Fed up with self-hosting, complicated technical settings, and running your e-store with WooCommerce? It’s a sign you should migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify– a much more beginner-friendly eCommerce platform that lets you launch and run a fully operational web store in days, not months.
In this article, we’ll guide you through all you need to know on WooCommerce to Shopify migration:
- WooCommerce vs. Shopify: Why move to Shopify?
- Methods to migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify
- What to prepare for WooCommerce to Shopify migration?
- How to migrate from WooCommere to Shopify automatically?
- 5 tips for setting up your store after migration
Let’s dive right in!
WordPress WooCommerce vs. Shopify: Why Move To Shopify?
Before we show you the migration guide, let’s explore the main difference between Shopify and WooCommerce, and figure out why many merchants wish to migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify.
What is WooCommerce?
WooCommerce is an eCommerce plug-in built for WordPress websites. Once you install the plugin to WordPress, you can enable eCommerce features for your site.
As an open-source platform, WooCommerce is well-reputed for its advanced customizations that other platforms can hardly come close to.
BigCommerce is a powerful open-source eCommerce plug-in for WordPress
What is Shopify?
Meanwhile, Shopify is a hosted eCommerce platform. This means you don’t have to take care of hosting your website on your own. Instead, you pay Shopify a monthly subscription fee ($39-$399) to host your store on Shopify’s server.
So when comparing Shopify vs. WooCommerce pricing, the former’s costs and fees are more predictable.
If WooCommerce is famous for its great flexibility and advanced configurations, Shopify is loved by millions of merchants for its ease of use.
The biggest difference between WooCommerce and Shopify is that Shopify is a hosted platform
Is it worth switching from WooCommerce to Shopify?
Between Shopify and WooCommerce, Shopify is preferred by merchants for several reasons. As far as we are concerned, here are four aspects where Shopify gains an edge over WooCommerce:
- Ease of use: Shopify offers an intuitive interface and streamlined setup process, empowering you to create and manage your online store without the sweating part.
- Stress-free hosting and security: With Shopify, you don’t need to worry about finding hosting or dealing with security measures. Shopify handles hosting and backups and provides SSL certificates, ensuring a secure shopping experience for your customers.
- Fantastic customer support: Shopify offers 24/7 live chat support, allowing you to find support ASAP whenever you need it.
- Mobile responsiveness: Shopify themes are mobile-friendly by default, optimizing your store for mobile users. So that, your website will look great and function smoothly across different devices.
Methods To Migrate From WooCommerce to Shopify
Wondering how to migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify? Well, as far as we are concerned, there are three main methods:
1. Migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify manually
The first way to migrate WooCommerce to Shopify is by exporting data from your WooCommerce store and then importing it to your Shopify store.
When migrating from WooCommerce to Shopify manually, the process involves transferring your store’s data, settings, and configurations by yourself, without the assistance of automated tools.
Though this method gives you full control over the whole migration process and doesn’t cost you a cent, it’s highly prone to human error.
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2. Hire an expert
Besides manually migrating from WordPress to Shopify, you can hire a certified expert to do the hard work.
Though an experienced professional can handle the migration process efficiently, ensuring a smooth transition and minimizing potential risks, the cost involved in outsourcing is pricey.
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3. Outsource WooCommerce to Shopify migration service
Lastly, you can migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify using services that provide automatic migration software. Take the migration service by LitExtension, for instance, all you have to do is provide essential credentials for your WooCommerce and Shopify stores.
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From our experience, this method is of the best value for your money as you don’t need to struggle with manual migration or the excruciating costs of hiring experts.
Thus, in this guide, we will show you how to migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify using LitExtension’s migration service.
What To Prepare For WooCommerce to Shopify Migration?
Back up WooCommerce store’s data
Before moving from WooCommerce to Shopify, you must back up your WooCommerce store data first. This will greatly help if you accidentally mess up your data during the migration process.
You can choose to export your store data under CSV files.
Export WooCommerce products under CSV files
Create a new Shopify web store
The next thing you should do before starting to transfer WooCommerce to Shopify is set up your new e-commerce store with Shopify.
First, you’ll need to sign up for a Shopify plan and finish the sign-up process by answering a series of questions related to your online business.
How To Migrate From WooCommerce to Shopify Automatically?
Now that you’ve backed up your WooCommerce store and set up a new Shopify store, let’s learn how to switch from WooCommerce to Shopify using LitExtension’s migration service.
Step 1. Set up your Source and Target Cart
After signing up for a LitExtension account, the first step in migrating WooCommerce to Shopify is to choose WooCommerce as the Source Cart from the provided drop-down menu. Then, input your store URL as instructed.
Choose WooCommerce as your source cart
Next, follow the given guidelines to download the “le_connector” file. Simply speaking, this connector serves as a connection between your WooCommerce database and the LitExtension App.
Unzip the downloaded file and upload the Connector folder to the root directory of your WooCommerce installation on the server. Once this process is complete, the notification “Connection was successfully installed” will appear on your screen.
Moving forward, proceed with the setup for the Target Cart. After selecting Shopify as the Target Cart from the menu, fill in the respective fields with your store URL and the API password.
Choose Shopify as your target cart
Step 2. Select the data you want to migrate
The next step in switching from WooCommerce to Shopify is to select the data you want to migrate.
LitExtension offers to transfer an epic variety of data, including products, customers, pages, blog posts, and coupons. You can choose specific entities for migration, such as importing only products from WooCommerce to Shopify, or you can simply click “Select all” to migrate them all.
Choose the data you want to migrate
To enhance the possibilities of your WooCommerce to Shopify migration, LitExtension also provides additional options, which include:
- Clearing current data on the Target Store before migration
By opting for this option, any existing data on your Target Store will be deleted before the migration process. This helps prevent data duplication risk when transferring from WooCommerce to Shopify.
- Creating 301 redirects on Target Store after migration
With this option, you can redirect URLs from one site to another. When your customers click on links from your old WooCommerce website, they will be immediately redirected to the corresponding pages on your new Shopify store.
Additional data fields for WooCommerce to Shopify migration
Remember to properly map your order status and language to ensure your data is displayed correctly on your Shopify source store.
Don’t forget to map your language and order status
Step 3. Migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify
The final step in migrating from WooCommerce to Shopify is simple. As you make the switch from WooCommerce to Shopify, we strongly recommend conducting a demo migration with LitExtension to observe how the migration process works.
Alternatively, you can bypass the demo migration and proceed directly with the full migration.
Once the migration begins, it will smoothly progress on the server. So you won’t have to keep your PC running throughout the data transfer.
Active the WooCommerce to Shopify migration
Upon completion of the WooCommerce to Shopify migration process, you will receive an email notification as shown:
Successful WooCommerce to Shopify migration
| 🤔 Why choose LitExtension to migrate your store?
What makes LitExtension’s migration service stand out is that it offers the so-called All-In-One Data Migration. Meaning? You’ll get a free 1-on-1 consult and guide from a human assistant– who ensures every minor aspect of your migration clicks into place. Plus, their migration policy is great as well. You’ll get a 3-month migration assurance and a 30-day money-back guarantee. |
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5 Tips to Set Up Your Shopify Store After Migration
Congratulations on successfully migrating from WooCommerce to Shopify! Now that you’ve migrated from WooCommerce to Shopify, here are five effective tips to set up your Shopify store for success.
1. Customize your Shopify theme
Choose a visually appealing and functional theme that aligns with your brand identity and has the features you need (mega menu, language switcher, etc.).
You can then customize and personalize the chosen theme by adding your logo, customizing colors, selecting fonts, etc.
Customize the Shopify theme with Shopify’s drag-and-drop editor
2. Review your product data
Since your product pages can be a deal maker or breaker, review and optimize your product listings to ensure your products have proper descriptions, high-quality images, and accurate pricing information.
Review your product data after migration
3. Configure payment
At this stage, you need to set up payment gateways such as PayPal, Stripe, or Shopify Payments.
If you are valid, we highly recommend you set up Shopify Payments as your payment gateway. This will allow you to tap into Shop Pay– an accelerated checkout and BNPL solution only indigenous to Shopify Payments users.
Plus, you can save big cash on additional transaction fees (for not using Shopify Payments).
Set up Shopify Payments
4. Install essential apps
Don’t forget to enhance the functionality of your store by installing useful apps from the Shopify App Store. Consider adding apps for customer reviews, social media integration, email marketing, and SEO optimization to maximize your store’s potential.
The extensive Shopify App Store – a home of over 8,000 robust apps
5. Test and optimize your store
And lastly, remember to have thorough testing to ensure everything is functioning correctly, including product pages, cart functionality, and payment processing.
You should continuously monitor and analyze your store’s performance using Shopify’s built-in analytics or third-party tools.
WooCommerce to Shopify – FAQs
Should I move from WooCommerce to Shopify?
If you’re looking for a more user-friendly e-commerce platform with extensive support and a wider range of built-in sales and marketing features, migrating from WooCommerce to Shopify could be a great choice.
Can I transfer from WooCommerce to Shopify?
Yes, you can absolutely transfer from WooCommerce to Shopify manually, hire an expert or use migration services.
How do I import products from WooCommerce to Shopify?
You can export your WooCommerce products under CSV files and import them all to your Shopify store.
However, if you have a sophisticated product catalog, manual WooCommerce to Shopify product import is prone to error. In that case, you should use LitExtension’s migration service for a risk-free and error-free migration experience.
How do I transfer my domain from WooCommerce to Shopify?
To transfer your domain from WooCommerce to Shopify, you’ll need to follow the domain transfer process provided by Shopify. This typically involves updating your domain settings and DNS records to point to your new Shopify store.
How do I migrate from WordPress to Shopify?
To migrate from WordPress, including WooCommerce, to Shopify, you’ll need to export your WordPress content, such as product data, blog posts, and pages.
Or else, you can simplify the process by handing all the projects to some cart migration service like LitExtension.
Final Thoughts
When you move to Shopify, you access robust and advanced eCommerce features, a user-friendly interface, and a thriving ecosystem of Shopify apps. And if you have a big store containing important data you can’t afford to lose, you should use a migration service, particularly the WooCommerce to Shopify service of LitExtension.
