Migrating from WordPress to Shopify: data, SEO and launch

Migrating from WordPress to Shopify means moving data and rebuilding the store on another platform. Products can be imported, but the theme, plugins, accounts and business rules need individual handling. If the store uses WooCommerce, the project must cover ecommerce as well as the pages and articles managed in WordPress.

The delicate part often surrounds the catalogue: an active subscription, ERP, campaign pointing to an old URL or article attracting customers from Google. Before choosing an import tool, define what must still work on switchover day.

When switching makes sense and when to review WordPress

Shopify can fit if you want to reduce infrastructure management and give the commercial team more autonomy. Store hosting and the platform are managed as a service. You will still need to maintain the theme, apps, permissions and contracted integrations.

A slow website or failing checkout does not by itself prove you should migrate. Sometimes the problem lies in an extension, database query or server configuration. If the business model works and the incident is specific, fixing it can be more reasonable than replacing the entire store. Compare the cost of correcting the current system with operating the new one over an equivalent period.

Inventory before exporting

Keep a recoverable WordPress backup and retain old identifiers in the migration project. Matching product counts helps, but does not detect a size linked to the wrong SKU or an image assigned to another variant.

What gets imported and what gets rebuilt

The official WooCommerce migration guide distinguishes data transferable by CSV from data requiring other methods. Uploading a product file does not restore historical orders, reviews, coupons, blog articles or subscriptions.

• Products and customers: prepare the destination format and test a sample before the full volume.
• Historical orders: define which information needs to be accessible in Shopify and what you will retain in an archive or external system. Standard product import does not include it.
• Reviews and discounts: review app formats and rules to recreate.
• Design: a WordPress theme cannot be installed in Shopify. Adapt identity and components to the new theme.
• Subscriptions: check compatibility between app, gateway and migration method. Payment data needs a specific, authorised route.

Customer passwords do not transfer

Shopify states WooCommerce passwords cannot be migrated. Current customer accounts can sign in using a one-time code emailed to the customer. Legacy accounts use a different activation and password process. Prepare communication so customers do not interpret changed access as losing their account.

Protect URLs that already have value

Keep the domain unless there is a commercial reason to change it, and map old URLs to their equivalents. Include products, categories, pages, articles and relevant images. Shopify paths have their own structure: reproducing the WordPress URL exactly is not always possible.

1. Export pages with clicks, impressions and links, plus the sitemap and site crawl.
2. Assign an equivalent destination to every URL that must change.
3. Configure permanent redirects to the final destination, avoiding chains.
4. Update menus, article links, campaigns and feeds.
5. Review canonicals, titles, descriptions and language versions.
6. Test redirects and landing pages before and after launch.

Do not redirect every removed product to the homepage. This loses user context and search engines may treat it as a soft error. Where no useful alternative exists, explicitly decide which content to retire. Google explains that a major change can cause ranking fluctuations; good planning reduces risk but cannot guarantee constant traffic.

Test situations that matter to the business

Prepare test cases before considering migration finished. Examples include a mobile order with a discount, shipping to a special-rate area, a return and an order that must reach the ERP. Also verify taxes, transactional emails, measurement and consent. One standard test purchase does not cover every rule in an active store.

For the domain switchover, agree a window, final order and inventory synchronisation and an owner for each check. Retain the previous system for the comparison period you need. The rollback plan must explain what happens to orders received while deciding to revert.

What determines budget and duration?

Catalogue volume is only one factor. Product types, custom fields, markets, export quality, redesign and external connections matter more than they may appear to. Request a scope separating data migration, design, integrations, SEO, tests and launch support.

When comparing proposals, also check platform subscription, required apps and ongoing maintenance. An apparently smaller budget can exclude history, redirects or ERP testing. There is no reliable timeframe without understanding those dependencies.

A starting point for evaluating your migration

If you know what limits you in WordPress, gather the URL, approximate product count and connections that cannot fail. In our Shopify migration service, we review that starting point to propose a clear scope. If still choosing between platforms, start with the comparison and avoid budgeting a move you may not need.

Continue working on your store

• WordPress versus Shopify: differences for your decision
• Common WooCommerce problems and their diagnosis
• Technical planning for Shopify Plus migration

Sources and review

• Migrating from WooCommerce: data and limitations
• Migrating to Shopify: Shopify documentation
• URL redirects in Shopify
• Google Search Central: site moves and URL changes

Editorial review: the Migraciones.io team · 30 October 2026. Features, plans and availability are checked against the linked sources.