Checkout Architecture
Part of Replatforming an online store
Testing redirects without losing useful landing pages
Check redirect responses, final destinations and landing-page usefulness after a store move, then monitor missed URLs.
A migration redirect passes only when the old address returns the intended response and the visitor reaches a useful final page. A redirect to an unrelated category or a missing product can look technically successful while abandoning the reason someone followed the old link.
Start with the approved map
Use the old-to-new URL map and its agreed destinations. Prioritise pages with visits, incoming links, sales relevance or important customer information. Keep cases for products, categories, articles and removed pages.
For each old address, record the expected final address and why it meets the original need. If that destination is disputed, resolve the mapping decision before testing its implementation.
Check the response and final page
Inspect the old address's HTTP status, every hop and the final response. For a permanent move, Google recommends a direct server-side permanent redirect where technically possible; 301 and 308 are permanent status codes. Avoid unnecessary chains.
Where the map says a page has no similar replacement, check for the agreed 404 or 410 response instead.
Open the final page. Check its heading, product or advice, availability and next action. A surviving product should lead to the correct item; a genuine replacement should explain the difference.
Redirecting many unrelated pages to a home page may leave visitors without a relevant destination and can result in a soft 404.
Case / Expected visitor result
- Surviving product
- Correct new item and saleable choice
- Replaced product
- Relevant substitute with the difference clear
- Reorganised category
- Useful range and navigation
- Consolidated guide
- The sought information on the new page
- Removed page without replacement
- Agreed 404 or 410 response
Redirect Best Practices from Google
- Recommended status code
- 301 or 308 (permanent redirect)
- Avoid redirect chains
- Use direct server-side redirects where possible
- Test on mobile and desktop
- Ensure landing pages are usable across devices
Inspect the destination itself
Check that the final page loads its main content. Sample the pages on a phone as well as a desktop. For a page meant to sell, follow its product choice into the basket.
This checks whether the landing page remains usable; the separate order-lifecycle plan covers payment and fulfilment.
Repeat on the public site
Run the sheet again after cutover, including old URLs that were inaccessible in staging. Record the observed status, final address, content finding, time and defect owner. Review new not-found reports and traffic to old URLs for missed paths.
Google advises monitoring crawl errors and traffic on both old and new URLs. Resolve concrete URL failures before attributing every change in search traffic to redirects.
Keep the map and test record together. A product retirement or content change can make a previously useful destination unsuitable, so review redirects when those pages change.
