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

A Comprehensive Guide to Transitioning from ShopVisible to Volusion

Replatforming an e-commerce store is a pivotal decision for any online merchant. If you're currently operating on ShopVisible and considering a move to Volusion, this guide will provide you with a clear, step-by-step roadmap for a successful data transfer. Volusion offers a robust platform with advanced features, making it an attractive target for businesses looking to enhance their online presence and streamline operations. While ShopVisible is a capable platform, moving to Volusion can unlock new opportunities for growth and efficiency.

This article will walk you through the entire migration process, covering everything from initial preparation to post-migration verification. Given that ShopVisible data is typically exported via CSV files, we'll detail how to prepare your data for a seamless import into Volusion, ensuring that all your essential entities—such as products, customer data, and orders—are transferred accurately.

Prerequisites for Migration

Before embarking on your migration journey, proper preparation is key to ensuring a smooth and successful transition. Addressing these prerequisites will minimize potential issues and downtime.

For Your ShopVisible (Source) Store:

• Data Export: Since ShopVisible is not directly integrated with automated migration tools, you will need to export your store's data into CSV files. This includes critical information such as products, product categories, manufacturers, customer accounts, orders, invoices, and CMS pages.
• Data Audit: Take this opportunity to clean up your existing data. Remove outdated products, redundant customer entries, or irrelevant order statuses. Ensure your product SKUs and variants are consistent and accurate.
• Data Backup: Always create a complete backup of your ShopVisible store data before initiating any migration process. This is a critical safety measure.
• Access Credentials: Ensure you have full administrative access to your ShopVisible store to perform the necessary data exports.
• For more general guidance on preparing your source store, you can refer to our FAQ on preparing a source store.

For Your Volusion (Target) Store:

• Set Up Your Volusion Store: Ensure your new Volusion store is already set up and accessible. You don't need to populate it with data, as the migration process will handle that.
• Admin Access: You'll need full administrator login credentials (admin login, admin password) and the admin URL for your Volusion store.
• FTP Access: Volusion requires a connection via a bridge, which needs to be uploaded to your store's root directory using FTP. Ensure you have FTP access (hostname, username, password) to your Volusion server. For more details, consult The Short & Essential Guide to Access Credentials for Cart2Cart.
• Install Cart2Cart Volusion Migration Module: A specific migration module is required for Volusion to establish the connection and facilitate data transfer.
• Consider Clearing Target Data: If your new Volusion store has any sample data, you might opt to clear it before migration to prevent data duplication. This is a selectable option during the migration process. Learn more about this option here: Clear current data on Target store before migration option.
• For comprehensive preparation steps for your Volusion store, see our guide on preparing your target store.

Performing the Migration: A Step-by-Step Guide

With your preparations complete, you can now proceed with the actual data transfer. We'll outline the process using an automated migration wizard, which streamlines the complexities of moving your store data.

Step 1: Initiate Your Migration

Begin by navigating to the migration wizard. This is where you'll start configuring your transfer from ShopVisible (via CSV) to Volusion.

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

Since ShopVisible isn't directly listed, you will select 'CSV File to Cart' as your source platform. This method allows you to upload the CSV files you exported from your ShopVisible store. The system will then parse these files to extract your product listings, customer accounts, order history, and other relevant data.

Step 3: Connect Your Target Store (Volusion)

Next, select 'Volusion' as your Target Cart. You will then need to provide the URL of your Volusion store, along with your administrator login and password. Critical for Volusion is the installation of the Cart2Cart Volusion Migration module, which acts as a 'bridge' for secure data transfer. You will likely need FTP access to upload this bridge file to your Volusion store's root directory.

Step 4: Select Data Entities for Migration

This crucial step allows you to choose exactly which data types, or 'entities', you wish to transfer from your ShopVisible CSV files to your new Volusion store. You can select all available entities or pick specific ones like:

• Products (including SKUs and variants)
• Product Categories
• Manufacturers
• Product Reviews
• Customers
• Orders (including historical order data)
• Invoices
• Taxes
• Stores
• Coupons
• CMS Pages

Step 5: Configure Additional Migration Options

Enhance your migration by selecting from a range of additional options tailored to your specific needs. These options can significantly impact the outcome of your store transfer:

• Clear Target Store Data: Useful if your Volusion store contains demo data you wish to remove before migration.
• Preserve Product IDs, Order IDs, Customer IDs: Highly recommended to maintain historical data consistency and prevent issues with existing integrations or reporting. For more information, see How Preserve IDs options can be used?.
• Migrate Images in Description: Ensures product images embedded within descriptions are transferred.
• Password Migration: Allows customer passwords to be migrated securely.
• SEO URLs & 301 SEO URLs: Crucial for preserving your search engine rankings and link equity by creating redirects from old ShopVisible URLs to new Volusion URLs.
• Create Variants from Attributes: Essential for converting product attributes from your CSV into proper product variants in Volusion.
• Migrate Groups to Tags: Transfers customer groups or similar classifications to tags within Volusion.

Step 6: Map Data Fields

The data mapping step ensures that your ShopVisible (CSV) data fields correspond correctly to the fields in Volusion. This typically involves mapping customer groups and order statuses to their equivalents in the target store. Careful mapping maintains data integrity and consistency across platforms.

Step 7: Perform Demo & Full Migration

Before committing to a full data transfer, it's highly recommended to run a Free Demo Migration. This allows you to migrate a limited number of entities (e.g., 10-20 products, customers, orders) to your Volusion store. Review the demo results thoroughly to verify data accuracy and ensure everything transferred as expected.

Once satisfied with the demo, proceed with the Full Migration. You might also consider a Migration Insurance Plan, which offers additional remigrations within a specific period, providing peace of mind. You can find more details on how migration insurance works.

Post-Migration Steps

The migration doesn't end once the data transfer is complete. Several crucial post-migration steps are essential to ensure your new Volusion store is fully operational and optimized.

1. Thorough Data Verification: Rigorously check your Volusion store. Verify product listings (SKUs, pricing, images, descriptions, variants), customer accounts, order history, and CMS pages. Ensure all data integrity has been maintained.
2. Test All Functionality: Conduct extensive testing of your store's core functionalities. This includes the checkout process, user registration, search functionality, navigation, and any third-party integrations. Place test orders to confirm everything works as expected.
3. Configure SEO and Redirects: If you used the 301 SEO URLs option during migration, confirm that all important old URLs from ShopVisible now redirect correctly to their new counterparts on Volusion. Update your Google Search Console profile and submit a new sitemap for your Volusion store to help search engines re-index your site efficiently.
4. Install Essential Apps & Plugins: Explore the Volusion App Store for any necessary apps or plugins that enhance your store's capabilities, such as marketing tools, analytics, or customer support integrations.
5. Update DNS Records: Once you're confident in your new Volusion store, update your domain's DNS records to point to your new Volusion site. This will make your new store live to the public. Plan this step carefully to minimize downtime.
6. Notify Your Customers: Inform your loyal customers about the move to your new Volusion store. A simple email or social media announcement can help them transition smoothly.
7. Monitor for Recent Data: If new orders or customer registrations occurred on your ShopVisible store during the migration period, consider using a Recent Data Migration Service to transfer these latest updates to Volusion.

Migrating from ShopVisible to Volusion is a significant upgrade that, when executed correctly, can propel your e-commerce business forward. By following this detailed guide, you can ensure a smooth transition, preserving your valuable data and maintaining a positive user experience.

Should you encounter any challenges or require specialized assistance, don't hesitate to contact our support team. We are here to help you every step of the way. For more general queries, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.