eCommerce is a flourishing verticle and to keep it thriving, one needs to stay updated! eCommerce platform Migration is a significant and timely decision that eStores can put into action as and when required. Shopify is a considerable option for the many advantages and featurefulness it has to offer. For starters, we are here with a definitive guide on Magento to Shopify migration! 

Before getting started, a brief but fair comparison between Magento vs Shopify is called for. Your current eStore on Magento must have you well-versed with all the functionalities and even drawbacks that Magento has. Before you make the switch, understand Shopify better as it’s a hosted platform, unlike Magento which is an open-sourced platform. Both have their shining and dull sides, it is better to have an all-around knowledge before you sing-up to anything new.

Once you have made up your mind to leave Magento, there come the vital steps to ensure a smooth migration. An actionable approach is necessary to make sure you’re taking what’s important with you—and leaving behind what’s not. This isn’t an exhaustive how-to guide, but it will give you a solid frame of reference for the steps required to migrate your store successfully.

Magento to Shopify Migration Steps

#1 – Keep the existing store running and earning

Your migration will take time! That means until your new store is fully set-up and optimized, it’s important to keep your business running on your Magento store.

#2 – List down the thing to migrate

You’ll want to migrate your products and customer information to your new Shopify store, and you’ll probably also want to bring order history and status data. If you’ve been operating your web store on Magento for a long time, there may be outdated information that you would rather leave behind. We always advocate collecting as much data as possible, but if you find yourself constantly weeding through stacks of old, obsolete data, it might be time to trim the fat.

Similarly, you may have marketing content and other materials you want to migrate—blog posts and static HTML pages, for instance—as well as other content you’d rather leave behind. Whatever you decide to bring over to your new site will need to be redesigned to fit your store’s new look. You can do that yourself, or work with an agency that specializes in migrations.

#3 – Try before you buy: create and test Shopify eStore before migration

Shopify offers a free trial, so you can get your feet wet before making a commitment. Before you start doing business in your new store, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with Shopify’s features, menus, collections and page layouts. Don’t hesitate to lean on their excellent customer support team who will be your best friends throughout this process.

#4 –  Backup everything beforehand

This is important! In the event that your migration doesn’t go as planned the first time, you’re going to want to keep a full backup of your Magento store. It’s important to make sure any custom details are stored, along with standard information, so take your time doing this. You may opt to use a partner to help perform the migration, but don’t rely on a third party to get the backup perfect. To perform your own backup, use one of the more detailed tutorials online

#5 – Data migration

Now comes the heavy lifting. Apps like Cart2Cart and Shopify’s Magento Importer are designed to facilitate your migration, or you can export and import the data manually. If you choose the latter option, you’ll likely export your Magento data as a CSV file. There are tutorials online for importing this data into hosted platforms, but if you’re not tech-savvy (and even if you are), your best bet may be to hire a developer who specializes in Magento migrations to assist you.

#6 – Testing sessions, and some more testing sessions

Make sure everything is working in your new store. Run some test orders all the way through the checkout. Ensure that customer data is organized and displaying properly, and that you’re able to manage every aspect of your business as if it were a live store.

#7 – Reinstate your new eCommerce store

Your new store isn’t going to look identical to your old one. Whether you’re using a pre-made theme or designing something from scratch, the nature of moving platforms means making front-end adjustments along with back-end ones. The good news is—that’s good news! With how quickly eCommerce has evolved in the past few years, your store is likely overdue for a new look. Now is a great time to elevate your brand by giving it the theme it deserves. Here are top Shopify store examples you can refer for your eStore theme inspiration.

Once you have your new theme, make sure your content fits well and looks consistent from product to product, and from page to page. Double-checking everything on your site is well worth the time, as first impressions really count. Once things look good, you’ll choose a suitable moment in time to make the switch (we suggest identifying the quietest period in your week). After this is done, you’ll probably have a few orders that came in after the final backup was taken—you’ll need to match these up. It’s a good idea to have a clear calendar and some help to make sure everything is working as expected on both the front and back ends.

Closing Note

Migrating your store can feel like an almost impossible task, but approaching it piece-by-piece is the key to a successful move. Once the project is finished, and you’ve had a moment to catch your breath, you’ll be more than happy with your decision to migrate.

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