Migrating from Wix to Shopify does not have to be complicated. We've helped move over 300,000 stores between platforms, and this six step process is the same one we use for every Wix to Shopify migration, whether you're moving 10 products or 10,000.
Follow the steps in order below, and you'll have your store, products, and customer data transferred with minimal downtime:
- Step 1. Decide how to migrate from Wix to Shopify
- Step 2. Backup Wix site
- Step 3. Export data on Wix
- Step 4. Set up Shopify store
- Step 5. Import Wix data to Shopify
- Step 6. Perform post-migration activities
1. Decide how to migrate from Wix to Shopify
Migrating a Wix store to Shopify can be done in four ways:
- Manually copying and pasting each product and page
- Exporting and importing CSV files
- Using a third party migration app
- Working with a professional Shopify migration service.
We tested all four methods on real Wix stores, and here's what actually worked, where each one broke down, and which method we'd recommend depending on your store size.
Migration method | Describe the method | Suitable for |
Manual copy and paste data | Manually copy products data and paste to Shopify database. | Businesses who don't have lots of products. |
CSV files import | Export Wix's data into CSV files and import them to Shopify database. If you have special data types, this method might not work. | Business owners who have technology background to deal with technical issues. |
Third-party migration app | Integrate with a third-party migration app on Shopify store. | Stores who have default data that can be migrated easily. |
Shopify migration service | Have experts in the field handle your migration project. | Merchants who have don't have time to manually migrate their data, or have special data types to transfer. |
From my personal experience, I highly recommend that you hire a professional Shopify migration expert to minimize risks and maximize efficiency. Take Wix to Shopify Migration Service by LitExtension as an example.
When you purchase this package, you get a dedicated Personal Assistant who handles the technical side of your migration for you. If your store has custom or non standard data types, our team will build the customizations needed to keep everything fully compatible with Shopify.
2. Backup Wix Site
Before you transfer your store from Wix to Shopify, it's important to keep a full backup of your data in a safe place. We guarantee zero data loss during your migration, but we still recommend backing up your Wix store first, in case any conflicts or errors come up along the way.
So how do you back up a Wix site? Wix makes this easy, because it does most of the work for you. Every time you make a change to your site, Wix automatically saves a snapshot through its Site History feature. If something goes wrong, you can open Site History, pick an earlier version, and restore your site in a few clicks.
3. Export data on Wix
When exporting your data from Wix, there are three core entities to focus on: products, customers (your contact list), and orders. Here's how to export each one.
How to export products on Wix
To export products on Wix:
- Go to your site's dashboard and select the “Product” tab.
- Tick on what you want to export: All products, A single category or other filter products, or Only selected products
- Click “More Actions” then select “Export” from the dropdown menu.
Please note that this guide applies to physical products only.
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How to export customer data on Wix
Wix stores its customers' data under Contacts, so don't be confused when you cannot find the customer exporting button. To export Wix contacts into CSV files.
- Navigate to your Contact List.
- Tick on the box next to the specific you want to export.
- Select “More Actions” and click “Export contacts”.
- Choose the entities you want to export:
- Selected Contacts: Only export the chosen contacts in step 2.
- By Label: Click the drop-down menu and select a contact group, or simply choose All Contacts.
- Select the relevant file format, including Regular, Google, or Outlook CSV file.
- Finally, click ‘Export', and your contact list will be downloaded in no time.
Please note that Wix allows a maximum of 50,000 contacts per CSV file. Therefore, if you have more than this limited amount, you might need to export several times.
How to export orders on Wix
To export orders on Wix:
- From your Wix dashboard, navigate to the Orders tab.
- Select the orders you want to export.
- Click “Export”.
- Select how you want to display exported orders:
- Item purchased: Each item purchased is displayed in a separate row, even if they are part of the same order.
- Orders: Each order is displayed in one row, even if multiple items were purchased.
- Here, you can deselect the columns that you do not want to include in your CSV file.
- Click “Export” and save the file to your computer.
4. Set up a New Shopify Store
Now it's time to set up your new Shopify store. If you don't have a Shopify account yet, here's how to create one.
- First, go to the Shopify website, enter your email address, and click Start Free Trial.
- Shopify will ask a few questions about your business, such as what you plan to sell, where you'll sell it, and your business location. These questions are optional, so answer them or skip straight to setting up your store.
- Once you're through the initial setup, you'll land on your Shopify Admin dashboard. From here, you can choose a theme that fits your brand and add any apps you need to run your store.
- Finally, pick a Shopify plan that matches your store's stage and publish your site. If you want help choosing, our Shopify pricing analysis breaks down what each plan includes.
Shopify currently gives new users a three day free trial with no credit card required, then $1 per month for the following three months on most plans before switching to standard pricing.
5. Import Data to Shopify
Now, let's begin the most important step: importing CSV files to Shopify. Here are two things you need to keep in mind and make changes if needed to perform the migration seamlessly.
- Customer CSV files should not exceed 1MB in size.
- Product CSV files are under 15MB each.
After ensuring all the requirements are met, let's start the importing process as guided below.
- Go to your Shopify dashboard and navigate to the Products or Customers page.
- Click on “Import”.
- Then, select “Add file” and choose the CSV file you want to import.
- After that, tick on “Publish new products to all sales channels”.
- Next, click the “Upload and continue” button.
- Don't forget to review your file before proceeding to the “Import” button.
That's it, you've successfully transferred your data from Wix to Shopify.
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6. Post-Migration
Once completing the Wix to Shopify migration procedure, you should pay more attention to customizing your store before going live. Here is the checklist of all the tasks that need to be taken:
1. Check results after the full migration
When the Wix to Shopify migration is successful, you need to check if all of your data has been migrated accurately to your Shopify store. Remember that you have to check your data in both the back-end and front-end.
Most importantly, check product data first, both in the Shopify front and back ends. The migrated products will be visible in the catalog or through an onsite search. Therefore, you should pay close attention to all product details, including product descriptions, images, variants, and meta descriptions.
2. Personalize your new Shopify store
After successfully performing your Wix to Shopify migration, you can customize the store by selecting a Shopify theme via Shopify Theme Store, visiting Shopify App Store to integrate third-party apps, configuring payment options, shipping methods, etc.
3. Try placing Orders on Shopify
This step ensures that the transaction proceeds smoothly following the Wix to Shopify migration. As a result, you will know whether your store works as expected, and if not, you will know what to change to facilitate your sales and comfort your customers.
Furthermore, take a look at our specific guidance on a Shopify launch checklist to help you get your store up and running faster.
Why move from Wix to Shopify
There's no doubt that both Wix and Shopify are among the best eCommerce platforms in the world. Nonetheless, Shopify has proved itself to be more optimal than its counterpart. In case you are still wondering if you should switch from Wix to Shopify, here is a quick comparison of Wix vs Shopify.
Shopify | Wix | |
Ease of Use | - Is user-friendly even for new eCommerce users. | - Comes with a drag-and-drop website buider. |
Themes & Templates | - Provides 100+ well designed themes with prices ranging from $140 to $500 each. | - Offers 2000+ website templates with no cost required. |
Marketing Features | - Extensive marketing features including SEO optimization, abandoned cart recovery, and email automation. | - Offers basic marketing tools like email marketing and social media integration. |
Inventory Management | - Is equipped with detailed product variants, SKU management, and inventory tracking. | - While Wix allows you to manage your products, it has more basic inventory management capabilities compared to Shopify. |
Payment Options | - Supports 100+ payment gateways. | - Supports 80+ payment gateways. |
Shipping | - Advanced shipping features with real-time carrier rates and label printing. | - Basic shipping setup with limited advanced options. |
Multichannel Selling | - Easy integration with various sales channels. | - Limited support for selling on social media and marketplaces. |
Apps | - Comes with 8,000+ selections of apps on the Shopify App Store. | - Offers over 500 third-party add-ons on Wix App Market. |
Customer Support | - 24/7 customer support via phone, email, and live chat. | - Offers customer support through phone and email during business hours. |
Security | - Offers robust security features and regular updates to protect customer data. | - Provides SSL encryption and security features for online stores. |
For a more detailed comparison, please read the article Wix vs Shopify.
Transfer from Wix to Shopify: FAQs
Yes. If you bought your domain through Wix, you can transfer it directly from your Wix account settings and connect it as your primary domain in Shopify. Keep in mind that a full domain transfer from Wix's registrar to another provider takes three to seven business days, so we recommend starting this step early in your migration timeline.
No. Wix and Shopify use different coding systems, so your exact Wix design cannot be copied directly into Shopify. You will need to choose a new Shopify theme and rebuild your visual identity from there, though our team can help match the new design closely to your original branding.
Not if the migration is handled correctly. Wix and Shopify use completely different URL structures, so every product, collection, blog post, and page URL changes when you move. Setting up 301 redirects from your old Wix URLs to their new Shopify equivalents is what protects your rankings and prevents a drop in organic traffic.
In most cases, yes. Customer accounts generally cannot be transferred between platforms due to technical differences, so once your migration is complete, you will need to invite your existing customers to restore or recreate their accounts.
Up to three. Shopify's standard import supports a maximum of three options per product, and any products with more than three options will not have those extra options imported automatically. If your Wix products use more variants than that, such as size, color, and material combined, you will need metafields or a third-party app to bring the rest over.
Final Words
In summary, more merchants are moving from Wix to Shopify as they look for stronger sales tools and room to grow. Shopify is a strong alternative if you're ready to leave Wix behind. This guide has walked you through how to transfer from Wix to Shopify by exporting and importing CSV files, step by step, so you can follow along at your own pace.
If you'd rather skip the manual work, our Wix to Shopify migration service can move your entire store for you, safely and without downtime.
Learn how to optimize your Shopify store:
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- How to Delete Shopify Account or Close Shopify Store
