Start with a safe test

Start in a development store when available, with one test product and an unpublished theme. This guide assumes QueueFront is already available in your Shopify admin.

A theme copy does not isolate checkout rules

An unpublished theme isolates its presentation changes. Publishing a waiting room can change checkout protection for its selected scope across the store. Use a development store for a complete test, or carefully restrict the scope before publishing on a live store.

Before you begin

You need access to QueueFront and the theme editor, a test product, and enough plan allowance for the test you intend to publish. If you will test email, use an inbox you control and confirm your sender settings first.

1. Open QueueFront in Shopify. Review the setup guide and Your plan and usage. A draft is useful for setup; publishing a test is a separate action with plan checks.
2. Choose your goal. Use a Waiting List for launch or restock interest. Use a waiting room to control entry to a release. Compare workflows before configuring both.
3. Connect a test theme. Follow theme setup. Save in Shopify’s theme editor and preview the exact theme you changed.
4. Prepare a small draft. For a room, choose a test product, a short future schedule, and conservative admission limits. For a list, review Signup, Email, and Placement.
5. Save, leave, and reopen. Confirm your settings persisted. Check desktop and mobile previews, including long messages and the admitted state.
6. Run a deliberate test. Publish only when the required checks pass. Use a separate shopper session and follow the ordinary storefront path. Review supported checkout before testing payment paths.

You are ready for the next step when

Your saved draft shows the intended product and schedule, the correct test theme contains the required extension, and you understand the allowance the live test will use.

A preview is not a live test

The appearance editor does not establish that theme placement, admission, checkout, or email delivery works. Check those flows separately before the real launch.

Next: create and test a waiting room or set up product signups.

Where to go next

Use Find your way around QueueFront for the main screens, Recipes for a prepared starting point, or Common questions for a quick answer. You do not need to configure every advanced feature for your first launch.

You can also use Shopify Sidekick-assisted setup to prepare a form, then review and save the draft in QueueFront.