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

Introduction

As the e-commerce landscape evolves, merchants frequently seek platforms that offer enhanced scalability, robust features, and modern capabilities. If you've been running your online store on Jigoshop, you're likely aware of its declining development and support. This makes it an opportune time to consider replatforming to a more dynamic and future-proof solution like BigCommerce.

BigCommerce stands out as a leading SaaS (Software as a Service) e-commerce platform, renowned for its comprehensive built-in features, advanced SEO tools, and powerful API. Migrating from Jigoshop to BigCommerce can revitalize your online presence, streamline operations, and open doors to significant growth. This authoritative guide will walk you through the entire process, ensuring a smooth transition of your valuable store data, including products, customers, and orders, while minimizing downtime and preserving your critical SEO rankings.

Prerequisites for Migration

Before embarking on your data transfer journey, a few essential preparations are necessary to ensure a seamless and successful migration from Jigoshop to BigCommerce.

For Your Jigoshop Source Store:

• Administrative Access: Ensure you have full administrator login credentials for your Jigoshop store.
• Bridge Connection: To facilitate the data transfer, you will need to install a specific migration module (such as the Cart2Cart Jigoshop Migration module) on your Jigoshop store. This typically involves uploading a connection bridge file to your store's root directory via FTP. Familiarity with your store's root folder and FTP access is crucial.
• Data Backup: Always create a complete backup of your Jigoshop database and files before initiating any migration. This safeguards your data in unforeseen circumstances. For more details on preparing your source store, read our guide on How to prepare Source store for migration?.

For Your BigCommerce Target Store:

• New BigCommerce Store: Set up a new BigCommerce store if you haven't already. You don't need to populate it with products, as the migration will handle that.
• API Credentials: BigCommerce utilizes API (Application Programming Interface) for data connections. You will need to generate specific API credentials: a Client ID, an Access Token, and your store's API Path. These are typically generated within your BigCommerce admin panel under 'API Accounts'.
• HTTPS Requirement: BigCommerce requires HTTPS for API connections, which is standard for security.
• Temporary Data: If your BigCommerce store already contains any dummy data, consider the option to 'Clear Target' during migration if you want a clean slate. Learn more about this option here: Clear current data on Target store before migration option. For further guidance on preparing your target store, see How to prepare Target store for migration? and The Short & Essential Guide to Access Credentials for Cart2Cart.

Performing the Migration: A Step-by-Step Guide

Migrating your Jigoshop store to BigCommerce can be efficiently managed using an automated migration wizard. Follow these steps to ensure a smooth data transfer.

Step 1: Start Your Migration

Begin by navigating to the migration service platform. This initial page provides options to start your DIY migration or explore assisted services.

Step 2: Connect Your Source Store

In the migration wizard, you'll need to specify your current platform. Select Jigoshop as your Source Cart. Provide your Jigoshop store's URL, along with your administrator login and password. As Jigoshop primarily uses a bridge connection method, you will be prompted to install a connection bridge. This usually involves uploading a plugin or specific files to your Jigoshop store's root directory. The migration wizard will provide clear instructions for this process, ensuring secure FTP access if needed.

Note: While the screenshot above illustrates a generic 'Source Store Setup' page, for Jigoshop, you will select 'Jigoshop' and establish a connection via the provided bridge mechanism.

Step 3: Connect Your Target Store

Next, select BigCommerce as your Target Cart. Enter your BigCommerce store's URL. You will then be prompted to provide the BigCommerce API credentials: your Client ID, Access Token, and API Path. These details allow the migration service to securely access and transfer data to your new BigCommerce store.

Step 4: Select Data Entities for Transfer

This crucial step allows you to choose exactly which data entities you wish to move from Jigoshop to BigCommerce. You can opt to migrate 'All entities' or selectively pick items such as:

• Products (including SKUs, variants, attributes)
• Product Categories
• Customers
• Orders (with their statuses and history)
• Product Reviews
• Coupons
• CMS Pages

Step 5: Configure Additional Migration Options

Enhance your data transfer with various additional options designed to preserve data integrity and enhance your new store's functionality. Commonly selected options include:

• Preserve Product, Category, Order, and Customer IDs: Essential for maintaining database consistency and historical records. Learn more about How Preserve IDs options can be used?.
• Create 301 SEO URLs: Critical for maintaining your SEO rankings and link equity by redirecting old Jigoshop URLs to their new BigCommerce counterparts.
• Migrate Images in Product Descriptions: Ensures rich content is carried over.
• Migrate Customer Passwords: Provides a seamless login experience for your existing customers.
• Clear Current Data on Target Store: If your BigCommerce store has placeholder data, selecting this option will remove it before the migration.
• Create Variants from Attributes: Important for products with multiple options like size and color.

Be aware of specific limitations, such as potential multi-store limitations for BigCommerce variants if your Jigoshop setup was complex, and that SEO options typically exclude blog posts.

Step 6: Map Data Fields

The data mapping step ensures that specific fields from your Jigoshop store correctly align with their equivalents in BigCommerce. This is particularly important for:

• Customer Groups: Mapping Jigoshop customer roles to BigCommerce customer groups.
• Order Statuses: Ensuring your 'Pending', 'Processing', 'Completed' statuses translate accurately.
• Product Attributes: Aligning custom product attributes and options for consistent product presentation.

Step 7: Run Demo Migration and Full Migration

Before committing to the full migration, it's highly recommended to perform a free Demo Migration. This allows you to transfer a limited set of data (e.g., a few products, customers, and orders) to your BigCommerce store, letting you review the transfer quality and identify any issues without cost. Once you're satisfied with the demo results, you can proceed with the Full Migration. Consider adding Migration Insurance Service for peace of mind and multiple remigration opportunities. Learn more about How Migration Insurance works?.

Post-Migration Steps

Once your data has successfully moved to BigCommerce, the migration process isn't quite complete. These post-migration steps are crucial for ensuring your new store is fully operational and optimized.

1. Thorough Data Verification: Rigorously check all migrated data. Verify product details (SKUs, images, descriptions, variants), customer accounts, order histories, and CMS pages. Ensure pricing and inventory levels are accurate. This step is critical for data integrity.
2. Test All Store Functionality: Conduct extensive testing of your BigCommerce store. This includes the entire checkout process, customer login, search functionality, contact forms, and any integrations. Place test orders to confirm payment gateways and shipping methods are working correctly.
3. Configure SEO and Redirects: While the migration tool can create 301 redirects, it's vital to review them. Ensure your old Jigoshop URLs correctly redirect to their new BigCommerce counterparts to preserve your SEO rankings and link equity. Submit your new BigCommerce sitemap to Google Search Console.
4. Update DNS Settings: Once you are confident that your BigCommerce store is ready, update your domain's DNS (Domain Name System) records to point to your new BigCommerce store. This is the moment your new store goes live to the public.
5. Review BigCommerce Settings: Configure essential store settings within BigCommerce, such as shipping zones and rates, tax settings, payment gateways, and currency options.
6. Install Apps and Themes: Replicate any specific functionalities or design elements your Jigoshop store had by exploring the BigCommerce App Marketplace and Theme Store.
7. Post-Launch Monitoring: For the first few days and weeks after launch, closely monitor your new BigCommerce store's performance. Keep an eye on traffic, sales, customer behavior, and error logs to quickly address any unforeseen issues. Consider our Recent Data Migration Service if you need to transfer any new data that accumulated on your old store during the transition period.

Migrating to BigCommerce offers significant benefits, including enhanced performance and a modern e-commerce experience. For more information on the advantages, consult What are the potential benefits of a website migration?. Should you require further assistance or custom migration solutions, feel free to Contact Us.