A Guide to Migrating from WordPress to Shopify

Webla Digital

• 7 min read
• Backend

WooCommerce is a versatile plugin designed for WordPress that facilitates sales directly from a WordPress website. Conversely, Shopify is not a plugin, but a full-fledged eCommerce platform, equipped with comprehensive features needed to operate an online store.

If you’re considering a transition from WordPress to Shopify, this guide is designed to make the process smooth for you.

Should you transition from WordPress to Shopify?

The fundamental distinction between WordPress and Shopify lies in their functionality. While WordPress serves as a content management system suitable for bloggers and freelancers, Shopify is an eCommerce site builder designed specifically for individuals aiming to operate an online store. Shopify comes packed with all the necessary eCommerce features. On the other hand, for a WordPress site, you would need a plugin to facilitate sales.

A migration from WordPress to Shopify would be a prudent move if your primary objective is to run an online store, rather than creating blog-oriented content.

How to migrate from WordPress to Shopify?

Before you embark on this process, it’s crucial to have a Shopify store account set up and ready, you can follow our guide on “How to Build a Shopify Store“.

Make certain that the initial setup has been completed, with your store’s address confirmed, a functional email established, and all store settings updated and accurate.

Step 1: Select Your Shopify Theme

The transfer from WordPress to Shopify doesn’t include moving themes. As a new Shopify user, you’ll start with the default theme but can switch to any other Shopify theme. Shopify offers a wide range of both free and paid themes.

To implement a free theme developed by Shopify:

1. Navigate to ‘Online Stores’ on the left side of your Shopify Dashboard and click on it.
2. Scroll down to the ‘Free Themes’ section and click on ‘Explore’.
3. Browse through the themes and preview their styles.
4. Once you find one that suits your brand, click the ‘Add’ button. The theme will then be transferred to your Theme Library, where you can modify it to your needs.

If you’d prefer a paid theme:

1. Visit the Shopify Theme Store and choose a theme that aligns with your store’s brand.
2. You’ll see an option to ‘Buy Theme’. You can preview the theme before making a purchase.
3. If you’re satisfied with the theme, close the preview and click ‘Buy Theme’.
4. After purchasing, customize the theme to match your vision.

Though Shopify themes are highly customizable, you may want to incorporate specific features that aren’t available out of the box. For these unique customizations, reach out to our team of Shopify Experts to assist you.

Step 2: Transfer Your WordPress Data & Content

This constitutes the bulk of the migration process as your store data forms the foundation of your online business. The transportation of this immense volume of information can be quite labor-intensive and time-consuming.

To streamline the process, first decide what data you want to shift to your Shopify account, compile a list, and then use this list to figure out the most efficient method for moving the data to Shopify.

The sequence of migrating data to Shopify is crucial. To enable Shopify to construct a comprehensive transaction history, import the data in the following order:

1. Products
2. Customer Information
3. Order History.

There are three strategies to manage the transfer of your store’s content and data. We at Webla can help guide you through the process or handle it for you to ensure a smooth and error-free migration.

Shopify Migration App

The quickest and most convenient way to handle data migration is through a Shopify migration app. These apps leverage APIs to move your data, meaning they can transport nearly all of your store data in a single swoop, including blog posts. Several free and paid migration apps are available in the Shopify App Store.

Manually Transfer Data using CSV Files

CSV (Comma-Separated Value) files, which are essentially text files, can be employed to manually move products and customer data.

WordPress boasts an extensive selection of plugins, including many export plugins that make exporting products and migrating customer data a breeze. Once you’ve exported the CSV files, you can import them to your Shopify store by following these steps:

1. From your Shopify Dashboard, select ‘Products’.
2. Look for and click the ‘Import’ option.
3. Click ‘Add File’ and navigate to your exported WordPress file.
4. Click ‘Upload and Continue’.
5. You can then preview product details before importing them to your Shopify store.

Copy & Paste Content

This method works best with content like blog posts, product descriptions, ‘About Us’ information, shipping policies, etc. Simply highlight and copy the content on your WordPress site and paste it into the corresponding areas on your Shopify store. It’s more suited to smaller stores with less content to migrate.

Which Method Should I Choose?

The method you choose will depend on the volume of data to be migrated and the type of data you wish to import.

If your store boasts a vast inventory and numerous blog posts, a migration app is a more efficient solution than manually shifting everything to Shopify.

While CSV files can handle large data volumes, they are limited to exporting and importing products and customer information.

For smaller stores with limited inventory and only a handful of blog posts, the copy-paste method might be sufficient.

Regardless of the method you choose, we strongly advise making data backups wherever possible to prevent any data loss. And if you need assistance, Webla is here to help you make a seamless transition from WordPress to Shopify.

Step 3: Organize Your Products

Migration from WordPress to Shopify can sometimes be a little chaotic, leading to unnoticed errors. Therefore, it’s vital to conduct a thorough check of your products once you’ve migrated the data.

Make sure to verify product descriptions, meta titles, images, and variants. Consider downloading a product inventory app from the Shopify app store to keep a clear inventory of the products in your store.

Step 4: Configure Shipping

A significant advantage of Shopify over other platforms like WordPress is its ability to automate most commerce processes. With a few tweaks, Shopify can manage and calculate all shipping and taxes.

Ensure you provide accurate information in the upcoming steps to prevent overcharging.

Go to ‘Shipping and delivery’ under the ‘Settings’ tab on your dashboard. Input your current shipping address for precise shipping rates. Enable shipping to various regions and, if necessary, international destinations for larger shipping distances. Specify shipping rates for the zones you’ve indicated. If your carrier calculates shipping based on package dimensions, set up these dimensions for correct rates.

Step 5: Configure Taxes

Unlike Shopify, WordPress isn’t a dedicated e-commerce site. Charging sales tax may have been either unavailable or manually calculated. With Shopify, tax calculation is automated. Be sure to research and provide accurate information to abide by legal taxing procedures.

With Shopify, tax can be applied based on the destination’s tax regulations. This is done automatically using the information gathered during Step 4.

Step 6: Configure Your Payment

To receive payments post-migration, you must configure payments with Shopify.

Navigate to your Shopify admin dashboard, select ‘Settings‘, then locate ‘Payments‘ in the left-hand menu bar. From this screen, click on ‘Activate Shopify Payments‘ and follow the uncomplicated steps to implement it on your site. This is the most straightforward method. However, if you prefer to accept payments through PayPal or another third-party provider, you also have that flexibility. To explore these, simply click on ‘See all other providers‘ below the button.

Step 7: Run Test Orders

After migrating all your WordPress store data and setting up what couldn’t be migrated, it’s time to conduct a test run.

This will enable you to verify that everything functions correctly. If there are any issues, you can identify and resolve them before your store goes live.

Next Steps

With this comprehensive guide on migrating from WordPress to Shopify, your store will be live and bustling in no time. With your store data now migrated to Shopify and all other necessary setup completed, all that remains is to launch your store and welcome your customers.

If you’re aiming for a seamless transition from WordPress to Shopify, don’t hesitate to reach out to our Shopify team of Experts. Our expertise ensures an efficient migration, leaving you more time to focus on growing your business.