Solidus to PrestaShop Migration - Step-by-Step Guide & Expert Services

A Comprehensive Guide to Transitioning from Solidus to PrestaShop

Switching your e-commerce platform can be a pivotal moment for your online business. If you're currently running Solidus and considering a move to PrestaShop, this guide will walk you through every essential step. Solidus, a powerful open-source platform, offers great flexibility, but transitioning to PrestaShop can unlock new features, simplify management, and potentially enhance your store's performance and user experience. Since Solidus isn't directly supported by automated tools for direct API connection, this migration will primarily leverage a CSV file export from your Solidus store, followed by an automated import into PrestaShop. Our expert-driven approach ensures data integrity and a smooth transition.

Prerequisites for Migration

Before initiating your data transfer from Solidus to PrestaShop, proper preparation is key to a successful and seamless transition:

1. Back Up Your Solidus Store Data: This is paramount. Ensure you have a complete backup of your Solidus database and files. This acts as a safety net and provides the source for your CSV export. You'll need to export key entities such as products (including SKUs, variants, images, descriptions), customer data, order history, categories, and potentially CMS pages or blog posts into CSV files. (How to prepare Source store for migration?)
2. Set Up Your PrestaShop Target Store: Have a fresh installation of PrestaShop ready. Ensure it's the version you intend to use (e.g., PrestaShop 1.7.x). Install any themes or essential modules you plan to use post-migration. While data migration can clear existing data, a clean slate is often best for testing. (How to prepare Target store for migration?)
3. Prepare Your CSV Files: Extract all relevant data from your Solidus store into well-structured CSV files. This includes: Products (with all attributes, images, prices, stock levels), Customers (names, addresses, order history, passwords if possible), Orders (status, items, customer details), Categories, Manufacturers, and any other entities you wish to move. Ensure your CSV files are clean and correctly formatted for import. (CSV.File Data Migration)
4. Review PrestaShop Plugin Requirements: For a smooth import, PrestaShop typically requires a specific migration module. Ensure you've noted the 'Cart2Cart Universal PrestaShop Migration module required' for your target store.

Performing the Migration: A Step-by-Step Guide

Follow these steps to migrate your e-commerce data from Solidus (via CSV) to PrestaShop:

Step 1: Start the Migration

Begin by accessing your migration wizard. This is typically the first screen you encounter, offering options to start a new migration or explore services.

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

Since Solidus is not directly integrated for automated migration, you will select 'CsvToCart' as your source platform. This method allows you to upload the CSV files containing your Solidus store's data for migration. You'll need to specify the types of entities contained within your uploaded CSVs to ensure a precise data transfer.

Step 3: Connect Your Target PrestaShop Store

Next, configure your target PrestaShop store. Select 'PrestaShop' from the dropdown list of supported shopping carts. You will then need to provide your PrestaShop Admin URL. The most common connection method for PrestaShop is via a Connection Bridge. This involves downloading a zip file, extracting the 'bridge2cart' folder, and uploading it to your PrestaShop store's root directory via FTP. Alternatively, some tools may offer an option to install an add-on from the marketplace or automatically upload the bridge using your admin credentials, aligning with the 'Cart2Cart Universal PrestaShop Migration module required'.

Step 4: Select Entities for Migration

This crucial step allows you to define exactly which data entities you want to transfer. Based on the data you've prepared in your CSV files and the capabilities of PrestaShop, you can select items such as Products (including images, descriptions, SKUs, and variants), Product Categories, Customers, Orders, Manufacturers, and potentially CMS Pages or Blogs. Review the list carefully and choose all relevant data types to ensure comprehensive data transfer.

Step 5: Configure Additional Options and Data Mapping

This is where you fine-tune your migration. You'll encounter two main sections:

• Additional Options: Select various enhancements for your data transfer. Key options for PrestaShop include:
  • Clear Target: Remove any existing data from your PrestaShop store before migration. (Clear current data on Target store before migration option)
  • Preserve Product IDs, Orders IDs, Customers IDs: Maintain original IDs from Solidus to PrestaShop, crucial for existing integrations and data integrity. (How Preserve IDs options can be used?)
  • Password Migration: Transfer customer passwords securely.
  • SEO URLs & Create 301 SEO URLs: Crucial for maintaining your search engine rankings and link equity by automatically redirecting old Solidus URLs to new PrestaShop ones.
  • Migrate Invoices: Transfer your existing invoice data.
  • Skip Custom Attributes: If not needed for your new store setup.

  

• Data Mapping: Match customer groups and order statuses from your Solidus CSV data to their corresponding equivalents in PrestaShop. This ensures consistency for customer segmentation and order processing, contributing to a better user experience on your new platform.

  

Step 6: Run a Free Demo Migration (Optional but Recommended)

Before committing to a full migration, it’s highly recommended to run a free demo migration. This transfers a limited number of entities (e.g., 10-20 products, customers, orders) to your PrestaShop store, allowing you to review the data transfer quality and identify any potential issues or adjustments needed. This is an invaluable step for ensuring data accuracy and a smooth full migration.

Step 7: Complete Full Migration

Once you are satisfied with the demo results and all settings are configured to your liking, proceed with the full migration. Review the summary of your selected entities and the total cost. Consider adding a Migration Insurance Service, which offers additional remigrations if unforeseen issues arise or if you need to update data. (How Migration Insurance works?) Initiate the full data transfer, and monitor its progress. You will be notified upon completion, minimizing downtime for your store.

Post-Migration Steps

After your data has successfully migrated from Solidus to PrestaShop, a few critical post-migration tasks are essential to ensure your new store is fully operational and optimized:

1. Thoroughly Test Your New PrestaShop Store: This is arguably the most important step. Check every aspect of your new store:
   • Products: Verify product details, images, SKUs, pricing, stock levels, and variants.
   • Customers: Ensure customer accounts are accessible (especially if passwords were migrated) and their order history is correct.
   • Orders: Confirm all historical orders have migrated accurately with correct statuses.
   • Checkout Process: Perform test purchases to ensure the entire checkout flow, including payment gateways, works flawlessly.
   • Forms & Functionality: Test contact forms, search functionality, and any custom features.
2. Implement 301 Redirects: If you didn't use the automated 301 URL creation feature during migration, it is critical to set up 301 redirects for all your old Solidus URLs to their new PrestaShop equivalents. This preserves your SEO rankings and link equity, preventing broken links and a poor user experience. Tools can assist in generating and managing these redirects.
3. Update DNS Settings and Go Live: Once testing is complete and you're confident in your new store, update your domain's DNS settings to point to your PrestaShop hosting. This officially takes your new store live. Plan for minimal downtime during this transition.
4. Monitor Performance and SEO: After launch, continuously monitor your website's performance, traffic, and SEO rankings using analytics tools. Pay attention to any crawl errors and loading speeds. Make adjustments as needed to optimize your store for speed and search engine visibility.
5. Review and Refine: Use this opportunity to review your new PrestaShop store's design, user experience, and overall functionality. Consider optimizing product descriptions, category structures, and marketing content.

Moving from Solidus to PrestaShop is a significant undertaking, but with careful planning and execution, you can achieve a successful transition. If you require specialized assistance or face unique challenges, don't hesitate to Contact Us for expert guidance.