WooCommerce to Shopify migration

Should you move at all?

Migration is worth it when the problems it solves outweigh the work. Be honest about both.

What transfers and how

Shopify's own Store Migration app was in early access when we last checked, and order history needs a third-party app. We confirm the current options for your store.

Keeping old links working

WooCommerce and Shopify use different URL patterns, so old product and category links will change. Without redirects, links from search results, emails and other sites lead to error pages.

Shopify supports redirects, including bulk import by CSV, but with limits: redirects only apply when the old address no longer exists, some reserved paths such as /products and /collections cannot be redirected from, and each international market subfolder needs its own redirects. We build the redirect list from your current URLs and test a sample after launch.

How the migration is planned

1. 01

   Inventory

   List products, customers, orders, pages, plugins and URLs on the current store.

   Output: Migration inventory

2. 02

   Map and decide

   Decide how each item moves, which features need apps and which are dropped.

   Output: Data map and app list

3. 03

   Build and import

   Set up the Shopify store and import data into it while WooCommerce keeps trading.

   Output: Store ready for review

4. 04

   Redirects and testing

   Import redirects, place test orders and review imported data.

   Output: Launch checklist

5. 05

   Launch

   Run a final data update, switch the domain and check redirects and orders.

   Output: Live Shopify store

A migration example

Telling customers about the move

Customers notice a platform change mainly at login and checkout. Because passwords cannot be moved, returning customers need to know they will be asked to set a new one. A short message before launch, and a clear note on the login page afterwards, prevents confusion and support requests.

Other details matter too: order confirmation emails will look different, saved addresses may need re-entering depending on how customer data is imported, and any loyalty points or gift card balances need their own migration plan. We list these during planning so you can decide what to communicate and when, rather than discovering them after launch.