Digital shopping has already become an indispensable part of our everyday life, and ecommerce platforms offer more and more opportunities for merchants to set their stores apart and win customers. It is only natural online store owners are tempted to switch their software to get more capabilities with sales. Today, our topic at hand OpenCart to Shopify migration - key reasons and the “DIY” way to bring over your ecommerce data like products, customers, orders, etc.(in fact, a lot more) without coding skills.
Watch our video tutorial to see how easy it is to automatically migrate from OpenCart to Shopify with the help of the Cart2Cart migration tool:
When you migrate OpenCart to Shopify, it means that you move the eCommerce data like products, orders, customers, etc., from an old platform to a new one to bring more functionality to your store. The data migration often requires tech skills, but there's no need to deal with the code if done automatically. It's quick and hassle-free.
Are you ready to give your business a fresh start on a completely different platform with limitless possibilities? Run the free demo now!
According to SimilarTech stats, Shopify is clearly the leader in this competition.
Besides, according to Google Trends, Shopify is a hands-down winner in terms of popularity worldwide in the last 5 years.
But… Nothing’s perfect and Shopify is no exclusion
Time for a fly in the ointment, is it? All the benefits of Shopify come at a price - a fixed monthly fee starting from $29 ( it's $9 actually, but it's not so easy to find) you pay for using it plus transaction fees. OpenCart, as you know, is free to download and use.
So why do people leave it? In many cases, managing an OpenCart store requires hiring a developer, especially if you have specific requirements, which isn't cheap either. If you run an OpenCart store and are worried about the financial outcome of the migration, calculating your current expenses and potential Shopify pricing is an easy way to evaluate the gains or risks.
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Shopify is a good fit for merchants who want to focus on selling, have control over their store appearance (drag and drop editor provides for this) and functionality, and not worry about technical aspects of their store, plus don't mind paying the price the convenience.
For more info on the carts in question, check out our post with a full-fledged comparison of OpenCart vs Shopify.
As to the migration process itself, below you'll find a detailed guide to an affordable and user-friendly database transfer. Also, we recommend you to watch our video tutorial on automated OpenCart to Shopify migration:
To start with, sign up for a trial account at shopify.com and select a theme for your store.
Transfer your OpenCart store data to Shopify hassle-free with the Cart2Cart Store Migration App.
Note. It is best if you save the customizations for later and choose the default theme before the data import to Shopify.
The access credentials will be necessary during your data migration setup.
If you are planning to migrate user reviews, you will need a “destination” for them, and a free Product Review app might be one, and it should be installed before the migration. Check the import reviews Shopify installation instructions.
Data migration is one of the bottlenecks of store migration - and no need to explain why - without the right tools, it might take days or weeks to transfer the content (or significant sums to pay a specialist who will handle this task).
Cart2Cart is an automated tool that enables data exchange between your two stores and allows you to move your ecommerce content to the new platform in hours, after a quick setup via a handy app.
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Basically, download a connection bridge file and upload it to the OpenCart root directory via FTP (you can also choose to have it done automatedly by typing in the necessary credentials).
All you need to do here is to download and install the Migration for Shopify app.
Here, you have to decide which data entities you want to move from OpenCart to Shopify, or migrate them altogether by checking the Select all box.
Though they are optional, below are the things we recommend you to pay attention to:
Map the stores' data to match OpenCart Order statuses to the ones on your new Shopify store.
If you wish to see how your OpenCart data will look on the Shopify store, make sure to try our free demo migration option. It will take only 15 minutes of your time and give you an idea of how the service works.
After the demo migration is finished, please, check if its result suits your expectations. If yes - go for the complete transfer of your eCommerce data from OpenCart to Shopify. It won't interfere with your current store's activity. So, continue running your business affairs and selling your goods.
Check out our infographic to get a better understanding of the migration process via Cart2Cart:
Please keep in mind that:
To migrate Products from OpenCart, you can either install the Bulk Export/ Import app and do the following:
Optionally, you may just configure the Cart2Cart Migration Wizard and we will help you move your products from OpenCart to Shopify automatically.
In case you need to export Orders from your existing OpenCart store, please, download one of the apps available at the official marketplace. These are the paid apps, but almost all of them provide users with a free demo. So you can easily test them before purchasing.
Go on setting up your Shopify store
Start a free Demo with Cart2Cart and take the migartion headaches off your back!
Start free Demo nowOf course. If you feel that your current OpenCart platform no longer meets your expectations, you can easily move all the data (customers, orders, products and more) to Shopify either manually or automatically. It all depends on the level of your tech expertise.
Shopify and OpenCart are two completely different solutions. Shopify is perfect for eCommerce newbies. Its marketplace offers tons of apps and themes to customize your store. Besides, Shopify has a community of active users, 24/7 customer support and there's no need to handle the security and hosting issues.
To migrate your OpenCart store data to Shopify do the following:
And that's it! At this point, you will be ready to welcome buyers into your new online shop. Do share your tips or ask questions ( we'll be happy to know if there's anything we've missed). There's no need to postpone your eCommerce migration if you feel it's time to switch your current platform to something more advanced. Level up your business with Cart2Cart
And now it’s time you started your own migration to Shopify - you’re a few clicks away from starting a new life of your store. Run a free demo now!
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