Thelia to PrestaShop Migration - Step-by-Step Guide & Expert Services

Seamlessly Transition Your E-commerce Store from Thelia to PrestaShop

Planning to replatform your online store? Migrating from Thelia to PrestaShop can unlock a wealth of new features, enhanced scalability, and a vibrant community, providing a robust foundation for your e-commerce growth. This comprehensive guide, crafted by e-commerce content experts, will walk you through every step of transitioning your valuable data – from products and customers to orders and reviews – ensuring a smooth and successful data transfer.

As Thelia is a less common platform in direct migration tools, we will leverage a highly effective CSV.File Data Migration approach to export your data from Thelia and then import it into PrestaShop. This method ensures that all your critical business information makes the move accurately and efficiently.

Prerequisites for a Successful Migration

Before initiating your migration, a few preparatory steps are essential to ensure data integrity and a smooth process.

• For Your Thelia (Source) Store:
  • Data Backup: Always perform a complete backup of your Thelia store's database and files. This is your safety net in case of any unforeseen issues during the export process.
  • CSV Export Readiness: Familiarize yourself with Thelia's capabilities for exporting data into CSV files. You'll need to export products, categories, customers, orders, and other essential entities. Prepare these files according to a clear structure.
  • Data Audit: Clean up any outdated or redundant data in your Thelia store. A leaner, cleaner dataset will make the migration faster and more accurate.
  • How to prepare Source store for migration?
• For Your PrestaShop (Target) Store:
  • PrestaShop Installation: Ensure you have a fresh installation of PrestaShop ready. It should be fully functional and accessible via its admin panel.
  • Compatible Theme: Have a PrestaShop compatible theme chosen and ready for installation post-migration.
  • Server Requirements: Verify that your hosting environment meets PrestaShop's minimum server requirements to avoid performance issues later.
  • Necessary Plugin: For a streamlined connection, you will need the Cart2Cart Universal PrestaShop Migration module. This plugin facilitates the data import process into your PrestaShop store.
  • How to prepare Target store for migration?

Performing the Migration: A Step-by-Step Guide

This section outlines the process using a migration wizard, detailing how to connect your Thelia data via CSV and then transfer it to PrestaShop.

Step 1: Initiate Your Migration

Begin by navigating to the migration wizard. Here, you'll start the process of moving your store data.

Step 2: Connect Your Source Store (Thelia via CSV)

Since Thelia is not directly integrated, you will use the CSV file import method to transfer your data.

1. Select 'CSV File to Cart': In the source store setup, choose 'CSV File to Cart' from the dropdown list of platforms.
2. Upload CSV Files: Upload the prepared CSV files containing your Thelia store's data (products, categories, customers, orders, etc.). Ensure your CSVs are well-formatted for accurate import.

Step 3: Connect Your Target Store (PrestaShop)

Now, connect your new PrestaShop store, which will be the destination for your e-commerce data.

1. Select 'PrestaShop': Choose PrestaShop as your target cart from the platform list.
2. Provide Admin URL: Enter the full Admin URL of your PrestaShop store.
3. Choose Connection Method: PrestaShop primarily uses a 'Bridge' connection method. You have options:
   • Upload Connection Bridge (Recommended): Download the provided 'bridge2cart' folder, extract it, and upload it to the root directory of your PrestaShop store via FTP. This is a secure and efficient way to establish the connection. For more details, consult What is a root folder and where can I find it?
   • Install Add-on from Marketplace: This method requires you to download the specific Cart2Cart Universal PrestaShop Migration module from the marketplace, install it through your PrestaShop admin, and then proceed.
4. Verify Connection: Once the bridge is uploaded or the add-on is installed, the wizard will verify the connection.

For secure access details, refer to Is it safe to provide your company with my access details?

Step 4: Select Entities for Migration

This crucial step allows you to specify exactly which data types you wish to transfer from your Thelia CSV files to PrestaShop. You can migrate a wide range of entities, including:

• Products, Products Categories, Products Manufacturers, Products Reviews
• Customers
• Orders, Invoices, Taxes
• Stores, Coupons, CMS Pages
• Blogs, Blogs Posts

You can either select 'All entities' for a complete data transfer or choose specific entities based on your requirements.

Step 5: Configure Additional Migration Options & Data Mapping

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

Additional Migration Options:

These options enhance your data transfer and can significantly impact your new store's functionality and SEO.

• Clear Target Store Data: Opt to Clear current data on Target store before migration option if your PrestaShop installation is not new and contains existing data you wish to remove.
• Preserve IDs: Select options like Preserve Product IDs, Preserve Orders IDs, and Preserve Customers IDs to maintain the original identifiers, which can be critical for integrations and historical data.
• Migrate Customer Passwords: Enable this option for a smoother customer experience, allowing users to log in with their existing credentials.
• Create 301 SEO URLs: Highly recommended to preserve your SEO rankings and link equity. This option automatically generates 301 redirects from your old Thelia URLs to the new PrestaShop URLs, preventing broken links and maintaining search engine visibility.
• Migrate Images in Description: Ensure product and category descriptions with embedded images are transferred correctly.

Data Mapping:

Properly map customer groups and order statuses from your Thelia data to their corresponding fields in PrestaShop to maintain logical flow and reporting.

Step 6: Run Demo Migration & Full Migration

It's always recommended to run a demo migration first to inspect the data transfer and ensure everything is mapping correctly.

1. Demo Migration: Initiate a free demo migration of a limited number of entities. This allows you to review how your products, customers, and orders appear in PrestaShop.
2. Full Migration: Once satisfied with the demo, proceed with the full migration. Consider adding a Migration Insurance Service, which allows for remigrations in case you need to make adjustments or encounter unexpected issues.

Post-Migration Steps

After your data has successfully moved to PrestaShop, a few critical steps remain to ensure your new store is fully operational and optimized.

1. Thorough Data Verification: Rigorously check all migrated data. Ensure product details, pricing, stock levels, customer accounts, order histories, and CMS pages are accurate.
2. Test Store Functionality: Conduct extensive testing of your PrestaShop store. Verify that product searches work, the checkout process is smooth, payment gateways function correctly, and customer accounts are accessible.
3. Update DNS and Go Live: Once confident in your new store, update your domain's DNS settings to point to your PrestaShop store. Be prepared for a short period of downtime during this transition.
4. SEO Adjustments: If you used the 301 redirect option during migration, verify that these redirects are working. Monitor your search engine rankings and address any immediate SEO concerns.
5. Install Essential Plugins/Modules: Install any necessary PrestaShop modules for marketing, analytics, security, and other functionalities that were part of your Thelia setup.
6. New Data Synchronization: If your Thelia store remained active during the migration, consider using a Recent Data Migration Service to transfer any new orders or customers that occurred since the initial migration.
7. Announce Your New Store: Inform your customers about your upgraded e-commerce experience!

Migrating your e-commerce store is a significant undertaking, but with careful planning and the right tools, your transition from Thelia to PrestaShop can be a powerful step forward for your business. Should you encounter any challenges or require expert assistance, do not hesitate to Contact Us for support. Our Frequently Asked Questions also provide valuable insights.