Dashboard
Target launch: July 15, 2026 · Shared tracker — changes sync for both Ahmed & Rehman
Days since original target
+84
Was April 22
New launch date
Jul 15
Non-negotiable
Revenue so far
$0
Store not live
Apps built
3
Printscape · Optify · Variant Merge
Progress by section
Boss note: You built 3 apps while the store sat unlaunched. July 15 is the date. Everything else waits.
This week (Jul 1–7): Finish Printscape tweaks · Complete script 1 · Start script 3 pipeline · Finalize theme done-list with Rehman
Printscape tweaks
Finish and freeze. No new features.
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Define a "done enough to launch" list today and stop adding features. Cosmetic issues can be fixed post-launch.
Required before launch
Jul 1–5 · Ahmed✓
Write a specific "done enough to launch" list with Rehman — freeze scope, stop adding features
✓
Complete the remaining tweaks on that list — only what's on the list, nothing else
✓
Test Printscape end-to-end on dev store: zone select → customize → add to cart → order placed → Printify receives order
Migration scripts
Scripts 1–4. Script 3 and 4 are launch blockers. Stock sync is post-launch.
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Script 1 — product migration
Launch blocker · Jul 5✓
Complete script 1: read Excel → set variants, pricing, mockups, title, description, tags → publish to Printify and Shopify, update Excel columns
✓
Dry-run script 1 on 5 test products — verify output in both Printify and Shopify before full run
✓
Full run of script 1 on all products from Rehman's Excel sheet
✓
Run script 2: update Shopify and Printify product URLs back into the Excel sheet for records
Script 3 — Flux + IP-Adapter model images
Launch blocker · Jul 7–12✓
Set up Flux + IP-Adapter pipeline — confirm it runs with the 12 seed model images
✓
Map category → seed model logic: men's → male, women's → female, kids' → kid models, baby → infant, accessories → no model
✓
Test batch: generate model images for 10 products across categories — both review quality before full run
✓
Full run on all products — log failed/low-quality outputs to rejection list in Excel
✓
Rehman replaces rejected images — Ahmed uploads approved model images to Shopify via Admin API
Script 4 — Printscape auto-config
Best effort · Jul 12If script 4 fails, configure Printscape manually. Do NOT delay launch for this script.
✓
Attempt script 4: auto-add all products to Printscape, configure print areas via Printscape API
✓
If script 4 fails partially: manually configure remaining products in Printscape admin
Printify → Shopify stock sync
Post-launch✓
Build Node.js sync script: poll Printify stock → update Shopify inventory via API every 4–6 hours via cron
✓
Test sync on 10 products, deploy on Plesk VPS as PM2 process with error alerting
Theme & store setup
AVONE theme + all store essentials before go-live.
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Freeze scope first
Jul 7 · Both✓
Sit with Rehman and write a final "done" list of theme tweaks — no additions after Jul 7
Ahmed's tasks
Jul 7–13✓
Configure navigation: main menu by category, footer links, search
✓
Set up all store policies: shipping, returns, privacy policy, terms of service
✓
Verify payment gateway is working (Stripe) — test checkout with real card
✓
Install: Judge.me reviews, Google Analytics 4, Facebook Pixel, confirm Printify app connected
✓
Create "How it works" page — personalization flow step by step. Good for SEO and reduces customer confusion.
Rehman's design tasks
Jul 7–13✓
Design homepage: hero banner, brand tagline, featured categories, trust badges
✓
Full QA on dev store: all products, checkout, Printscape widget, mobile view, all links — both sign off
✓
Final product review — approve all listings, prices, images before transfer to live domain
Go live
Target: July 15, 2026. Everything else waits for this.
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Launch day — Jul 15
Non-negotiable✓
Transfer dev store to main domain — go live on customanic.com
✓
Submit sitemap to Google Search Console + Bing Webmaster Tools immediately after going live
✓
Set up launch discount code: "15% off first order" in Shopify — creates urgency, drives first sales
✓
Post launch announcement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest simultaneously
✓
Share in WhatsApp groups, LinkedIn, personal networks — both Ahmed and Rehman's full networks
SEO
Technical SEO before launch. Content SEO is ongoing. Results take 3–6 months.
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SEO takes 3–6 months to show results. Start now so it compounds. Don't expect Google traffic in week 1.
Technical SEO — before Jul 15
Ahmed + AI✓
Set Shopify store title and meta description using target keywords: "custom apparel", "personalized t-shirts", "custom gifts"
✓
Review all auto-generated product URLs — fix any that are ugly or missing keywords
✓
Generate keyword-rich alt text for all product images in bulk using Claude
✓
Write unique meta descriptions (155 chars max) for every product page — keyword + call to action
✓
Add Product JSON-LD structured data to product pages — price, availability, review schema
✓
Build target keyword list: long-tail focus — "custom name hoodie", "personalized kids t-shirt", "corporate gift mug with logo"
Content SEO — post-launch
Aug+✓
Create category landing pages with descriptive copy — helps Google understand each section
✓
Publish 2 blog posts per month targeting buyer-intent keywords
Etsy SEO — different rules
Jul 20+✓
Every Etsy listing needs 13 keyword tags — use Claude to generate tag list per product category
✓
Rewrite Etsy titles to be keyword-dense: "Personalized Dog Mama T-Shirt Custom Pet Name Tee Gift for Dog Lover"
✓
Set up Etsy seller account, connect Printify to Etsy, list selected 10–15 best products
Social media
Rehman owns all content. TikTok and Instagram first. Pinterest runs passively.
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Pre-launch content — before Jul 15
Rehman✓
Write bios for all 4 profiles — include store URL and clear value prop: "Custom apparel, your design"
✓
Create 10 pre-launch posts across Instagram + TikTok — mockups, behind the scenes, "coming soon" teasers with AI model images
✓
Pin an Instagram highlight "How Customanic works" — screen record Printscape configurator + finished product reveal
✓
Create 5 Pinterest boards: Men's custom apparel · Women's · Kids' · Corporate gifts · Custom drinkware
✓
Schedule launch day posts in Buffer/Later in advance — all 4 platforms fire simultaneously on Jul 15
Platform priority + weekly rhythm
Ongoing✓
TikTok — 3 posts/week minimum. Personalization walkthroughs, before/after, gift occasion content.
✓
Instagram Reels — repurpose same TikTok videos, post 1 day later. Model images for feed posts.
✓
Pinterest — pin every product image, blog post, lifestyle shot daily. Set up auto-posting via Buffer.
✓
Facebook — mirror Instagram posts only. No separate effort until paid ads begin.
Content types that work for POD
Claude assists✓
"Before and after" — blank product → personalized result. Simple, high-engagement.
✓
"How to customize" walkthrough — screen record of Printscape in action. High trust-builder.
✓
Gift occasion content — tie products to occasions. Rehman uses Claude for caption ideas weekly.
✓
After first 10 orders: message customers for a photo in exchange for 10% discount. UGC = best free content.
✓
Sunday weekly review: what got engagement? Double down on what worked. Report to Ahmed.
Paid ads
$20–50 test budget. One platform. One product. Get data first.
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With $20–50, don't spread across platforms. Pick one. Get data. Then expand.
Month 1 — test phase
$20–50 · Jul 22+✓
Run ONE Facebook/Instagram ad — custom apparel buyers, gift shoppers, ages 22–45. Single best product. $5/day for 7–10 days.
✓
Use AI model images as ad creatives — lifestyle shots outperform plain mockups
✓
After 7 days: check CPC and add-to-cart rate. Under $0.50 CPC + cart adds = increase budget. Otherwise change creative first.
Month 2+ — scale what works
Aug+✓
Set up retargeting ad — show ads to product page visitors who didn't buy. Cheapest, highest-converting ad type.
✓
Test TikTok ads with $20 — use best-performing organic TikTok video as paid ad creative.
✓
Corporate gifting angle — target Facebook with "custom corporate gifts, bulk orders welcome". Higher order value.
Apps & post-launch
Do not touch any of this until the store is live on Jul 15.
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None of this starts until Customanic is live. Building more apps before the store launches is the trap you already fell into.
Printscape — post-launch
Jul 22+✓
Collect real customer feedback on configurator UX — list actual friction points from real orders
✓
Fix bugs from real orders — Printify submission failures, image upload issues, mobile UX problems
✓
After 20+ orders through Printscape — plan Shopify App Store listing for Printscape as standalone SaaS
Snapwich — color swatches
Aug+✓
Define what's left to complete Snapwich — write remaining features list before touching code
✓
Complete Snapwich and install on live Customanic store — use real store as test environment
✓
List Snapwich on Shopify App Store — freemium model, same playbook as Optify
Variant Merge App
Done — needs listing✓
Review Variant Merge App — confirm production-ready, list any remaining issues
✓
List Variant Merge on Shopify App Store — real screenshots, SEO description, freemium pricing
AI vs hire
Short answer: use AI now. Hire when you hit $500/month revenue.
Recommended now
Use AI tools
Claude + free tools handle 90% of what a junior SEO/marketing hire would do — at zero cost.
✓Claude writes all SEO copy, captions, blog posts, Etsy tags
✓GA4 + Search Console cover analytics needs at this stage
✓Canva (free) + AI model images handle all creative
✓Buffer/Later free tier handles scheduling
✓Cost: $0 extra — you already have Claude
✗Rehman still needs to execute — AI doesn't post for you
Hire an expert
Makes sense only after revenue exists and data shows where you need specialist help.
✓Faster results if they're genuinely good
✓Takes execution load off Rehman
✗$300–800/month minimum for a decent freelancer
✗Hard to evaluate quality before spending
✗No data yet to brief them properly
✗Store has $0 revenue — can't afford it
Hire threshold: when Customanic hits $500/month revenue consistently, hire a part-time social media manager. Until then AI + Rehman is the right stack.
Tools Rehman should use daily
Claude
Write all captions, blog posts, product descriptions, email copy, Etsy tags. Rehman briefs, Claude drafts, Rehman edits.
Canva
Design all social post graphics, Pinterest pins, story templates. Free tier is enough.
Buffer or Later
Batch-create content on Monday, schedule the whole week across all platforms.
Google Search Console
Track which keywords bring traffic, which pages rank. Check weekly after launch.
Pinterest Trends
Find what custom apparel searches are trending before creating content around them.