Start with three tasks
Write down the three things visitors must accomplish: find an article, request a quote or buy a product, for example. Prepare real content and one awkward case for each task, such as a long title, missing image, unavailable product or empty search result. Eliminate themes that cannot support those journeys before comparing decorative effects.
Identify what you are installing
Check whether the product is a WordPress theme, a Shopify theme, a Drupal base theme or an HTML template. A page-builder kit is not necessarily a standalone theme, and front-end HTML is not a complete membership or order-management application. Record the required editor, plugins and software versions together.
Compare with the same content
Keep three candidates and build a homepage plus one detail page using the same images, navigation and copy. Note what needs additional development, who will maintain it and how content can be exported later. Resolve launch-blocking gaps before paying for extra presets.
