Dec 5, 2022

Migrating from Wix to Shopify

If you are an online store owner running a small e-commerce business on Wix and want to scale up your online store, you may want to consider online store migration from Wix to Shopify. Wix is a user-friendly, simple and cost-effective website builder platform but isn't designed for e-commerce. Shopify is better suited to dynamic upscaling. If you're planning on moving to Shopify eventually, you'll want to make a move as soon as possible to avoid data migration being much harder than it needs to be.

Here, we will explain why you should consider migration from Wix to Shopify. We will also take you step-by-step through how to migrate your e-commerce store from Wix to Shopify.

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Why migrate from Wix to Shopify?

The migration process from Wix to Shopify

How to transfer your store data from Wix to Shopify

How to transfer a domain name from Wix to Shopify

Need a migration service from a Shopify expert

Frequently Asked Questions

Why migrate from Wix to Shopify

Unlike Wix, which only has a limited e-commerce feature, Shopify is designed explicitly for small e-commerce. Shopify Plus is ideal for medium to large businesses. The platform is designed for scaling and is accessible to businesses of any size. Shopify also offers users many features that can help grow their ecommerce store. Here are some reasons to choose Shopify:

Built-in analytics independent of Google Analytics allows you to keep up-to-date with business trends easily.
Integrations, including email and marketing features.
Shopify App Store includes hundreds of advanced Shopify apps help enhance your online store.
Shipping and taxes can be calibrated and automatically applied to checkout.
Shopify POS allows you to use Shopify payments anywhere, online or in person.
Inventory management and Shopify fulfilment services make managing extensive inventories and scaling easier.
Shopify Markets enables you to sell to customers in different countries using different currencies easily.

The migration process from Wix to Shopify

Disclaimer: You could pay for an online migration solution. However, the following FREE approach will take a little longer and may take several days, but you won’t need a Shopify developer.

Migration from Shopify to Wix can be crudely separated into three major stages; stages 2 and 3 will be explained in more detail later in this article.

Create a Shopify store and set up payments
You will need a Shopify account to create a new Shopify Store. Then you can import your old store data onto the Shopify platform. When setting up, choose a Shopify theme, add all the necessary pages you'll need for your online store and make sure to enable Shopify Payments to get started.
Import your Wix store data
The next step is to save and export your existing store data from Wix into the new Shopify store you created. This migration stage will carry over critical information making it easier to get your store up and running on Shopify.
Connect your store domain
The final step of the website transfer is to connect your domain name. This is essential for keeping your SEO URL to maintain your search rankings and SEO efforts.

How to transfer your store data from Wix to Shopify

This is the most complicated and laborious stage of your Shopify migration, but it is worth it if you want to keep your Wix store data. The five steps involved are as follows:

Step 1. Save and duplicate your Wix store

Duplicate your Wix store, so you always have a backup in your Wix account. Make sure to name your copy so you can differentiate between them. Additionally, any further changes will only apply to one version.

Step 2. Export data into separate files

You should export your store contacts/mailing lists, products, and orders. Read how to export Wix data here. You may have other valuable information you want to keep, such as customer registrations. To save blog content, website copy etc., you will need to save this somewhere accessible, in a Google Drive, for example. You must export your Wix store data onto separate CSV files for it to be possible to populate your Shopify store.

Step 3. Import data into Shopify

Next, import your CSV files into the relevant data sections. Read how to do this for products here. Similarly, import your mailing lists, contacts, orders and customer information into the appropriate section of your website. This way, you will not lose your customer data or valuable mailing lists to use for Shopify email integrations later on.

Step 4. Import any additional content

Once you have imported all of the critical data sets onto Shopify, you can now take the time to copy over any additional content you want to keep from your Wix store. This content can include existing blog content, images, and website copy. At this stage, you can consider any updates you want to make to your web content.

Step 5. Preview your imported data

You will need to take the time to check your imported data since the CSV files you imported from Wix may not directly translate over to Shopify. Manually correcting errors may take time, especially if you have an extensive product inventory or mailing list.

Importing large databases from Wix will take much longer to check through, highlighting the importance of making the transfer as early as possible before you build a vast inventory or clientele. Check if there are any gaps in your website data to be filled before publishing your new Shopify site.

How to transfer a domain name from Wix to Shopify

Transferring your domain name to Shopify is essential for maintaining your SEO efforts and search rankings. Transferring your domain from Wix to Shopify is reasonably straightforward but may take some time; here is how to do it.

Step 1. Transfer away from Wix

If you bought your domain from Wix, you can easily transfer away from the platform. Go to Wix's 'My Domains' and choose 'Advanced'. Then, select 'Transfer away from Wix'. Once you've selected this option, you should receive an EPP code – save this somewhere secure.

Step 2. Request a domain transfer to Shopify

When requesting to transfer your domain, ensure you select the Shopify route to be successful. This transfer request can take up to 7 days to be approved.

Step 3. Connect and verify your Shopify domain

Once your domain transfer has been approved, Select Shopify Admin, then 'Domains', select 'Connect a domain', and insert your domain; it should now be detached from Wix and linked to Shopify. Click 'Verify Connection', and your domain will be connected within 48 hours.

Need a migration service from a Shopify expert?

Migrating from Wix to Shopify is laborious and can take several days. You may need to be offline for a day or two while your domain changes. You may want a Shopify migration service. Milk Bottle Labs specialise in Shopify e-commerce support and can guide you through your migration from Wix to Shopify in no time; we are Shopify migration experts.

We have helped many e-commerce stores scale their business by transferring to Shopify. With a seamless and efficient transition to Shopify, you can get straight into growing your business with minimal time offline. You could even benefit from our other services, such as email automation or UX improvement.

Find out more on our website; alternatively, contact us today to inquire about our services.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to transfer your Wix products to Shopify
Export a CSV file of your product inventory and import them into Shopify's product section. As the Shopify and the Wix platforms operate differently, you must check that each product has been imported correctly.

Is it worth moving from Wix to Shopify?

Shopify is specially designed to enable e-commerce growth. Transferring to Shopify will be worth it if you want to upscale and prioritise e-commerce. However, if you primarily use your website for SEO purposes, lead generation or small-scale e-commerce, Shopify may not be worth it.

Can you transfer customer data from Wix to Shopify?

Yes, customer data can be easily transferred from Wix to Shopify by simply saving your contacts in a CSV file and then importing that into Shopify. However, you will be unable to export any payment information.

Visit Milk Bottle Lab's advice centre for more Shopify resources.