SAP Commerce Cloud to Shopify Migration - Step-by-Step Guide & Expert Services

A Comprehensive Guide to Migrating from SAP Commerce Cloud to Shopify

Transitioning your e-commerce store from SAP Commerce Cloud to Shopify can unlock new levels of flexibility, scalability, and user-friendliness for your online business. While SAP Commerce Cloud offers robust enterprise features, merchants often seek Shopify's agile platform for its intuitive interface, extensive app ecosystem, and simplified management. This guide will walk you through the essential steps of replatforming your store, ensuring a smooth transfer of your valuable data.

Given that SAP Commerce Cloud typically doesn't offer a direct API connection for automated migrations, the most reliable and efficient method involves leveraging CSV file exports from your SAP Commerce Cloud instance. This data will then be seamlessly imported into your new Shopify store using a specialized migration tool like Cart2Cart, ensuring data integrity and minimal downtime throughout the process.

Prerequisites for Migration

Before initiating the data transfer, thorough preparation is crucial for a successful migration. Addressing these prerequisites will streamline the process and prevent potential issues.

Preparing Your SAP Commerce Cloud (Source) Store

• Data Export: You will need to export all relevant data (products, customers, orders, etc.) from your SAP Commerce Cloud platform into CSV files. Ensure that the data is clean, accurate, and organized, as this will be the foundation of your migration.
• Data Review: Before export, take the opportunity to audit your existing data. Remove any outdated products, inactive customer accounts, or redundant information to ensure you're only migrating essential and high-quality data.
• Backup Your Data: Always create a full backup of your SAP Commerce Cloud database and files before starting any migration process. This safeguards your information against unforeseen issues.

For more detailed information on preparing your source environment, consult our guide on how to prepare your source store for migration.

Preparing Your Shopify (Target) Store

• Set Up Your Shopify Store: If you haven't already, create a new Shopify account and set up your basic store structure. Choose your plan (Basic Shopify, Shopify, Advanced Shopify, or Shopify Plus are supported).
• Install Cart2Cart App: For a seamless connection, you will need to install the Cart2Cart Store Migration App from the Shopify App Store. This plugin is required for the migration tool to interact directly with your Shopify store.
• Disable Notifications: It's highly recommended to disable customer notifications during the migration process to avoid sending partial or test data to your customers.
• Review Plan Status: Be aware that if your Shopify store is on a "Pause and Build" plan, it may block new orders, which could impact the migration of order data if not handled properly.

For a comprehensive checklist, refer to our guide on preparing your target store for migration.

Performing the Migration: A Step-by-Step Guide

This section outlines the step-by-step process of migrating your e-commerce data using Cart2Cart.

Step 1: Get Started with Cart2Cart

Begin by registering a new account or logging into your existing Cart2Cart account. This is your gateway to the migration wizard.

Step 2: Source Store Setup (SAP Commerce Cloud via CSV)

Since SAP Commerce Cloud is not directly integrated via API, you will select "CSVTOCART" as your Source Cart type. This indicates that your migration will proceed by uploading CSV files exported from your SAP Commerce Cloud store.

Follow the prompts to upload your prepared CSV files containing products (including SKUs and variants), customer data, orders, and any other entities you wish to transfer. For more details on this process, visit our CSV.File Data Migration service page.

Step 3: Target Store Setup (Shopify)

Next, select "Shopify" as your Target Cart. You will then be prompted to connect your Shopify store.

The recommended method is to install the Cart2Cart Store Migration App directly from the Shopify App Store. Click the provided link, follow the installation instructions on Shopify, and then return to the migration wizard to finalize the connection.

Alternatively, you can choose to provide API access credentials. This method requires creating a custom app in your Shopify admin to generate an Admin API access token and ensuring you have the necessary API scopes. For assistance with obtaining these, refer to The Short & Essential Guide to Access Credentials for Cart2Cart.

Step 4: Select Data Entities for Migration

At this stage, you'll choose which data entities you want to transfer from your SAP Commerce Cloud CSV files to Shopify. Shopify supports a wide range of entities, including:

• Products, Product Categories
• Product Reviews (note: requires the AirReviews app on Shopify)
• Customers
• Orders
• CMS Pages
• Gift Cards
• Coupons, Price Rules
• Blogs, Blog Posts

You can select all entities or pick specific ones based on your needs. Review the available options carefully.

Step 5: Configure Data Mapping

This crucial step involves mapping your SAP Commerce Cloud data fields to their corresponding fields in Shopify. You'll define how customer groups, order statuses, product attributes, and other metadata from your CSV files should translate to your new Shopify store. Correct data mapping ensures data integrity and consistency.

Step 6: Choose Additional Migration Options

Cart2Cart offers various additional options to customize your migration. For Shopify, these include:

• Clear Target Store Data: This option will remove any existing data in your Shopify store before the migration starts. Learn more about the Clear current data on Target store before migration option.
• Preserve Order IDs: Maintain your original order IDs from SAP Commerce Cloud on Shopify. Understanding how Preserve IDs options can be used is important for historical data.
• Migrate Images in Description: Transfer product images embedded within descriptions.
• Create 301 SEO URLs: Essential for maintaining your search engine rankings and link equity by automatically redirecting old SAP Commerce Cloud URLs to their new Shopify counterparts.
• Migrate All Categories: Ensure all product categories are moved.
• Migrate Groups to Tags: Convert customer groups from SAP Commerce Cloud into customer tags on Shopify.

Select the options that best fit your migration strategy.

Step 7: Perform a Free Demo Migration

Before committing to a full migration, conduct a free demo. This allows you to transfer a limited number of entities to your Shopify store, enabling you to test the process, review the migrated data, and verify the accuracy of the mapping and additional options. It's a critical step for identifying and resolving potential issues early.

Step 8: Launch Full Migration

Once you are satisfied with the demo results, proceed to the full migration. Review the summary of your selected entities and chosen options. You may also consider adding a Migration Insurance Plan, which provides peace of mind with options for re-migrations.

With everything configured, initiate the full data transfer. Cart2Cart will handle the process, allowing you to monitor its progress.

Post-Migration Steps

Completing the data transfer is a significant milestone, but a few crucial post-migration steps are necessary to ensure your new Shopify store is fully operational and optimized.

• Thorough Data Verification: Rigorously check all migrated data on your Shopify store. Verify product listings (SKUs, variants, images, descriptions), customer accounts, order histories, and CMS pages for accuracy and completeness.
• Configure SEO: Implement a robust SEO strategy for your new Shopify store. Ensure all your SEO URLs are correctly set up, especially if you opted for 301 redirects during migration. Update any internal links to reflect your new store structure.
• Install Essential Apps: Head to the Shopify App Store to install crucial apps. Remember that product reviews on Shopify require an app like AirReviews to function correctly. Also, integrate any necessary marketing, analytics, accounting, and payment gateway apps.
• Test All Store Functionality: Conduct extensive testing of your Shopify store. This includes testing the checkout process, payment gateways, search functionality, contact forms, and account creation to ensure a seamless user experience.
• Update DNS Records: Once you are confident that your Shopify store is fully functional, update your domain's DNS records to point to your new Shopify store. This will direct your customers to the new platform.
• Inform Your Customers: Communicate the migration to your customers, highlighting the benefits of your new Shopify store and any new features they can expect.
• Consider Recent Data Migration: If there was new data (orders, customers) generated on your SAP Commerce Cloud store during the migration period, consider using the Recent Data Migration Service to transfer these latest updates to Shopify.
• Ongoing Monitoring: Continuously monitor your store's performance, user feedback, and sales data to ensure a smooth transition and identify any areas for improvement.

By following these steps, you can successfully replatform your e-commerce store from SAP Commerce Cloud to Shopify, paving the way for future growth and a more streamlined online presence. If you encounter any challenges, don't hesitate to contact us for expert assistance.