Migrating to Shopify: Complete Platform Migration Guide
Platform migrations are significant undertakings.
Done well, a migration to Shopify positions your store on a stronger foundation for growth. Done poorly, you lose SEO rankings, break customer relationships, and create months of cleanup work. The difference between these outcomes comes down to planning and execution.
This guide covers the complete migration process, from evaluating whether to migrate through post-migration optimization.
Should You Migrate?
Reasons to Migrate to Shopify
Platform limitations often drive migration decisions. Your current platform may not scale with your growth. Features you need might be missing or poorly implemented. Performance or reliability problems may frustrate customers and cost sales. A limited app or integration ecosystem may prevent you from implementing the tools your business needs.
Operational efficiency concerns frequently justify migration. High maintenance burden on your current platform consumes resources better spent on growth. Developer dependency for basic changes slows your ability to respond to business needs. Hosting and security management drain attention from strategic priorities. Your team may be spending time on infrastructure instead of activities that drive revenue.
Business needs evolve in ways that make platform change sensible. You may need a better mobile experience to serve customers where they shop. Improved checkout conversion directly increases revenue. Specific integrations may be available on Shopify but not your current platform. International expansion may require capabilities your current platform lacks.
Reasons NOT to Migrate
If your current platform works, reconsider migration. Migration has real costs and risks. If your platform serves your needs adequately, do not migrate for theoretical benefits that may never materialize.
Migration may address the wrong problem. If issues are related to content, marketing, or product rather than platform, a new platform will not fix them. Moving to Shopify does not automatically improve poor product photography or weak product descriptions.
Insufficient resources doom migrations. Migrations require significant time, budget, and attention. Partial migrations cause problems that take longer to fix than a complete migration would have taken.
Timing matters. Do not migrate during peak season or before major launches. Give yourself business days to handle issues and choose lower-traffic periods for the transition.
Migration Cost-Benefit
Direct costs include theme and development costs, migration tools or services, new app subscriptions to replace current integrations, and potential consulting or agency fees.
Indirect costs include team time and attention diverted from other priorities, temporary productivity loss during transition, potential SEO impact if migration is not handled carefully, and customer communication needs.
Benefits may include reduced platform costs if Shopify is less expensive than your current solution. Better conversion rates often result from Shopify's optimized checkout. Improved operations come from better tools and workflows. Reduced maintenance burden frees resources for growth activities. A better growth foundation positions the business for the future.
Benefits should clearly outweigh costs before proceeding. If the calculus is ambiguous, reconsider whether migration is the right decision.
Pre-Migration Planning
Inventory Current State
Document everything before beginning migration.
Product inventory should capture total product count, variant complexity, custom fields or metafields, and product content including descriptions and images.
Customer inventory should capture customer count, account information, order history depth, and any subscription relationships.
Order inventory should capture historical order data, return and refund history, and what needs to migrate versus what can be archived.
Content inventory should capture blog posts, CMS pages, landing pages, and media library contents.
SEO inventory should capture current URL structure, ranking pages, and backlink profile. This information is critical for preserving search visibility.
Integration inventory should capture current integrations, which need equivalents on Shopify, and data flows that must be maintained.
Define Migration Scope
Determine what migrates to the new platform. Products may migrate completely or as a subset. Customers migrate with their accounts but not their passwords. Order history decisions depend on how far back matters for your business. Content including blog posts and pages needs migration planning. Redirects for all URLs require mapping.
Determine what does not migrate. Platform-specific features that have no Shopify equivalent will need alternative solutions. Incompatible customizations may require rebuilding. Legacy data that is no longer needed can be archived rather than migrated.
Decisions to make include whether to pursue a clean slate or full migration of historical data, how to handle historical data that does not migrate, your approach to integration replacement, and timeline and phasing preferences.
URL and SEO Migration
Critical for SEO Success
URL migration is the highest-risk aspect of platform changes. Poor handling loses organic traffic that took years to build. Careful handling preserves search visibility through the transition.
URL Mapping
Document all current URLs including product URLs, collection or category URLs, blog post URLs, CMS page URLs, and filtered or parameter URLs.
Map each old URL to its new Shopify equivalent.
| Old URL | New Shopify URL |
|---|---|
| /product/blue-widget | /products/blue-widget |
| /category/widgets | /collections/widgets |
| /blog/post-title | /blogs/news/post-title |
| /about-us | /pages/about-us |
Redirect Implementation
Every old URL needs a 301 redirect to its new equivalent. This tells search engines that the page has moved permanently and transfers authority to the new location.
Shopify URL redirect options include built-in redirects through Settings, then Navigation, then URL Redirects. Bulk redirect upload via CSV handles large numbers of redirects efficiently. Third-party apps can manage complex redirect scenarios.
Redirect rules should map product URLs to product URLs, preserving handles where possible. Categories should redirect to collections. Blog posts should redirect to Shopify blog equivalents. Pages should redirect to their new locations.
Pattern redirects help with URL structure changes. A pattern like /product/* redirecting to /products/* handles entire sections with a single rule. Some redirect apps support pattern-based redirects.
SEO Checklist
Before migration, document current rankings for key terms. Export your backlink list for reference. Note high-traffic pages that require special attention. Save Google Search Console data for comparison after migration.
During migration, implement all redirects completely. Preserve meta titles and descriptions by migrating them to new pages. Maintain keyword targeting in product and collection content. Update sitemaps to reflect the new URL structure.
After migration, submit the new sitemap to search engines. Monitor Search Console for crawl errors and fix them promptly. Track ranking changes to identify any problems. Fix redirect issues that emerge from monitoring.
For detailed SEO migration guidance, see rebranding without losing SEO since the principles apply equally to platform migrations.
Data Migration
Product Migration
Products are typically the most important data to migrate correctly.
What transfers includes titles and descriptions, SKUs and barcodes, pricing, images, variants, inventory quantities, and SEO metadata.
Migration methods vary based on catalog size and complexity.
Manual migration works for small catalogs with fewer than fifty products. Manual entry may actually be fastest when the catalog is small enough.
CSV import uses Shopify's native import functionality with formatted CSV files. This works well for straightforward catalogs.
Migration apps like Cart2Cart and LitExtension automate migration from specific platforms. These handle the translation between platform data formats.
API migration works for large or complex catalogs where development resources are available. This approach offers the most control and automation.
Migration provides an opportunity for data cleaning. Remove outdated products that are no longer available. Improve poor descriptions that do not serve customers. Add missing images that leave product pages incomplete. Fix inconsistent data that creates confusion.
Customer Migration
What transfers includes contact information, addresses, and account creation records. Order history may transfer if included in migration scope.
Password handling is a common challenge. Passwords cannot be migrated directly because they are securely hashed. Options include having customers reset passwords on the new platform, sending password reset emails at launch, or using the Customer Accounts app for easier login.
Customer communication should happen before migration. Notify customers about what is changing, what they need to do such as password reset, and when the change is happening.
Order History Migration
Options for order history include not migrating and starting fresh on Shopify, migrating for reference purposes only since orders cannot be processed through Shopify, or migrating recent orders only.
Considerations include customer service needs for order lookup, return and warranty policy requirements, reporting requirements for historical data, and effort versus value since many stores find full order history migration is not worth the effort.
Many stores choose not to migrate order history or to migrate only recent orders.
Content Migration
Blog content migration involves exporting posts from the current platform, importing to Shopify's blog functionality, maintaining URLs via redirects, and preserving SEO metadata.
CMS page migration involves inventorying all pages, recreating them in Shopify, updating internal links, and setting up redirects.
Platform-Specific Considerations
WooCommerce to Shopify
Common challenges include translating WooCommerce's flexible URL structure to Shopify's fixed patterns. Plugin functionality requires finding app equivalents. Custom post types translate to Shopify metafields. Theme customizations require rebuilding since they do not transfer.
Tools for WooCommerce migration include Cart2Cart, LitExtension, and Matrixify.
Magento to Shopify
Common challenges include handling complex product configurations. Multiple store views translate to Shopify Markets. Custom attributes become metafields. ERP integrations require evaluation of Shopify equivalents.
Magento stores often have complex requirements. Evaluate Shopify Plus for advanced needs that standard Shopify cannot meet.
BigCommerce to Shopify
Migration from BigCommerce is relatively straightforward due to similar product models and similar URL patterns. Clear feature mapping exists between the platforms.
Native migration tools are available in addition to third-party apps.
Other Platforms
For less common platforms, options include CSV export and import, migration apps where compatibility exists, API development for programmatic migration, and manual migration for small catalogs.
Building the New Store
Timeline
Typical migration timeline varies by complexity.
| Phase | Duration |
|---|---|
| Planning and audit | 1-2 weeks |
| Shopify setup and theme | 2-4 weeks |
| Data migration | 1-2 weeks |
| Testing | 1-2 weeks |
| Launch preparation | 1 week |
| Total | 6-11 weeks |
Complex migrations take longer. Simple migrations can be faster. Plan for buffer time since unexpected issues arise.
Parallel Build Approach
The recommended approach is building the new Shopify store while the old store continues running. Test thoroughly in staging or development environment. Perform final data sync before launch. Execute a coordinated cutover.
Do not take the old store down before the new store is ready and tested. Running both in parallel protects revenue during the transition.
Feature Mapping
Document how current features translate to Shopify equivalents.
| Current Feature | Shopify Equivalent |
|---|---|
| Product tabs | Theme feature or app |
| Customer groups | Customer tags |
| Tiered pricing | Shopify Plus or app |
| Multi-warehouse | Inventory locations |
Not everything maps one-to-one. Plan alternatives for features that do not have direct equivalents.
Testing and Launch
Pre-Launch Testing
Functional testing should verify complete purchase flow across multiple scenarios, payment processing in both test and live modes, shipping calculations for various destinations, tax calculations for relevant jurisdictions, customer account creation, email notifications, and inventory updates.
Content testing should verify all products display correctly, images load properly, descriptions are accurate, collections are organized as intended, and navigation works throughout the site.
Technical testing should verify site speed is acceptable, mobile experience works correctly, forms function as expected, search returns relevant results, and 404 handling works for invalid URLs.
SEO testing should verify redirects are working for all old URLs, meta tags are preserved, sitemap is generated and accessible, analytics tracking is functioning, and Search Console is ready for the new site.
Launch Day Process
The launch sequence should proceed in order. First, perform final data sync from old platform. Then, make DNS changes to point domain to Shopify. Verify redirects are working correctly. Test critical functions immediately. Monitor for issues throughout the day. Keep the team on standby for problems.
Do not launch on Friday. Give yourself business days to handle issues that emerge.
Post-Launch Monitoring
During the first 24 hours, monitor for errors, check order processing, watch redirect performance, and respond to customer issues immediately.
During the first week, conduct daily analytics review, monitor customer service for patterns, track technical issues, and check SEO performance.
During the first month, track SEO ranking recovery, compare conversion rates to pre-migration baseline, collect customer feedback, and resolve remaining issues.
Common Migration Mistakes
Underestimating Scope
Thinking migration is just moving data ignores the full complexity.
Reality is that migrations involve data, URLs, integrations, customizations, testing, training, and launch coordination. Each element requires attention.
The fix is thorough planning. Double your initial time estimate.
Poor URL Handling
Not mapping and redirecting all URLs causes lasting damage.
Results include lost organic traffic, broken backlinks, and poor customer experience when bookmarks and shared links fail.
The fix is complete URL inventory and redirect mapping before launch.
Rushing Testing
Inadequate testing before going live invites problems.
Results include broken functionality discovered by customers instead of internally.
The fix is a comprehensive testing checklist covering every scenario.
Wrong Launch Timing
Launching during peak season or right before major promotions creates maximum risk.
The fix is launching during lower-traffic periods and allowing time to stabilize before high-stakes moments.
Forgetting Integrations
Not mapping and testing all integrations causes operational disruption.
Results include order management issues, accounting problems, and workflow disruption.
The fix is integration inventory and testing before launch.
Migration Checklist
Planning
Validate the migration decision with clear cost-benefit analysis. Document current state comprehensively. Define migration scope explicitly. Establish realistic timeline. Assign team responsibilities.
Data Preparation
Audit and clean products before migration. Export customers with necessary information. Create complete URL map. Inventory all content requiring migration. Create integration map.
Build
Create Shopify store and select theme. Complete theme customization. Import products. Organize collections. Build navigation. Install and configure apps.
SEO
Implement all redirects. Preserve meta tags through migration. Generate sitemap. Configure analytics. Prepare Search Console for new site.
Testing
Complete functional testing. Verify all content. Test mobile experience. Confirm acceptable speed. Verify redirects are working.
Launch
Set launch date during appropriate timing. Send customer communications. Prepare DNS changes. Brief team on launch process. Establish monitoring.
Post-Launch
Activate daily monitoring. Track and resolve issues. Monitor SEO recovery. Collect customer feedback.
The Bottom Line
Platform migrations are complex but manageable with proper planning.
Keys to success include planning thoroughly before starting. Protect SEO with complete URL mapping and redirects. Test extensively before launch rather than after. Launch carefully with monitoring in place. Monitor and fix issues quickly in the days and weeks following launch.
Do not rush. A well-executed migration sets your store up for years of growth. A rushed migration creates months of cleanup work.
Planning a migration to Shopify? Book a free CRO audit and we'll evaluate your current platform, assess migration complexity, and help you plan a transition that protects your traffic and revenue.
