Shopify questionAnswer4 min read
Can You Keep Customers and Order History When Moving to Shopify?
Yes. Customers and past orders can both come with you to Shopify. Here is what moves, which tools do the job, and the few things that don't transfer.
Key takeaways
- Shopify supports importing products, customers, historical orders, gift cards, blog posts and pages from another platform.
- Customers can come in by CSV. Historical orders need a migration app or the API, because Shopify's admin has no order CSV import.
- Import in this order: products, then customers, then orders, so each order links to the right customer and product.
- Customer passwords never transfer. Shopify's new customer accounts sign in with a one-time code, so customers don't need a new password.
- Who it is for
- Stores moving to Shopify
- Time needed
- 4 minutes to read
- What you need
- Exports from your old platform
Yes, you can keep your customers and order history when you move to Shopify. Customers import through a CSV file or a migration app, and past orders import through a migration app or Shopify's API, then appear on each customer's profile just like new orders. The one thing that never moves is customer passwords.
I handle store migrations to Shopify regularly, and order history is the part merchants worry about most. The tools and rules below come from Shopify's Help Center and the Shopify App Store, checked on 7 November 2026.
What moves and what doesn't
| Data | Moves? | How |
|---|---|---|
| Products | Yes | CSV or migration app |
| Customers | Yes | CSV, app or API |
| Historical orders | Yes | Migration app or API |
| Gift cards | Yes | Migration app or API |
| Blog posts and pages | Yes | Migration app or API |
| Customer passwords | No | – |
| Theme and design | No | Rebuilt on a Shopify theme |
Moving your customers
For customers, a CSV is often enough. Export them from your old platform, match the columns to Shopify's customer template, then go to Customers, click Import, add the file and confirm. Keep each customer's email marketing consent in the file, so you don't email people who never opted in.
Shopify's free Store Migration app can also bring product and customer records from Square, WooCommerce, Etsy, Wix, Amazon, eBay, Clover and Lightspeed. Its listing doesn't mention orders, so plan a separate tool for those.
Moving your order history
Shopify's admin has no CSV import for orders, so historical orders come in through an app or the Order API. Matrixify is one widely used app: its listing covers importing customers, orders and redirects, and migrating from Magento, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Lightspeed and WordPress. It has a free plan for small test files and paid plans from $20 a month.
- Turn off order notifications. Staff who get new-order emails receive one for every imported order. Switch them off in
Settings > Notificationsfirst and back on afterward. - Import products first. Orders link to products, so they need to exist.
- Import customers second. Each order then attaches to the right customer profile.
- Import orders last. Run a small test batch, check totals, taxes and dates, then run the rest.
- Spot-check customer profiles. Open a few customers and confirm their order history and total spent look right.
Delete order. Deleted orders also leave your reports, so delete test batches before you go live.Customer passwords
Shopify's Help Center is clear that you can't migrate customer passwords from another store, because they're encrypted outside Shopify. On new customer accounts this barely matters: customers sign in with their email and a one-time code, and their imported order history is waiting when they do. Shopify lists legacy customer accounts as deprecated, so new stores should use the new version.
What changes for customers after the move
Customers notice two things. Their sign-in changes, because they now get a one-time code by email instead of typing a password. And old order links in past emails stop working, because order status pages live on your old platform. Plan a short email after launch that explains the new sign-in and links to the account page. Keep your old platform's data export somewhere safe too: invoices and refunds from before the move may be needed for tax records long after the old store closes.
Platform notes
- WooCommerce: customers and orders can both be exported, and Matrixify lists WooCommerce as a supported source. Check that refunds and partial refunds come across with the right amounts.
- Etsy and eBay: marketplace buyers are the marketplace's customers. Expect limited customer data, and check what each export includes.
- Magento and BigCommerce: large order histories import best in batches, with a test run on a few hundred orders first.
What to do next
- List what you need. Decide how many years of orders are worth moving. I usually suggest at least 2 to 3 years, enough for customer service, returns and year-on-year reports.
- Read the platform guide. If you're on WooCommerce, start with my WooCommerce to Shopify migration page.
- Budget for it. The Shopify migration cost guide explains what drives the price, including order volume.
- Get it done for you. My Shopify migration service covers customers, orders, redirects and testing, with a fixed quote after a free review.
Free tools
Check your own store
Free, no sign-up. Each one runs a part of this guide for you.
Frequently asked questions
Can I import order history into Shopify?
Yes. Historical orders import through a migration app or Shopify's Order API. Shopify's admin has no order CSV import, so most merchants use an app such as Matrixify or hire a developer to run the import.
Will my customers' order history show in their accounts?
Yes. Imported orders attach to the matching customer profile, so customers see them in their account once they sign in. Import customers before orders so the link is made.
Can I migrate customer passwords to Shopify?
No. Passwords are encrypted outside Shopify and can't be imported. On Shopify's new customer accounts, customers sign in with a one-time code sent to their email, so they don't need a password at all.
Where do I find order history in Shopify?
All orders, including imported ones, are on the Orders page in your admin. Each customer's order history is also on their profile under Customers.
Can I delete orders in Shopify?
Yes, for some orders. An order must be archived or canceled first, then you open it and click Delete order. Orders imported through the API can be deleted, but orders paid with a gift card can only be archived.
Will imported orders send emails to my customers?
Customer emails aren't the main risk, but staff with new-order notifications get one email per imported order. Turn those off in Settings > Notifications before you import.
Sources
- Migrating to Shopify, Shopify Help Center
- Importing and exporting customers, Shopify Help Center
- Shopify Store Migration, Shopify App Store
- Matrixify: Data Export Import, Shopify App Store
- Canceling and deleting orders, Shopify Help Center
- Legacy customer accounts, Shopify Help Center
Related services and work
I'm a Shopify developer and CRO specialist. I have built and improved Shopify stores since 2018, completed more than 1,000 projects, and hold a 4.96 average rating across 719 client reviews.
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