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

Seamlessly Migrate Your E-commerce Store from Pixafy to PrestaShop

Transitioning your e-commerce store to a new platform can seem daunting, but with the right guidance, it's a strategic move to unlock new potential. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the entire process of migrating your online store from Pixafy to PrestaShop, ensuring a smooth transition for your products, customer data, and order history.

PrestaShop, a robust and flexible open-source e-commerce solution, offers extensive customization, a vibrant community, and a powerful feature set, making it an excellent choice for merchants looking for greater control and scalability. Since Pixafy is not directly supported by automated migration tools in the traditional sense, we will leverage the versatile CSV export method to transfer your valuable store data efficiently to your new PrestaShop store.

Prerequisites for a Successful Migration

Before initiating the data transfer, ensure you have completed the following essential steps to prepare both your current Pixafy store and your new PrestaShop environment.

Preparing Your Pixafy Store (Source)

• Data Export: As Pixafy is a managed hosting platform, direct API or database access for automated migration tools is typically unavailable. You will need to export all your store data – including products (with SKUs, variants, and images), product categories, customer records, order history, CMS pages, and blog posts – into well-structured CSV (Comma Separated Values) files. This is the critical first step for moving your data off the platform.
• Data Review: Take this opportunity to clean up your data. Remove outdated products, redundant customer entries, or irrelevant order statuses. Data cleansing at this stage saves time and prevents unnecessary data transfer.
• Backup Your Data: Always create a full backup of your Pixafy store data before starting any migration process. This ensures you have a recovery point if any unforeseen issues arise. For more tips, check our guide on how to prepare your source store.

Preparing Your PrestaShop Store (Target)

• Fresh PrestaShop Installation: Install a fresh instance of PrestaShop on your chosen hosting environment. Ensure it's the latest stable version for optimal performance and security. For more details, consult our guide on preparing your target store.
• Admin Access: Ensure you have full administrative access to your new PrestaShop store, including the Admin URL, username, and password. Refer to The Short & Essential Guide to Access Credentials.
• FTP/SFTP Access: You'll need FTP or SFTP access to your PrestaShop store's root directory to upload the Connection Bridge, a crucial component for enabling the migration tool to communicate with your target store. Read our guide on what a root folder is.
• Cart2Cart PrestaShop Migration Module: PrestaShop requires the Cart2Cart Universal PrestaShop Migration module to facilitate the connection and data transfer. This module is essential for a successful migration.

Performing the Migration: A Step-by-Step Guide

With your preparations complete, you're ready to begin the migration process using an automated migration tool. The following steps outline how to move your data from your Pixafy CSV files to PrestaShop.

Step 1: Set Up Your Source Store (Pixafy via CSV)

First, specify Pixafy as your source platform by selecting 'CSV File to Cart' in the migration wizard. You will then be prompted to upload the CSV files you exported from your Pixafy store. Ensure all relevant data entities, such as products, categories, customers, and orders, are included in your uploaded files. This method leverages our CSV Data Migration service.

Step 2: Connect Your Target Store (PrestaShop)

Next, choose 'PrestaShop' as your target e-commerce platform. Provide the Admin URL of your newly installed PrestaShop store. To establish a secure connection, you will need to upload the Connection Bridge to your PrestaShop store's root directory. Download the bridge file, extract the 'bridge2cart' folder, and upload it via FTP/SFTP. This bridge acts as a secure conduit for data transfer. Remember that the Cart2Cart Universal PrestaShop Migration module is also required for this connection to function correctly.

Step 3: Select Data Entities for Migration

In this crucial step, you'll choose precisely which data entities you wish to transfer from your Pixafy CSV files to PrestaShop. The migration tool supports a wide array of data types, including:

• Products (including SKUs, variants, descriptions, images)
• Product Categories
• Product Manufacturers
• Product Reviews
• Customers (with associated data and passwords)
• Orders (with full history and statuses)
• Invoices
• Taxes
• Coupons
• CMS Pages
• Blogs and Blog Posts

You can either select 'All entities' for a comprehensive transfer or individually pick the specific data types that are relevant to your new store.

Step 4: Configure Additional Options & Map Data

This stage allows for significant customization to ensure your new PrestaShop store functions exactly as intended.

Additional Migration Options

Leverage the advanced options to optimize your migration:

• Clear Target Store Data: Opt to clear current data on the target store before migration to start with a clean slate.
• Preserve IDs: Maintain original Product IDs, Order IDs, and Customer IDs to prevent disruptions with third-party integrations or internal systems. Learn more about how Preserve IDs options can be used.
• SEO URLs & 301 Redirects: Crucial for preserving your search engine rankings and link equity. Enable options to create SEO-friendly URLs and automatically generate 301 redirects from your old Pixafy URLs to the new PrestaShop URLs. Note that SEO options for blogs might be excluded.
• Migrate Customer Passwords: Ensure a seamless user experience by migrating customer passwords securely.
• Migrate Images in Product Descriptions: Transfer all embedded product images for a complete product listing.

Data Mapping Setup

Accurately map your source Pixafy data to the corresponding fields in PrestaShop. This includes matching customer groups (e.g., 'Wholesale' to 'Professional') and order statuses (e.g., 'Pending payment' to 'Waiting for validation'). Proper mapping ensures data consistency and integrity.

Step 5: Perform Demo Migration and Full Migration

Before committing to a full data transfer, run a free demo migration. This allows you to transfer a limited number of entities (e.g., 10 products, 10 customers, 10 orders) to your PrestaShop store. Review the migrated data carefully to ensure everything is transferred correctly and appears as expected. This step is vital for verifying data integrity and identifying any potential issues. You can also utilize our Migration Preview Service.

Once satisfied with the demo results, proceed with the full migration. Consider adding a Migration Insurance Plan to allow for re-migrations if you need to adjust anything post-launch. For ongoing new data, consider our Recent Data Migration Service to capture orders made during the transition period.

Post-Migration Steps

The migration doesn't end when the data transfer is complete. A few critical post-migration tasks will ensure your new PrestaShop store is fully functional and ready for customers.

• Thorough Testing: Conduct extensive testing of your new PrestaShop store. Verify all products, categories, customer accounts, order history, and payment gateways. Place test orders, check customer registration, and ensure all links are working correctly.
• Configure SEO: Double-check your 301 redirects to ensure they are functioning as intended, preserving your SEO rankings and link equity. Update any missing meta titles, descriptions, and alt tags for images.
• Install Theme and Extensions: Customize your PrestaShop store with a new theme and install any necessary modules or extensions that enhance functionality or user experience.
• Update DNS: Once you are confident your new store is fully operational, update your Domain Name System (DNS) records to point your domain to the new PrestaShop store. Plan this during off-peak hours to minimize downtime.
• Remove Old Platform: After confirming your PrestaShop store is live and stable, you can safely decommission your old Pixafy store.
• Ongoing Monitoring: Continuously monitor your new store's performance, customer feedback, and analytics to quickly address any unforeseen issues.

Migrating from Pixafy to PrestaShop is a significant undertaking, but with careful planning and execution, it can lead to a more flexible, scalable, and powerful e-commerce presence. Should you encounter any questions or require assistance, please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions or Contact Us directly for expert support.