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

A Comprehensive Guide to Transitioning from GoDaddy to Volusion

Embarking on an e-commerce platform migration can feel daunting, but it's a strategic move for growth. If you're considering a replatform from GoDaddy to Volusion, you're aiming for a robust, feature-rich environment designed for scaling online businesses. Volusion offers enhanced control over products, orders, and customer data, providing a powerful upgrade to your digital storefront.

This detailed guide will walk you through the entire process of moving your store from GoDaddy to Volusion, ensuring a smooth data transfer with minimal downtime. We'll leverage specialized migration tools to preserve your valuable SKUs, customer data, reviews, and SEO rankings, ensuring data integrity every step of the way.

Prerequisites for Migration

Before initiating the data transfer, thorough preparation of both your source (GoDaddy) and target (Volusion) stores is crucial for a seamless transition. This groundwork helps prevent data loss and ensures your new store is ready to operate efficiently.

Preparing Your GoDaddy Store (Source)

• Data Backup: Always create a complete backup of your GoDaddy store's data, including products, customers, orders, and any custom content. This is your safety net in case of unforeseen issues.
• Review Product Data: Ensure all product information, including SKUs, variants, descriptions, and images, is accurate and up-to-date. Clean up any unnecessary or outdated entries.
• API Access: GoDaddy requires an API-only connection method for migration. This means you'll need to generate specific API credentials. As GoDaddy also notes "Custom app development needed" and "Cart2Cart GoDaddy Migration App required", ensure you have the necessary app installed and API scopes configured. HTTPS is also a requirement for API connectivity. For guidance on securing these, refer to The Short & Essential Guide to Access Credentials for Cart2Cart.

Preparing Your Volusion Store (Target)

• New Volusion Store Setup: Create and set up your new Volusion store. This includes choosing your theme, configuring basic store settings like currency, time zone, and initial shipping/tax zones.
• Install Migration Module: Volusion utilizes a "Bridge only" connection method for data migration, which requires installing the Cart2Cart Volusion Migration module. This plugin facilitates the secure transfer of data. You'll typically need FTP access to upload the bridge file to your Volusion store's root directory.
• Review Existing Data: If your Volusion store already contains any dummy data, decide whether to clear it before migration to avoid duplication. The migration tool offers an option for this.
• URL Structure Planning: Plan your new URL structure. While the migration tool can create 301 redirects, understanding your new Volusion URLs is vital for maintaining SEO rankings and link equity.

For more detailed preparation steps, consult our guides on How to prepare Source store for migration? and How to prepare Target store for migration?

Performing the Migration: A Step-by-Step Guide

With your stores prepared, you can now begin the data transfer using the migration wizard. Follow these steps for a smooth transition:

Step 1: Start Your Migration

Your migration journey begins by navigating to the migration wizard. Here, you'll typically find options to start a do-it-yourself migration, request expert assistance, or estimate costs.

Click the option to begin your migration to proceed.

Step 2: Configure Your Source Store (GoDaddy)

In this step, you'll specify GoDaddy as your current e-commerce platform and provide its URL. The system will then guide you on connecting via API.

As GoDaddy employs an "API only" connection, you will be prompted to enter your API credentials (client ID, client secret, etc.) obtained during your preparation. The "Cart2Cart GoDaddy Migration App required" notice reminds you that the necessary application must be installed on your GoDaddy store to facilitate this connection.

Step 3: Configure Your Target Store (Volusion)

Next, you'll select Volusion as your destination platform and enter your new Volusion store's URL.

Volusion requires a "Bridge only" connection. The migration tool will provide a bridge file that you need to upload to your Volusion store's FTP root directory. Once uploaded, verify the connection to proceed.

Step 4: Select Data Entities for Transfer

This critical step allows you to choose exactly which types of data you want to transfer from GoDaddy to Volusion. You can migrate a wide range of entities to ensure your new store is fully populated.

Common entities available for migration from GoDaddy to Volusion include: Products, Product Categories, Product Reviews, Customers, Orders, CMS Pages, Coupons, Gift Cards (from GoDaddy), Products Manufacturers (for Volusion), and Invoices (for Volusion). It's often recommended to select all relevant entities to maintain a complete and consistent store history.

Step 5: Configure Additional Options & Map Data

This stage offers powerful customization for your migration, including additional options and data mapping. This ensures your data aligns perfectly with Volusion's structure.

Additional Migration Options

You'll be presented with a list of checkboxes to fine-tune your migration. For Volusion, key options include: Migrate Images in Description, Clear Target, Preserve Product IDs, Preserve Orders IDs, Preserve Customers IDs, SEO URLs, 301 SEO URLs, Migrate Invoices, Password Migration, and Create 301 SEO URLs.

Options like "301 SEO URLs" and "Create 301 SEO URLs" are vital for maintaining your search engine rankings and preventing broken links on your new Volusion store. Consider "Clear Target" if you want to remove any existing data from your new Volusion store before migration. Learn more about Clear current data on Target store before migration option and How Preserve IDs options can be used?

Data Mapping Setup

This interface allows you to map customer groups and order statuses from your GoDaddy store to their corresponding equivalents in Volusion. This ensures that customer roles and order statuses (e.g., "Pending", "Shipped") are correctly categorized in your new platform.

Careful data mapping ensures consistency and data integrity, preventing any miscategorization of customer or order information post-migration.

Step 6: Launch Your Full Data Migration

After configuring all settings and options, you'll reach the final step before initiating the full transfer. Here, you can review your selections and the estimated cost.

Before launching the full migration, it's highly recommended to perform a demo migration to see how your data transfers. This allows you to identify and resolve any potential issues before committing to the full transfer. You also have the option to select a Migration Insurance Plan, which provides peace of mind and allows for remigrations if needed. Understand How Migration Insurance works? before making your choice. Once satisfied, click to launch the full data migration.

Post-Migration Steps

Once the migration is complete, several crucial steps are needed to ensure your new Volusion store is fully operational and optimized:

1. Thorough Data Verification: Rigorously check all migrated data. Confirm that products (including SKUs, variants, prices), categories, customer accounts, order history, and reviews are accurately transferred and displayed. Pay special attention to product images and descriptions.
2. Test Store Functionality: Conduct extensive testing of your new Volusion store. This includes placing test orders, checking payment gateways, verifying shipping calculations, testing search functionality, and ensuring customer account logins work seamlessly.
3. Configure 301 Redirects: While the migration tool can create 301 redirects, review them and manually configure any additional redirects required. This is essential for preserving your SEO rankings and guiding visitors from old GoDaddy URLs to new Volusion pages.
4. Update DNS Settings: Once you're confident with your new Volusion store, update your domain's DNS records to point to your Volusion storefront. This will make your new store live to the public.
5. Review SEO Metadata: Check product and category meta titles and descriptions in Volusion. Ensure they are optimized for search engines and reflect your new store's structure.
6. Install Third-Party Apps & Plugins: Install and configure any necessary Volusion apps, integrations, or plugins that enhance your store's functionality, such as marketing tools, analytics, or accounting software.
7. Update Payment & Shipping: Double-check that all your payment gateways and shipping options are correctly configured and fully operational.
8. Inform Your Customers: Announce your new store to your customer base. This is an excellent opportunity to re-engage them and highlight any new features or improvements.
9. Consider Recent Data Migration: If new orders or customer data accumulated on your GoDaddy store during the migration period, utilize a Recent Data Migration Service to transfer this latest information to Volusion.

Migrating from GoDaddy to Volusion is a significant undertaking that, when executed correctly, can unlock substantial growth for your e-commerce business. By following this comprehensive guide, you'll ensure a successful transition, paving the way for a more robust and scalable online presence.