Are you ready to move your online store from BigCommerce to Shopify? Whether you're seeking better flexibility, user experience, or app integrations, Shopify is an ideal next step for many growing eCommerce brands in 2025.
But how do you transfer all your store data — products, customers, and orders — without losing anything important?
This step-by-step BigCommerce to Shopify migration guide will show you exactly how to make the move seamlessly using Cart2Cart, including how to preview a demo migration and avoid common mistakes.
Why Migrate from BigCommerce to Shopify?
Both BigCommerce and Shopify are top-tier SaaS eCommerce platforms, but store owners often make the switch due to:
- Simpler user interface
- Larger app ecosystem and themes
- Faster setup for non-developers
- Better multichannel sales tools
- More user-friendly checkout customization
Shopify is especially appealing if you're scaling your brand and want more design freedom, plugin variety, and an intuitive backend.
What Data Can Be Migrated from BigCommerce to Shopify?
Using Cart2Cart, you can safely migrate:
Entity |
Can Be Migrated |
✅ Products (with images, variants, SKUs, categories) |
Yes |
✅ Customers (names, emails, addresses, order history) |
Yes |
✅ Orders (IDs, dates, status, shipping info) |
Yes |
✅ Coupons, reviews, taxes, currencies |
Yes |
✅ Blog posts, CMS pages |
Optional |
✅ SEO URLs and meta data |
Yes (with add-ons) |
❗ Note: Customer passwords can’t be transferred for security reasons. Customers will need to reset their passwords on your new Shopify store.
How to Transfer Products, Customers, and Orders from BigCommerce to Shopify
Step 1: Set Up Your Shopify Store
- Go to Shopify.com and start a free trial
- Add your store name, email, and preferences
- Inside the dashboard, configure:
- Payment gateways (Shopify Payments, PayPal, etc.)
- Shipping zones & rates
- Store currency and taxes
- Payment gateways (Shopify Payments, PayPal, etc.)
Don’t worry about themes or custom design yet — migrate your data first.
Step 2: Back Up Your BigCommerce Store
Before transferring anything:
- Export a CSV or full database backup
- Save product images, theme files, and customer lists
- Use BigCommerce's Data Export Tool under Advanced Settings > Data Export
This ensures you have a fallback in case anything needs to be restored manually.
Step 3: Use Cart2Cart for Migration
Cart2Cart is an automated BigCommerce to Shopify migration tool that transfers your store data without manual input or coding.
Key Benefits:
- 100% automated migration
- Free demo migration
- Preserves product variants, images, SEO data
- Supports BigCommerce → Shopify out-of-the-box
- No downtime required
Step 4: Set Up the Cart2Cart Migration
- Go to Cart2Cart’s migration page
- Create a free account
- Choose:
- Source Cart: BigCommerce
- Target Cart: Shopify
- Source Cart: BigCommerce
- Provide store credentials:
- BigCommerce API credentials
- Shopify API key or store access
- BigCommerce API credentials
- Map data fields (e.g., product types, order statuses)
- Choose extra options:
- Migrate images in descriptions
- Preserve order IDs
- Migrate SEO URLs and metadata
- Create 301 redirects
- Migrate images in descriptions
Step 5: Run a Free Demo Migration
Before migrating everything, test a small sample:
- Transfers limited number of products, orders, and customers
- Lets you preview how the data will look in Shopify
- Helps ensure everything maps correctly
Use this demo to validate data quality before the full migration.
Step 6: Launch Full BigCommerce to Shopify Migration
Once you're satisfied with the demo:
- Start the full migration
- The process runs automatically in the background
- Shopify remains usable during the transfer
- Large stores may take several hours to migrate fully
You’ll receive a confirmation email once the transfer is complete.
Post-Migration Checklist
After your BigCommerce data is moved to Shopify:
Review Transferred Data
- Product listings: names, images, prices, inventory
- Customer data: email addresses, order history
- Orders: status, payment, shipping
- Collections and categories
Install a Theme
Choose a responsive Shopify theme and customize your:
- Homepage
- Navigation
- Product and collection pages
Shopify has both free and premium themes available in its Theme Store.
Set Up Redirects to Preserve SEO
Redirect your old BigCommerce URLs to their new Shopify counterparts:
- Use Shopify’s URL redirect tool
- Or install a plugin like Easy Redirects or 301 Redirects Manager
- Submit your new sitemap to Google Search Console
- Monitor crawl errors and organic traffic
301 redirects are crucial for retaining SEO rankings after migration.
Notify Customers
- Let users know your store has moved
- Encourage them to reset their passwords
- Offer a discount or reward for returning customers
BigCommerce to Shopify Migration Cost Overview
Item |
Estimated Cost |
Shopify Plan |
$39–$399/month |
Cart2Cart Migration |
$69–$699+ (based on data volume) |
Shopify Theme |
Free or $180–$350 (one-time) |
Apps & Plugins |
Free–$100/month |
Optional Developer Help |
$200–$1,500+ |
Free demo available with Cart2Cart — no risk or payment required upfront.
Real-Life Example
Store Type: Mid-sized electronics retailer
Platform: BigCommerce (7 years)
Reason for Migration: Wanted modern UX, easier admin panel, better integrations
Tool Used: Cart2Cart
Migration Scope:
- 5,000+ products
- 2,000+ customer accounts
- 3,000+ completed orders
✅ Completed in under 4 hours
✅ All categories, images, and orders intact
✅ Recovered SEO positions with 301 redirects
FAQ: BigCommerce to Shopify Migration
Q: Will my product images transfer to Shopify?
A: Yes — including images in product descriptions and galleries.
Q: Can I migrate order history and statuses?
A: Absolutely. Cart2Cart transfers full order data and history.
Q: Can I migrate blog content from BigCommerce to Shopify?
A: Yes — optional during migration or using a CMS import tool.
Q: Will my URLs remain the same?
A: No — Shopify uses different URL structure, but Cart2Cart can help create 301 redirects to preserve SEO.
Q: Can I run the store during migration?
A: Yes — BigCommerce remains live during the process. No downtime required.
Ready to Make the Move?
Want to migrate your BigCommerce store to Shopify quickly and safely?
Use Cart2Cart to automate the process and avoid manual errors, broken data, or lost SEO rankings.
Start Free Demo Migration Now
No credit card. No risk. Full control.