Moving an existing store to Shopify can bring a faster, easier-to-manage storefront. The risk is not the new theme; it is losing product data, search rankings, customer accounts or tracking along the way. A good migration is planned backwards from those risks.
The short answer
Inventory everything the old store does, map every URL to its new address, move data in test rounds, rebuild tracking before launch, and switch over at a quiet time with a checklist and a rollback plan.
1. Inventory the current store
List products and variants, collections, customers, orders, reviews, gift cards, discounts, blog posts, static pages and every integration: payments, shipping, ERP, marketplaces, email and reviews. Note what must move, what can be rebuilt and what can be dropped.
2. Map every URL
Export all URLs that receive traffic or links, including products, collections, blog posts and images. Map each one to its Shopify equivalent and prepare 301 redirects. Shopify’s URL structure differs from most platforms, so this step protects rankings more than any other.
3. Clean and move data in rounds
Migration is a good moment to fix inconsistent titles, missing images and messy variant names. Import a small batch first, check it on the storefront, then import the rest. Confirm which data types can really be transferred; customer passwords, for example, usually cannot.
4. Rebuild tracking before launch
Set up GA4, Google Tag Manager, Meta Pixel and Conversions API, Google Merchant Center and Search Console, and test that purchase events fire once. Make sure consent choices are respected.
5. Test like a customer
On real phones, test search, filters, variant selection, cart, discount codes, checkout, payment methods and emails. Place real test orders and refund them.
6. Launch and watch
Switch the domain at a low-traffic time. In the first 48 hours check redirects, 404 errors, checkout, payments and tracking. Resubmit the sitemap and monitor Search Console over the following weeks.
Common mistakes
- Launching without redirects and losing search traffic overnight.
- Forgetting integrations such as stock sync or invoicing until orders arrive.
- Rebuilding tracking after launch, leaving weeks without reliable data.
- Not telling existing customers they need to reset their password.
Where we can help
We plan and run Shopify store setups and migrations, including SEO redirects and tracking. Tell us about your current store and we will outline a migration plan.