settings.
Place an order on your store as a customer would, using test payment details provided by Shopify.
Complete the checkout and review the full experience, including order confirmation and notification emails.
Option 2: Using a real transaction and refund
If you prefer, you can test your checkout by placing a real order using your live payment provider.
Note: If you use a real credit card, you may incur third-party transaction fees that are not refunded, even if you cancel and refund the order.
Steps:
Confirm your live payment provider is active.
Place an order on your store using your own credit card.
Log in to your payment provider dashboard to verify the transaction.
Cancel and refund the order promptly to return the payment to your card.
Third-party transaction fees may apply and are not always refundable.
How can I test my shipping settings?
To check if your shipping rates, discounts, or free shipping thresholds are set up correctly:
Place a test order that qualifies for each shipping scenario (for example, free shipping over a certain amount).
Confirm the correct shipping rate or discount is applied during checkout.
How do I test email notifications?
To review your email notifications:
Enter your own email address at checkout when placing a test order.
Check that you receive all subscription-related notifications, including order confirmation and subscription creation emails.
Review each notification for accuracy and branding.