WooCommerce to Shopify Migration Checklist: A Quick Overview

Migrating from WooCommerce to Shopify can feel overwhelming, but with the right plan, it doesn’t have to be. This WooCommerce to Shopify Migration Checklist will help you to successfully transfer your WooCommerce store to Shopify without losing data, SEO rankings, or functionality.

Store owners planning to migrate WooCommerce to Shopify on their own
Businesses looking to switch from WooCommerce to Shopify for scalability and ease of use.
Anyone who wants to avoid costly mistakes while migrating from WooCommerce to Shopify.

📌 What you’ll learn:

How to import Shopify data from WooCommerce without errors.
How to preserve SEO rankings and properly set up 301 redirects.
Common mistakes to avoid and expert tips for a smooth WooCommerce Shopify migration.

Why Migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify?

WooCommerce is a flexible and customizable platform, but managing hosting, security, and updates can become overwhelming. Shopify provides an all-in-one solution, making it easier to scale your business without technical headaches.

Common Reasons Why WooCommerce Storeowners Migrate to Shopify:

No need to manage hosting, backups, and security.
Easier product management and built-in marketing tools.
Shopify offers 24/7 customer support, while WooCommerce relies on third-party support.
Shopify’s robust infrastructure prevents downtime and performance issues.

However, migrating WooCommerce to Shopify involves more than just moving data. You must also ensure that your products, customers, and SEO rankings remain intact. This checklist will help you make a seamless transition.

Step 1. Planning Your WooCommerce to Shopify Migration

Before you start the migration process, proper planning is essential to prevent data loss, minimize downtime, and ensure a smooth transition. A well-structured plan will help you identify what needs to be transferred, backed up, and reconfigured so that your Shopify store functions seamlessly after migration.

🔹 Assess Your Current WooCommerce Store

Before migrating, take inventory of your WooCommerce store and list everything that needs to be moved to Shopify. This will help prevent missing data and functionality gaps.

What to Include in Your WooCommerce to Shopify Migration Checklist:

Products & Categories - Ensure all product descriptions, pricing, images, SKUs, and variations (sizes, colors, etc.) are accounted for.
Customers & Orders – List all customers and past order histories to be imported.
Blog Posts & Pages – Identify pages, FAQs, and blog posts that need to be transferred.
WooCommerce Plugins & Features – Determine which features don’t have a Shopify equivalent and find suitable apps or workarounds.

How to Check Which WooCommerce Plugins Need Replacing?

Shopify has its own app ecosystem, meaning WooCommerce functionalities need replacements. Check if:

Your WooCommerce plugins have Shopify alternatives (e.g., SEO, email marketing, upsells).
You need to custom-code anything that Shopify doesn’t offer natively.
Any custom features require a developer to recreate them in Shopify.

🔹 Back Up Your WooCommerce Store

Before making any changes, back up all store data to prevent data loss if something goes wrong during migration.

How to Back Up Your WooCommerce Store?

🔹 Option 1: Use a Backup Plugin (Recommended)

Duplicator – Saves a full site backup (products, pages, orders, settings).
WP All Export – Allows exporting product, order, and customer data to CSV.

A WooCommerce Products Export Interface

Orders & Customers: Export from WooCommerce → Orders → Export.

A WooCommerce Orders Export Interface

Blog & Pages: Copy content manually or use WordPress XML export.

A WooCommerce Content Export Interface

💡Expert Tip: If you use WooCommerce Subscriptions or Memberships, make sure to export recurring payments separately, as Shopify does not support subscriptions natively.

🔹 Choose the Right Shopify Plan

Shopify offers different pricing plans depending on your store’s size and features. Picking the right plan from the start ensures you have the tools you need without unnecessary expenses.

Shopify Pricing Plans Overview

Shopify Starter ($5/month) – Good for selling on social media (not a full eCommerce store).
Basic Shopify ($39/month) –Ideal for small to medium stores, includes essential eCommerce features.
Shopify ($105/month): This service is recommended for growing businesses. It includes detailed reports and better shipping rates.
Advanced Shopify ($399/month) – Best for large stores, offers lower transaction fees and custom reporting.
Shopify Plus (Enterprise-Level) – Custom pricing for high-volume businesses with advanced automation.

Source- https://www.shopify.com/pricing

Which Shopify Plan&nbsp Should You Choose?

💡Expert Tip: Use Shopify’s free trial before committing to a plan—this allows you to test themes, explore settings, and set up your store without being charged immediately

Step 2. Setting Up Your Shopify Store Before Migration

Before transferring data from WooCommerce to Shopify, you need to set up your Shopify store correctly to prevent migration issues and ensure everything runs smoothly post-migration.

Proper setup ensures a functional, well-structured Shopify store ready for migration.

🔹 Create a Shopify Account & Choose a Theme

Your first step in the WooCommerce to Shopify Migration Checklist is to sign up for Shopify and choose a theme that matches your brand.

1. Sign Up for Shopify

Go to Shopify.com and start a free trial.
Enter your store name (this will be your temporary Shopify domain, e.g., yourstore.myshopify.com).
Complete the basic store setup (currency, time zone, business details).

2. Choose a Shopify Theme

A well-designed theme enhances user experience and conversions. Shopify provides free and paid themes that are mobile-friendly and optimized for sales.

🔹 Where to Find Shopify Themes?

Browse Shopify Theme Store for pre-built designs.
Explore third-party themes on ThemeForest or Out of the Sandbox.

🔹 Why Choose a Shopify 2.0 Theme?

Shopify Themes Store

3. Customize Your Theme

In Shopify admin, go to Online Store → Themes.
Click Customize to edit colors, fonts, and layout.
Preview your store on desktop and mobile before migration.

💡Expert Tip: Choose a theme from Shopify Theme Store for unlimited free trials, lifetime updates, and superior quality over third-party themes.

🔹 Set Up Payment & Shipping Options

Next, configure payment gateways and shipping settings to ensure customers can make purchases smoothly after migration.

1. Configure Payment Gateways

In Shopify admin, go to Settings → Payments.
Choose a payment provider (Shopify Payments, PayPal, Stripe, etc.).
If using Shopify Payments, you can avoid extra transaction fees.

🔹 Popular Payment Options in Shopify:

Shopify Payments – No extra transaction fees (available in select countries).
PayPal Express Checkout – Many customers prefer PayPal for quick checkout.
Stripe, Authorize.net – Alternative options for global payments.
Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL): Affirm, Klarna, and Afterpay allow customers to pay in installments, boosting conversions and average order value (AOV).

Shopify Payment Gateway Settings Interface

💡Expert Tip: Choose Shopify Payments to avoid extra transaction fees and streamline payment processing directly within Shopify.

2. Set Up Shipping Rates & Tax Rules

Go to Settings → Shipping and Delivery.
Configure flat-rate shipping, free shipping, or carrier-calculated rates.
Set tax rules based on your business location and international sales.

🚚 Common Shipping Options:

Shopify’s Shipping and Delivery Settings Interface

💡Mistake to Avoid: Forgetting to enable tax settings—Shopify doesn’t apply taxes automatically, so you need to set up tax rules based on your country.

🔹 Install Shopify Apps to Replace WooCommerce Plugins

Shopify doesn’t use WordPress plugins, so you’ll need Shopify apps to replicate WooCommerce functionalities.

Essential Shopify Apps for Your Store

SEO Optimization Apps
- Smart SEO – Automates meta tags, alt text, and JSON-LD for better search rankings.
- Plug in SEO – Detects SEO issues and suggests fixes.
Email Marketing Apps
- Klaviyo – Advanced email automation, great for abandoned cart recovery.
- Omnisend – Email + SMS marketing in one platform.
Product Reviews & UGC (User-Generated Content)
- Judge.me – Allows customers to leave product reviews.
- Loox – Adds photo reviews for social proof.
Additional Helpful Apps
- PageFly – Drag-and-drop page builder for custom landing pages.
- ReConvert – Post-purchase upsells to boost sales.

💡Expert Tip: Don’t install too many apps initially—each app adds to your monthly cost and may slow down your store. Start with essential apps and add more as needed.

Step 3. Migrating Data from WooCommerce to Shopify

Migrating your store data is the most essential and complex part of moving from WooCommerce to Shopify. Your products, customers, orders, blog posts, and other store content need to be transferred accurately to ensure your Shopify store is fully functional after migration.

There are two main approaches to WooCommerce to Shopify data migration

Manual CSV import/export
Automated migration using third-party tools.

The right approach depends on your store’s size, complexity, and how much customization you need.

🔹 Option 1: Manual Data Migration (CSV Import/Export)

If your store has a manageable number of products, customers, and orders, you can manually export data from WooCommerce and import it into Shopify using CSV files. This method requires careful data formatting, but it is a cost-effective way to migrate your store without using paid tools.

Step-by-Step Guide for Manual Data Migration

i. Export Products from WooCommerce

In your WooCommerce admin panel, go to Products → All Products.
Click on Export and select the fields you want to export (e.g., product name, SKU, price, stock status, categories, descriptions, and images).
Download the CSV file.

ii. Format the CSV File for Shopify

Shopify has a specific format for CSV imports. Download Shopify’s product CSV template from the Shopify Help Center.
Open the WooCommerce CSV file and map the column names to match Shopify’s format.
Check for inconsistencies like missing images, unformatted prices, or duplicate SKUs.

iii. Import Products into Shopify

In Shopify admin, go to Products → Import.
Upload the formatted CSV file.
Review the preview and click Import.

💡Mistake to Avoid:

Forgetting to match WooCommerce product fields with Shopify fields—incorrect mapping can cause missing data.
Not checking for WooCommerce product variations—Shopify handles them differently, so they might not import correctly.

iv. Export & Import Customer Data

Customers are essential for your business, and you need to migrate them correctly while complying with data privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA).

How to Migrate Customers from WooCommerce to Shopify

In WooCommerce, go to Users → Export and choose the customer role.
Export customer names, emails, addresses, and order history in CSV format.
Shopify allows you to import customer lists, but passwords will not be transferred due to encryption. Customers will need to reset their passwords after migration.

💡Expert Tip: Before migration, email customers about the move and inform them to reset their passwords on the new Shopify store.

v. Export & Import Orders (Optional but Recommended)

Shopify does not allow direct order import via CSV, so if you want to preserve past orders, you’ll need a third-party app like Matrixify or Excelify.

Export orders from WooCommerce Orders → Export.
Convert the data to Shopify’s format (using an app like Matrixify).
Import orders into Shopify using the app.

Option 2: Automated Migration Using Apps

Manual migration can be time-consuming and prone to errors if you have a large store with thousands of products, customers, and orders. This is where automated migration tools come in. These tools transfer entire stores quickly and accurately while minimizing downtime.

Top Apps for WooCommerce to Shopify Migration

LitExtension – The Most Popular WooCommerce to Shopify Migration Tool

Fully automated migration with real-time updates.
Transfers products, categories, customers, orders, and even SEO settings.
Supports migrating customer passwords (customers can log in without resetting passwords).
Provides a free demo migration before you commit.

Cart2Cart – One-Click Migration with 24/7 Support

Matrixify – Advanced Control Over CSV Import/Export

💡Expert Tip:

Manual migration may work if you have a small store (under 1000 products).
Automated migration is the best choice if you have a large store (1000+ products, orders, and customers).

Step 4: SEO & Redirects – Preserving Search Rankings After Migration

When migrating from WooCommerce to Shopify, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is one of the most critical aspects to consider. If not handled correctly, your organic traffic, rankings, and search engine visibility could take a major hit.

This step will ensure that your existing WooCommerce URLs are properly redirected, Google reindexes your site, and your internal links are updated. So you don’t lose valuable search rankings or customer trust.

🔹 Set Up 301 Redirects to Maintain SEO Structure

When switching from WooCommerce to Shopify, one of the biggest risks is that your URL structure will change. WooCommerce follows a category-based URL format, whereas Shopify uses collections instead of categories. This means that many of your URLs will no longer exist in the same form.

What is a 301 Redirect, and Why is it Important?

A 301 redirect is a permanent redirect from an old URL (WooCommerce) to a new one (Shopify). Setting up proper 301 redirects ensures that users and search engines are automatically sent to the correct page on your new Shopify store.

Without 301 redirects:

Step-by-Step Guide: Setting Up 301 Redirects in Shopify

1. Identify Old WooCommerce URLs That Need Redirecting

Export a list of all your existing WooCommerce URLs.
- Use Yoast SEO plugin or Google Search Console to get a sitemap of indexed URLs.
- Manually collect important URLs such as homepage, product, category, blog, and landing pages.

2. Map Old WooCommerce URLs to New Shopify URLs

Since Shopify doesn’t use categories (e.g., /product-category/shoes), you must redirect category URLs to Shopify collections.
Example URL changes:
- WooCommerce: yourstore.com/product-category/shoes
- Shopify: yourstore.com/collections/shoes
Products URLs may also change:
- WooCommerce: yourstore.com/product/nike-air-max
- Shopify: yourstore.com/products/nike-air-max
Blog URLs may change if Shopify’s structure differs:
- WooCommerce: yourstore.com/blog/2023/06/best-sneakers
- Shopify: yourstore.com/blogs/news/best-sneakers

3. Create 301 Redirects in Shopify

There are two ways to set up 301 redirects in Shopify:

In your Shopify admin panel, go to Online Store → Content → Menu → URL Redirects.
Click Create URL Redirect.
In the Old URL field, enter the WooCommerce URL (without your domain).
In the New URL field, enter the corresponding Shopify URL.
Click Save redirect.
Repeat this for all important pages.

Shopify’s URL redirect settings Interface

💡Best for: Small stores with a limited number of pages to redirect.

If you have hundreds or thousands of URLs to redirect, doing it manually is not feasible. Instead, use a Shopify app to automate the process:

SEO Manager – Automatically sets up 301 redirects and tracks broken links.
Easy Redirects – Allows bulk import of old URLs via CSV.

💡Expert Tip: After setting up redirects, test them with a redirect checker tool like Redirect Checker to verify they are working correctly.

🔹 Submit Your New Shopify Sitemap to Google

Once you’ve set up your new Shopify store, you need to tell Google about the changes so it can crawl and index your Shopify URLs instead of your old WooCommerce URLs.

Step-by-Step Guide to Submitting Your Sitemap

1. Find Your Shopify Sitemap

Shopify automatically generates a sitemap for your store. You can find it at: yourstore.com/sitemap.xml

2. Submit the Sitemap in Google Search Console

Go to Google Search Console (search.google.com/search-console).
Select your Shopify website from the property list (if not added, click “Add Property” and verify your domain).
In the left-hand menu, click Sitemaps.
In the “Add a new sitemap” field, enter: sitemap.xml
Click Submit.

Google Search Console Interface for Submitting New XML Sitemap

🚀 This helps Google recognize your new Shopify store faster and ensures pages are indexed correctly.

💡Expert Tip: Check Google Search Console → Coverage Report in a few days to see which URLs are indexed and if there are any errors.

🔹 Update Internal Links for a Seamless User Experience

After migrating, many internal links (links within your website) might still point to old WooCommerce URLs, which can cause 404 errors and a poor user experience.

Navigation Menu: Update links in the header and footer menus.
Product Pages: Check for old category links in descriptions.
Blog Posts: Make sure internal links within blogs direct to Shopify URLs.
Email Campaigns: Update links in automated email templates.

⚠️Mistake to Avoid: Not updating blog post links— many WooCommerce blogs contain links to old products/categories that may now be broken.

Step 5. Testing Your Shopify Store Before Going Live

Before launching your Shopify store, thorough testing is crucial to ensure that everything functions smoothly. Even a minor issue in checkout, product pages, or navigation can lead to lost sales and frustrated customers.

This step will help you identify and fix potential errors before your store goes live, ensuring a seamless shopping experience for your customers.

🔹 Test Your Checkout & Payment Process

Your checkout process is one of the most critical parts of your store. A broken or confusing checkout can cause abandoned carts and lost revenue. Shopify provides a built-in test mode to simulate transactions without charging real money.

How to Test Payments Using Shopify’s “Bogus Gateway”

Shopify’s Bogus Gateway allows you to place test orders without using a real credit card.

Steps to Enable Bogus Gateway for Testing:

In your Shopify admin, go to Settings → Payments.
If Shopify Payments is enabled, click Manage, then Deactivate Shopify Payments (temporarily).
Click “Choose a provider” and select Bogus Gateway from the list.
Click Activate, then Save changes.

Shopify’s Payment Gateway Settings Interface

How to Place a Test Order:

Add a product to the cart.
Proceed to checkout as a customer.
Use these fake card details at checkout:
- Card Number: 1
- Name on Card: Any name
- Expiry Date: Any future date
- CVV: Any three digits
Complete the purchase and check if you receive an order confirmation email.

Things to Check During the Test Order:

Does the checkout process flow smoothly?
Is the correct shipping rate applied?
Are discount codes working correctly?
Does the order appear in Shopify admin → Orders?
Are customers receiving order confirmation emails?

💡Expert Tip: Run multiple test orders using different scenarios—one with free shipping, one with a discount, and one with multiple products in the cart.

🔹 Review Product Pages & Navigation

Product pages and navigation play a crucial role in user experience and conversions. If customers can’t find what they’re looking for, they’re likely to leave.

Checklist for Reviewing Product Pages:

Are all product images loading correctly?
Do product descriptions display properly?
Is pricing accurate, including discounts?
Do variants (size, color, etc.) work properly?
Are products categorized correctly under collections?

How to Test Navigation & Search Functionality

Browse your store like a customer—start from the homepage and try to find a specific product.
Use the search bar—do relevant results appear?
Test the main menu, footer menu, and collection filters.

⚠️Mistake to Avoid: Ignoring mobile navigation. Since most shoppers use their phones, test how menus, filters, and product pages work on mobile devices.

🔹 Check Mobile Responsiveness

More than 60% of online shoppers browse stores on mobile devices. Shopify themes are mobile-optimized by default, but it’s essential to test different screen sizes manually.

How to Test Mobile Responsiveness

1. Test Your Store on Multiple Devices

2. Use Shopify’s Built-in Mobile Preview Tool

In Shopify admin, go to Online Store → Themes.
Click Customize on your active theme.
In the preview window, switch to mobile view.

3. Check for Common Mobile Display Issues

⚠️Mistake to Avoid: Not testing different browsers— what looks good on Chrome might not be perfect on Safari or Firefox.

Step 6. Launch & Post-Migration Steps

Congratulations! 🎉

You’ve successfully migrated your WooCommerce store to Shopify, tested everything, and now it’s time to go live.

However, launching your new Shopify store isn’t just about flipping a switch. There are a few crucial final steps to ensure a seamless transition for both your customers and search engines.

This step will guide you through:

🔹 Update Your Domain to Shopify

If you’re using a custom domain (e.g., www.yourstore.com), you’ll need to point it to Shopify. This ensures that visitors land on your new Shopify site instead of your old WooCommerce store.

How to Connect Your Domain to Shopify

1. Log into Your Domain Registrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains, etc.)

Go to your domain settings and find the DNS (Domain Name System) settings.

2. Change the DNS Settings to Shopify

Set the A record to Shopify’s IP address: 23.227.38.65.
Set the CNAME record (www) to shops.myshopify.com.
Set a TXT record (shopify_verification) to [value shown in your Shopify account]

3. Verify the Connection in Shopify

In your Shopify admin, go to Settings → Domains.
Click Connect existing domain and enter your domain name.
Shopify will check if the settings are correct.

4. Wait for DNS Propagation

It may take a few hours to 48 hours for changes to take effect.
You can check your domain status using WhatsMyDNS.

Shopify’s Domain Settings Interface

💡Expert Tip: If you had subdomains (e.g., blog.yourstore.com), update them as well to avoid broken links.

🔹 Announce Your Migration to Customers

Your loyal customers need to know about your migration so they don’t get confused when they visit your new store. Proper communication will:

How to Notify Customers About Your Shopify Migration

🔹 Send an Email Announcement

Use your email marketing tool (Klaviyo, Mailchimp, etc.) to send an email like this:

Subject: 🎉 We’ve Upgraded! Welcome to Our New Online Store!

Body:

What’s new? (Easier checkout, better navigation, improved shopping experience)
What do customers need to do? (Reset passwords if accounts were migrated)
Exclusive offer! (Incentivize returning customers with a discount)

🔹 Update Social Media Profiles & Post an Announcement

Post a before & after screenshot of your new Shopify store.
Create a pinned post with FAQs about the migration.

🔹 Update Automated Emails & Customer Notifications

Update order confirmation emails with new Shopify branding.
Revise abandoned cart emails to ensure they work in Shopify.

⚠️Mistake to Avoid: Forgetting to update transactional emails, order confirmations, and abandoned cart recovery emails to match the new Shopify setup.

🔹 Monitor Analytics & Performance Post-Migration

After launching, track your store’s performance to ensure traffic, sales, and customer behavior remain stable. This helps you spot issues early and optimize accordingly.

Key Metrics to Track After Going Live

📊 Google Analytics (GA4)

Check traffic trends—are you losing organic traffic?
Compare bounce rate & session duration with WooCommerce.

🔍 Google Search Console

Monitor crawl errors & index status to check if Google recognizes your new store.
Look for 404 errors (broken links) caused by missing redirects.

📈 Shopify Analytics

Track sales, conversion rates, and average order value.
Identify any abnormal drop in sales (could indicate checkout issues).

Shopify’s Analytics Interface

🎯 Heatmaps & User Behavior Tools (Hotjar, Crazy Egg)

Analyze where users drop off in the buying process.
Spot UX issues in navigation, collection, or product pages.

💡Expert Tip: Check Google Search Console daily for the first week to ensure Shopify pages are indexed properly.

Final Thoughts: Successfully Migrating from WooCommerce to Shopify

Migrating from WooCommerce to Shopify doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With a clear strategy, the right tools, and careful execution, you can successfully transition your store without losing data, SEO rankings, or customers.

📌 Key Takeaways from This WooCommerce to Shopify Migration Checklist:

Your store data (products, customers, and orders) is transferred accurately.
SEO best practices are maintained with proper redirects.
Your checkout, navigation, and mobile experience are fully tested.
Customers are notified and engaged throughout the transition.
Your Shopify store is optimized for performance and growth.

Need Expert Help for a Hassle-Free Migration?

While this guide gives you everything you need to migrate on your own, we understand that moving an entire eCommerce store can be time-consuming and complex.

Want a smooth, stress-free migration with zero downtime? Our Shopify migration experts can handle everything for you—ensuring a seamless transition, preserved SEO rankings, and an optimized store setup.

Let’s make your Shopify store a success! Get in touch with us today to discuss your migration needs. 🚀

💡Action List: Your Next Steps to Successfully Migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify

Migrating your online store is a significant undertaking, but with the right steps, you can ensure a smooth and hassle-free transition. This action list summarizes the key tasks you need to complete to successfully migrate WooCommerce to Shopify while maintaining your store’s functionality, SEO, and customer experience.

Use this checklist as a step-by-step reference guide to stay on track during the migration process.

Your WooCommerce to Shopify Migration Action List

Back up your WooCommerce store before migration to prevent any data loss.
Set up your Shopify store and choose a theme that aligns with your brand.
Decide on a migration method – manual CSV import or an automated tool like LitExtension or Cart2Cart.
Transfer WooCommerce data to Shopify – including products, customers, orders, and pages.
Ensure SEO redirects are correctly configured to preserve search rankings.
Install necessary Shopify apps to replicate important functionalities from WooCommerce.
Test your checkout, payment process, and overall store functionality before going live.
Point your domain to Shopify and update your DNS settings.
Announce the migration to customers and encourage them to verify their accounts.
Monitor traffic and performance analytics to identify and fix any post-migration issues.
Optimize and refine your Shopify store based on user feedback and performance data.

WooCommerce to Shopify Migration Checklist: A Step-by-Step Guide