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

A Comprehensive Guide to Transitioning from Jigoshop to Volusion

Replatforming your e-commerce store is a strategic move that can unlock new opportunities for growth and efficiency. If you're currently running on Jigoshop and considering a switch to Volusion, you're looking to leverage Volusion's robust hosted platform, comprehensive features, and scalability. This guide provides a detailed, step-by-step walkthrough of how to execute a successful store migration, ensuring data integrity and a smooth transition with minimal downtime.

We'll cover everything from essential prerequisites to the final post-migration checks, utilizing an automated migration tool like Cart2Cart to facilitate a reliable and efficient data transfer of your products, customer information, orders, and more.

Prerequisites for Migration

Before embarking on your migration journey, proper preparation is key. Ensuring both your source (Jigoshop) and target (Volusion) stores are ready will streamline the entire process.

For Your Jigoshop (Source) Store:

• Full Backup: Always perform a complete backup of your Jigoshop store's database and files. This safeguard ensures you can restore your data in case of any unforeseen issues during the migration.
• Plugin Installation: A Cart2Cart Jigoshop Migration module is required for connecting your store. This module facilitates the secure transfer of data via a bridge connection.
• Access Credentials: Gather your Jigoshop admin login, password, and the full URL of your store. You'll also need FTP access to upload the necessary bridge file to your Jigoshop's root directory. For more details on credentials, refer to The Short & Essential Guide to Access Credentials for Cart2Cart and What is a root folder and where can I find it?.
• Review Source Data: Familiarize yourself with the data entities currently in your Jigoshop store, such as products, categories, customers, and orders, to ensure they are ready for transfer. Consider consulting How to prepare Source store for migration? for additional tips.

For Your Volusion (Target) Store:

• New Store Setup: If you haven't already, set up a new Volusion store. It's often best to start with a fresh, empty store, especially if you plan to use the "Clear Target" option during migration.
• Plugin Installation: Similar to Jigoshop, a Cart2Cart Volusion Migration module is required to establish a connection with your target store.
• Access Credentials: Have your Volusion admin login, password, and store URL readily available.
• Target Store Preparation: For a smoother process, review our guide on How to prepare Target store for migration?.

Performing the Migration: A Step-by-Step Guide

With your stores prepared, you can now proceed with the automated migration using the Cart2Cart wizard.

Step 1: Initiate Your Migration

Begin by navigating to the migration wizard interface. This initial step sets the stage for your entire data transfer process.

Step 2: Configure Your Source Store (Jigoshop)

On the 'Source Store Setup' screen, select Jigoshop from the dropdown list of supported platforms. Enter the complete URL of your existing Jigoshop store. You will then be prompted to provide your admin credentials (login and password) and upload the Cart2Cart bridge file to your Jigoshop installation's root directory via FTP. This bridge acts as a secure connection between your store and the migration service.

(Note: Though the screenshot displays Volusion, you will select Jigoshop as your source platform from the dropdown.)

Step 3: Configure Your Target Store (Volusion)

Next, move to the 'Target Store Setup' step. Select Volusion as your target e-commerce platform from the dropdown menu. Input the full URL of your new Volusion store. Similar to the source store setup, you will need to provide your Volusion admin credentials and upload the Cart2Cart bridge file to its root directory to establish the connection.

Step 4: Select Data Entities for Migration

This crucial step allows you to choose exactly which data you wish to transfer from Jigoshop to Volusion. You can select "All entities" or pick specific items from the list, which includes:

• Products: Including SKUs, product descriptions, images, variants, and metadata.
• Product Categories: Maintaining hierarchical structures.
• Customers: Transferring customer data and accounts.
• Orders: Migrating order history and associated details.
• Product Reviews: Preserving valuable social proof.
• Manufacturers
• Invoices
• Taxes
• Stores
• Coupons
• CMS Pages: Ensuring your content pages are also moved.

Step 5: Configure Additional Migration Options

Enhance your migration with various advanced options. These allow for a more customized data transfer based on your specific business needs. Key options to consider include:

• Migrate Images in Description: Ensure product images embedded in descriptions are transferred.
• Clear Target: Clear current data on Target store before migration option to remove existing data from Volusion before importing.
• Preserve IDs: Options like Preserve Product IDs, Category IDs, Order IDs, and Customer IDs help maintain consistency and avoid broken links or references.
• Create 301 SEO URLs: This is vital for maintaining your SEO rankings and link equity by automatically creating redirects from your old Jigoshop URLs to the new Volusion URLs.
• Password Migration: Migrate customer passwords to ensure a seamless login experience post-migration.

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

In this step, you will match specific data fields from your Jigoshop store to their corresponding equivalents in Volusion. This typically involves mapping customer groups (e.g., "Wholesale" in Jigoshop to "Wholesale Customer" in Volusion) and order statuses (e.g., "Processing" in Jigoshop to "Processing" in Volusion). Proper data mapping is crucial for maintaining data consistency and integrity, especially for customer data and order history.

Step 7: Run a Free Demo Migration (Highly Recommended)

Before committing to a full migration, run a free demo migration. This migrates a limited number of entities (e.g., 10-20 products, customers, and orders) to your Volusion store. It allows you to:

• Verify the data transfer accuracy.
• Check the functionality of migrated items.
• Preview the new user experience.

This step is invaluable for identifying and resolving any potential issues early on.

Step 8: Perform the Full Migration

Once you are satisfied with the demo results, proceed with the full data transfer. Review the migration summary, including the total cost and the number of entities to be moved. You may also consider adding Migration Insurance for peace of mind, which offers additional remigration opportunities if needed. Initiate the full migration and monitor its progress.

Post-Migration Steps

Successfully completing the data transfer is a major milestone, but your work isn't entirely done. These crucial post-migration steps ensure your new Volusion store is fully operational and optimized.

• Thorough Data Verification: Rigorously check all migrated data. This includes:
  • Products: Ensure all SKUs, variants, descriptions, images, and pricing are correct.
  • Customer Accounts: Verify customer logins and associated data.
  • Order History: Confirm all past orders and their statuses are accurate.
  • Reviews & Ratings: Check that customer reviews are intact.
  • CMS Pages: Review all content pages for formatting and completeness.
• Configure Volusion Store Settings:
  • Payment Gateways: Set up and test your preferred payment methods.
  • Shipping Methods: Configure your shipping zones and rates.
  • Integrations: Install any necessary apps or plugins from the Volusion App Store to enhance functionality.
  • Theme & Design: Customize your store's theme and layout to align with your brand identity.
• SEO & Redirects:
  • 301 Redirects: Confirm that all 301 redirects are correctly implemented and functioning. This is vital for preserving your hard-earned SEO rankings and link equity.
  • Google Search Console & Analytics: Update your store's URL in Google Search Console and Google Analytics. Submit a new sitemap for your Volusion store.
• Comprehensive Testing: Before officially launching, perform extensive testing:
  • Place test orders from different customer accounts.
  • Test customer registration, login, and account management.
  • Browse the entire store to ensure smooth navigation and a flawless user experience.
• Go Live: Once everything is verified and tested, update your domain's DNS records to point to your new Volusion store.
• Ongoing Maintenance: After going live, continuously monitor your store's performance and gather user feedback. For any new data accumulated during the transition period, consider a Recent Data Migration Service to keep your store updated. For complex migrations or additional support, exploring services like Migration Customization Service or Ultimate Data Migration Service can provide expert assistance.