Shopify resourceGuide8 min read
Shopify Migration Checklist: Free Website Migration Template
A step-by-step website migration checklist for moving a store to Shopify, covering data, redirects, SEO and launch. Work down it in order and use the sign-off table as your template.
Key takeaways
- Map every old URL to its new Shopify URL before you move anything. Shopify uses fixed paths such as /products/ and /collections/, so most URLs change in a platform move.
- Import in Shopify's order: products first, then customers, then historical orders. Turn off order notifications before importing orders so old customers don't get emails.
- Shopify redirects only work from URLs that are broken on the new store. You can have up to 100,000 of them, and import them by CSV.
- Google advises 301 or 308 redirects straight to the final page, kept for at least a year. A small or medium site can take a few weeks for most pages to move in search.
- Who it is for
- Store owners moving to Shopify from another platform
- Time needed
- 2 to 8 weeks, depending on catalog size
- What you need
- Old store access, a URL list and a Shopify plan
This is a working website migration checklist for moving a store to Shopify, from WooCommerce, Magento, Wix, Squarespace or any other platform. It covers the data, the design and the SEO side, in the order I run them on client migrations. Copy the sign-off table at the end into a spreadsheet and use it as your template.
Every check has the reason it matters and where it lives in Shopify. Shopify's import order and redirect rules come from its Help Center, and the SEO steps from Google's site move guidance, as checked on 7 November 2026.
Do you need a full SEO migration plan?
- 1
Does the old site get meaningful traffic from Google?
Yes: follow every SEO step in sections 1, 4 and 7No: next question
- 2
Are you keeping the same domain name?
Yes: redirects still matter, because paths changeNo: add Search Console's Change of Address tool
- 3
Do you have more than a few hundred URLs?
Yes: build the redirect map as a CSVNo: redirects can be added one by one
Almost every store moving to Shopify needs redirects, because the URL paths change even when the domain stays.
1. Plan and inventory (2 to 4 weeks before)
Most migration problems start here, with a URL nobody listed or data nobody exported. Do this before you design anything.
| Check | Why it matters | Where in Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Export a full list of old URLs | Every URL needs a destination | Outside Shopify: old sitemap, crawler, analytics |
| Mark the top pages by traffic and revenue | These redirects matter most | Outside Shopify: analytics and Search Console |
| Decide what data moves | Products, customers, orders, gift cards, blogs, pages | Shopify's Store Migration app |
| Back up the old store | You need a fallback if an import fails | Old platform's export tools |
| List every app and integration | Each needs a Shopify replacement | Notes, then the Shopify App Store |
| Record current metrics | You need a baseline to judge the move | Analytics, Search Console, speed test |
| Pick a quiet launch window | Avoid peak sales periods | Your sales calendar |
If you're keeping your domain, my answer on keeping your domain name when switching to Shopify covers the DNS side. For timing, how long a WooCommerce to Shopify migration takes gives a realistic range.
2. Set up the Shopify store
| Check | Why it matters | Where in Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Store details and legal name | Shown on invoices and policies | Settings > General |
| Theme chosen and customized | Design work happens on the unpublished store | Online Store > Themes |
| Shipping zones and rates | Must match what you charge today | Settings > Shipping and delivery |
| Taxes configured | Wrong tax settings affect every order | Settings > Taxes and duties |
| Payment provider active | Checkout won't work without it | Settings > Payments |
| Store policies added | Linked in the checkout footer once added | Settings > Policies |
| Staff accounts with own logins | Limits access to sensitive areas | Settings > Users |
3. Move the data
Shopify's own checklist sets the order: products, then customers, then historical orders. Other data, such as blogs, pages and gift cards, can go in any order.
| Check | Why it matters | Where in Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Products imported first | Orders and customers link back to products | Product CSV or a migration app |
| Product details checked after import | Hidden products and failed variants are common | Products, filter by status |
| Products available to sales channels | Imported products can arrive hidden | Products, Publishing |
| Customers imported second | Order history needs customer records | Customer CSV or a migration app |
| Order notifications off before order import | Stops old customers getting emails | Settings > Notifications |
| Historical orders imported | No CSV option, so use an app or the API | Migration app or Order API |
| Gift cards and store credit moved | Customers expect their balances to work | Migration app or GiftCard API |
| Blogs, pages and reviews moved | Content and social proof carry SEO value | Migration app, then your reviews app |
Reviews need their own plan, because each reviews app imports differently. My answer on migrating product reviews to Shopify covers the options.
4. Redirects and SEO
This is the part of an SEO website migration checklist that protects your rankings. Shopify has fixed URL prefixes, so /shop/blue-mug on the old site becomes /products/blue-mug on Shopify, and every changed URL needs a redirect.
| Check | Why it matters | Where in Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Redirect map: every old URL to one new URL | Google wants each old URL mapped to its match | Spreadsheet, then CSV |
| Redirects go straight to the final page | Google advises avoiding redirect chains | Check the map for A to B to C |
| No mass redirects to the home page | Google treats irrelevant redirects poorly | Map to the closest matching page |
| Redirects imported to Shopify | Up to 100,000 per store, 20,000,000 on Plus | Content > Menus > URL redirects > Import |
| Titles and meta descriptions carried over | Keeps search snippets stable | Search engine listing on each item |
| Internal links point to new URLs | Avoids sending visitors through redirects | Menus, page content, blog posts |
| Image alt text carried over | Image search traffic depends on it | Products, each media item |
Shopify only applies a redirect when the old URL is broken on the new store. If a page already exists at that path, the redirect is ignored. My answer on changing Shopify URLs without losing rankings explains how to test this, and will you lose Google rankings moving to Shopify covers what is normal.
5. Test before launch
Shopify's migration checklist includes a full round of test orders. I add a redirect test and a mobile pass on top.
- Place a successful and a failed order. Use your payment provider's test mode, then switch it off.
- Refund and cancel an order. Check the refund reaches the right payment method.
- Fulfill and partly fulfill an order. Confirm shipping and tracking emails look right.
- Read every customer email. Edit the templates in
Settings > Notificationsso they match your brand. - Test a sample of redirects. Spot-check your top 50 old URLs on the preview, then all of them after launch.
- Check the store on a phone. Run through home, collection, product, cart and checkout.
- Check speed against your baseline. Use my Shopify speed checker on the same three page types you recorded.
My guide to testing a Shopify store before going live has the full test list.
6. Launch day
| Check | Why it matters | Where in Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Final delta import | Orders and customers since the first import | Migration app or CSV |
| Domain connected and set as primary | Points shoppers and Google to Shopify | Settings > Domains |
| Store password removed | Visitors and Google can't see a locked store | Online Store > Preferences |
| Order notifications back on | They were turned off for the order import | Settings > Notifications |
| Sitemap submitted | Shopify's sitemap is at /sitemap.xml | Google Search Console, Sitemaps |
| Change of Address filed if the domain changed | Only needed for domain or subdomain moves | Google Search Console |
Submitting the sitemap takes two minutes: my guide on submitting a Shopify sitemap to Google shows the screens.
7. The first 30 days
| Check | Why it matters | Where in Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Check every redirect after launch | Shopify's checklist says to confirm they work | Crawler on the old URL list |
| Watch 404s and fix them | Missed URLs show up as errors | Search Console, Pages report |
| Compare traffic with the baseline | Rankings can move while Google recrawls | Analytics and Search Console |
| Keep redirects for at least a year | Google's guidance for site moves | Content > Menus > URL redirects |
| Watch orders, payouts and tax | Catches setup errors early | Orders, Finance |
My answer on what to do the day after migrating to Shopify lists the first checks in order.
Common misses
- Redirecting everything to the home page. Google treats this poorly, and shoppers land somewhere useless.
- Forgetting image and PDF URLs. Old image links from Google Images and other sites break too.
- Importing orders with notifications on. Hundreds of old customers get a confirmation email for an order from years ago.
- Launching in a busy season. Any dip in rankings or checkout bug costs most when traffic is highest.
- Deleting redirects in a clean-up. Google advises keeping them for at least a year, and longer is better.
- Skipping the delta import. Orders placed during the build go missing from the new store.
Before you sign off
| Phase | Done when | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| Plan | URL list, data list, app list and baseline saved | You |
| Setup | Theme, shipping, tax, payments and policies done | You or developer |
| Data | Products, customers, orders, gift cards and content checked | Developer |
| Redirects | Every old URL mapped and imported | Developer |
| Testing | Orders, refunds, emails, phone and redirects tested | You and developer |
| Launch | Domain live, password off, sitemap submitted | Developer |
| 30 days | 404s fixed, traffic compared with baseline | You |
Next steps
Start with the URL list and the data inventory this week, because both take longer than expected. Then decide whether you'll run the migration yourself or hand it over. My guide to Shopify migration costs explains what drives the work.
If you want help, my Shopify migration service covers data, design, redirects and launch. Every migration gets a fixed quote after a free review of your current store.
Free tools
Check your own store
Free, no sign-up. Each one runs a part of this guide for you.
Frequently asked questions
What should a website migration checklist include?
A full list of old URLs, a plan for which data moves, the new store setup, a data import in the right order, a redirect map, a test round, launch steps and 30 days of monitoring. For a Shopify move, also include customer accounts, gift cards and reviews.
How do I protect SEO during a website migration?
Map every old URL to its closest new URL, set up permanent redirects straight to the final page, carry over titles and meta descriptions, update internal links and submit the new sitemap. Google advises keeping redirects for at least a year.
In what order should I import data into Shopify?
Shopify recommends products first, then customers, then historical orders. Blogs, pages and gift cards can go in any order. Turn off order notifications before importing orders, and turn them back on afterwards.
Do customer passwords transfer to Shopify?
No. Passwords can't be moved between platforms. Shopify's current customer accounts sign in with a one-time 6-digit code sent by email instead of a password, so customers can still log in after the move.
How long do rankings take to settle after a migration?
Google says a small or medium-sized site can take a few weeks for most pages to move, and larger sites take longer. Rankings can move during that time, which is why you record a baseline before launch.
Is there a free website migration checklist template?
Yes. The sign-off table on this page works as a template: copy it into a spreadsheet, add an owner and a date to each row, and tick off each phase as you finish it.
Sources
- Migrating to Shopify, Shopify Help Center
- Store migration checklist, Shopify Help Center
- URL redirects, Shopify Help Center
- Customer accounts, Shopify Help Center
- Site moves with URL changes, Google Search Central
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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