How to Migrate Your Ecommerce Store from WooCommerce to Shopify Plus
Deciding to migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify Plus (or from any self-hosted store solution to any fully hosted cloud solution) is a no-brainer for some and a conundrum for others.
If you haven’t made the switch, let us help you think through the possibilities.
Reasons to Migrate From WooCommerce to Shopify Plus
Security, Stability, Peace of Mind
The biggest reason businesses migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify Plus (or another self-hosted solution) is peace of mind.
Self-hosted stores are less secure and scalable, especially on high-traffic days like Black Friday. And, unfortunately, they’re more likely to suffer a slew of potential problems.
Online retailers can’t afford to have their sites go down, especially on crucial, high-volume days. So self-hosted stores have to keep developers on hand around the clock and hope for the best.
All these security and scalability concerns disappear when you migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify Plus, improving both operations and stress levels.
Reduced Costs
As mentioned, businesses that migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify Plus don’t have to worry so much about issues like security breaches and technical difficulties. Consequently, they can cut down on developer resources and scale back on infrastructure.
Constant Improvement
Shopify is focused on creating the best ecommerce platform out there, so they’re always implementing new features. They also have an active app community, so independent developers are always adding to Shopify’s in-platform features.
Self-hosted solutions force online retailers to double as software developers, leaving them less time and resources to spend on their core business. With cloud-hosted solutions, businesses can focus on their products and marketing rather than their software.
WooCommerce vs. Shopify: Main Differences for Those Looking to Migrate
Wondering whether to migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify Plus? Here are the key differences between the two solutions:
WooCommerce
- Self hosted — security and scalability risk
- Fully customizable — ultimate design freedom
- Expensive — high infrastructure and dev staff costs
Shopify Plus
- Cloud hosted — secure and scalable
- Less customizable — some restrictions
- Lower-cost solution — savings on both infrastructure and staff costs
Unless you have unique business needs that require a fully customizable solution, the benefits of a cloud-hosted platform like Shopify Plus are undeniable.
Are There Tools to Help Migrate From WooCommerce to Shopify?
Unfortunately, there’s no way to complete a one-click migration from WooCommerce to Shopify Plus. However, if you let an experienced team handle the transition, the process doesn’t have to be painful.
Shopify Plus can connect you with an experienced Shopify Plus Partner (like us) to help. They’ve also been known to offer incentives to migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify Plus (like a free year!).
Risks to Consider When You Migrate From WooCommerce to Shopify Plus
Re-platforming can be tricky. Some risks are involved, especially if you choose to do it yourself.
One major risk is losing organic traffic. To avert that risk, use 301 redirects to map your old store URLs to the new store URLs and optimize your new store for search engines.
Another risk is data loss. WooCommerce offers ways to export all your data; do this regularly and keep a backup. Then, choose which data to import into the new system and how to map it. (In most cases, we recommend importing product data and customer data.)
There’s always a chance your new store won’t perform as well as your old store. To minimize the risk, slowly transition traffic when you launch the new store. Then, make sure performance and conversion are higher on the new store before transitioning all your traffic.
Want to migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify Plus? Reach out. We’ve done it hundreds of times before — we’re Shopify Plus-approved to!
