Migrating from WooCommerce to Shopify or Shopify Plus

WooCommerce Vs Shopify: Should you switch?

Shopify and WooCommerce consistently rank among the most popular eCommerce platforms in the world.

WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin. So, if you built your website using WordPress, it probably seemed like the obvious option. WooCommerce has plenty of benefits; it’s flexible, customisable, and integrates seamlessly with WordPress. However, many brands find that as their business grows, what once felt like the perfect solution begins to feel like hard work.

If you’re constantly installing security patches, resolving plugin clashes, and trying to speed up slow-loading pages, it could be time to jump ship. Whether you’re looking for a slicker user experience, faster site speed, or better scalability, migrating to Shopify (or Shopify Plus) could be the fresh start you need.

In this article, we’ll explain why so many businesses are choosing to migrate to Shopify and provide tips for a seamless migration.

Why migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify?

With a huge number of plugins available and the ability to customise almost any aspect of your store, WooCommerce is one of the most flexible eCommerce platforms out there. However, this level of freedom does come at a cost: complexity.

WooCommerce is an open-source platform that relies on third-party hosting and add-ons for security, backups, and performance. As your online store grows and evolves, maintaining it can become complex and time-consuming.

Shopify, on the other hand, is an all-in-one hosted solution designed for ease of use and packed full of built-in features and apps to help you build a standout store.

Key benefits of switching to Shopify include:

• Faster site speed and mobile-optimised pages.
• Built-in security and SSL encryption.
• 24/7 customer support.
• A user-friendly interface.
• Built-in internationalisation tools.
• Over 8,000 Shopify-approved apps.

With a wide range of subscription plans available, Shopify is an attractive option for businesses at all stages of their journey, from small startups to large enterprises. If your business is scaling fast or is ready to sell internationally, Shopify Plus offers a whole host of advanced tools for supporting business growth and helping your business reach its goals.

Preparing to migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify

Migrating your website from one platform to another is complex and doesn’t come without its risks. A poorly planned migration can cause serious problems for your business, including data loss, downtime, performance issues, or a drop in SEO rankings. To ensure things run smoothly, the whole process must be meticulously planned.

Most brands mitigate risk by leaving the job to the experts. Here at Create8, our team of web developers has helped countless brands migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify seamlessly. To discuss your needs and learn more about our migration and custom Shopify development services, give us a call on 0161 820 9686.

Define the scope of your migration

No matter who’s handling your migration, the process should always begin with a solid plan.

Before you begin, take a step back and think about what you want to achieve by migrating to Shopify. Are you scaling up your business? Do you want to streamline your operations? 

Once you understand your goals, you can think about how you will achieve them. Does your store need a fresh new structure? Do you need to redesign the user experience (UX)?

Consider updating your branding and UX

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. However, if your branding or UX are starting to feel outdated or no longer reflects your brand, a platform switch is the perfect time to freshen them up. 

Audit your existing WooCommerce setup

Thoroughly record your existing WooCommerce store setup, including key features, custom code, apps, and workflows. Decide which of these things you want to replicate and which you want to change or improve. 

Backup data

Before you make any changes, create a secure backup of your entire WooCommerce site, including customer data, orders, product lists, and content. Then, if anything goes horribly wrong, you can always restore your backup!

Important factors to consider when migrating a website from WooCommerce to Shopify

Migrating an online store from one platform to another is a lot more complex than transferring a few files from one location to another. One of the biggest mistakes brands make is underestimating the impact migration can have on things like SEO rankings and customer experience. Transferring your website files is the easy bit! You must also plan how you’re going to protect your store’s performance, reputation, and customer experience during the process. Without a proper plan, you risk wiping out years of hard work!

Preserve your SEO rankings

If you’ve spent years climbing up the SERPs to finally reach page 1 on Google, don’t throw it all away with a poorly managed migration.

Before migrating to Shopify, use tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to benchmark your website’s current SEO performance. This will help you to track and maintain your store’s SEO performance post-migration.

Avoid big traffic drops by doing the following:

• Match URL structure where possible.
• Set up 301 redirects for every key URL.
• Transfer metadata, alt text, and schema.
• Monitor Google Search Console post-launch.

Migrate customer and order data smoothly

The most successful website migrations are those that customers don’t even notice! Carefully migrating all customer and order data can help preserve business continuity and ensure the process is as undisruptive as possible for customers.

Make sure you migrate all of the following:

• Customer details (passwords can’t be transferred).
• Order history.
• Products, variants, images, and collections.
• Page and blog content.

Tools like LitExtension and Cart2Cart can help automate much of this process.

Preserve reviews and loyalty programme data

Just like SEO, social proof can take years of hard work to build up. If you’ve got a bank of loyal customers and positive reviews, make sure they don’t get left behind when you migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify!

There are plenty of tools in the Shopify app store to help you migrate your existing social proof and get set up to win more.

Tools like Yotpo and Judge.me can help you transfer your existing product reviews to Shopify, while apps like Smile.io, LoyaltyLion, and Yotpo Loyalty can be used to rebuild a new and improved loyalty programme. You can usually transfer customer point balances manually using a CSV export.

Align your existing tools with Shopify apps

When migrating from WooCommerce, you’ll need to consider how you will replicate your store’s key tools and features within the Shopify platform. Research which Shopify apps are comparable to or better than the existing tools or plugins you’re currently using. This is a great opportunity to simplify your store’s tech stack and cut down on custom development where possible.

Popular Shopify apps and integrations include:

• Email: Klaviyo.
• Subscriptions: Recharge, Smartrr, Skio.
• Bundles: Bundle Builder, PickyStory.
• Popups: Klaviyo, Privy.
• Analytics: GA4, Meta Pixel, Hotjar.
• Shipping: ShipStation, native Shopify Shipping.
• CRM/Customer support: HubSpot, Horgias, Zendesk.

Manage subscription migrations with care

If your store offers customers a subscription service, it’s important to plan carefully to avoid any disruption to service and protect valuable recurring revenue and loyal customers.

Popular Shopify subscription apps include Recharge Subscriptions, Appstle, Seal Subscriptions, and Loop Subscriptions. 

Key steps for migrating your subscription service from WooCommerce to Shopify include:

• Export subscription data.
• Use apps like Recharge to migrate tokens securely.
• Rebuild subscription plans and products with your new app.
• Communicate clearly with subscribers if any action is needed.

Get set up for international selling

With built-in internationalisation tools, migrating to Shopify makes it easier and more streamlined for brands to sell to a global audience. Shopify Markets allows businesses to manage multiple countries or regions from one central dashboard – something that would likely require multiple third-party plugins on WooCommerce.

To get set up to sell globally, you will need to complete the following steps:

• Use Shopify Payments to enable multicurrency.
• Use Shopify Translate & Adapt or Weglot for multilingual content.
• Configure Shopify Markets to handle region-specific pricing, taxes, and duties.
• Add a language/currency selector to your storefront.

Your Shopify migration post-launch checklist

Hitting the button to launch your new website is an exciting milestone! But even with the best planning, things can go wrong, so you mustn’t take your eye off the ball!

After the migration is complete and you’ve launched your new Shopify store, you’ll need to carefully monitor and test your store to make sure everything is working correctly and performing at its best. 

Here’s your essential checklist for launch day and beyond! 

• Test your website across devices and browsers: Thoroughly test your website across all browsers and devices, including desktop, tablet, and mobile, to ensure that everything displays correctly. Test functionality by filling out and submitting forms and running through navigation and the checkout process.
• Verify redirects and 404s: Test all key URLs to ensure that they have been redirected successfully and there are no broken links. Use tools like Google Search Console and Screaming Frog to spot issues.
• Monitor GA4, Search Console, and conversions: Keep a close eye on Analytics during those early days to spot any issues quickly. Monitor metrics like traffic, bounce rates, and conversions and look for any unusual drops or spikes.
• Fix bugs quickly: Make sure you have support available to help fix any issues that arise quickly to reduce potential disruption for users.
• Collect user feedback and make improvements: Listen carefully to what your team and customers are saying about your new Shopify store. Real-world user insights are invaluable for guiding future improvements and optimising your store’s performance.

Partner with Create8 to seamlessly migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify

Given the importance and complexity of the job, most businesses are relieved to let the experts handle their website migration.

For help or advice with a WooCommerce to Shopify migration, get in touch with our team of  Shopify web designers and developers here at Create8. As a Shopify partner, we have the specialist knowledge and experience required to ensure a seamless transition from one platform to the other. Our team can also recommend the most suitable apps for replicating and enhancing your store’s existing features and functionality within Shopify.

For more information about our Shopify migration services or to request a quote on a project, give our team a call on 0161 820 9686.