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

Seamlessly Transition Your E-commerce Store from BuyDotCom to Volusion

As your e-commerce business evolves, so too should your platform. If you're currently operating on BuyDotCom and considering a move to a more robust, scalable, and feature-rich solution, Volusion stands out as an excellent choice. This detailed guide is designed to provide you with clear, actionable steps for a successful store migration, ensuring your valuable data – from products and customer information to orders and reviews – is transferred with precision and integrity. While BuyDotCom doesn't offer a direct API connection for automated migration, we will leverage its CSV export capabilities to facilitate a smooth data transfer to your new Volusion store.

Prerequisites for a Successful Migration

Before embarking on your migration journey, proper preparation is key to minimizing downtime and ensuring a smooth transition. Here's what you'll need to have in place:

• For Your BuyDotCom Store (Source):
  1. Data Export: Since BuyDotCom requires a file-based approach, you'll need to export all your essential store data into CSV files. This includes product details (SKUs, variants, images, descriptions), product categories, customer records, order history, manufacturers, reviews, and any CMS pages or coupons you wish to transfer. Ensure these files are well-organized and complete. You can learn more about this process via our CSV.File Data Migration service.
  2. Data Review: Take the time to review your exported data for consistency and accuracy. Clean up any outdated or redundant information to ensure only high-quality data is moved to your new platform.
• For Your Volusion Store (Target):
  1. New Volusion Store Setup: You should have a fresh Volusion store account ready and accessible. While you don't need to populate it with data, having the basic setup complete is crucial.
  2. Admin Access Credentials: Gather your Volusion store's admin login, password, and the full store URL. These are essential for Cart2Cart to establish a connection. For more details on credentials, consult The Short & Essential Guide to Access Credentials for Cart2Cart.
  3. FTP Access: Volusion requires a connection bridge for data transfer, which necessitates FTP access to your Volusion store's root directory to upload the Cart2Cart Volusion Migration module.
  4. Install Cart2Cart Volusion Migration Module: This specific plugin is required for a successful connection and data transfer to Volusion. Ensure it's installed on your target store before proceeding.
  5. Consider Target Store Preparation: For a comprehensive guide on setting up your Volusion store, refer to our How to prepare Target store for migration? FAQ.

Performing the Migration: A Step-by-Step Guide

Follow these steps to migrate your e-commerce data from BuyDotCom (via CSV) to Volusion using the Cart2Cart wizard:

Step 1: Initiate Your Migration

Begin by navigating to the Cart2Cart migration wizard. If you don't have an account, you'll be prompted to create one.

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

In the migration wizard, select "CSV File to Cart" as your Source Cart type. You will then be prompted to upload the CSV files you exported from your BuyDotCom store. Ensure all necessary data files (products, customers, orders, etc.) are uploaded correctly.

Step 3: Configure Your Target Store (Volusion)

Next, select "Volusion" as your Target Cart. You will need to provide your Volusion store's URL, along with your admin login and password. The system will also guide you on installing the necessary Cart2Cart Volusion Migration module via FTP to establish the connection bridge.

Step 4: Select Data Entities for Migration

This crucial step allows you to choose exactly which types of data you want to transfer. Cart2Cart supports a wide range of entities including:

• Products (including SKUs, variants, images, descriptions)
• Product Categories
• Products_Manufacturers
• Product Reviews
• Customers
• Orders
• Invoices
• Taxes
• Stores
• Coupons
• CMS Pages

You can choose to migrate all entities or select specific ones based on your needs. For BuyDotCom (CSV), blog posts are also supported.

Step 5: Configure Additional Migration Options

Enhance your migration with various additional options. These can significantly impact the quality and integrity of your transferred data. Recommended options for Volusion include:

• Migrate Images in Description: Ensures all product images embedded in descriptions are moved.
• Clear Target Store Data: If your Volusion store isn't new, you can choose to clear existing data before migration.
• Preserve IDs: Maintain original Product IDs, Order IDs, and Customer IDs to prevent broken links or internal system discrepancies. Learn more about How Preserve IDs options can be used?.
• SEO URLs & Create 301 SEO URLs: Crucial for maintaining your SEO rankings and link equity by automatically generating or preserving SEO-friendly URLs and setting up 301 redirects from your old URLs to new ones.
• Password Migration: Safely transfer customer passwords, ensuring a seamless login experience for your existing customer base.
• Migrate Invoices: Transfer existing invoice data.

Step 6: Map Your Data Fields

The mapping setup allows you to match specific fields from your source BuyDotCom data to their corresponding fields in Volusion. This is particularly important for customer groups and order statuses, ensuring they are categorized correctly on your new platform.

Step 7: Run a Free Demo Migration

Before committing to a full transfer, perform a free demo migration. This allows you to transfer a limited number of entities (e.g., 10-20 products, customers, orders) to your Volusion store. Use this opportunity to:

• Verify data integrity and accuracy.
• Check image transfers and product variants.
• Ensure customer and order information is correctly placed.
• Familiarize yourself with the Volusion interface with some actual data.

Step 8: Perform Full Migration to Volusion

Once you are satisfied with the demo results, proceed with the full migration. Cart2Cart will transfer all your selected data from BuyDotCom to Volusion. You can monitor the progress directly in the wizard.

Consider adding a Migration Insurance Service for peace of mind, offering options for remigrations if needed.

Post-Migration Steps

A successful data transfer is just the beginning. The following post-migration tasks are critical to ensure your new Volusion store is fully functional, optimized, and ready for business:

• Thorough Data Verification: Rigorously check all migrated data on your Volusion store. This includes product details (descriptions, images, pricing, inventory levels, SKUs, variants), customer accounts, order history, categories, and reviews. Ensure everything appears as expected.
• Test All Functionality: Conduct extensive testing of your new Volusion store's features. Place test orders, process payments, test user registration and login, verify search functionality, and check all shipping and tax settings.
• Configure SEO Settings: If you enabled 301 redirects during migration, verify they are working correctly. Update your sitemap in Google Search Console and monitor for any crawl errors. Pay close attention to product and category page URLs to maintain SEO rankings.
• Update DNS Records: Once you're confident in your new Volusion store, update your domain's DNS records to point to your new Volusion storefront. This is the moment your new store goes live to the public.
• Notify Your Customers: Inform your loyal customers about the transition to your new Volusion store. A simple email or social media announcement can help maintain user experience and engagement.
• Ongoing Optimization: Continuously monitor your Volusion store's performance, user experience, and conversion rates. Leverage Volusion's analytics and marketing tools to optimize your store further.

Migrating from BuyDotCom to Volusion is a strategic move that can unlock new growth opportunities for your e-commerce business. By following this expert guide and leveraging Cart2Cart's efficient data transfer service, you can ensure a smooth, secure, and successful transition. If you encounter any challenges or require additional assistance, don't hesitate to consult our Frequently Asked Questions or Contact Us for expert support.