Every WooCommerce store owner hits that moment:
“Did I really sign up to manage 27 plugins, fix server issues, and decode error logs… or did I want to run a business?”
Shopify hears you — and it’s here with fewer updates, fewer headaches, and more sales.
This guide will walk you through the cleanest Woocommerce to Shopify migration steps.
Why Businesses Move from WooCommerce to Shopify
WooCommerce is powerful — but only if you have time and technical skills. As your business grows, you may face:
- Too many plugins to manage
- Slow speed and performance issues
- Complex troubleshooting
- Higher hidden costs (hosting, security, backups, paid plugins)
Shopify solves these problems by offering:
- All features under one system
- Built-in security, hosting, and backups
- 24/7 support
- Scalability from small stores to enterprise brands
If you want a smoother workflow and a platform that grows with you, Shopify is the better long-term option.
What Should You Do Before Migrating from WooCommerce to Shopify?
Before you begin moving your WooCommerce store to Shopify, a little preparation goes a long way. These steps help you avoid broken links, missing data, and unnecessary downtime.
1. Back up everything — not just products
Create a complete backup of:
- Products & variants
- Orders (including status history)
- Customers & account details
- Coupons, reviews, tags
- Pages, blog posts, menus
- Media library (product images, banners, PDFs)
This ensures you can restore anything if something goes wrong.
2. Audit your store to clean up clutter
Migration moves everything — even the mess. Review:
- Outdated or duplicate products
- Incorrect categories or unused tags
- Old price/sale schedules
- Broken images or missing product photos
- Draft pages or posts that don’t need to move
Clean store → Faster migration → Better Shopify setup.
3. List down everything that must move
This gives you a clear scope and avoids surprises.
Examples:
- Do you need to migrate gift cards?
- Should old customer accounts be moved?
- Are old blog posts necessary?
- Which coupons should remain active?
Document it so nothing gets missed.
4. Decide your Shopify plan & required apps
Before migrating, confirm:
- Which Shopify plan fits your current traffic/orders
- Apps required for shipping, SEO, reviews, subscriptions, etc.
- Any third-party app alternatives for WooCommerce plugins
- Whether custom features need custom development
This saves time after migration.
5. Prepare your customers (optional but smart)
A simple announcement helps avoid confusion:
- Notify them about temporary maintenance (if any)
- Inform them that accounts may need reactivation
- Share expected migration timeline
This builds trust and reduces support requests.
How to Migrate Your Store from WooCommerce to Shopify
Migrating your store from WooCommerce to Shopify can feel overwhelming—but it doesn’t have to be. Whether you have a small or large store, following this step-by-step guide will make the process simple and error-free.
You can migrate your store in three ways:
- Manual Migration: Best for small stores with limited products, orders, and customers. You handle CSV files, data mapping, and imports yourself. Requires technical knowledge and carries a risk of errors.
- Migration Apps: Ideal for medium to large stores. Tools like LitExtension, Cart2Cart, or Matrixify automate most of the process. Faster than manual migration but may have limitations, such as incomplete data transfer, template issues, or extra costs for large stores.
- Professional Expert Services:The safest and most reliable option for any store size. Experts manage full data migration, SEO & URL redirects, theme setup, app integration, and testing, ensuring a smooth transition with zero downtime and accurate results. This type of website migration service is ideal for businesses that want accuracy and peace of mind.
| Migration Method | Pros | Cons | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual Migration | Full control over every detail | Time-consuming and requires technical skills | Small stores or users comfortable with data handling |
| Third-Party Apps | Fast, automated, minimizes errors | Can incur additional costs; may not transfer custom data perfectly | Medium to large stores seeking efficiency |
| Professional Service | Expert handling, minimal downtime, SEO preservation | Higher cost | Stores with complex needs or migration priority on accuracy and speed |
How to Manually Migrate Your Store from WooCommerce to Shopify
Step 1: Create Your Shopify Store
- Go to Shopify and click Start Free Trial.
- Enter your email, password, store name, country, and currency.
- Click Create Your Store Now to reach the Shopify admin dashboard.
Tip: Your store is now ready to receive products, customers, and orders.
Step 2: Export Data from WooCommerce
You need to export your data from WooCommerce before importing it into Shopify.
Export Products
- Log in to your WordPress admin panel.
- Go to Products > All Products.
- Select the products you want to export.
- Click Export and save as a CSV file.
Export Customers
- Go to Customers > All Customers.
- Select the customers you want to export.
- Click Export and save as a CSV file.
Export Orders
- Go to Orders in WooCommerce.
- Select orders you want to export.
- Click Export and save the CSV file.
Tip: Skip this step if you are using a migration app.
Step 3: Import Data into Shopify
Now it’s time to bring your WooCommerce data into Shopify.
Import Products
- In Shopify admin, go to Products > Import.
- Click Choose File and select your WooCommerce CSV file.
- Click Upload.
Import Customers
- Go to Customers > Import Customers.
- Upload your CSV file and click Import Customers.
Import Orders
- For orders, you may need a Shopify app like LitExtension or Matrixify to import order history smoothly.
Tip: Ensure your CSV files match Shopify’s format for error-free import.
Step 4: Install Essential Shopify Apps
Shopify apps can improve your store’s functionality.
- Go to Shopify Admin > Apps.
- Search for apps your store needs (e.g., reviews, marketing, inventory).
- Click Install to add them to your store.
Step 5: Connect Your Domain
To transfer your existing WooCommerce domain to Shopify:
- Log in to your domain provider and open DNS Settings.
- Update the CNAME record to shops.myshopify.com.
- Update the A record to Shopify’s IP address.
- In Shopify, go to Settings > Domains > Connect existing domain.
- Verify the connection and set it as your primary domain.
Tip: Domain changes may take up to 48 hours.
Step 6: Set Up URL Redirects
To maintain SEO and prevent broken links, redirect your old WooCommerce URLs to Shopify.
- Go to Online Store > Navigation > URL Redirects > Create URL Redirect.
- Enter the old WooCommerce URL in From.
- Enter the new Shopify URL in To.
- Click Save Redirect.
- Repeat for all important pages.
- Test by entering old URLs in a browser to confirm the redirect works.
Step 7: Configure Payments and Shipping
Payments
- Go to Settings > Payments.
- Choose your payment methods (e.g., credit card, PayPal) and follow setup instructions.
Shipping
- Go to Settings > Shipping and Delivery.
- Configure your shipping zones, rates, and options.
Tip: Make sure taxes are calculated correctly for your region.
Step 8: Add Analytics and Search Console
- Set up Google Analytics to track your Shopify store’s performance.
- Add Google Search Console to monitor indexing, SEO issues, and site visibility.
Step 9: Send Customer Account Invites
- In Shopify admin, go to Customers.
- Select customers and click Send Account Invite.
- Add a custom message if desired and send invites.
Tip: This helps customers log in and continue shopping on your new store.
Step 10: Review and Test Your Store
Before going live, make sure everything works:
- Place a test order.
- Check product listings, checkout, and payment methods.
- Confirm shipping and tax calculations.
- Test website speed and performance.
Tip: Activate Shopify Payment Test Mode via Settings > Payments > Manage Payments for safe testing.
Step 11: Optional – Use a Migration App
For larger stores, professional migration apps like LitExtension or Matrixify automate the process. They handle:
- CSV formatting
- Importing products, customers, orders
- Preserving SEO
- Reducing migration errors
This ensures a fast and hassle-free migration.
How to Migrate WooCommerce to Shopify Using Third-Party Apps
If you want a fast and error-free migration from WooCommerce to Shopify, using a migration app is the easiest approach. While it may cost a little, it saves hours of manual work and ensures your store data transfers correctly.
Some popular apps for migration include:
- LitExtension – Free for stores with fewer than 100 products.
- Matrixify (Excelify) – Paid plans are affordable and ideal for larger stores.
- Cart2Cart – Fully automated, handles all entities, paid service.
With a migration app, you can move:
- Products
- Customers
- Orders
- Discounts & Coupons
- Redirects
- Collections
Note: The process differs depending on the app you choose. We will cover Matrixify, Cart2Cart, and LitExtension separately so users can follow the exact method for their chosen tool. |
1. Matrixify (Excelify) Migration
Best for: Large stores with lots of products, orders, and complex data.
Steps:
- Generate WooCommerce API credentials
- WooCommerce Admin → WooCommerce > Settings > Advanced > REST API → Add Key → Set description, user, and Read permissions → Generate Key.
- WooCommerce Admin → WooCommerce > Settings > Advanced > REST API → Add Key → Set description, user, and Read permissions → Generate Key.
- Construct WooCommerce API URL
- Format: https://<Consumer Key>:<Consumer Secret>@<store-domain>
- Optional filters: ?only=products,customers,orders
- Format: https://<Consumer Key>:<Consumer Secret>@<store-domain>
- Upload URL to Matrixify
- Shopify Admin → Matrixify → Import → Paste URL → Upload from URL → Dry Run (optional).
- Shopify Admin → Matrixify → Import → Paste URL → Upload from URL → Dry Run (optional).
- Download & Review Import Data
- Unzip files → Check Excel file and images → Clean or remove unwanted data.
- Unzip files → Check Excel file and images → Clean or remove unwanted data.
- Upload Images to Shopify
- Shopify Admin → Content → Files → Upload all images.
- Shopify Admin → Content → Files → Upload all images.
- Review & Adjust Excel Data
- Verify Products, Collections, Redirects, Customers, Orders, Discounts.
- Verify Products, Collections, Redirects, Customers, Orders, Discounts.
- Disable Staff Order Notifications
- Shopify Admin → Settings → Notifications → Turn off Staff Order Notifications.
- Shopify Admin → Settings → Notifications → Turn off Staff Order Notifications.
- Import Final Excel File
- Matrixify → Import → Upload final cleaned Excel → Click Import.
- Matrixify → Import → Upload final cleaned Excel → Click Import.
- Verify Store
Check products, collections, customers, orders, discounts, and redirects.
2. Cart2Cart Migration
Best for: Fully automated migration, works for stores of any size.
Steps:
- Sign Up and Select Stores
- Go to Cart2Cart website → Connect WooCommerce store → Connect Shopify store.
- Go to Cart2Cart website → Connect WooCommerce store → Connect Shopify store.
- Choose Entities to Migrate
- Products, Customers, Orders, Discounts, Categories, SEO URLs, 301 Redirects.
- Products, Customers, Orders, Discounts, Categories, SEO URLs, 301 Redirects.
- Configure Additional Options
- Preserve passwords, migrate SEO URLs, and migrate images.
- Preserve passwords, migrate SEO URLs, and migrate images.
- Run Free Demo Migration
- Transfers a small number of products/orders → Verify results on Shopify.
- Transfers a small number of products/orders → Verify results on Shopify.
- Run Full Migration
- Start full migration → Cart2Cart handles everything automatically.
- Start full migration → Cart2Cart handles everything automatically.
- Verify Shopify Store
- Check products, orders, customers, discounts, redirects, and images.
- Check products, orders, customers, discounts, redirects, and images.
Cart2Cart handles images, redirects, and data conversion automatically—no Excel or manual upload required.
3. LitExtension Migration
Best for: Small stores (<100 products), limited budget, simple migration.
Steps:
- Sign Up & Connect Stores
- LitExtension → Choose WooCommerce as Source → Choose Shopify as Target → Enter API credentials.
- Select Entities to Migrate
- Products, Customers, Orders, Categories, Coupons.
- Configure Options
- Migrate images, preserve SEO URLs, handle 301 redirects.
- Run Free Demo Migration
- Transfer a few items → Verify results in Shopify.
- Run Full Migration
- Start full migration → LitExtension automatically imports all selected entities.
- Start full migration → LitExtension automatically imports all selected entities.
- Verify Shopify Store
- Check that products, orders, customers, and categories are accurate.
Key Tips for All Apps
- Always run a demo migration first to check data accuracy.
- Disable Shopify staff notifications to avoid spam during bulk import.
- Verify images, product descriptions, variants, and redirects after migration.
- Backup your WooCommerce store before starting any migration.
Manual migration requires technical expertise and carries a risk of errors, while app-based migration can be faster but may have limitations.
For a flawless, hassle-free transfer, trust a professional WooCommerce to Shopify migration service.
Expert-Led WooCommerce to Shopify Migration
Hiring a professional for switching from woocommerce to shopify ensures a smooth, error-free migration. Here’s what an expert will handle:
- Full Store Data Migration – Products, categories, images, variants, customers, orders, and coupons transferred accurately.
- SEO & URL Redirects – Preserve your search rankings by setting up proper redirects for old URLs.
- Theme & Design Setup – Recreate or optimize your store design for Shopify’s platform.
- Apps & Integrations – Ensure essential apps, payment gateways, and shipping setups work perfectly.
- Data Validation & Testing – Check all migrated data for accuracy before going live.
- Minimized Downtime – Store stays functional during migration, avoiding sales disruption.
- Ongoing Support – Guidance and troubleshooting after migration for any issues.
This method is ideal for store owners who want peace of mind, time savings, and a flawless transition to Shopify.
Tips for Migrating Complex WooCommerce Stores
Migrating a complex WooCommerce store to Shopify requires special attention to several important aspects. Here are some key tips to ensure a smooth transition:
Moving Large Product Catalogs
When your WooCommerce store has thousands of products, the migration becomes more challenging. To manage large catalogs effectively:
- Use bulk import tools and apps like Matrixify or LitExtension that support large inventories and metafields.
- Prepare your CSV files carefully, removing duplicates and matching Shopify’s format.
- Break down the import into batches if possible to avoid server timeouts or errors.
- Ensure SEO metadata and product URLs are preserved to maintain search rankings.
Managing Multiple Product Options
Shopify supports up to three product options per product (e.g., Size, Color, Material). If your WooCommerce store uses more:
- Simplify product options by combining some attributes or using product descriptions/metafields for additional details.
- Use Shopify apps for managing advanced variants beyond the standard 3-option limit.
- Double-check that variant options and values are correctly mapped in templates to avoid variant creation issues.
Transferring Custom Features and Plugins
WooCommerce often relies on plugins and custom fields that may not have direct Shopify equivalents:
- List all custom features and third-party plugins used on your WooCommerce store.
- Research and install Shopify apps that replicate equivalent functionality.
- For unique customizations, consider hiring a Shopify service provider to build custom apps or code snippets.
- Migrate important data stored in custom fields using metafields or through supported migration tools.
We Make Complex Migrations Easy
Feeling lost in the migration maze? Don’t worry — we’ve got the map, the compass, and the snacks. Switching your WooCommerce store to Shopify can feel complex and technical, but it doesn’t have to be stressful.
If you want a 100% seamless migration without losing data, SEO rankings, or key functionalities, our expert team is ready to assist you.
We use advanced tools and custom processes to make the move quick, accurate, and hassle-free. Understanding the manual process through this guide will help you communicate better—but you can leave the heavy lifting to us!
Contact us today for a free consultation and let us make your WooCommerce to Shopify migration effortless!
What to Do After WooCommerce to Shopify Migration
1. Verify All Data and Store Functionality
- Double-check that all products, customers, orders, and variants are correctly imported.
- Confirm prices, images, descriptions, and stock levels are accurate.
- Test the entire customer journey: browsing, filtering, adding to cart, and checkout.
- Place live test orders to validate payment processing, shipping options, and tax calculations.
2. Monitor SEO and Traffic
- Ensure all 301 redirects from WooCommerce URLs to Shopify URLs are working to retain search rankings.
- Submit your updated sitemap to Google Search Console and monitor for crawl errors.
- Check organic traffic levels in Google Analytics and look for any sudden drops.
- Optimize meta titles, descriptions, and content further for SEO improvement.
3. Communicate with Customers
- Inform customers about the platform change, especially regarding login and account changes.
- Send password reset or account activation emails since passwords do not migrate.
- Highlight any new features or improvements on the Shopify store through email or social channels.
4. Optimize Shopify Store Performance
- Review Shopify apps and integrations to enhance marketing, SEO, and analytics.
- Customize your theme for branding consistency and superior user experience.
- Monitor site speed and mobile responsiveness regularly.
5. Plan Ongoing Marketing and Growth
- Set up Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, and other tracking tools.
- Launch promotions or campaigns to attract returning and new customers.
- Continuously improve product pages with updated descriptions, reviews, and images.
Top Questions About Migrating from WooCommerce to Shopify
How much does it cost to migrate my store from WooCommerce to Shopify?
- Migrating from WooCommerce to Shopify can range from free to over $1,000.
Here’s the breakdown:
- If you migrate manually using CSV export/import, the cost is free except your time.
- Using third-party migration apps typically costs between $20 and $70 depending on store size.
- Hiring a professional expert or agency can cost from $500 up to $1000 or more, based on complexity and custom requirements.
Can I migrate a WooCommerce store to Shopify for free?
Yes, manual migration using WooCommerce’s export and Shopify’s import tools can be done without cost but requires time and technical know-how.
How long does it usually take to migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify?
Small stores can migrate in a few hours, while large or complex stores may take several days to a couple of weeks.
Do I need coding knowledge to migrate my WooCommerce store?
Basic technical skills help, but many migration apps and professional services require little to no coding from you.
Can I preserve my SEO rankings when moving my store to Shopify?
Yes, by properly setting up 301 redirects and submitting sitemaps, you can retain most of your SEO value during migration.
What happens to my customers' passwords during the migration?
Passwords cannot be migrated for security reasons, so customers must reset their passwords on the new Shopify store.
