WooCommerce Payment Gateway Launch Checklist

Symptoms

• A new gateway is enabled close to launch without a written test record.
• Test mode works but live credentials, webhooks, return URLs, refunds, or emails were not verified.
• Only one happy-path order was tested despite multiple products, currencies, shipping options, or payment methods.

Most Common Causes

• Gateway launches touch credentials, checkout UI, redirects, webhooks, order statuses, emails, refunds, provider dashboards, and customer messaging.
• Teams often test checkout submit but skip post-payment lifecycle checks.
• Staging credentials and production credentials can diverge after migration or launch day changes.

How To Confirm The Cause

• Verify gateway mode, credentials, webhook endpoint, signing secret if applicable, return URL, supported currencies, enabled methods, and provider account status.
• Run controlled test orders for each enabled payment path, including failure, success, refund or void, email, and order-status behavior.
• Record order ID, provider transaction, amount, currency, status path, email result, and person approving launch.

Fixes

• Fix launch blockers before opening the gateway to real customers, especially webhook, credential, currency, and HTTPS return issues.
• Keep a rollback path or alternate payment method available for launch windows.
• Document the first live verification order according to business policy.

How To Verify The Fix

• Confirm WooCommerce order notes, provider records, customer emails, webhook logs, and order statuses agree for each required path.
• Monitor failed, pending, refunded, and support-ticket patterns during the first launch window.
• Review gateway settings again after cache/CDN, domain, or checkout-page changes.

When To Contact Support

Escalate when live credentials, provider account approval, settlement, refunds, compliance, or custom gateway code is outside the store team's control.