HubSpot Commerce to Volusion Migration - Step-by-Step Guide & Expert Services

Seamlessly Migrating Your E-commerce Store from HubSpot Commerce to Volusion

Embarking on an e-commerce platform migration can feel like a daunting task, but with the right guidance, transitioning your online store from HubSpot Commerce to Volusion can be a smooth and rewarding process. This comprehensive guide, crafted by e-commerce content and SEO experts, will walk you through every critical step, ensuring your valuable store data—including products, customers, orders, and more—is transferred with precision and care. While HubSpot Commerce doesn't offer direct API access for automated migrations, we'll leverage the power of CSV file exports to facilitate a robust data transfer to your new Volusion storefront.

Volusion offers a powerful, feature-rich platform that can provide a fresh foundation for your business's growth. By making this strategic move, you're not just changing platforms; you're unlocking new possibilities for managing your inventory, enhancing customer experiences, and scaling your operations. Let's dive into how to execute this critical replatforming with confidence.

Prerequisites for a Successful Migration

Before initiating your data transfer, adequate preparation of both your source (HubSpot Commerce via CSV) and target (Volusion) stores is crucial for ensuring data integrity and minimizing downtime. Adhering to these prerequisites will set the stage for a seamless transition.

Preparing Your HubSpot Commerce Data (Source Store)

Since HubSpot Commerce does not support a direct API connection for automated migration tools like Cart2Cart, the migration process will rely on exporting your store's data into CSV files. This method, often referred to as CSV.File Data Migration, requires meticulous attention to detail during the export phase.

• Export Essential Data: Systematically export all critical e-commerce entities from your HubSpot Commerce store. This typically includes: Products (with their SKUs, variants, images, and descriptions), Product Categories, Customers (including their historical order data), Orders, Invoices, Taxes, Coupons, CMS Pages, and Product Reviews.
• Data Cleaning: Before exporting, it's highly recommended to clean up your data. Remove any outdated, redundant, or incorrect entries. This proactive step prevents the migration of 'junk' data to your new Volusion store, ensuring a clean slate.
• Organize CSV Files: Ensure your exported CSV files are well-structured and clearly labeled for easy identification during the upload process.

For more detailed guidance on preparing your source store, refer to our How to prepare Source store for migration? FAQ.

Preparing Your Volusion Store (Target Store)

Your Volusion store needs to be ready to receive the influx of data. Follow these steps to prepare your target environment:

• Set Up Your Volusion Store: Ensure your Volusion account is active and your basic store setup (e.g., domain, general settings) is complete.
• Install Cart2Cart Volusion Migration Module: Volusion migrations require a bridge connection. This involves installing the "Cart2Cart Volusion Migration module" onto your Volusion store. This module facilitates the secure transfer of data between the migration tool and your store.
• FTP Access: You will need FTP access to your Volusion store's server to upload the Cart2Cart connection bridge. Make sure you have your FTP host, username, and password readily available. This bridge is critical for establishing a secure connection for data transfer. For help locating your root folder, check out What is a root folder and where can I find it?.

For additional information on preparing your target store, consult our How to prepare Target store for migration? FAQ and read The Short & Essential Guide to Access Credentials for Cart2Cart for security assurances.

Performing the Migration: A Step-by-Step Guide

With your preparations complete, let's proceed with the actual data transfer using a migration wizard. This guide assumes you are using a tool like Cart2Cart, which simplifies complex replatforming tasks.

Step 1: Start Your Migration

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

Step 2: Connect Your Source Store (HubSpot Commerce via CSV)

Here, you'll specify the origin of your data. Since HubSpot Commerce is not directly integrated, you will use the CSV file option.

• Select 'CSV File to Cart': From the dropdown list of source shopping carts, choose 'CSV File to Cart'.
• Upload Your CSV Files: Follow the prompts to upload your carefully prepared CSV files containing your HubSpot Commerce data. This includes all exported entities like products, customer data, and order history.

Step 3: Configure Your Target Volusion Store

Next, you will define your new Volusion store as the destination for your data.

• Select 'Volusion': Choose Volusion from the list of target shopping carts.
• Enter Your Volusion Store URL: Provide the complete URL of your new Volusion store.
• Install Connection Bridge: As Volusion uses a "Bridge only" connection method, you will be prompted to upload a connection bridge file to your Volusion store's root directory via FTP. This bridge is essential for the migration tool to securely access and transfer data to your Volusion platform. Ensure the "Cart2Cart Volusion Migration module" is in place.

Step 4: Select Data Entities for Migration

This critical step allows you to choose exactly which data you wish to transfer from your CSV files to your Volusion store. You can select all entities or pick them individually.

• Common Entities: Products, Product Categories, Products Manufacturers, Products Reviews, Customers, Orders, Invoices, Taxes, Stores, Coupons, and CMS Pages are generally supported for migration to Volusion.
• Careful Selection: Review the list and select all relevant data types to ensure a complete and accurate transfer.

Step 5: Choose Additional Migration Options

Enhance your migration with a range of customizable options. These settings allow you to tailor the data transfer to your specific business needs.

• Preserve IDs: Consider options like Preserve Product IDs, Preserve Category IDs, Preserve Customers IDs, and Preserve Orders IDs to maintain existing numbering schemes.
• 301 Redirects: Enable "Create 301 SEO URLs" to automatically redirect old HubSpot Commerce URLs to their new Volusion counterparts. This is crucial for maintaining your SEO rankings and link equity.
• Password Migration: Select "Password Migration" to transfer customer passwords, providing a seamless user experience for returning customers.
• Clear Target Store Data: The "Clear Target" option allows you to remove any existing data on your Volusion store before the migration, ensuring a fresh start.
• Create Variants from Attributes: If your products have attributes that need to be converted into variants on Volusion, select this option.
• Migrate Images in Description: Ensure product images embedded within descriptions are transferred.

Step 6: Map Data (Customer Groups & Order Statuses)

This step ensures that your customer groups and order statuses from HubSpot Commerce are correctly assigned to their corresponding equivalents in Volusion. Data mapping is vital for maintaining data integrity and consistent reporting.

• Customer Groups Mapping: Match your source customer segments (e.g., Wholesale, Retail) to the appropriate customer groups in Volusion.
• Order Statuses Mapping: Align your HubSpot Commerce order statuses (e.g., Pending, Processing, Completed) with the equivalent statuses in Volusion.

Step 7: Run Demo Migration & Full Migration

Before committing to the full migration, it's highly recommended to perform a demo migration.

• Demo Migration: A demo migration transfers a limited number of entities (e.g., 10 products, 10 customers, 10 orders) to your Volusion store. This allows you to inspect the data transfer quality and identify any potential issues before the full transfer, without incurring full migration costs.
• Full Migration: Once satisfied with the demo results, proceed with the full migration. This will transfer all selected data entities to your Volusion store. Consider adding Migration Insurance Service for peace of mind, allowing for future remigrations if needed.

Post-Migration Steps

Completing the data transfer is a significant milestone, but the process isn't over. These post-migration steps are crucial for ensuring your new Volusion store is fully operational and optimized.

• Thorough Testing: Conduct extensive testing of your new Volusion store.
• Product Verification: Check product pages, SKUs, variants, pricing, and inventory levels.
• Customer Accounts: Verify customer logins, order history, and account details.
• Order Process: Place test orders to ensure the checkout process, payment gateways, and order fulfillment workflows are functioning correctly.
• Search & Navigation: Test your store's search functionality and navigation to ensure products and categories are easily discoverable.
• Forms & Integrations: Confirm all contact forms, newsletters, and third-party integrations (e.g., shipping, accounting) are working as expected.
• SEO Optimization & Redirects:
• Verify 301 Redirects: If you used the "Create 301 SEO URLs" option, verify that all essential old HubSpot Commerce URLs correctly redirect to their new Volusion counterparts. This is critical for maintaining your SEO rankings and avoiding broken links.
• Update Sitemaps: Generate and submit a new XML sitemap to search engines.
• Monitor SEO Performance: Keep a close eye on your SEO rankings and organic traffic using tools like Google Search Console.
• Update DNS and Go Live:
• Once you are confident with your Volusion store, update your domain's DNS records to point to your new Volusion website. This effectively takes your new store live.
• Monitor your store closely for any unforeseen issues after going live.
• Further Customization & Enhancements:
• Theme & Design: Customize your Volusion store's theme to align with your brand identity and enhance the user experience.
• Volusion Apps/Plugins: Explore the Volusion App Store for additional functionalities and integrations to further enhance your store's capabilities.

By diligently following these steps, you can achieve a successful and stress-free migration from HubSpot Commerce to Volusion. If you encounter any challenges or require expert assistance, remember that services like Migration Customization Service are available to help you navigate specific complexities. Welcome to your new Volusion store!