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

Seamlessly Migrating Your E-commerce Store from Volusion to Shopify

Embarking on an e-commerce platform migration is a significant undertaking, but transitioning from Volusion to Shopify can unlock a world of enhanced features, scalability, and an extensive app ecosystem. This comprehensive guide is designed to provide Volusion merchants with a clear, actionable roadmap for a successful data transfer, ensuring minimal downtime and preserving crucial data integrity.

While Volusion has served many businesses well, Shopify's robust infrastructure, intuitive interface, and vast community support often make it the preferred choice for future growth. This guide will walk you through every essential step, from initial preparation to post-migration optimization, helping you make a smooth switch and capitalize on Shopify's powerful capabilities.

Prerequisites for a Successful Volusion to Shopify Migration

Before you initiate the data transfer process, ensuring you have all necessary access and accounts in place will streamline your migration journey:

• Full Access to Your Volusion Store: You will need administrator credentials and FTP access to your Volusion store's root folder to install the required migration bridge. It's also advisable to create a backup of your Volusion store data before starting.
• A New Shopify Store: Create and set up a new Shopify account. You don't need to populate it with products or customers yet, but having the store ready is crucial. Familiarize yourself with the Shopify admin panel and its basic functionalities.
• Cart2Cart Account: Our migration tool will facilitate the transfer. Register for a Cart2Cart account to access the migration wizard.
• Review Shopify's Limitations & Notices: Be aware that Shopify's 'Pause and Build' plan blocks orders during certain stages. It's also recommended to disable notifications during the migration process. For migrating reviews, Shopify often requires an additional app like AirReviews, which you might need to consider post-migration.

Performing the Migration: A Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Initiate Your Migration

Begin by navigating to the Cart2Cart website. Click on the "Start Free Demo" or "Start Migration" button to launch the migration wizard.

Step 2: Configure Your Source Store (Volusion)

In the migration wizard, select Volusion as your Source Cart from the dropdown menu. Then, enter the full URL of your Volusion store.

As Volusion's connection method is "Bridge only," you will be prompted to download the Cart2Cart Volusion Migration module (often referred to as the 'Bridge'). You'll need to upload this file via FTP to the root folder of your Volusion installation. This bridge acts as a secure gateway, allowing our service to access your data for transfer. For more details on locating your root folder, refer to our FAQ on root folders.

Step 3: Set Up Your Target Store (Shopify)

Next, select Shopify as your Target Cart. Enter the URL of your new Shopify store. For connecting to Shopify, the recommended and most straightforward method is to install the Cart2Cart Store Migration App directly from the Shopify App Store. The wizard will provide a link to the app. Follow the on-screen instructions to install it, then return to the migration wizard to finalize the connection.

If you prefer an alternative, Shopify also supports API or Admin panel connections, but the app method is generally the simplest. For detailed preparation tips for your new Shopify store, consult our guide on How to prepare Target store for migration?

Step 4: Select Data Entities for Transfer

This crucial step allows you to define exactly which data you wish to move. Our service supports the migration of a wide array of entities, including:

• Products: Including SKUs, variants, descriptions, images, and metadata.
• Product Categories: Ensuring your store's structure remains intact.
• Customers: All customer data, including billing and shipping addresses.
• Orders: Historical sales data, order statuses, and associated information.
• Products Reviews: Note that for Shopify, reviews often require an additional application like AirReviews post-migration.
• CMS Pages: Important content like About Us, Contact Us.
• Coupons: For promotions and discounts.
• Blogs & Blog Posts: Shopify specifically supports these.

Volusion also supports entities like Manufacturers, Invoices, Taxes, and Stores, while Shopify supports Gift Cards and Price Rules. Review the full list presented in the wizard and select all relevant data entities.

Step 5: Configure Additional Migration Options

The wizard will present various additional options to tailor your migration. These features are vital for maintaining SEO rankings, preserving link equity, and ensuring a seamless user experience post-migration. Key options include:

• Preserve Product IDs / Order IDs / Customer IDs: Highly recommended to maintain historical data consistency. Learn more about How Preserve IDs options can be used?
• Create 301 SEO URLs: Essential for redirecting old Volusion URLs to their new Shopify counterparts, preventing broken links and maintaining your search engine optimization.
• Migrate Images in Description: Ensures all product images embedded within descriptions are transferred.
• Clear Current Data on Target Store Before Migration: This option will remove any existing data on your new Shopify store prior to migration, ensuring a clean slate. Read about what this option means.
• Migrate Customer Passwords: This feature allows your customers to log in with their existing credentials on your new Shopify store, improving customer retention.

Step 6: Map Your Data

In this step, you'll map your Volusion customer groups and order statuses to their corresponding equivalents in Shopify. This ensures that data like 'Wholesale Customer' or 'Pending Payment' is correctly categorized in your new store.

Step 7: Run a Free Demo Migration (Recommended)

Before committing to the full migration, we highly recommend performing a Free Demo Migration. This transfers a limited number of entities (e.g., 10 products, 10 customers, 10 orders) to your Shopify store, allowing you to:

• Verify the connection between platforms.
• Check the accuracy of data transfer and mapping.
• Understand how your products, customers, and orders will appear in Shopify.

This is a critical step for ensuring data integrity and preventing issues during the full data transfer.

Step 8: Perform the Full Migration

Once you're satisfied with the demo results, you can proceed with the full migration. Review the comprehensive list of entities selected and the total cost. Consider adding a Migration Insurance Plan for added peace of mind, allowing for re-migrations if needed. Learn more about how migration insurance works.

Click "Start Full Migration," and the process will begin. During this time, it's recommended to temporarily disable customer notifications on your Shopify store to avoid confusion. For Shopify stores on a 'Pause and Build' plan, be aware that this plan might block orders, so ensure your store plan is appropriate for receiving new data and orders post-migration.

Post-Migration Steps

The migration doesn't end when the data transfer is complete. These crucial post-migration steps will help you optimize your new Shopify store and ensure a smooth transition for your customers:

1. Thoroughly Review Migrated Data

Immediately after the migration, meticulously check your Shopify store. Verify that all products (including SKUs, variants, prices, and images), customer data, orders, CMS pages, and blog posts have transferred accurately. Pay close attention to product images in descriptions and SEO metadata.

2. Configure SEO Redirects

If you didn't create 301 redirects during the migration, or if you have specific URLs not covered, set them up in Shopify. This is vital for preserving your existing SEO rankings and preventing lost traffic from old Volusion links. Test these redirects to ensure they work correctly.

3. Install Essential Shopify Apps

Explore the Shopify App Store for applications that enhance your store's functionality. This might include apps for reviews (e.g., AirReviews if you migrated reviews), loyalty programs, marketing, analytics, or advanced shipping options.

4. Update Your Domain Name Servers (DNS)

Once you're confident in your new Shopify store, update your domain's DNS settings to point to Shopify. This will make your Shopify store live at your primary domain. Plan this step carefully to minimize downtime for your customers.

5. Conduct Extensive Testing

Before officially launching, perform comprehensive tests:

• Checkout Process: Place test orders using various payment methods.
• Forms: Test contact forms, registration forms, and newsletter sign-ups.
• Customer Accounts: Log in as an existing customer to ensure their data and order history are accessible.
• Responsiveness: Check your store's appearance and functionality on different devices (desktop, tablet, mobile) to ensure a consistent user experience.

6. Launch Your New Shopify Store!

With all checks completed and confidence in your new platform, it's time to officially launch your Shopify store! Announce the transition to your customers and monitor your store closely for any unexpected issues. Congratulations on your successful replatforming!