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

A Comprehensive Guide to Transitioning from Pixafy to Volusion

Replatforming your e-commerce store is a strategic decision that can unlock new growth opportunities and enhance your operational efficiency. If you're currently running on Pixafy and considering a move to Volusion, this guide will walk you through the entire data transfer process. While Pixafy, being a less commonly supported platform for direct API connections, requires a CSV-based approach, migrating to Volusion, a robust target platform, is streamlined with the right tools and preparation. Volusion offers a comprehensive suite of features for growing online businesses, and a seamless migration ensures you can leverage them without losing valuable historical data or impacting your SEO.

This article provides a clear, step-by-step methodology to ensure a smooth transition of your products, customer data, orders, and other essential store information from Pixafy to Volusion, maintaining data integrity and minimizing downtime.

Prerequisites for a Successful Migration

Before initiating any data transfer, careful preparation of both your source (Pixafy) and target (Volusion) stores is paramount. This ensures all your valuable e-commerce data is ready for export and that your new Volusion store is configured to receive it.

Preparing Your Pixafy Source Store

• Data Backup: Always begin by creating a comprehensive backup of all your Pixafy store data. This includes product information (SKUs, descriptions, images, variants), customer records, order history, reviews, CMS pages, and any other critical assets.
• CSV Data Export: Since Pixafy typically does not offer a direct API connection for migration tools, you will need to export your store data into CSV files. Ensure that your CSV exports are as complete as possible, covering all entities you wish to move. Pay close attention to image URLs, product attributes, and customer addresses. For more details on preparing your source store, read our guide on How to prepare Source store for migration?
• Data Cleanliness: Take this opportunity to audit and clean up your existing data. Remove outdated products, duplicate customer entries, or irrelevant information to ensure only high-quality data is transferred to your new Volusion store.

Preparing Your Volusion Target Store

• New Volusion Store Setup: Ensure you have an active Volusion store. Ideally, it should be a fresh installation with no existing product, customer, or order data, unless you intend to use the 'Clear Target' option during migration.
• Install Cart2Cart Volusion Migration Module: Volusion requires a bridge connection for data migration. To facilitate this, you'll need to install the Cart2Cart Volusion Migration module onto your Volusion store. This typically involves uploading a small file via FTP to your Volusion store's root directory. The module acts as a secure gateway, allowing the migration tool to access and import your data.
• FTP Access: Confirm you have full FTP access to your Volusion store. This is essential for installing the migration bridge.
• Access Credentials: Have your Volusion admin login credentials readily available.
• For a deeper dive into target store preparation, consult our How to prepare Target store for migration? FAQ.

Performing the Migration: A Step-by-Step Guide

With your preparations complete, you're ready to initiate the migration process using a specialized tool. This guide outlines the steps within a typical migration wizard.

Step 1: Begin Your Migration Journey

Navigate to the migration tool's website and select the option to start a new migration. This will launch the interactive wizard.

Step 2: Set Up Your Source Store (Pixafy via CSV)

In the migration wizard, you'll first configure your source store details.

• From the dropdown list, select "CSV File to Cart" as your Source Shopping Cart. This indicates that your data will be imported from CSV files.
• Upload your prepared CSV files containing your Pixafy data. The tool will guide you through mapping the columns in your CSV to the standard data fields. Ensure all relevant entities like products, categories, manufacturers, reviews, customers, orders, invoices, taxes, stores, coupons, and CMS pages are included and correctly mapped.

Step 3: Configure Your Target Store (Volusion)

Next, you'll specify your target platform, Volusion.

• Choose "Volusion" from the Target Shopping Cart dropdown list.
• Enter the full URL of your new Volusion store.
• The wizard will then prompt you to verify the connection to your Volusion store, which relies on the previously installed Cart2Cart Volusion Migration module and your FTP access.

Step 4: Select Data Entities for Transfer

This crucial step allows you to specify exactly what data you want to move from Pixafy to Volusion. You can select all entities or pick and choose based on your needs.

• Review the list of available entities, which typically includes: Products, Product Categories, Product Manufacturers, Product Reviews, Customers, Orders, Invoices, Taxes, Coupons, and CMS Pages.
• Check the boxes for all the data types you wish to transfer to your Volusion store.

Step 5: Define Additional Migration Options

Enhance your migration by selecting various additional options. These features are designed to preserve SEO, improve data consistency, and offer flexibility.

• Preserve Product IDs, Preserve Category IDs, Preserve Orders IDs, Preserve Customers IDs: These options are highly recommended to maintain consistency, especially for existing links and internal systems. Learn more about How Preserve IDs options can be used?
• Create Variants from Attributes: Essential for products with multiple options like size, color, or material.
• Migrate Images in Description: Ensures product descriptions and CMS pages retain their visual content.
• Password Migration: Allows customers to log into their new Volusion accounts with their existing Pixafy passwords.
• SEO URLs & Create 301 SEO URLs: Critical for preserving your existing search engine rankings and link equity by automatically setting up redirects from your old Pixafy URLs to the new Volusion ones.
• Clear Target: If you're performing a test migration or want to ensure a clean slate, this option will remove all existing data from your Volusion store before migration. Find out what the option "Clear current data on Target store before migration" means.
• Review other options like Multi-tax allowance and skip custom attributes as per your specific requirements.

Step 6: Map Your Data Fields

Data mapping ensures that specific fields from your Pixafy (CSV) data are correctly aligned with corresponding fields in Volusion. This is particularly important for customer groups and order statuses.

• The wizard will present interfaces for Customer Groups Mapping and Order Statuses Mapping.
• Match each customer group (e.g., 'Wholesale', 'Retail') and order status (e.g., 'Pending', 'Processing', 'Completed') from your source data to its equivalent in Volusion.

Step 7: Run a Free Demo Migration

Before committing to a full data transfer, run a free demo migration. This allows you to transfer a limited number of entities (e.g., 10-20 products, customers, and orders) to your Volusion store.

• This step is invaluable for verifying the accuracy and integrity of the transferred data.
• Check how products, images, prices, customer details, and order histories appear in Volusion. This helps identify any potential mapping issues or data discrepancies before a full transfer.

Step 8: Launch Your Full Migration

Once you are satisfied with the demo results, you can proceed with the full migration. Review the total cost and the selected services.

• Consider opting for a Migration Insurance Plan, which provides peace of mind with options for re-migrations in case adjustments are needed post-transfer. Understand How Migration Insurance works?
• Initiate the full data transfer. The process will run in the background, allowing you to monitor its progress without keeping your browser open.

Post-Migration Steps

Completing the data migration is a major milestone, but a few critical post-migration tasks remain to ensure your new Volusion store is fully operational and optimized.

1. Thorough Data Verification

• Product Check: Scrutinize all migrated products. Verify SKUs, descriptions, images, pricing, stock levels, variants, and categories. Ensure all product attributes are correctly displayed.
• Customer & Order Data: Confirm customer accounts, order histories, shipping addresses, and payment information are accurate.
• Content Pages: Check your CMS pages, blogs (if migrated), and static content for proper formatting and intact images.
• Reviews & Manufacturers: Verify that product reviews and manufacturer information have been successfully transferred and are linked correctly.

2. Configure Essential Store Settings

• Shipping & Taxes: Set up your shipping zones, methods, and rates, along with your tax rules in Volusion. Ensure these reflect your business model accurately.
• Payment Gateways: Integrate and test your preferred payment processors (e.g., Stripe, PayPal) within your new Volusion environment.
• Storefront Customization: Customize your Volusion theme to match your brand's aesthetics and ensure an optimal user experience.

3. Update DNS and SEO Settings

• Domain Redirection: Once your Volusion store is ready, update your DNS records to point your domain name to your new Volusion store. This is a critical step for making your new site live.
• 301 Redirects: Even if you used the 301 SEO URLs option during migration, double-check your redirects. This is crucial for preserving your SEO rankings, link equity, and ensuring a seamless user experience by directing old URLs to their new counterparts.
• Google Search Console & Analytics: Update your property settings in Google Search Console and Google Analytics to reflect your new Volusion store's URLs and ensure accurate tracking. Submit your new sitemap.

4. Install & Configure Apps/Plugins

Replicate any essential functionalities from your old Pixafy store by installing relevant apps or plugins from the Volusion App Store. This might include marketing tools, accounting integrations, or customer service solutions.

5. Test All Functionality

• Checkout Process: Perform test purchases to ensure the entire checkout flow, from adding to cart to payment processing, works flawlessly.
• User Accounts: Test customer login, account management, and password reset functionalities.
• Forms & Search: Verify all contact forms, search functions, and site navigation are operational.

6. Inform Your Customers (If Necessary)

If your migration involved any significant downtime or changes in login procedures, consider sending out a communication to your customers to inform them about the new store and any improvements.

7. Ongoing Monitoring

After launch, continuously monitor your Volusion store's performance, user feedback, and SEO health. Tools like Recent Data Migration Service can help keep new data synchronized if your old Pixafy store continued to operate briefly.

By following these detailed steps, you can ensure a successful and stress-free transition from Pixafy to Volusion. Should you encounter any challenges, remember that expert assistance is available. Feel free to Contact Us for support or refer to our Frequently Asked Questions.