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

Seamlessly Transitioning Your Online Store: DotNetNuke to Volusion

Embarking on an e-commerce platform migration can feel like a daunting task, especially when moving from a content management system with e-commerce capabilities like DotNetNuke to a specialized e-commerce platform like Volusion. DotNetNuke, while versatile, may lack the dedicated e-commerce features and scalability modern online businesses require. Volusion, on the other hand, offers a robust, all-in-one solution designed specifically for online selling, providing powerful tools for product management, marketing, and order fulfillment.

This comprehensive guide is designed to walk you through every critical step of migrating your store’s valuable data – including products, customer information, and order history – from DotNetNuke to Volusion. Due to DotNetNuke’s architecture, this migration will primarily involve exporting your data into CSV files and then utilizing a powerful migration tool to transfer it efficiently to your new Volusion store. Our goal is to ensure a smooth transition, preserving your SEO rankings and maintaining data integrity, minimizing downtime and ensuring a positive user experience from day one on your new Volusion platform.

Prerequisites for a Successful Migration

Before initiating the data transfer, careful preparation of both your source (DotNetNuke) and target (Volusion) stores is essential. This foundational work will significantly streamline the migration process and help prevent common issues.

Preparing Your DotNetNuke (Source) Store

• Data Export: Since DotNetNuke does not offer a direct API connection for automated migration tools, you will need to export your store's data into CSV (Comma Separated Values) files. This includes critical entities such as:
  • Products (SKUs, descriptions, images, pricing, variants)
  • Product Categories
  • Customer details (names, emails, addresses, order history)
  • Order information (statuses, items, shipping details)
  • Manufacturers
  • Product Reviews
  • Coupon codes
  • CMS Pages (if applicable and transferable)
  Ensure your CSV files are well-structured and clean. For more details on this process, consider our CSV.File Data Migration service.
• Data Cleansing: Take this opportunity to review and clean your existing DotNetNuke data. Remove outdated products, duplicate customer entries, or irrelevant information.
• Backup Your Data: Always perform a full backup of your DotNetNuke website and database before any major changes or data export. This ensures you have a recovery point if any issues arise.

Preparing Your Volusion (Target) Store

• Set Up Your Volusion Store: Ensure your new Volusion store is fully set up, including choosing a theme and configuring basic settings. You don't need to add products or customers manually, as these will be migrated.
• Install the Migration Module: Volusion requires the installation of the Cart2Cart Volusion Migration module to facilitate the data transfer. This typically involves connecting via FTP to your Volusion store to upload the necessary bridge files. Volusion supports FTP access for this purpose. For detailed instructions on preparing your target store, refer to our How to prepare Target store for migration? guide.
• Admin Access: Have full administrative access credentials for your Volusion store ready, including the admin URL, username, and password.
• Clear Sample Data: If your new Volusion store contains any sample data, it's recommended to clear it before migration to avoid conflicts and ensure data integrity.

Performing the Migration: A Step-by-Step Guide

With your preparations complete, you're ready to initiate the data transfer from your DotNetNuke CSV files to Volusion. We'll guide you through the process using a dedicated migration wizard.

Step 1: Start Your Migration

Begin by navigating to the migration service platform. This is your starting point for setting up the automated data transfer.

Step 2: Configure Your Source Store (DotNetNuke via CSV)

In the migration wizard, you'll need to specify your source platform. Since DotNetNuke is not directly supported by automated connections, you will select 'CSV File to Cart' as your source cart. You will then upload the CSV files you exported from your DotNetNuke store, which contain all your products, customer records, orders, and other essential data.

Step 3: Set Up Your Target Store (Volusion)

Next, choose 'Volusion' from the list of supported target carts. You will then be prompted to provide the URL of your new Volusion store. After entering the URL, you'll need to install the Cart2Cart Volusion Migration module (bridge) to establish a secure connection. This typically involves uploading files via FTP to your Volusion root folder, which grants the migration tool necessary access to facilitate the data transfer.

Step 4: Select Data Entities for Migration

This crucial step allows you to specify exactly which data entities you wish to transfer from your DotNetNuke CSVs to Volusion. You can choose to migrate all available data or select specific items based on your needs. Commonly migrated entities include:

• Products (including SKUs, descriptions, images, and variants)
• Product Categories
• Customers
• Orders
• Manufacturers
• Product Reviews
• Invoices
• Taxes
• Coupons
• CMS Pages

Step 5: Configure Additional Options and Data Mapping

This stage allows for fine-tuning your migration settings and ensuring data consistency between platforms.

Additional Migration Options

You'll find a range of optional features to enhance your migration. Consider these recommendations:

• Clear Target Store Data: If your Volusion store has any existing data you wish to overwrite, select this option.
• Preserve IDs: Options like 'Preserve Product IDs,' 'Preserve Orders IDs,' and 'Preserve Customers IDs' are highly recommended to maintain existing relationships and data integrity. Learn more about How Preserve IDs options can be used?.
• SEO URLs & 301 Redirects: Crucially, select 'Create 301 SEO URLs' to redirect your old DotNetNuke URLs to their new Volusion counterparts. This is vital for preserving your link equity and existing SEO rankings.
• Password Migration: If available and supported, migrate customer passwords to ensure a seamless login experience post-migration.
• Migrate Images in Description: Ensure product images embedded in descriptions are transferred.
• Multi-tax Allowed: Volusion supports multi-tax settings; ensure this is configured if applicable.

Data Mapping

Here, you'll map customer groups and order statuses from your DotNetNuke data to their corresponding fields in Volusion. This ensures that your customer segments and order workflows translate correctly to the new platform.

Step 6: Perform a Demo Migration (Highly Recommended)

Before committing to a full data transfer, run a free demo migration. This transfers a limited number of entities (e.g., 10-20 products, customers, orders) to your Volusion store. This allows you to review the results, check data accuracy, and verify that all settings and mappings are correct without impacting your live data. It's an excellent opportunity to identify and resolve any potential issues early.

Step 7: Initiate Full Migration

Once you are satisfied with the demo migration results, you can proceed with the full migration. This step will transfer all your selected data from your DotNetNuke CSV files to your Volusion store. Consider adding a Migration Insurance Service, which offers additional remigrations in case you need to make further adjustments or migrate recent data later.

Post-Migration Steps

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

• Thorough Data Verification: Systematically check all migrated data on your Volusion store. Verify product details, images, pricing, inventory levels, customer accounts, and order histories. Ensure all data integrity is maintained.
• Configure Essential Store Settings: Set up shipping zones, payment gateways, tax rates, and currency settings within Volusion.
• Test Functionality: Perform comprehensive tests of all key store functions, including product searches, adding items to the cart, the checkout process, user registration, and contact forms. Place a few test orders to ensure everything works as expected.
• Implement SEO & Redirects: Confirm that all your 301 redirects are functioning correctly to preserve your hard-earned SEO rankings and link equity from DotNetNuke. Check for broken links using a site crawl tool.
• Update DNS Records: Once you are confident that your Volusion store is fully functional and ready, update your domain's DNS records to point to your new Volusion store. Plan this step carefully to minimize downtime for your customers.
• Install Apps and Integrations: Replicate any third-party integrations or custom functionalities you had on DotNetNuke by installing equivalent apps or plugins from the Volusion App Store.
• Staff Training: Train your team on the new Volusion backend and its functionalities to ensure a smooth transition for daily operations.
• Monitor Performance: Keep a close eye on your store's performance and customer feedback in the weeks following the migration. Address any issues promptly.

Migrating from DotNetNuke to Volusion is a significant undertaking that, when executed correctly, can unlock new growth opportunities for your e-commerce business. By following this detailed guide and leveraging specialized migration tools, you can ensure a smooth, secure, and successful transition.