How to Migrate from Magento to Shopify

Migrating your online store from one platform to another can be tricky as you need to make sure you won’t lose even a single piece of data. If you’re planning to transport your stuff from Magento to Shopify, keep on reading, because today we’ll walk you through the process of Magento to Shopify migration.

In this guide, we will show you how to make the Magento to Shopify switch step by step, as well as show you a checklist that we need to cover, and possible issues to avoid.

Article overview:

• What Data Can You Migrate? (And What Data You Cant)
• Three Ways to Migrate from Magento to Shopify
• Migration Step-by-Step Guide
• Magento to Shopify Migration PDF Checklist
• Potential Issues

What Data Can You Migrate From Magento To Shopify?

Before moving ahead, you should learn about what data you can transfer while migrating from Magento to Shopify.

✔️Data you can migrate to Shopify:

• Static Pages: This includes content from About us, Contact Us, Blog, and other CMS pages.
• Benefits: Discounts, sales, coupons.
• Products-related data: Product names, descriptions, status, prices, special prices, manufacturer, base images, product images, sizes, color variations, images in descriptions, variants, stock number, URL, meta title.
• Orders data: list of goods purchased, payment details, customer data IDs, order data, order statuses, order products, product prices, quantity, subtotal prices, discount prices, tax prices, shipping prices, total prices, order comments, customer names, billing and shipping address.
• Customer-related information: Customer names, phone numbers, email addresses, locations, etc.

❌ Data you CAN’T migrate to Shopify:

• Customer Passwords: You can migrate customer records, but not customer accounts. All passwords are kept encrypted and can’t be migrated.

 

There are three methods to migrate your store from Magento to Shopify: using automated tools, doing it manually, and hiring assistance. Depending on your experience, budget, and project complexity, each method has its strengths and weaknesses.

1. Automatic Migration via Shopify App

Using a Store app for automated migration is the easiest of the three methods. The Shopify App Store offers numerous automated migration tools to help you transfer data between various platforms.

✔️ Pros of Automatic Migration Tools:

• Less time-consuming: The process of transferring data is mostly automated, which will save you time.
• Less manual work: You will avoid a big part of the manual work.

While it can be fast and easy, there’s a downside to this process. You can export your data as CSV files and then import that information into Shopify. In addition, if you’re not satisfied with the data you migrated using the app, you can delete it and start all over again.

On the downside, even the best migration tools can’t transfer all your data and structure from the previous platform. Shopify will notify you about any risks that may emerge during the process, such as which products may fail to migrate. When this happens, you will still need to transfer the rest manually.

❌Cons of Using Automatic Migration Tools:

• Magento and Shopify have different extensions: The automatic migration is rarely done perfectly, so a potential new integration will require some skills.
• Apps are not equally customizable: Some of the customizations offered by Magento are different than the ones offered by Shopify.
• Security risks: Automated migrations hide security risks.

If you decide to migrate your online store with automatic migration tools, the most popular choices you will come across are Cart2Cart and LitExtension.

2. Manual Migration

Your next option for migrating data is to do it manually. In theory, you will just copy the data from the Source store and paste it onto the Target store. However, depending on how big is your store, this method may become very time-consuming. Additionally, you may also encounter unexpected errors during the process and if you’re not experienced, you might have a tough time resolving them.

For this method, attention to detail is crucial. Data exports and important are done in CSV format (or Excel format). We’d advise you to stick with CSV. Have a very, very close look at the CSV files and make sure they fully match the file formats on Shopify.

While customer and product data can be exported in CSV files, orders, vouchers, and other types of data will have to be copied and pasted. For anyone who has lots of data, it sounds like no fun. Manually entering data is an exhausting and time-consuming experience.

3. Hire a Shopify Expert

Magento to Shopify migration is a time-consuming process that involves coding and manipulation of codes and fixing bugs as well. This is why your third and most convenient option is to hire a Shopify expert who has all the tech skills and expertise needed to successfully migrate your store to Shopify.

 

 

A Magento to Shopify migration is a data-intensive procedure when moving the content of one platform over to another. Commonly, it’s recommended to employ an expert data migration partner to complete the process. By moving your data through an expert, you ensure that it will end up correctly migrated and provided with the proper formatting and configuration for your Shopify store.

Now let’s dive deeper and explore the steps you need to take in order to migrate your store smoothly.

Step 1: Prepare your Magento store for the migration

Before you do anything, make sure you back up your data. It’s best to play it safe and have a backup in case your data gets corrupted during the process.

🛡️ Create a backup of your Magento store

Go to your Magento store’s Admin Panel and click System. In the tools section, select Backups.

In the upper right corner, you will see three buttons, relating to three types of backups.

• System Backup enables you to fully back up your data.
• Database and Media Backup creates a backup for specific media folders and databases.
• Database Backup allows only database backup.

After you complete the backup, audit customer and product information. Select which data you need and which one you can avoid. Keep in mind that the more data you migrate, the more you pay.

📋 Perform Magento store data audit

Do this to create an accurate inventory of your Magento store data, such as product names, product details, etc. Decide what you want to keep, rewrite or delete.

 

Step 2: Prepare Your Shopify Store

Your next step is to install your Shopify Store and make it available online. This includes choosing a theme and installing all the features and apps you will need for your store.

🚀 Get your Shopify store online and ready

Shopify has a free trial, so when you install the platform, do not make any modifications. Use the free trial to get a feel for Shopify’s features and functionality. At this point, you can also create your account on the Shopify website and set up your store there.

🎨 Choose a theme

Once your registration is complete, you may have to select a theme. For convenience, start with something simple and avoid spending time on customization, since your website will be changed soon after.

Step 3: Download a Migration app

Once you’re prepared for the transition, you may need to download a migration app. Here are a few popular suggestions for importing your data that you can look through:

• Cart2Cart is one of the most popular solutions you can use to automatically migrate your online shop from one platform to another. It makes cart migration especially easy with live assistance with migration setup and technical support.
• LitExtension is also a great option for beginners and provides an option for an expert personal assistant, who will handle the entire migration process for you.
• Store Importer allows you to import product listings and other important information into your Shopify store in a matter of minutes.
• Ablestar Bulk Product Editor is a powerful app, ideal for big catalogs of products.
• Multichannel Importer is great for importing products from Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Wish, Aliexpress, Walmart, and Sync inventory & price to Shopify.

 

Step 4: Export the data from Magento

In order to execute the Magento to Shopify migration successfully, you should become acquainted with your database. Once you get used to the process, you will be able to manage large amounts of data more efficiently, and even if you decide to outsource some data operations, you will know how to stay in control the whole time.

Data export can be performed in the background, allowing you to continue using the Admin without having to wait for it to complete. When the task is complete, a message will be displayed.

Export steps:

1. Go to System -> Data Transfer -> Export.
2.  You will see the Export Settings section. You can set the Entity Type to one of the following: Products, Customers Main File, Customer Address
3. Select the default Export File Format. You can choose between CSV and XML. The good news is both LitExtension and Cart2Cart support CSV and XML.

When you’re ready, scroll down and hit Continue. You will find all your exported data files in this folder:

<Magento-root-directory>/var/export

Step 5: Import your data to Shopify

Once your data is collected, it’s time to import it to your Shopify store. The maximum file size is 20MB.

1. Go to Shopify’s Admin panel and then click on Apps -> Import Store
2. Pick Other from the drop-down list.
3. Under “Upload Files” you have to select “Add File” and select the CSV files you’ve exported.
4. Click “Continue Import“, then “Import“

You go through the same procedure when you need to import products or customers separately.

• Importing products separately: Click “Products/ All Products” in your Shopify Admin panel, then click “Import” to add your CSV file (up to 15 MB). Hit Upload File to complete.
• Importing customers separately: Click “Customers” in your Shopify Admin panel, then click “Import Customers” to add your CSV file. Hit Import Customers to complete.

Just keep in mind to import your data in this specific order:

• Products
• Customers
• Historical Data

This particular order ensures that migrated orders are linked to the respective products and customers.

Step 6: Review the imported data

Before you complete your import, it’s always a good idea to check for errors or missing data. Several problems you can come across when you migrate from Magento to Shopify.

In case some of your products or customers failed to import, you can add these particular entries manually from “Products/ All Products” or “Customers” in your Shopify Admin panel. Here’s what to look out for:

• Some entries couldn’t be imported: You can add them manually from “Products/ All Products” or “Customers” in your Shopify Admin panel.
• Issues with bundles: You can import these products manually.
• Historical orders: Your previous orders will be archived.
• Product variants failed to import: You will need to add the missing variants to your products manually.
• Your products are imported but they have no dimensions: You can add the dimensions manually to the product descriptions:
• Your products are imported successfully but aren’t published: Keep in mind that all your products in Magento that you’ve set to hidden will not be published in Shopify. In order to fix this, simply change these products’ availability in Shopify. If you’re selling digital products, however, you’ll need a dedicated Shopify app.

Step 7: Time for customizations

From here on, it becomes easier. Shopify allows you to use free and paid themes, as well as many other customizations. From payment options to variations, Shopify gives you the freedom to do whatever you want. Of course, it would be best for you to stick with the best practices, as you’d like to generate even more sales.

 

Below, you can find the full checklist for the migration steps.

• Back up your Magento Data
• Create a Shopify store
• Download a migration app
• Install the application
  Export the data from Magento
• Import Magento data to Shopify
• Review the database
• Make corrections
• Organize the database
• Fix your website
• Customize your design
• Connect all of your API and Services Integrations
• Place some Test Orders
• Check Email Responses
• Audit your on-page SEO (URLs, 301 Redirects, etc.)

Download Magento to Shopify Checklist PDF

 

As with each software data exchange, if you migrate Magento to Shopify, you might encounter the following potential issues.

Potential data corruption

Shopify allows you to extend its core data structure through “tags” or “meta fields.” The flexibility this grants can prove a boon when you compare it to how structured Magento is at managing data. To prevent issues when it comes to manipulating and updating product and customer data, it’s important to clearly map where you want to migrate and store each value. Shopping preferences, for example, need to be mapped.

Losing customers’ passwords

While Shopify will capture the first name/surname, email address, phone number, email marketing status, address, tax settings, and tags, it will not retain the password. Passwords are a sensitive topic, as they are extremely hard to migrate. While it is still possible to do, asking your clients to reset their password is a much better option.

Data Loss

When huge amounts of data are being transferred, there’s a chance that some of it will be lost. However, data loss doesn’t have to ruin the entire migration process, as this can be restored from backup files. If they’re not, then it’s time to look at other ways to recover your missing data and get back to the process at hand. That is why backing up your Magento data comes as a top priority.

Orchestration issues

Orchestration risk can become a major issue in data migration. The difficulty of migrations is compounded by the dependencies between business objects, and it is important that you perform the migration process in the right order to avoid interruptions. This is why in many cases businesses turn to a Magento to Shopify migration service provider.

 

Conclusion

Data migrations hide some risks which you should address from the early stages.  If you wish to migrate your online store from Magento to Shopify and prefer to avoid the mentioned issues, why not trust an experienced partner with years of successful migration projects behind them.

If you have any questions about Shopify, feel free to book a call with our Shopify experts for a free consultation and further discuss your needs. We’ll be happy to chat with you and help in selecting a solution that is perfect for your needs.

You may also be interested in some of these related articles:

• Benefits of Becoming a Shopify Plus Partner
• Building a Custom Shopify Theme from Scratch vs Modifying a Pre-Made One
• Shopify Review: Why Choosing Shopify And Why Not