Migrating from Magento to Shopify: A Complete Guide

It's time to migrate.

Grab the bull by the horns. The move from Magento to Shopify could be the lift your ecommerce business needs to take it to the next level.

There's a stampede of Magento users migrating to Shopify and Shopify Plus. Why is this?

Moving platforms is a big decision for your company, and one that can be overlooked for fear of wasting time and money. However, it pays to explore the options. The Magento to Shopify transition is proving popular, so let's take a look at why. We've done the legwork here to give you a head start.

Try Before You Buy

There's plenty to love about Shopify. It's completely cloud-based and device optimized. It will enable you to sell on multiple channels, including Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, eBay and Amazon. Plus, Shopify offers its customers plenty of perks to take the stress out of website hosting, such as 24/7 support.

But perhaps one of the best things about a potential Shopify switch is that you can try before you buy. Run a free demo on your migration to check performance and results, and make sure it's doing just what you expect. This gives you the control and reassurance you want when making a big change to your site.

Make It Yours

One of the immediate benefits of a Shopify site is its plug-and-go appeal. It has been designed to be super-easy for a non-technical user to add in apps (and there's a vast choice available). It will literally take you seconds to install and configure one from the sweet shop of possible apps to customize your Shopify.

Large-Scale Selling on Shopify Plus

If you haven't considered Shopify due to the size of your site, and the sheer volume of orders, you might want to take a closer look at Shopify Plus. It's built specifically for large-scale sales and can support thousands of SKUs and transactions. You'll find it can handle all your widgets and complicated add-ins and may even be easier to handle and develop.

Creating an integration layer, for a start, is simpler with Shopify. A flat architecture makes it easier to navigate, and a great selection of APIs and tools means you can customize your site or app.

Easy Analytics

As we are able to track everything faster and more efficiently, our businesses are increasingly data driven. Use data to implement good marketing strategies, use it to optimize your website and you'll soon see changes in your revenue.

Perhaps what is leading many to make the move to Shopify is its capacity for analytics. In Shopify, analytics are built in. At the lightest touch of a button you can enable Google Analytics Enhanced Ecommerce, for example, and immediately it's easy to track your order success conversion.

Top tip: If you're used to Xtento in Magento then the app EZ Exporter may be your best bet for Shopify.

Good to Know Before You Migrate

Before we dive into the migration details, here are three need-to-knows that will make your life easier from the get-go:

• Need to know 1: Categories in Magento are Collections in Shopify
• Need to know 2: Tags in Magento are Attributes in Shopify
• Need to know 3: All products in Shopify are SKUs. You add 'children' to your base products

Want all the benefits of a Shopify site, but without the hassle? Let the experts migrate your site. Contact Orange Collar to speak to someone who understands Magento and Shopify inside out.

10 Steps to a Successful Magento-Shopify Migration

1. Be Realistic

Be realistic about your expectations, and how quickly you can undertake the migration. Allow some 'buffer' time to give you breathing space. If you have a large store with lots of data, SEO and tags it will inevitably take longer than you may first expect.

2. Your POC (Proof of Concept)

This is the next logical step after point one. Before you do anything large-scale (like move your entire ecommerce site from one platform to another) it's advisable to have a sound POC. Don't just jump on the bandwagon. Will this migration be the best thing for you and your site?

3. Choose Your Apps Wisely

As we said earlier, apps in Shopify are easy to plug-in and go, but we suggest doing some research and certainly reading the reviews. It's the app providers who are hosting them (not Shopify). That means any problems they have, you have too. So, do your homework.

4. Remove HTTP from Asset URLs

Make sure that all your store assets are always accessible by removing http: and https: from their URLs.

5. Set Up Product Feeds

Try and keep your SKU as your product ID in your feed. It will make it much quicker for reading, tracking and understanding your analytics. DataFeedWatch is a useful app if you have a more complicated product feed system than a straightforward catalogue.

6. Set Up URL Redirects

You don't want to lose customers who have product pages bookmarked just because you've moved platform – so setting up redirects is vital. This is very straightforward. Enter the URL you want to redirect in the 'from' column, and your new Shopify URL in the 'to' column.

7. Automate Your Redirects

If the sound of copy and pasting URLs for hundreds, if not thousands, of URLs fills you with dread, then you can import and export URLs automatically using one of the apps. Easy Redirects have a free plan available or Traffic Control-Bulk Redirects will make your life easier if you feel that you have an unfathomable amount of redirects.

8. Use the Transporter App (Shopify Plus)

In Shopify, there's always an app. The Transporter app (only for Shopify Plus customers) can import your customer, product and order records into your store. You'll need a separate CSV file for each record. If you don't have them, or they need tidying, you can use the Transporter command-line tool to create compatible CSVs. It's important that you get the right order for imports: products first, then customers, then orders.

9. Make It Beautiful

You can make your site a sight to behold. Shopify have lots of free themes in their admin section. Or, take it further, with some of their more customizable themes for purchase. They offer you the chance to try out any paid themes before you hand over your money.

10. Find the Right Dev Team

If all that sounds like a job for someone else, hire in the help. There are teams who specialize in Shopify sites and who know both Magento and Shopify inside out. Orange Collar are just these experts. If you love the sound of moving from Magento to Shopify, but would rather put your site in someone else's capable hands, drop us a line to discuss your specific site requirements.

Myth busting: A move is not just for old Magento sites. It may be that Shopify Plus can better support the growth of your ecommerce empire. You might find that Shopify's plug-and-play nature better sits with the pace at which you work and the rate at which you want to grow.

No matter when you last built your Magento site, find out if Shopify could help maximize your business potential.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it worth migrating from Magento to Shopify?

For many businesses, yes. Shopify offers cloud-based hosting, built-in analytics, easier app integration, and multi-channel selling. The decision depends on your specific needs, but the lower total cost of ownership and ease of use make it attractive for many merchants.

How long does a Magento to Shopify migration take?

The timeline varies based on store size, data complexity, and customizations. A small store might migrate in a few weeks, while large enterprise stores with thousands of products and complex integrations can take several months. Always build in buffer time.

Will I lose my SEO rankings when migrating?

Not if you set up proper 301 redirects from your old URLs to the new Shopify URLs. This is a critical step in the migration process. Tools like Easy Redirects or Traffic Control can automate this for large catalogues.

What's the difference between Shopify and Shopify Plus?

Shopify Plus is designed for high-volume merchants, offering advanced features like the Transporter app for bulk imports, dedicated support, and the ability to handle thousands of transactions. It's ideal for enterprise-level stores.

Can I try Shopify before migrating?

Yes, Shopify offers free trials and demos so you can test the platform with your actual data before committing to a full migration.

What happens to my Magento extensions in Shopify?

You'll need to find Shopify app equivalents for your Magento extensions. The Shopify App Store has thousands of apps covering most functionality. Research and read reviews before installing.

Ready to Migrate from Magento to Shopify?

Making the switch from Magento to Shopify doesn't have to be overwhelming. With the right preparation and expert guidance, you can transition smoothly and start enjoying the benefits of a more streamlined ecommerce platform.

Contact Orange Collar's Shopify experts to discuss your migration needs. We understand both platforms inside out and can help ensure your transition is seamless.