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

A Comprehensive Guide to Transitioning from Interchange to Volusion

Stepping into a new era of e-commerce often involves upgrading your platform to better serve your customers and streamline operations. If you're currently operating on Interchange and considering a move to Volusion, you're looking at a transition to a more modern, cloud-based platform known for its robust features in sales, marketing, and security. This guide will walk you through the essential steps to perform a successful data migration from Interchange to Volusion.

As Interchange is not directly supported by automated migration tools in the traditional sense, this process will involve an intermediary step: exporting your data from Interchange into CSV files and then utilizing a migration service like Cart2Cart's CSV.File Data Migration feature to transfer this data to your new Volusion store. This approach ensures that your valuable product information, customer data, and order history are meticulously moved, preserving data integrity and maintaining your online presence.

Let’s begin your journey to a more powerful e-commerce platform. The first step typically involves initiating the migration process with a dedicated tool.

Prerequisites for Migration

Before embarking on the data transfer, careful preparation is key to a smooth and successful transition. Ensure you have the following in place:

For Your Interchange (Source) Store:

• Data Export: Since Interchange is not a directly supported cart for automated bridge connection, you will need to manually export your store's data into CSV files. Prioritize exporting essential entities such as products (including SKUs and variants), product categories, manufacturers, customer records, order history, product reviews, invoices, taxes, coupons, and CMS pages.
• Data Cleaning: Take this opportunity to clean up your data. Remove outdated products, inactive customer accounts, or redundant information to ensure only relevant data is transferred to Volusion.
• Full Backup: Always perform a complete backup of your Interchange store's database and files before initiating any data export. This is a critical safety measure.
• For more detailed preparation guidelines, refer to our guide on How to prepare Source store for migration?.

For Your Volusion (Target) Store:

• Store Setup: Your Volusion store should be set up and accessible. You don't need to populate it with data, as the migration process will handle this.
• Cart2Cart Volusion Migration Module: Volusion requires a specific plugin for connection. You must install the "Cart2Cart Volusion Migration module" to allow the migration service to connect and transfer data securely.
• FTP/SFTP Access: Ensure you have FTP or SFTP access credentials for your Volusion store. This is often necessary for installing the bridge connector that facilitates data transfer. For more information on access credentials, read The Short & Essential Guide to Access Credentials for Cart2Cart.
• Review Target Options: Familiarize yourself with Volusion's capabilities, such as multi-tax allowance and support for FTP access.
• To learn more about preparing your new platform, see How to prepare Target store for migration?.

General Prerequisites:

• Stable Internet Connection: A reliable internet connection is crucial for uninterrupted data transfer.
• Time Allocation: Depending on the volume of data, the migration process can take time. Plan accordingly to minimize potential downtime.
• Data Integrity Mindset: Be prepared to verify data thoroughly at various stages to ensure accuracy.

Performing the Migration: A Step-by-Step Guide

With your preparations complete, you can now proceed with the migration using Cart2Cart's intuitive wizard. Follow these steps for a smooth transition:

Step 1: Register or Log In to Cart2Cart

Your first action is to create a new Cart2Cart account or log in if you already have one. This is the gateway to accessing the migration wizard and managing your data transfer projects.

Step 2: Source Store Setup (Interchange via CSV)

In the migration wizard, you'll specify the details of your source store. Since Interchange is being migrated via CSV files:

1. From the dropdown list, select "CSV File to Cart" as your Source Cart.
2. Provide a placeholder or your current Interchange store's URL in the "Source Store URL" field.
3. You will then be prompted to upload your prepared CSV data files. Ensure these files contain all the entities you wish to move.

Step 3: Target Store Setup (Volusion)

Next, configure your Volusion target store:

1. Choose "Volusion" from the Target Cart dropdown menu.
2. Enter the full URL of your Volusion store in the "Target Store URL" field.
3. You will be guided to install the Cart2Cart Volusion Migration module on your Volusion store. This module acts as a bridge, enabling secure data transfer. Once installed, the system will detect the bridge location.
4. You may need to provide admin credentials (adminLogin, adminPwd) and the admin URL for the bridge to establish a connection.

Step 4: Select Data Entities for Migration

This critical step allows you to choose exactly what data you want to transfer from your Interchange CSV files to Volusion.

• You'll see a checklist of entities available for migration, including: Products, Product Categories, Product Manufacturers, Product Reviews, Customers, Orders, Invoices, Taxes, Stores, Coupons, and CMS Pages.
• You can select all entities or choose specific ones based on your requirements.
• Important Note on Blogs: While your Interchange CSV export may include 'Blogs' and 'Blogs_Posts', Volusion's listed supported entities for direct migration do not explicitly include blog-specific content. Therefore, blog posts might require manual transfer or re-creation within Volusion's CMS pages after the primary migration.

Step 5: Configure Additional Options and Data Mapping

This stage allows for customization and ensures data consistency between your old and new platforms.

Additional Options:

Review and select from various advanced options to tailor your migration:

• Migrate Images in Description: Transfer product images embedded within product descriptions.
• Clear Target: This option allows you to clear any existing data on your Volusion store before the migration, ensuring a clean slate.
• Preserve IDs: Maintain original Product IDs, Orders IDs, and Customers IDs to avoid breaking internal links or existing records. Learn more about How Preserve IDs options can be used?.
• SEO URLs & 301 SEO URLs: Crucial for maintaining your search engine rankings and link equity. This option helps to create 301 redirects from your old Interchange URLs to your new Volusion URLs, preventing broken links and preserving your SEO value.
• Password Migration: Transfer customer passwords securely, allowing customers to log in to their new Volusion accounts with existing credentials.
• Migrate Invoices: Ensure all your historical invoice data is moved across.
• Skip Custom Attributes: If your Interchange store has custom attributes you don't need in Volusion, you can choose to skip them.

Data Mapping:

Map specific data fields from your Interchange CSV files to their corresponding fields in Volusion. This typically includes:

• Customer Groups Mapping: Match customer roles (e.g., "Guest", "Registered Customer") from your source to appropriate groups in Volusion.
• Order Status Mapping: Align order statuses (e.g., "Pending", "Processing", "Completed") to ensure continuity of your order management.

Step 6: Run Free Demo Migration

Before committing to a full migration, take advantage of the free demo. This allows you to migrate a limited number of entities (e.g., a few products, customers, and orders) to your Volusion store. Review the results thoroughly to ensure data integrity and proper display of information. This step helps identify any potential issues before the complete transfer.

Step 7: Start Full Migration

Once you are satisfied with the demo migration results, proceed with the full data transfer. Confirm your selections, choose any optional services like Migration Insurance Service (which offers remigration capabilities), and initiate the process. Your entire e-commerce store data will then be seamlessly moved to Volusion.

Post-Migration Steps

The migration doesn't end when the data transfer is complete. A few crucial post-migration steps will ensure your new Volusion store is fully operational and optimized:

• Thorough Data Verification: Conduct an exhaustive review of your Volusion store. Check product listings, images, prices, categories, customer accounts, order history, and CMS pages. Verify that all URLs are working correctly and that no data is missing or corrupted.
• Configure Store Settings: Set up your payment gateways, shipping options, tax rules (Volusion allows multi-tax), and any other essential store configurations specific to Volusion.
• Design and Theme Customization: Customize your Volusion store's theme to reflect your brand identity and enhance the user experience.
• SEO Review and Optimization:
• Verify that your 301 redirects are functioning correctly, preserving your SEO rankings and preventing broken links.
• Update your Google Analytics and Google Search Console properties to point to your new Volusion store.
• Submit a new sitemap to search engines.
• Monitor for any crawl errors or broken links.
• Test All Functionality: Place several test orders, register new customer accounts, test contact forms, and verify all interactive elements work as expected.
• Update DNS and Go Live: Once you are completely satisfied, update your Domain Name System (DNS) records to point to your new Volusion store.
• Ongoing Maintenance: Establish a routine for regular backups and security checks on your new Volusion platform. Consider services like Recent Data Migration Service to keep new data synced if there's an overlap period.

By following these detailed steps, your transition from Interchange to Volusion will be a strategic move, ensuring a robust and future-proof e-commerce presence. Should you encounter any challenges or require assistance, do not hesitate to contact our support team.