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

Seamlessly Transitioning Your E-commerce Store from OroCommerce to Volusion

Embarking on an e-commerce platform migration can feel like a daunting task, but with the right strategy and tools, your transition from OroCommerce to Volusion can be smooth and successful. This comprehensive guide is designed for merchants ready to replatform, offering clear, actionable steps to ensure data integrity, preserve SEO rankings, and minimize downtime during your store transfer.

OroCommerce, often chosen for its robust B2B capabilities and enterprise-grade features, and Volusion, a well-established all-in-one e-commerce solution, cater to different business needs. This guide will walk you through leveraging a migration service to efficiently move your valuable store data, from product SKUs and customer segments to order history and reviews, to your new Volusion storefront.

Prerequisites for a Successful Migration

Before initiating your data transfer, careful preparation of both your source (OroCommerce) and target (Volusion) stores is paramount. This foundational work will streamline the entire migration journey.

For Your OroCommerce Store (Source)

Since OroCommerce is an advanced, often custom-configured platform, direct API connections with standard migration tools can be complex. Therefore, the most reliable method for migrating data from OroCommerce will involve exporting your data into well-structured CSV files. This approach leverages the CSV.File Data Migration method.

• Data Export: You will need administrative access to your OroCommerce instance or its database to export essential data entities. This includes, but is not limited to:
  • Products (with all variants, attributes, and images)
  • Product Categories
  • Product Manufacturers
  • Product Reviews
  • Customer Records (including customer groups)
  • Order History (and associated invoices if required)
  • Tax information
  • Coupons and discounts
  • CMS Pages and content
• CSV File Formatting: Ensure your exported CSV files are clean, organized, and follow a consistent structure. This will greatly assist in the subsequent data mapping process.
• Backup Your Data: Always perform a full backup of your OroCommerce store and database before any data export procedures.
• Prepare for Downtime: While migration is ongoing, plan for minimal downtime on your OroCommerce store to prevent new data from being created during the export process.

For more detailed preparation guidelines, refer to our FAQ: How to prepare Source store for migration?

For Your Volusion Store (Target)

Your Volusion store will be the new home for all your e-commerce data. Ensure it's ready to receive the influx of information.

• Active Volusion Store: Have a fully set up and accessible Volusion store.
• Administrator Access: You'll need full administrative access credentials (admin URL, login, password) for your Volusion store. Read our guide: The Short & Essential Guide to Access Credentials for Cart2Cart.
• FTP Access: Volusion migrations require the installation of a migration bridge file. This necessitates FTP access to your Volusion store's root directory. For more on this, see: What is a root folder and where can I find it?
• Install Migration Module: The migration process requires the Cart2Cart Volusion Migration module to be installed on your target store. This module facilitates the secure connection and data transfer.
• Clear Target Store Data (Optional but Recommended): If your Volusion store already contains dummy data or old content, consider using the 'Clear Target' option during migration to ensure a clean slate for your new data. Learn more: Clear current data on Target store before migration option.

For more detailed target store preparation, consult: How to prepare Target store for migration?

Performing the Migration: A Step-by-Step Guide

With your preparations complete, you're ready to initiate the migration process using an automated migration wizard. Follow these steps carefully to ensure a smooth data transfer.

Step 1: Get Started

Your migration journey begins by initiating the process on the migration service platform. This is where you'll select your source and target carts.

Step 2: Source Store Setup (OroCommerce via CSV)

Connect your OroCommerce data by selecting 'CSV File to Cart' as your source platform. You will then upload your meticulously prepared CSV files containing your product information, customer details, order history, and other relevant data exported from OroCommerce. This step is crucial for establishing the data feed from your existing store.

Step 3: Target Store Setup (Volusion)

Now, it's time to connect your new Volusion store. Select 'Volusion' from the dropdown list of target platforms. Provide your Volusion store's URL, along with your admin login and password. The system will prompt you to download and install the Cart2Cart Volusion Migration module. Upload this bridge file to the root directory of your Volusion store via FTP. This bridge establishes a secure connection, enabling the seamless flow of data.

Step 4: Select Data Entities for Migration

This critical step allows you to define precisely what data you wish to move from your OroCommerce CSVs to your Volusion store. You can choose to migrate all available entities or select specific ones based on your business requirements.

• Products: Including product SKUs, descriptions, images, prices, weight, and inventory levels.
• Product Categories: Ensuring your store's navigational structure is replicated.
• Product Manufacturers: To maintain brand associations.
• Product Reviews: Preserving valuable social proof.
• Customers: Transferring customer segments, billing, and shipping addresses.
• Orders: Migrating historical order data and associated details.
• Invoices: If included in your CSV export.
• Taxes: To ensure accurate tax calculations post-migration.
• Coupons: To maintain promotional strategies.
• CMS Pages: Transferring static content like 'About Us' or 'Contact' pages.

Step 5: Configure Additional Options & Data Mapping

This stage is crucial for customizing your migration and ensuring data integrity. Here, you'll find a range of additional options and the interface for data mapping.

Additional Migration Options:

Enhance your data transfer with these powerful choices:

• Preserve IDs: Options like 'Preserve Product IDs', 'Preserve Orders IDs', and 'Preserve Customers IDs' help maintain consistency with your old database, which can be vital for external integrations. Learn more about How Preserve IDs options can be used?
• Migrate Images: Select 'Migrate Images in Description' to ensure all product and content images are transferred.
• Password Migration: This option securely moves customer passwords, ensuring a smoother login experience post-migration.
• SEO URLs & 301 Redirects: Crucial for maintaining your search engine rankings and link equity. Selecting 'SEO URLs' and 'Create 301 SEO URLs' will help redirect old URLs to new ones, preventing broken links. Note: For Volusion, SEO options are excluded for blogs due to platform limitations.
• Clear Target Store Data: As mentioned in prerequisites, this option ensures your Volusion store is empty before data is imported.
• Create Variants from Attributes: If your OroCommerce products have attributes that define product variants (e.g., size, color), this option will help structure them correctly in Volusion.
• Migrate Invoices: If you wish to carry over your invoicing records.

Data Mapping:

The mapping interface allows you to match specific fields from your OroCommerce CSVs to their corresponding fields in Volusion. This ensures that customer groups, order statuses, product attributes, and other vital information are correctly associated with the appropriate structures in your new store.

Step 6: Launch Your Migration

Before committing to the full migration, we highly recommend performing a Free Demo Migration. This allows you to preview a limited set of data transferred to Volusion, enabling you to check accuracy and adjust settings as needed.

Once satisfied with the demo, you can proceed with the Full Migration. Review your chosen options and the estimated cost. Consider adding a Migration Insurance Service, which offers additional remigrations and support, providing peace of mind during this critical transition. Then, launch your migration, and the system will begin transferring all your selected data to Volusion.

Post-Migration Steps: Ensuring a Flawless Launch

Completing the data transfer is a significant milestone, but the journey isn't over. Several crucial post-migration tasks are essential for a successful launch and optimal user experience on your new Volusion store.

• Thorough Data Verification: Systematically check all migrated data on your Volusion store. Verify product details, SKUs, inventory levels, pricing, images, categories, customer accounts, order history, and content pages. Ensure all elements appear as expected and function correctly.
• Configure Store Settings: Set up essential Volusion store configurations, including shipping zones and rates, payment gateways, tax rules, and currency settings. Customize your store's theme to match your brand identity and ensure responsive design across devices.
• Update DNS Records: Once you are completely confident in your new Volusion store, update your domain's DNS records to point to your new Volusion site. Plan this carefully to minimize downtime and ensure a smooth cutover.
• Implement SEO & Redirects: If not fully handled during migration, ensure all critical 301 redirects are in place from your old OroCommerce URLs to your new Volusion URLs to preserve your valuable SEO rankings and link equity. Monitor your analytics for any broken links or significant drops in traffic.
• Conduct Comprehensive Testing: Perform extensive tests of all core functionalities: product search, adding to cart, checkout process, customer login and account management, contact forms, and any third-party app integrations. Invite a small group of users to test the site for any hidden issues.
• Integrate Necessary Apps: Volusion offers an App Store with various tools for marketing, analytics, customer service, and more. Install and configure any essential apps or plugins that enhance your store's functionality.
• Update External Links: Remember to update links on social media, business directories, and any advertising campaigns to reflect your new Volusion store URL.
• Plan for Recent Data: If your OroCommerce store was still active during the migration, new orders or customer registrations might have occurred. Consider a Recent Data Migration Service to transfer any data accumulated since your initial CSV export.

By following these detailed steps, you can confidently transition your e-commerce operations from OroCommerce to Volusion, leveraging the strengths of your new platform to drive future growth. Should you require expert assistance at any stage, our team is ready to provide tailored support through services like Migration Customization Service or our comprehensive Ultimate Data Migration Service. Feel free to Contact Us for personalized guidance.