Moving a site from one platform to another is always a pain.
The good news is that WordPress and Shopify are both quite user friendly.
That makes things a bit easier, especially if you know how to migrate from wordpress to Shopify with a minimum of hassle.
And that is exactly what we are going to show you below, in our simple step-by-step guide.
Contents
- 1 How To Migrate From WordPress To Shopify
- 1.1 Step 1: Prepare The WordPress Data
- 1.2 Step 2: Select A Shopify Plan And Set Up Your Shopify Account
- 1.3 Step 3: Switch Domain
- 1.4 Step 4: Choose A Method Of Migration
- 1.5 Step 5: Automated Migration Using LitExtension
- 1.6 Step 6: Complete The Shopify Store Set-Up
- 1.7 Step 7: Test, Test, Test
- 1.8 Step 8: Launch The Shopify Site
- 1.9 Step 9: Update The Site Regularly
- 2 How To Move A WordPress Site To Shopify: Final Thoughts
How To Migrate From WordPress To Shopify
Follow the steps below to migrate your site from WordPress to Shopify. If you have been using WooCommerce on Shopify, we also have a guide specifically on how to migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify.
Step 1: Prepare The WordPress Data
Before migrating your e-commerce store from WordPress to Shopify, you must back up all your WordPress data. Primarily, this means your products, customers, order history, and other details. This is essential, in case you lose data or make mistakes during the migration process.
You can easily do a WordPress backup using plugins like UpDraftPlus or Duplicator. UpDraftPlus offers more advanced migration features than Duplicator. The latter also requires that merchants have some technical knowledge about migrations.
Alternatively, you can use plugins like WooCommerce Product CSV Import Suite or WordPress All Export to create CSV or XML files of your WordPress data. Once downloaded, check your data, delete duplicates, and fix errors, if any. This will make the migration process go a lot smoother.
Another pre-migration task to perform is to move custom collections generated in the WordPress categories to Shopify. You need to do this manually.
Step 2: Select A Shopify Plan And Set Up Your Shopify Account
Shopify has different plans for different budgets: basic, advanced, Shopify Plus, etc. These plans vary in subscription fees and you can choose a plan according to your budget and business goals.
The advanced plans offer advanced professional reports and Shopify automation. Higher plans also offer lower fees for credit card processing for each order you receive.
Once you have selected your plan, set up your Shopify store with an email address, password, etc. Select a unique name and theme for your store.
Step 3: Switch Domain
If needed, purchase a domain name or use your existing domain name. If buying the domain name, Shopify will suggest possible domains. If you want to use the existing domain name, you can link it to the newly created Shopify store.
- In the Shopify panel, click Online Store -> Domains -> Transfer Domains.
- Enter the domain and click next
- Click Verify Domain and you will get the message ‘domain unlocked’.
- You need to enter a verification code. Click next.
- Buy and Transfer.
Step 4: Choose A Method Of Migration
There are three different ways of migrating from WordPress to Shopify.
- Manual Migration: Use a plugin/application like EZImporter on WordPress (or Excelify) on the Shopify store and import the CSV/XML files to your Shopify Store. The manual method may take longer but it also offers greater control over the migration process.
- Using an application: In this method, you use a third-party application like Cart2Cart or LitExtension to easily migrate all your WordPress data to Shopify.
- Hiring a professional: Shopify has professionals (or you could enlist any other company) to handle the migration for you.
Step 5: Automated Migration Using LitExtension
Many third-party apps offer seamless end-to-end migration from WordPress to Shopify. In this step, we give you the process of migration using LitExtension.
LitExtension has a lot of great reviews and most merchants found it easy to transition to Shopify from WordPress using this app. It is the app I recommend, too.
- On the LitExtension site, sign up for a new account. This app offers you the option to sign in using Facebook, Google, etc.
- Once you have signed in, select the Create Migration tab.
- In the dropdown, choose WordPress in the Source box.
- LitExtension will download a le_connector file in your root folder. This connector is unique to each migration and creates a bridge between your source and target carts.
- In the Target box, choose Shopify. You have to provide the URL and API Password.
- To get the API password for your migration to Shopify, log in to your Shopify account, navigate to the Apps section, and select Manage Private Apps. Then, create a new private app and generate an API password.
- Fill in all other necessary details, then Configure Migration.
- Before the migration, LitExtension will ask you which entities you want to migrate. Options included are products, taxes, reviews, manufacturers, categories, pages, and coupons. There is also a customer check box with other sub-categories like orders. Tick the boxes applicable to your migration.
- This will bring you to the Advanced Options page. This includes options like clearing data on the target store before migration, creating 301 redirects, etc. Some of these options cost additional money.
- Check the language and order status mapping sections and make changes as needed.
- You can choose the demo migration or opt for full migration.
- The system will complete the migration in the background so you can perform other tasks or even choose to keep the computer inactive
Once the migration is complete, the app will give you a message ‘Migration Completed’.
Step 6: Complete The Shopify Store Set-Up
Once the data transfer is completed, head over to Shopify and review the store. You can add themes (free, paid or custom-made ones) and make the store complement your brand and design.
You can add extra features and reviews using Shopify store apps. For example, a product reviews app will help you migrate the reviews from your WordPress to Shopify.
You also need to set up shipping, shipping zones, taxes, store policies, payments, etc. Add rich snippets to your Shopify store to generate a higher CTR.
Step 7: Test, Test, Test
Test your Shopify website thoroughly before launching it. Set up some test orders to see if a sales cycle occurs smoothly. Check all the links.
For example, product category URLs will differ once you migrate to Shopify. You need to create redirects to these so search engines can index them.
Make sure the redirects work properly and your website is found in Google. Use Shopify’s tools like Online Store Speed Report and Google Analytics to ensure the website pages load quickly.
Step 8: Launch The Shopify Site
Once you are satisfied, you can launch the site by changing DNS settings and pointing the earlier domain to the new Shopify domain.
Make sure you inform all stakeholders through email and social media posts (and other marketing channels) of the new domain.
Post-launch, continue monitoring it to ensure SEO redirects, traffic, conversions, and SERP rankings. You can also incorporate customer feedback and use AI insights for successful migration.
Step 9: Update The Site Regularly
Once the migration from WordPress to Shopify is successful, you should continue updating your Shopify store regularly. Keep the site fresh by adding new images and SEO-friendly content.
Do your keyword research to ensure customers find your shop on Google. Check reviews to find out whether customers are happy with the products and the site’s features. Review analytic reports and check reviews to see what your buyers expect from your site.
How To Move A WordPress Site To Shopify: Final Thoughts
Now that you know how to migrate from WordPress to Shopify, you will hopefully be able to complete the move quickly and with as little hassle as possible. There will always be some hiccups and little issues, but if you follow the steps above, things should go as smoothly as possible.
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