Many store owners start their online journey with WordPress, especially when paired with WooCommerce. Over time, the need for a more structured ecommerce platform becomes clear. Shopify offers built-in tools, better support for product management, and a focused environment for online selling.
Still, moving a full website from WordPress to Shopify requires attention. A careless transfer could result in lost products, missing pages, or broken links. This guide covers how to migrate from WordPress to Shopify while keeping all your content and product data safe.
Why Businesses Move from WordPress to Shopify
WordPress gives flexibility through themes and plugins. But when it comes to ecommerce, Shopify offers a tighter experience. Store owners often choose to switch for these reasons:
Shopify simplifies product setup and inventory control
The checkout process is faster and more reliable
Hosting, security, and platform updates are all handled by Shopify
You don’t need to worry about plugin compatibility
When you migrate from WordPress to Shopify, you move from a content-first system to a product-focused one. This makes product listing, order tracking, and customer support easier to manage over time.
Many online sellers also choose Shopify for its speed and structured ecommerce tools. So if you’re looking for a better way to manage your store, a WordPress to Shopify migration can be the right path.
What to Prepare Before Moving Your Store from WordPress to Shopify
Before starting the WordPress Shopify migration, review what your current site contains and plan what to move. Here’s a quick list to follow:
1. Back Up Everything
Don’t rely on memory or guesswork. Back up your entire WordPress site, including files, media, and the database. This gives you a fallback in case anything goes wrong.
2. Review Existing Store Structure
Check how your products are grouped. Note categories, attributes, variants, and tags. Also, take inventory of your blog posts, custom pages, and customer data.
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Some WordPress stores depend on custom fields or plugin-based features. Make a note of these so you can find a Shopify app or workarounds later.
4. Choose a Shopify Plan
Sign up for a Shopify plan that suits your store size and needs. You don’t have to pick a premium tier immediately—you can upgrade later.
5. Secure Your Domain
If you plan to keep the same domain name, check where it’s registered. You’ll need to point it to Shopify later.
These steps help you switch from WordPress to Shopify without data loss. Planning reduces the chance of missing something important during the move.
Step-by-Step Guide to Moving Your Online Store from WordPress to Shopify
Migrating from WordPress to Shopify involves more than just shifting content. It’s about transferring your entire store ecosystem—including products, pages, customer data, and SEO—while keeping things functional and organized. Below is a detailed breakdown of each major step to help you complete your WordPress to Shopify migration with clarity and confidence.
Step 1: Back Up Your WordPress Site
Before touching anything, back up your WordPress files and database. This includes your product listings, blog posts, images, plugin settings, and theme customizations.
Why this matters:
If anything breaks or goes missing during migration, you’ll need a clean copy of your site to recover lost data. Tools like UpdraftPlus, BackupBuddy, or hosting-based backups (like from SiteGround or Bluehost) can help.
Step 2: Export Product Data from WordPress
If you’re using WooCommerce, export your products into a CSV format:
Go to Products > All Products
Click Export
Choose which fields to include (or select all)
Download the CSV file
This file includes product names, descriptions, SKUs, prices, stock levels, and categories. Images may need to be downloaded separately if not hosted externally.
If not using WooCommerce, you may need a plugin like WP All Export to create a usable CSV.
Step 3: Export Blog Posts and Pages
WordPress uses XML files to export content:
Go to Tools > Export
Choose All Content, or select Posts and Pages separately
Download the .xml file
Since Shopify doesn’t support XML imports directly, you can:
Manually copy and paste posts into Shopify
Use a tool like Matrixify to convert and import structured content
Hire a developer to script the transfer if you have hundreds of posts
This step is key if you’re looking to import WordPress content into Shopify without breaking layout or formatting.
Go to WooCommerce > Orders or WooCommerce > Customers. Export data using:
Built-in WooCommerce tools (limited fields)
WP All Export plugin (more flexible)
Save customer names, email addresses, past orders, and any notes. Shopify supports importing customers through CSV, but order histories often require third-party apps.
Step 5: Export SEO Metadata
If you’re using SEO plugins like Yoast, you likely have meta titles and descriptions saved for each page. You can export this SEO data using:
The plugin’s export tool
SEO plugins like SEO Data Transporter
CSV plugins like WP All Export (custom fields)
Keeping this data is crucial to maintain search visibility during your WordPress to Shopify migration.
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Step 6: Prepare Your Shopify Store
Now, switch to Shopify and get your store ready for the import:
Sign up and choose a plan
Choose and install a theme
Set up your domain (you can use your existing one or buy a new one)
Set up payment gateways, shipping, and tax settings
Install the Store Importer app (if using WooCommerce)
Your store should be ready to accept the data you collected from WordPress.
Step 7: Import Products into Shopify
There are two main options:
Option 1: Using Shopify’s Store Importer App
Go to Apps > Store Importer
Select WooCommerce as your source platform
Upload the exported product CSV
Review imported products and make manual edits if needed
Option 2: Manual Upload
Go to Products > Import
Upload your CSV
Match fields to Shopify’s format if needed (refer to Shopify’s product CSV template)
This step completes your WordPress eCommerce to Shopify product transfer.
Step 8: Rebuild Pages and Blog Posts
Shopify doesn’t support automatic blog post or page imports from WordPress, so:
Manually create blog posts under Online Store > Blog Posts
Create static pages under Online Store > Pages
Format content, add images, and double-check links
Alternative: Use Matrixify to upload structured blog data if you have many posts.
Step 9: Set Up Redirects for Old URLs
WordPress URLs often follow a different structure from Shopify. To prevent broken links:
Create 301 redirects for each old URL to its new Shopify version
Go to Online Store > Navigation > URL Redirects in Shopify
Add each old path and match it with the new one
This helps keep your SEO rankings intact and provides a smoother customer experience.
Step 10: Add SEO Metadata to Shopify Pages
For each product, page, and blog post:
Scroll to the Search engine listing preview
Click Edit
Paste your old meta title and description
Make edits as needed for Shopify’s format
This keeps your content aligned with your original SEO strategy and avoids major ranking drops after the move.
Submit your new sitemap to Google via Search Console
Check Google Analytics tracking (if enabled)
These final steps help complete your Shopify migration without losing data.
By following each step, you’ll reduce downtime, avoid broken links, and keep your online store running smoothly during the transition.
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What to Check After Moving Your Store to Shopify
Once the migration is complete, it’s important to test every part of your new Shopify store before going live. Even if all your data appears in place, small issues can show up, like broken links, missing images, incorrect prices, or layout problems. Here’s what to check:
Product pages: Titles, prices, variants, and images
Cart and checkout: Add items and complete a test purchase
Blog and static pages: Confirm content loads correctly
Mobile view: Make sure the layout works on smaller screens
Customer accounts: Check that imported profiles function properly
Orders: Verify that past orders appear correctly, if imported
Testing helps catch any errors missed during the move. It’s the final step before you go live with your new Shopify store setup.
Why CartCoders Is a Reliable Partner for WordPress to Shopify Migration
CartCoders offers specialized WordPress to Shopify migration services designed to handle every aspect of the transition, from data export to store launch. We don’t just copy and paste your content; we help rebuild your store for better performance on Shopify.
1. Proven Expertise We managed multiple migrations across different industries, ensuring a smooth and structured process.
2. Full Data Migration CartCoders transfers your products, customers, orders, blog content, and media files with clean formatting and accurate mapping.
5. Ongoing Support Post-launch, CartCoders offers support for fixes, updates, and additional integrations.
6. Clear Process Our team keeps you updated at every step, with transparent communication and dependable timelines.
If you’re looking for a team that understands both platforms and handles the migration with minimal disruption, CartCoders offers the right blend of technical skills and practical experience.
Final Thoughts
Making the move from WordPress to Shopify is a big step, but it can lead to better store management, improved performance, and a smoother shopping experience for your customers. You’ve now seen how to migrate WordPress to Shopify without losing products, content, or search visibility. Following these steps will help you build a reliable, fully functional Shopify store that’s ready to grow.
If you’re looking for expert support to handle your WordPress to Shopify migration, the team at CartCoders can help manage the technical details, reduce errors, and save you time. Whether you’re running a small product catalog or a large content-driven store, our Shopify experts can make the transition easier. Reach out to us now!
As the CTO at Shiv Technolabs & CartCoders, I am liable for instigating, planning, integrating, and implementing the organization's strategic orientation.
I gather the most significant tech news in addition to sharing the information I gained while serving as the CTO of Shiv Technolabs, a renowned web and mobile app development company. I am pleased to answer questions as a most valuable expert for Shiv Technolabs Private Limited and to share my experience. I offer a keen insider's perspective on technical advancements.
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