Ashop to Volusion Migration - Step-by-Step Guide & Expert Services

Seamlessly Migrate Your Store from Ashop to Volusion: A Step-by-Step Guide

Replatforming your e-commerce store is a strategic move, often driven by the need for enhanced features, better scalability, or improved user experience. If you're looking to transition your online business from Ashop to Volusion, this guide will walk you through the entire process, ensuring a smooth and successful data transfer. Volusion offers a robust platform for managing products, customers, and orders, making it a popular choice for growing merchants.

Given that Ashop primarily supports data export via CSV files, our migration strategy will leverage this method to efficiently move your valuable store data. We'll cover everything from essential prerequisites to the detailed steps of performing the migration and critical post-migration tasks, all aimed at minimizing downtime and preserving your store's SEO rankings and data integrity.

Prerequisites for Migration

Before initiating your store's transition, proper preparation is key to a seamless replatforming experience. Here's what you'll need for both your Ashop (source) and Volusion (target) stores:

• For Ashop (Source Store - via CSV):
  • Data Export: You will need to export all the essential entities from your Ashop store into well-structured CSV files. This includes product information (SKUs, variants, descriptions, images), product categories, customer data, order history, product reviews, and any relevant CMS pages.
  • Data Review: Thoroughly review your exported CSV files for any inconsistencies or missing information. Clean data ensures a more accurate transfer to Volusion.
  • Admin Access: Ensure you have full administrative access to your Ashop store to perform the necessary data exports.
• For Volusion (Target Store):
  • Volusion Account Setup: Have a new Volusion store set up and ready. It's often best to start with a fresh Volusion installation to avoid conflicts with existing data.
  • Admin Access: Possess full administrative access to your Volusion store's backend.
  • FTP/SFTP Access: Volusion migrations require the installation of a migration bridge, which typically needs FTP or SFTP access to your Volusion store's root directory. The root folder is where your main website files are located.
  • Cart2Cart Volusion Migration Module: The Volusion platform specifically requires the installation of the 'Cart2Cart Volusion Migration module' to facilitate the connection for data transfer.
  • Disable Maintenance Mode: If your Volusion store is already live and has existing data, consider disabling any maintenance mode during the migration setup to ensure connectivity. However, you might use it during the final data transfer to minimize customer impact. For more on preparing your target store, refer to How to prepare Target store for migration?

Performing the Migration: A Step-by-Step Guide

With your preparations complete, let's dive into the step-by-step process of migrating your store data from Ashop to Volusion using an automated migration tool.

Step 1: Start Your Migration Journey

Begin by accessing the migration tool's website. You'll typically find an option to start a demo or full migration. It's highly recommended to utilize a free demo migration first to understand the process and preview data transfer accuracy.

Step 2: Connect Your Source Store (Ashop via CSV)

Since Ashop data is exported via CSV, you will select 'CSV File to Cart' as your source platform. Upload your carefully prepared CSV files containing all your Ashop store data.

Step 3: Connect Your Target Store (Volusion)

Next, select 'Volusion' as your target platform. You'll be prompted to enter your Volusion store's URL. Following this, you'll need to install the Cart2Cart Volusion Migration module (the bridge file) onto your Volusion store via FTP. This bridge acts as a secure conduit for data exchange.

Step 4: Select Data Entities for Migration

This crucial step allows you to choose which specific data entities you wish to transfer from your Ashop CSV files to your new Volusion store. Common selections include:

• Products (including SKUs, descriptions, images, variants)
• Product Categories
• Product Manufacturers
• Customer Information
• Order History
• Product Reviews
• Invoices
• Taxes
• Coupons
• CMS Pages

You can either select all entities or pick and choose based on your specific needs. Note that while Ashop might support blog posts, Volusion's architecture may handle them as CMS pages, and specific SEO options for blogs might be excluded.

Step 5: Configure Additional Migration Options

The migration tool provides various additional options to fine-tune your data transfer and ensure a robust transition. Consider these recommended choices:

• Preserve Product IDs, Order IDs, and Customer IDs: This option helps maintain continuity with existing integrations and historical data. Learn more at How Preserve IDs options can be used?
• Migrate Images in Product Descriptions: Ensures all product visuals within your descriptions are carried over.
• Create 301 Redirects: Essential for preserving your SEO rankings and link equity by redirecting old Ashop URLs to their new Volusion counterparts. For complex SEO strategies, a Migration Customization Service can be invaluable.
• Clear Current Data on Target Store: If your Volusion store already contains dummy data, this option (often labeled 'Clear Target') will remove it before the migration begins, ensuring a clean slate. See Clear current data on Target store before migration option.
• Password Migration: If supported via your CSV export, this allows customer passwords to be migrated securely.

Step 6: Map Data Fields

Data mapping is crucial for ensuring that information from your Ashop CSV files aligns correctly with the corresponding fields in Volusion. You'll typically map customer groups and order statuses from your source store to the equivalent options in your target Volusion store. This step guarantees data consistency and integrity across your new platform.

Step 7: Perform a Demo Migration (Highly Recommended)

Before committing to a full transfer, run a free demo migration. This will transfer a limited number of entities (e.g., 10 products, 10 customers, 10 orders) to your Volusion store. Review these test results meticulously to ensure data accuracy, image integrity, and proper structure. This helps identify any potential issues before the full transfer.

Step 8: Initiate Full Migration

Once you're satisfied with the demo results, proceed with the full migration. Review the summary of your chosen entities and the total cost. You might also consider opting for a Migration Insurance Service, which offers additional remigrations within a specified period, providing peace of mind. For more details, see How Migration Insurance works? With everything confirmed, launch the complete data transfer.

Post-Migration Steps

The migration doesn't end when the data transfer is complete. A few critical post-migration tasks are essential to ensure your new Volusion store is fully optimized and ready for business.

• 1. Verify Data Integrity: Systematically check all transferred data. Navigate through your Volusion admin panel to confirm that products (SKUs, variants, prices, images), categories, customer accounts, order history, and CMS pages have been transferred accurately and completely. Pay close attention to product images and links.
• 2. Configure Volusion Store Settings:
  • Payment & Shipping: Set up your preferred payment gateways and configure all shipping methods and zones.
  • Tax Settings: Adjust your tax rules to ensure compliance, taking advantage of Volusion's multi-tax capabilities if needed.
  • Design & Theme: Customize your Volusion theme to reflect your brand's aesthetic and ensure a consistent user experience.
  • Extensions/Apps: Install and configure any necessary Volusion apps or integrations that replace functionalities from your Ashop store.
• 3. SEO & Redirects:
  • Test 301 Redirects: If you opted to create 301 redirects, thoroughly test them to ensure old Ashop URLs correctly point to their new Volusion counterparts, preserving your valuable link equity and SEO rankings.
  • Update Analytics: Update your Google Analytics and Google Search Console properties to point to your new Volusion store.
  • XML Sitemap: Generate and submit a new XML sitemap to search engines.
• 4. Comprehensive Testing: Before going live, conduct thorough testing of your new Volusion store:
  • Customer Journey: Register new customer accounts, log in, browse products, and add items to the cart.
  • Checkout Process: Place test orders using different payment and shipping methods.
  • Functionality: Verify all forms, search functions, and internal links are working correctly.
• 5. Go Live: Once you're confident everything is functioning perfectly, update your DNS records to point to your new Volusion store. You can then officially take your Ashop store offline. Remember to monitor your store closely in the initial days post-launch.

By following these detailed steps, you can confidently transition your e-commerce business from Ashop to Volusion, unlocking new growth opportunities and a more powerful platform for your online store. Should you encounter any complexities, consider exploring our professional services for expert assistance.