Many online businesses eventually find that their current eCommerce platform no longer meets their needs.
Shopify store owners often face this situation when they seek greater flexibility, wish to reduce monthly expenses, or desire complete control over their store and data.
This is where WooCommerce becomes a valuable option. It is a robust and customizable platform that empowers you to create and expand your store according to your preferences. The main challenge lies in the migration process—transferring your products, customers, and orders while maintaining your search engine rankings.
The positive aspect is that numerous store owners have successfully transitioned. In this comprehensive guide, we will provide you with a detailed, step-by-step process for migrating from Shopify to WooCommerce.
By the conclusion of this guide, you will have a fully operational WooCommerce store that is poised for growth alongside your business.
💡Quick Answer: How to Transition from Shopify to WooCommerce
Transitioning from Shopify to WooCommerce consists of four key steps.
- First, establish a new WordPress site with WooCommerce hosting.
- Next, utilize our free exporter tool to download all your product, customer, and order data from Shopify.
- Then, import this data file into your new WooCommerce store using a suitable plugin.
- Finally, personalize your new store and set up redirects from your previous Shopify URLs to maintain your SEO rankings.
Reasons to Switch from Shopify to WooCommerce
Numerous businesses transition from Shopify to WooCommerce to achieve greater control, reduce costs, and eliminate additional fees.
Here’s a brief comparison of the two platforms:
| Feature | Shopify | WooCommerce |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Fully hosted — Shopify takes care of hosting and security for you | Self-hosted — you select your own hosting provider |
| Customization | Limited options for themes and apps | Completely customizable and open-source |
| Transaction Fees | Additional fees apply if you do not use Shopify Payments | Only standard payment gateway fees apply (such as Stripe or PayPal) |
| Cost | Higher monthly subscription fees | More budget-friendly — you only pay for hosting and plugins |
| Control | Shopify manages your store’s infrastructure | You have complete ownership of your website and data |
Due to these differences, WooCommerce is the preferred option for store owners seeking full ownership, flexibility, and long-term cost savings.
However, a significant challenge is that Shopify does not provide a straightforward method to export your data to WordPress. Engaging a professional migration service can incur costs ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars.
We developed a free tool to help you import your store data from Shopify to WooCommerce, allowing you to handle the migration yourself without the need for costly migration services.
Now, let’s guide you through the simple steps to migrate from Shopify to WooCommerce:
- Step 1: Install WordPress and WooCommerce
- Step 2: Export Your Shopify Data
- Step 3: Import Shopify Data into WooCommerce
- Step 4: Personalize Your WooCommerce Store
- Step 5: Configure Redirects to Your New WooCommerce Site
- Common Questions About Migrating from Shopify to WooCommerce
Step 1: Install WordPress and WooCommerce
Before you can migrate your Shopify store to WooCommerce, you need to install and configure WooCommerce.
Unlike Shopify, WooCommerce is a self-hosted solution, meaning you’ll need to secure a web hosting account and a domain name to set it up.
We recommend SiteGround, one of the leading WooCommerce hosting providers, known for their excellent WordPress support and optimized hosting plans.
They also offer Canada Create™ users a special discount that includes a free domain name and an SSL certificate. You can get started for just $3.99 per month.
To begin, simply click the ‘Start Now’ button.
Next, select a SiteGround hosting plan.
We suggest the GrowBig plan for its on-demand support and staging site features, ideal for expanding businesses. Alternatively, you can start with the StartUp plan and upgrade later.
After selecting a plan, choose a domain name or link your existing domain to SiteGround.
Then, click ‘Continue’ to proceed.
Once you’ve completed that step, you’ll be directed to the checkout page.
Here, simply enter your payment details to finalize the purchase.
After your payment is processed and confirmed, SiteGround will email you instructions to access your hosting account.
Upon logging in, you will be taken to the web hosting control panel, where you can manage your new website. You’ll notice that SiteGround has already installed WordPress for you.
Just click on the ‘WordPress admin’ button.
This will take you to the WordPress admin dashboard.
Now, navigate to Plugins » Add New page and search for WooCommerce.
Next, click the ‘Install Now’ button next to WooCommerce. WordPress will install the plugin for you. Once installed, the button will change to ‘Activate.’ Click on the ‘Activate’ button to proceed.
Once activated, WooCommerce will present a setup wizard that guides you through configuring a payment gateway and entering your store details along with other essential information. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete your store setup.
Need assistance? Check out our comprehensive tutorial on starting an online store for detailed, step-by-step guidance on installing WooCommerce.
Step 2: Download Your Shopify Data
In the past, there was no reliable and free method to export your store data from Shopify and import it into WooCommerce.
You either had to pay for a migration service or manually recreate each product, which meant losing all your customer and order history.
To address this issue, we developed a free Shopify to WooCommerce exporter. This tool enables you to export your Shopify data in a standardized format, making it easy to import into WooCommerce.
First, visit the Shopify to WooCommerce website. Here, you will need to enter your Shopify store URL and provide an email address.
Click the ‘Submit’ button to proceed.
This will redirect you to your Shopify admin section, where you will be prompted to install the app, which will automatically generate a Shopify API key for data migration. Click the ‘Install App’ button at the bottom to continue.
On the following screen, the application will display the data it will export using the Shopify API. At this stage, it exports all your product details, product categories, customer information, and order history.
Important:Currently, the application does not export your Shopify pages or blog posts. You will need to manually import these into WordPress.
Please provide an email address where you will receive a link to download the export file.
Click the ‘Start Export’ button to proceed.
The application will display the progress of the migration process. Once completed, a download button will appear. You will also receive an email with a link to the download file.
You can now download the export file to your computer.
Step 3: Import Shopify Data into WooCommerce
Now that you have exported your Shopify data, the next step is to import it into your WooCommerce store. To do this, switch to the admin area of your WordPress website.
First, install and activate the Import Shopify To WP plugin. For detailed instructions, refer to our step-by-step guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.
Note:Although the plugin author has not updated the ‘Tested up to’ version tag on WordPress.org, our team has thoroughly tested this plugin with the latest version of WordPress and can confirm that it functions properly.
If you still have concerns, feel free to refer to our guide on using outdated plugins.
After activating the plugin, navigate to the Tools » Shopify Importer page. Here, click the ‘Choose File’ button to select the export file you previously downloaded.
Press the ‘Upload’ button to proceed.
Next, you will see a list of products exported in your upload file. Click the ‘Start Import’ button to begin importing these products into your WooCommerce store.
The plugin will now start importing your data, and you will be able to monitor the upload progress on the screen.
Once the import is complete, a list of essential WooCommerce plugins (all free) will be displayed for you to install and enhance your WooCommerce store.
Click the continue button to proceed.
This will finalize the importer wizard, and a success message will appear on the screen.
You can now review your imported products, orders, order statuses, and WooCommerce product categories to ensure everything has been imported correctly.
Step 4: Customize Your WooCommerce Store
Having successfully transferred your products, orders, and other essential data from Shopify to WooCommerce, it’s time to complete the setup of your WooCommerce store.
This involves selecting a design, installing plugins for enhanced features and functionality, and implementing tools to expand your WordPress site.
1. Select a Theme (Template) for Your Website
With WooCommerce, you have access to thousands of WordPress themes. These professionally crafted themes will help your store stand out, and they offer user-friendly customization options.
Our top recommendation for WooCommerce theme building is SeedProd. Its robust drag-and-drop builder allows you to create a personalized website theme with your preferred layout, background, colors, fonts, and more.
If you need assistance in selecting a theme, check out our curated list of the best WooCommerce themes available.
2. Create Your Own Landing Pages
Many store owners wish to quickly design custom landing pages for their eCommerce site. For instance, you may want to create a unique design for your login or checkout page.
Fortunately, this is easily achievable in WooCommerce.
Once again, you can accomplish this with SeedProd, which we consider the best WordPress landing page plugin.
Explore a wide selection of stunning templates crafted exclusively for WooCommerce. Additionally, utilize user-friendly drag-and-drop WooCommerce blocks to customize your product pages to your exact specifications.
Effortlessly add products to any landing page, design a personalized checkout experience, showcase product grids, and much more.
3. Enhance Your eCommerce SEO
Search engines are the primary source of traffic for most eCommerce sites. Enhancing your SEO can help you attract organic traffic from search engines, boosting your business growth.
To enhance your SEO and increase traffic, simply install and activate the All in One SEO for WordPress plugin. This top-rated WordPress SEO plugin enables you to optimize WooCommerce SEO effortlessly, even without technical expertise.
For additional insights, refer to our comprehensive guide on WooCommerce SEO.
4. Establish Conversion Tracking
Curious about your customers’ origins and their interests?
MonsterInsights allows you to seamlessly track WooCommerce users and provides comprehensive eCommerce statistics. Access information about your best-selling products, conversion rates, average order values, and more directly from your WordPress dashboard.
For step-by-step guidance, check out our thorough WooCommerce conversion tracking guide designed for beginners.
5. Increase Conversions and Sales
Did you know that over 75% of online shoppers leave without adding items to their cart or completing a purchase?
This is where OptinMonster comes into play. It helps you effortlessly convert website visitors into subscribers and paying customers.
With OptinMonster, you can display targeted popups, slide-in notifications, countdown timers, header and footer banners, and more.
For additional strategies, check out our guide on recovering abandoned cart sales in WooCommerce.
6. Build Highly Effective Sales Funnels
There are several methods to create effective sales funnels in WordPress, one of which is using FunnelKit (formerly WooFunnels).
FunnelKit is among the top funnel-building tools available for WooCommerce.
It enables you to easily capture leads, design custom checkout pages, create order bump funnels, upsell products, and implement reward-based sliding side carts, among other features.
FunnelKit offers numerous templates for creating your sales funnel pages in just a few clicks. Additionally, you can customize every page of your funnel using the intuitive drag-and-drop builder.
FunnelKit also provides built-in customer reporting, allowing you to monitor customer and order data effectively.
Step 5: Configure Redirects to Your New WooCommerce Store
With your WooCommerce store fully set up, the final step is to establish proper redirects from Shopify to WooCommerce.
This crucial step ensures a successful migration by automatically directing visitors and search engines from your old Shopify URLs to the new ones on your WooCommerce site.
Implementing redirects is vital for maintaining your SEO rankings and avoiding frustrating ‘Page Not Found’ errors for your customers.
If your store previously used a Shopify-branded domain (for example, yourstore.myshopify.com), individual redirects cannot be set up.
This limitation exists because you do not own the main ‘myshopify.com’ domain, preventing you from controlling its server-level settings.
The best approach in this situation is to update your old Shopify site to include a clear link directing customers to your new store’s URL.
Transferring Your Domain from Shopify to WooCommerce
If your Shopify site was using a custom domain name, you can redirect it to your WooCommerce store and set up the necessary redirects.
To proceed, you will need to update the DNS settings for your domain. Your new hosting provider will supply you with the DNS server addresses that should be entered in your domain settings. These addresses usually appear as follows:
ns1.bluehost.com
ns2.bluehost.com
If your domain is registered through Shopify, log in to your account and navigate toOnline Store » Domainsto manage your DNS settings.
For information on other domain registrars, refer to our article on how to easily change DNS nameservers.
Update URLs in WooCommerce
Next, check for any URLs in your product descriptions that are still linked to your old Shopify domain. Here’s how to bulk update those URLs efficiently instead of searching for them individually.
Simply install and activate the Go Live Update Urls plugin. For detailed instructions, refer to our step-by-step guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.
After activation, visit theTools » Go Livepage. Here, enter your Shopify store URL as the old URL and your WooCommerce domain name as the new URL.
Finally, click the ‘Update Urls’ button at the bottom, and it will automatically update all your links across the site.
After updating your URLs, you can safely remove the plugin from your website.
Configuring Redirects for Specific Pages and Posts
Finally, if you have any blog posts or pages, it’s essential to redirect both visitors and search engines to the appropriate page.
To start, install and activate the All in One SEO for WordPress plugin. For detailed instructions, refer to our comprehensive guide on installing a WordPress plugin.
Important Note: A free version of AIOSEO is available, but you’ll need at least the Pro plan to utilize the Redirection Manager feature.
Once activated, the AIOSEO setup wizard will appear. Just follow the on-screen instructions to configure the plugin.
Next, navigate to the All in One SEO » Redirects section to configure your redirects.
Here, input the old URL in the ‘Source URL’ field and the new URL for the page/post in the ‘Target URL’ field.
Ensure that the Redirect Type is set to ‘301 Moved Permanently.’ Then, click the ‘Add Redirect’ button to save your settings.
You can repeat this procedure to create redirects for your additional links.
AIOSEO will maintain a record of the redirects you create, enabling you to track the number of visitors who accessed the redirected link.
For comprehensive guidance on setting up redirects, refer to our tutorial on configuring redirects in WordPress. Additionally, explore our guide on setting up AIOSEO to finalize the process.
Congratulations! You have successfully established your new WooCommerce store.
Common Questions About Migrating from Shopify to WooCommerce
Here are some common inquiries from our readers considering a transition from Shopify to WooCommerce:
1. How long does it take to migrate from Shopify to WooCommerce?
The duration depends on the size of your store. For a small store, exporting and importing your data can take under an hour. For larger stores with thousands of products, customers, and orders, the process may take several hours.
Typically, the entire migration process, including customizing your new store, can be completed in one day.
2. Will my SEO rankings be affected during the migration?
You can maintain your SEO rankings if the migration is done correctly. The key step is to set up proper 301 redirects from your old Shopify URLs to your new WooCommerce URLs.
This informs search engines that your pages have been permanently relocated. Utilizing a plugin like All in One SEO simplifies the management of these redirects.
3. Is WooCommerce more affordable than Shopify over time?
Yes, for the majority of growing businesses, WooCommerce proves to be more cost-effective in the long term.
Although you need to pay for web hosting, you eliminate Shopify’s monthly platform fees and, more importantly, their additional transaction fees. As your sales increase, these savings can become substantial.
We hope this guide has assisted you in transitioning from Shopify to WooCommerce. You might also find our expert recommendations for the best WooCommerce alternatives and our list of essential eCommerce maintenance tips for WordPress websites helpful.
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