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A development store is a store a partner creates for a client who is not on LaunchMyStore yet. It is free, it never expires, and its storefront sits behind a password page until launch. When the store is ready, the partner transfers it: the client sets a password, becomes the owner, starts a 7-day trial and picks a plan when they are ready. The partner keeps collaborator access and earns 20% of every plan payment the store makes.
Step-by-step guide in the Help Center: Build a store for a client and transfer it to them.

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Lifecycle

1

Create

Affiliates → Stores → Create development store, with a name and the client’s country. The store gets a *.launchmystore.io address, the standard store defaults (sample catalogue, menus, checkout settings) and a random storefront password. A partner can hold up to 10 development stores at once.
2

Build

Open store starts a collaborator session into it (the same scoped session as client store access, so plan, billing, payment gateways and staff stay closed). Everything else works: products, theme and theme editor, pages, menus, shipping, taxes, checkout settings, free apps.
3

Preview

Visitors see an Opening soon page with a password field. The password is shown on the Stores tab and can be regenerated, which signs out everyone who used the old one. The theme editor preview is never locked out.
4

Transfer

Transfer sends a one-time link (valid 14 days) to the client’s email. The email must not already have a LaunchMyStore account. One transfer can be pending per store; it can be cancelled and resent. The link is also returned to the partner in case the email does not arrive.
5

Accept

The client opens the link, enters a name and a password, and is signed in as the owner. From that moment the store is theirs: their email, their password, their billing. Its 7-day trial starts, the password page comes off, the partner is recorded as the referrer, and the partner’s collaborator access stays until the owner removes it.

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What a development store is, technically

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Rules

  • A transfer goes to a new email only. For a client who already owns a store, use client store access instead.
  • Real transactions are not meant to run on a development store: it is password-protected and payment gateways cannot be configured from the partner session.
  • A development store that was never transferred can be deleted by the partner. A transferred store belongs to its owner.
  • Team members need the Stores permission to create, open, transfer or delete development stores — see Team.

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Storefront password page

The page is served by the storefront for every store path while the store is locked, with Cache-Control: no-store, and section requests answer 401. A correct password sets an HttpOnly cookie that is bound to the current password, so it stops working when the password changes or the store opens.