Ready to Make the Move from Magento to Shopify? Here’s What You Need to Know
It seems like everyone these days is jumping ship on Magento and heading over to Shopify. For those who have the time and resources to invest in custom development, Magento offers businesses a feature-rich and powerful ecommerce platform; however, it simply cannot match the simplicity of Shopify’s user-friendly out-of-the-box design tools and built-in functionality.
If your ecommerce site is joining the likes of Gymshark, Jones Soda, and the BBC, you can breathe a sigh of relief. Deciding to move your ecommerce site from Magento to Shopify was the hardest part; the actual migration doesn’t have to be painful – provided you take the necessary steps to prepare.
So, sit back, relax, and take in these tips on how to make your migration run as smoothly as possible.
Before You Migrate
The key to a smooth migration from Magento to Shopify is preparation; before diving in headfirst, make sure you have a plan.
Start by taking an inventory of all your current Magento apps and extensions and how they impact the functionality of your existing ecommerce site. Some Magento extensions will also work with Shopify, but there may be gaps to fill post-migration. There’s no need to panic; Shopify offers thousands of apps to extend the functionality of your ecommerce site, so moving could present the perfect opportunity to upgrade your technology stack.
Next, you can create your Shopify account and pick your plan. Unlike Magento Open Source, which is free, Shopify users need to choose a monthly pricing plan. Costs range from $29/month for a basic plan up to $2,000 for enterprise-level Shopify Plus.
Shopify Plans:
o Shopify Lite ($9/month)
o Basic Shopify ($29/month)
o Shopify ($79/month)
o Advanced Shopify ($299/month)
o Shopify Plus ($2,000/month)
Not sure which plan is right for you? Shopify allows you to try out the platform free for 14 days before you decide.
The last thing to do before the big move? Make sure to create a backup of your Magento site and data!
Your Magento to Shopify Checklist
Now that you are ready to move over to Shopify, here is a Magento to Shopify migration checklist:
o Complete your initial Shopify setup and configure your admin settings
o Import your content and data to Shopify
o Make sure all your products arrived and that details, meta descriptions, and images are correct
o The fun part! Design your website using one of the thousands of paid or free themes
o Set up your domain
o Take care of business. Configure shipping, payments, taxes, etc.
o Organize your checkout process
o Integrate your 3PL and other services
o Connect to your socials
o Set up URL redirects
o Test everything!
o Share the news with all your customers by inviting them to come check out your new shop
Migration Challenges to Consider
Anything happening under the hood of your website has the potential to create headaches, and migrating over to an entirely new platform is no exception.
There are many factors to consider and as no two migrations are the same, knowing exactly what issues could pop up with your migration is almost impossible. However, some of the most common migration challenges include:
o Transitioning order histories from the old site to the new platform
o Migrating customer data and passwords (hint: most times, users will have to create new passwords)
o Maintaining your business’ SEO and organic search performance
o Dealing with order statuses
o Missing product data, particularly for large catalogues with thousands of SKUs or variants
Managing these details may sound like a lot of work, but a little advanced planning can mitigate or eliminate most of these potential problems.
Know When It’s Time to Get Help from the Pros
There are three ways to migrate from Magento to Shopify:
o Manually (literally copy paste from your old site)
o Using a migration app (available on the Shopify App Store)
o Hiring a professional to do it for you
In terms of cost, manually importing all your data is the cheapest way to migrate from Magento to Shopify. However, what you are saving in spend you’ll probably make up for in frustration. The same goes for migration apps; unless you have the time and experience to ensure a smooth migration, it may be best to outsource to a professional agency.
A web agency can help you with specific tasks, like data and product migration, or they can manage the entire process for you from start to finish. Whatever option you choose, working with an agency is the best way to ensure a smooth Magento to Shopify migration.
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