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

A Comprehensive Guide to Transitioning from Cleverbridge to Volusion

Migrating an e-commerce store is a pivotal step for any merchant looking to enhance their online presence, improve functionality, or scale operations. This detailed guide is designed to walk you through the process of moving your existing store from Cleverbridge to Volusion, ensuring a seamless and efficient data transfer. While Cleverbridge is a powerful platform, moving to Volusion can unlock new features, advanced customization options, and a robust ecosystem designed for growth.

Since Cleverbridge is not directly supported by automated bridge connections, this migration will primarily involve exporting your critical e-commerce data (such as products, customer information, and order history) into CSV files, and then importing these files into your new Volusion store. This approach, facilitated by a powerful migration tool, ensures that your essential SKUs, customer data, and other vital store entities are accurately transferred.

Prerequisites for a Successful Migration

Before initiating the migration, careful preparation is key to minimizing downtime and ensuring data integrity. Here's what you need to have in place:

• Cleverbridge Data Export: You will need to export all relevant data from your Cleverbridge store into CSV files. This typically includes products (with variants and images), product categories, customer records, order history, invoices, coupons, and CMS pages. Ensure your CSV files are well-structured and include all necessary fields for a comprehensive CSV.File Data Migration.
• Volusion Store Setup: Have your new Volusion store ready. This means you've completed the initial setup, chosen a theme, and are familiar with its administrative interface.
• FTP/SFTP Access for Volusion: Volusion migrations require the installation of a connection bridge for data transfer. You will need FTP or SFTP access to your Volusion store's root directory to upload this bridge. For more information, refer to What is a root folder and where can I find it?
• Cart2Cart Volusion Migration Module: Volusion, as a target platform, requires a specific plugin for the migration to proceed smoothly. Ensure the Cart2Cart Volusion Migration module is ready for installation.
• Data Backup: Always back up your Cleverbridge data before starting any migration. This is a critical safeguard.
• SEO Strategy Review: Consider your current SEO rankings and plan for 301 redirects to preserve link equity and maintain search engine visibility on your new Volusion store.
• Credentials: Gather all necessary access credentials for both your Cleverbridge (for CSV export) and Volusion (admin login, password, store URL, FTP details) platforms. See The Short & Essential Guide to Access Credentials for Cart2Cart for more details.
• For further guidance on preparing your stores, consult our FAQs: How to prepare Source store for migration? and How to prepare Target store for migration?

Performing the Migration: A Step-by-Step Guide

Follow these steps using a dedicated migration wizard to move your e-commerce assets from Cleverbridge (via CSV) to Volusion efficiently:

Step 1: Get Started

Begin by accessing the migration wizard. This is your starting point for configuring the transfer process.

Step 2: Configure Your Source Store (Cleverbridge via CSV)

Since Cleverbridge data is being migrated via files, you will select 'CSV File to Cart' as your source platform. You'll then be prompted to upload the CSV files containing your Cleverbridge data. Ensure all your exported CSVs are correctly prepared to facilitate the upload process.

• Select Source Cart: Choose "CSV File to Cart" from the dropdown menu.
• Upload CSV Files: Upload your previously exported Cleverbridge data files (products, customers, orders, etc.) as instructed by the wizard.

Step 3: Configure Your Target Store (Volusion)

Next, you will define your destination e-commerce platform – Volusion.

• Select Target Cart: Choose "Volusion" from the dropdown list.
• Provide Store URL: Enter the full URL of your Volusion store.
• Install Connection Bridge: The migration wizard will guide you through installing a connection bridge to your Volusion store via FTP. This bridge is essential for the migration tool to communicate with your Volusion platform and transfer data securely. You will likely need to provide your FTP credentials and the bridge location. Remember, Volusion requires the Cart2Cart Volusion Migration module for this process.

Step 4: Select Data Entities for Migration

This critical step allows you to specify exactly which data entities you wish to transfer from your Cleverbridge CSV files to Volusion.

• Choose Entities: You can select individual entities like products, product categories, manufacturers, reviews, customers, orders, invoices, taxes, stores, coupons, and CMS pages. Alternatively, select the option to migrate "All entities" for a comprehensive transfer.
• Review Supported Data: While CSV export supports various entities, ensure they align with Volusion's capabilities. Note that blog content, if present in Cleverbridge, might require manual migration or custom solutions as Volusion does not explicitly list blog entities for direct transfer.

Step 5: Configure Additional Options & Data Mapping

Customize your migration with additional options and ensure data consistency through mapping.

• Additional Migration Options: Enhance your data transfer with various features, often recommended for a smoother transition:
  • Preserve IDs: Opt to preserve original Product IDs, Customer IDs, and Order IDs. This is crucial for maintaining SEO, customer history, and internal records. Learn more about How Preserve IDs options can be used?
  • Create 301 Redirects: Essential for SEO, this option helps automatically set up redirects from your old Cleverbridge URLs to your new Volusion URLs, preventing broken links and preserving your search engine rankings.
  • Migrate Customer Passwords: Allow customers to log in to their new Volusion accounts with their existing Cleverbridge passwords, significantly improving user experience.
  • Migrate Images in Product Descriptions: Ensure all product images embedded within descriptions are transferred.
  • Clear Target Store Data: If your Volusion store has existing demo data, you might choose to clear it before migration for a clean start. See Clear current data on Target store before migration option.

• Data Mapping: Accurately match customer groups and order statuses from your Cleverbridge data (via CSV) to the corresponding fields in your Volusion store. This ensures data consistency and proper categorization in your new platform.

Step 6: Initiate Migration

Once all configurations are complete, you can begin the migration process.

• Run a Free Demo Migration: It's highly recommended to perform a free demo migration first. This allows you to transfer a limited number of entities (e.g., 10 products, 10 customers, 10 orders) to your Volusion store to verify the process and data accuracy before committing to a full migration.
• Review Demo Results: Carefully inspect the migrated data on your Volusion store after the demo. Check product details, customer accounts, and order information.
• Proceed with Full Migration: If the demo is satisfactory, proceed with the full migration. You might consider purchasing Migration Insurance Service, which offers additional remigrations for a specified period, providing peace of mind. For more information, see How Migration Insurance works?

Post-Migration Steps

The migration doesn't end when the data transfer is complete. These crucial post-migration steps will help you launch your new Volusion store successfully:

1. Thorough Data Verification: Rigorously check all migrated data. Confirm product details (SKUs, variants, prices, images, descriptions), customer accounts, order history, and CMS pages on your Volusion store. Ensure data integrity across all entities.
2. Test All Functionality: Conduct extensive testing of your new Volusion store. This includes the checkout process, payment gateways, shipping calculations, search filters, and customer login functionality.
3. Configure SEO and Redirects: If you didn't use the automated 301 redirect option during migration, implement them manually. Update your sitemap and submit it to search engines. Check metadata and ensure your SEO URLs are optimized for Volusion's structure.
4. Update DNS Settings: Once you're confident in your new Volusion store, update your domain's DNS settings to point to your new platform. This makes your Volusion store live to the public.
5. Install and Configure Apps/Integrations: Set up any necessary apps or third-party integrations (e.g., accounting software, marketing tools) that your business relies on.
6. Customize Your Theme: Fine-tune your Volusion store's design and user experience to reflect your brand and provide an optimal shopping environment.
7. Inform Your Customers: Announce the successful launch of your new Volusion store to your customer base.
8. Monitor Performance: Continuously monitor your store's performance, user experience, and SEO rankings in the weeks following the launch to identify and address any issues promptly.
9. Consider Recent Data Migration: If new orders or customer data appeared on your Cleverbridge store during the migration period, consider using a Recent Data Migration Service to transfer this fresh data.

Migrating from Cleverbridge to Volusion, while involving a CSV-based approach, can be a smooth and rewarding process with the right tools and a structured plan. By following this guide, you can ensure a successful transition, paving the way for your e-commerce growth on the Volusion platform. If you encounter any challenges or require expert assistance, our team is always ready to help. Contact Us for specialized support.