The routine that keeps a shop running.
EVERY MORNING
Check new orders and their payment status Confirm bank transfers received against on-hold orders Answer customer messages from overnight Check for failed or pending payments needing attention
DURING THE DAY
Pack and dispatch, recording tracking references in order notes Mark orders Completed as they ship Respond to enquiries promptly
END OF DAY
Confirm nothing is left unprocessed Check stock on anything that sold heavily Note anything that needs following up tomorrow
WEEKLY
Apply updates, having backed up Check low stock alerts and reorder Test checkout with a real low-value order Confirm order emails are still arriving
WHY THE CHECKOUT TEST MATTERS
A broken checkout is invisible from the admin side. Every hour it stays broken is revenue lost, and customers rarely report it; they just leave.
Buy something from your own shop regularly. It is the only reliable check.