OpenCart to Shopify Migration

No longer compatible with OpenCart? Do you want to move your online store to Shopify? There is no need to look any further! The LitExtension OpenCart to Shopify migration service will transfer your OpenCart store to the Shopify platform in an effortless way, ensuring that all of your data is saved and your business is up and running in no time.

The A-Z OpenCart to Shopify migration process includes these below steps:

• Step 1: Backup database of the OpenCart store
• Step 2: Set up a new Shopify store
• Step 3: Set up Source and Target Cart
• Step 4: Select entities to migrate
• Step 5: Perform full migration from OpenCart to Shopify
• Step 6: Follow a go-live checklist for Shopify stores after data migration 

In case you want to dig deep into a complete guide on switching from OpenCart to Shopify, please look at our comprehensive OpenCart to Shopify migration guide here! Now, let’s head straight to 3 critical steps of the OpenCart to Shopify migration with LitExtension. 

Step 1. Set up Source and Target Cart

On the Migration Page, click the Create New Migration button in the upper right corner of the page. Choose Opencart as the Source Cart Type and enter its URL into the blank area. Then, click LitExtension Connector to download the connector, unzip it, and upload it to the OpenCart root folder.

Without any manual checking, the Connector Installation will be automatically examined and informed on the screen.

Select Shopify as Target Cart Type and provide its URL into the blank bar. Follow the brief instruction to get your API info and fill them in the form. 

Step 2: Select entities you want to migrate

Select the entities to migrate. You have the option of selecting all of them at once or specific data. Only Products, Customers, or Orders, for example.

LitExtension offers Additional Options to broaden your migrating options. Languages, Order Status, and Customer Group will be synchronized and shown together in the new store.

Step 3: Perform OpenCart to Shopify migration

LitExtension suggests that you first run a demo version of the migration from OpenCart to Shopify in order to view the results on your new store.

• To Try Demo: Begin your demo migration with a limited number of entities. The actions will be the same as actual migration. You can, however, bypass this stage by clicking the “Skip Demo Migration” button and proceeding directly to Full Migration.
• To Perform Full Migration: Once initiated, the migration will operate smoothly on the server. As a result, there is no need to leave your PC turned on when transferring files. Turning it off is entirely safe! 

For a hands-on experience, we also made a video tutorial of the full OpenCart to Shopify migration process for you!

So, don’t be worried to migrate to Shopify with LitExtension because the process is simple! If you’re not tech-savvy, our All-in-One Migration Package will handle your OpenCart to Shopify migration for you. Our Shopify migration experts will relieve you of the burden of manual activities and execute the migration with a guaranteed response time, a personal assistant, and free additional choices.

We are happy to help, so reach out to one of our agents if you run into any hiccups during your stay!

Why Should You Migrate OpenCart to Shopify?

Shopify is an eCommerce platform that provides businesses with robust features to create and manage online stores. What is the extent of Shopify’s popularity? Up to now, Shopify, the provider of this eCommerce platform, has enabled over 4 million websites worldwide.

Migration to Shopify refers to transferring an existing online store or website from a different platform to Shopify. It involves moving all the essential data from the current platform to Shopify, including products, customers, orders, and other relevant information. 

If you are considering migrating to Shopify, here are six challenges that may validate the decision.

1. You cannot handle the technical complexity of OpenCart

The nature of open-source solutions requires technical expertise to configure and maintain your online store. As time goes by, there will involve more managing servers, databases, security patches, and updates. 

On the other hand, Shopify is a hosted platform, meaning it takes care of the technical aspects, allowing you to focus more on your business than the infrastructure.

Even more, if you want to access exclusive features within a simple dashboard, you should not miss Shopify Plus! Perform the Shopify Plus migration and unlock all premier functions to scale your business now!

2. You need a more user-friendly interface to manage the store

Shopify has a user-friendly interface for non-technical users to customize their online store. You can create pages, add products, and manage content without extensive coding knowledge. This simplicity can save time and effort, especially for small businesses or entrepreneurs with limited resources.

3. You need security and reliability

When considering Shopify store migration, you have a great concern for security. Don’t worry! 

Shopify handles security, updates, and backups, protecting your store against vulnerabilities and data loss. Its compliance with PCI DSS requirements and its use of SSL encryption. 

As a hosted solution, Shopify has dedicated teams working on infrastructure and security, alleviating the burden of maintaining a secure environment on your own. This reliability helps you focus on growing your business without worrying about technical issues.

4. You want to create a more mobile-optimized experience

With the increasing use of mobile devices for online shopping, having a mobile-optimized store is crucial. Shopify provides responsive themes that adapt to different screen sizes, ensuring customers a seamless shopping experience on smartphones, PCs, and tablets. 

5. You need a better support community and documents

Shopify has gained widespread acclaim for its exceptional customer support services. Notably, you can avail yourself of round-the-clock assistance from their support team through various channels such as live chat, email, or phone. 

In addition, Shopify boasts an active and engaged community of merchants and experts who are readily available to offer guidance, advice, and solutions for everyday challenges. This supportive network ensures that you have a reliable source of assistance to rely on. 

Moreover, Shopify provides its own comprehensive learning center called Shopify Learn. This resource equips you with all the necessary knowledge and guidance to build your business on the platform, covering everything from setting up your store from scratch to effectively marketing and promoting your business to drive sales and revenue.

What to Consider Before Migrating OpenCart to Shopify? 

Before moving to Shopify, there are several factors you should pay attention to in this Shopify migration checklist:

1. Identify how Shopify fits your customization need.

Review Shopify’s available themes, templates, and customization options to determine if they align with your brand identity and desired store layout. Assess whether the platform allows you to modify the design, code, and functionality per your requirements.

2. Review data to Shopify before migration.

Understanding the peculiarity of 2 different eCommerce platforms may be challenging. 

To perform the migration process yourself, you must assess the feasibility and complexity of migrating your data to Shopify. Basically, before migration, here’s what you need to get involved:

• Identify data to be migrated
• Clean up your data
• Export data from your current platform
• Map data fields
• Review data integrity

Suppose that you want to transfer orders to Shopify; using Shopify import orders CSV files are great options. When you use the Transporter app Shopify, it is required that your CSV files contain, at a minimum, the name of the object type and utilize UTF-8 encoding.

So, ensure you understand the migration process and any potential challenges involved. And as you may see, it’s a relatively tricky task. LitExtension highly recommends you consider a Shopify migration agency or a Shopify migration app. 

3. Consider integration requirements

Evaluate your integration needs with third-party systems such as inventory management, CRM, shipping, and accounting software. Check if the necessary integrations are available through Shopify’s app ecosystem or if custom development is required. Evaluate the compatibility of existing integrations and the ease of setting up new ones.

However, what we said above may be daunting since it’s hard to understand the differences between two extinct platforms fully. Therefore, we recommend hiring Shopify migration services.

4. Examine SEO & Marketing possibilities

If your business’s search engine optimization (SEO) is essential, you should evaluate Shopify’s built-in SEO features before Shopify SEO migration.

Besides, with marketing features, carefully examine Shopify marketing tools and analytics capabilities. Ensure the platform provides the necessary functionality for optimizing your online store, managing promotions, and tracking campaign performance.

5. Consider scalability & store growth in the future

Before Shopify data migration, you must evaluate your long-term growth plans and evaluate if Shopify can scale with your business. Besides, assessing the platform’s performance, infrastructure, and ability to handle increasing traffic and sales volumes is also essential.

You can also look for success stories and case studies of businesses similar to yours that have grown successfully on Shopify.  

6. Consider ways to perform migration to Shopify

Of course, you have this question: “How to migrate website to Shopify?”. Basically, there’re 3 main ways to migrate your data to Shopify. 

• Manually migrate, and you transfer data to Shopify yourself.
• Hire a Shopify expert/developer; a third person will handle your data.
• Use an automated Shopify migration service, LitExtension, for example, and your data will be transferred to Shopify without interference from third parties.

If you go for LitExtension, you will know how to automate data migration for Shopify import products, orders, or other entities. 

7. Consider cost implications of moving to Shopify

The cost of migration will vary depending on the number of data (for example, products or orders) you have in your store. The more data you have, the higher the migration cost to Shopify you will encounter. 

Refer to our migration cost below for moving your store to Shopify.

What Is the Cost of Shopify Migration?

When using LitExtension, there will be 2 options for you to choose from:

Basic package starts at $79.

If you opt for additional options, you will enjoy some free options, including: 

• Clear Data On Target Store Before Migration
• Create Product Variants Based on Combinations of Options
• Migrate Images from Products, Categories and Blog Post Descriptions and many more. 

However, if you want “Preserve Product, Order, Customer IDs on Target Store” option, you must pay $39.

All-in-One package starts at $139

With this package, all additional options will be free.

So, how long does migration for Shopify take if you go for LitExtension? The duration of the process can fluctuate based on the amount of data and the level of complexity associated with the migration.

Tips to Optimize Shopify Store After Migration

After migrating to a new Shopify store with LitExtension, we have some tips to help you get started and make the most of the platform:

1. Customize Shopify storefront

Take the time to review your store’s design, layout, and branding. Customize the theme to match your brand identity and ensure a visually appealing and professional storefront. 

2. Organize products & Set up payment & shipping on Shopify

At this phase, you can use Shopify’s product organization features like collections, tags, and categories to enhance product navigation.

Configure your payment gateways, such as Shopify Payments or other third-party providers like PayPal, to offer a seamless checkout experience for your customers. Set up shipping options and rates that align with your business requirements.

3. Optimize SEO (Search Engine Optimization).

Implement SEO best practices to improve your store’s visibility in search engine results. Optimize product titles, descriptions, meta tags, and URLs to make them search engine friendly.

4. Install apps and integrations. 

Explore the Shopify App Store and choose apps that enhance your store’s functionality. Whether it’s marketing features, customer support solutions, or inventory management systems, leverage the available apps to optimize your operations.

5. Set up store analytics & tracking. 

Shopify has its own built-in analytics – Shopify Analytics. However, you can install analytics tools like Google Analytics to track website traffic from other sources, customer behavior, and conversions. Monitor key metrics to gain insights into your store’s performance and make data-driven decisions.

6. Implement marketing strategies. 

Marketing is a must for any online store. You should develop a marketing plan to drive traffic and generate sales. To attract and retain customers, you can utilize Shopify’s built-in marketing tools like discount codes, abandoned cart recovery, and email marketing integrations.