Schedule your launch dates

Written by Jaya Torrejos •Updated Jun 29, 2026

Every Launch store requires a launch date before employees can begin placing orders. Once your launch date has been scheduled, Launch automatically manages the store opening and closing based on your selected schedule.

Choosing Your Launch Dates

For On-Demand stores, administrators select both an opening date and a closing date. Most companies keep their stores open for between 5 and 10 calendar days, although stores can remain open for up to 15 calendar days.

A shorter launch window often creates a greater sense of urgency and can encourage employees to place their orders sooner. Longer launch windows may be helpful for larger organizations, multiple office locations, or programs where employees may need additional time to participate.

For Always Open stores, administrators simply select an initial launch date. Once the store opens, it remains available for employee ordering until it is paused or closed by a Store Admin.

When selecting your launch dates, consider:

Employee schedules and company holidays
Internal communication timing
New hire onboarding schedules
Company events or gifting deadlines
Time needed for production and delivery

What Happens When Your Store Opens

On your scheduled launch date, your store automatically opens and becomes available for employee ordering.

Depending on your configuration:

Employees can begin placing orders
Eligible employees can redeem their Launch Codes
Launch Messenger emails are automatically sent if enabled
Employees can access the storefront using the store link

Administrators do not need to manually open the store once the launch date has been scheduled.

What Happens When Your Store Closes

When an On-Demand store reaches its scheduled close date:

New orders can no longer be placed
Products can no longer be added to the cart
Employees see a message indicating that the store has closed
Employees can contact the Store Admin to ask when the store will reopen.

Once your store closes, Launch begins preparing your order for production.

This process typically includes:

Final order review
Billing preparation
Artwork Proofing when required
Production release after approvals and payment requirements have been completed

For repeat programs using previously approved artwork, the proofing process may be simplified depending on the products and decoration methods selected.

Changing Launch Dates

Store Admins can manage launch dates directly from the Launch dashboard.

Before a store opens, administrators can:

Change the opening date
Change the closing date
Reschedule the entire launch window

After a store has opened, the opening date can no longer be changed because the store is already active. However, administrators can still modify the closing date while the store remains open.

For example, a store scheduled to close next week can be shortened to close sooner if needed.

Planning Ahead for a Successful Launch

Before opening your store, it is a good idea to complete a final review of your setup.

Confirm that:

Completing these steps before launch can help create a smoother employee experience and reduce last-minute changes after ordering begins.

Best Practices

Keep most store launches between 5 and 10 days.
Schedule launch dates around holidays, company events, and employee availability.
Upload employee lists before the store opens.
Verify Launch Code eligibility before launch day.
Review all products, logos, and settings before making the store available to employees.
Use Employee Messenger notifications to help increase participation throughout the launch window.