Shopify to WooCommerce Migration

Looking to switch your eCommerce platform from Shopify to WooCommerce? This step-by-step guide will show you how to seamlessly migrate your store in just three simple steps:

1. Set Up Source Cart (Shopify) and Target Cart (WooCommerce)
2. Choose Entities to Migrate
3. Perform full Shopify to WooCommerce Migration

With these straightforward steps, you’ll have your store up and running on WooCommerce in no time! Read on for detailed instructions and pro tips to ensure a smooth transition.

Why Should You Move Shopify to WooCommerce?

Switching eCommerce platforms is a major decision that requires careful evaluation. If you’re wondering whether the transition is worth it, here are three key reasons why migrating from Shopify to WooCommerce could be the right move.

1. Gain full customization freedom

WooCommerce, an open-source eCommerce platform, provides unparalleled control and customization options compared to Shopify. With the flexibility to personalize your website deeply, including source code, design, layout, and functions, you can craft a truly unique and tailored online store experience after you export Shopify to WooCommerce.

2. Unlimited product variations and custom attributes

Another key difference lies in product management. Shopify limits product variations to 100 per product, which can be a significant challenge for businesses offering items with multiple attributes such as size, color, or material. While Shopify has announced plans to increase the variant limit to 2,000, this feature currently appears to be available only for development stores. As of March 2025, merchants on standard Shopify plans have not received any official update regarding its rollout.

Meanwhile, WooCommerce removes this restriction entirely, enabling store owners to offer unlimited product variations and custom fields. This is particularly beneficial for businesses in industries such as fashion, furniture, or print-on-demand, where complex product options are a necessity.

3. Flexible pricing structure

Unlike Shopify, which involves a monthly subscription, WooCommerce is free to download. This grants you the freedom to choose a hosting provider based on your budget. Additionally, there are no restrictions on theme and plugin selection and charges only apply to what you use. If you seek an eCommerce platform that offers greater control over expenses, WooCommerce may be the ideal choice. A Shopify to WooCommerce migration plugin can help your business thrive on a budget.

4. Better SEO control

SEO is another area where WooCommerce has a clear advantage. Shopify has built-in SEO limitations, such as fixed URL structures that can’t be changed, and limited access to advanced optimization tools. WooCommerce, being part of WordPress, gives store owners complete control over SEO settings. From customizing URLs and meta descriptions to optimizing site speed and integrating advanced SEO plugins, WooCommerce allows businesses to implement a more robust SEO strategy, leading to better search engine rankings and increased organic traffic.

What to Prepare before Migration from Shopify to WooCommerce? 

1. Choose a hosting provider for WooCommerce

The first step is selecting a hosting provider for your WooCommerce store. Unlike Shopify, which provides built-in hosting, WooCommerce requires you to host your store on your own. Choosing a reliable provider is crucial for maintaining good site speed, security, and overall performance. Popular options like SiteGround, Cloudways, and Bluehost offer optimized hosting for WooCommerce, making it easier to manage your online store while ensuring fast loading times and minimal downtime.

2. Back up Shopify store data

Backing up your Shopify store data is the next critical step. While Shopify does not allow a full site export, you can download key data such as products, customer information, and order history in CSV format.

This backup ensures that you have a copy of your store’s essential information in case anything goes wrong during migration. It’s also helpful for cross-checking the accuracy of transferred data once your WooCommerce store is set up.

3. Identify the Shopify features you need to replace

Another important consideration is identifying which Shopify features you need to replace. Since Shopify operates within its own ecosystem, many of its built-in functions and apps won’t carry over to WooCommerce. Before migrating, make a list of all essential features and apps you’re currently using and find equivalent WooCommerce plugins. For example, if you rely on Shopify’s abandoned cart recovery, you may need to install a WooCommerce plugin like CartFlows or AutomateWoo to maintain similar functionality.

4. Plan for design customization & store rebuilding

You should also plan for the design and customization of your new store. Shopify themes do not transfer to WooCommerce, so you will need to select a WooCommerce-compatible theme. Many themes are available, ranging from free options to premium themes designed specifically for WooCommerce. If you want to maintain the look and feel of your Shopify store, you can either find a similar WooCommerce theme or use a page builder like Elementor to design a custom layout.

How to Migrate Shopify to WooCommerce with LitExtension?

Step 1: Set up Source cart “Shopify” and Target cart “WooCommerce”

You can create your new migration from Shopify to WooCommerce by simply clicking on “Create New Migration”. In the migration setup page, select Shopify as your source cart type, and you need to enter the store information, including your store URL and your API password.

In case you don’t know how to get an API password from your Shopify store, watch this video to get the job done easily:

When setting up your Target Cart, select WooCommerce as your Target Cart type and enter your WooCommerce store URL.

If you haven’t set up your WooCommerce store yet or want a quick preview of how your data will appear after migration, click “Try Migration Using LitExtension Test Store.” This feature allows you to migrate data from your Source Store to a Demo WooCommerce store hosted by LitExtension, giving you a clear preview before proceeding with the full migration.

Step 2: Choose entities you want to migrate to WooCommerce

With LitExtension, you can migrate all essential data from Shopify to WooCommerce, including products, customers, orders, and more. You have the flexibility to transfer everything at once or select specific data, such as only products, if you just need to import Shopify products to WooCommerce.

To ensure a seamless migration, LitExtension also offers Additional Options to enhance your data transfer.

You can:

• Preserve product and customer IDs to maintain order history and internal tracking.
• Strip HTML from product and category names for a cleaner display in WooCommerce.
• Match Languages, Order Status, and Customer Groups to ensure platform consistency.
• Create 301 redirects on your WooCommerce store to automatically direct visitors and search engines from old Shopify URLs to their new WooCommerce equivalents, preserving SEO efforts.

What’s more, down below, you can use the Mapping Option to correctly assign Shopify’s order statuses, customer groups, and languages to the corresponding values in WooCommerce.

Step 3: Perform full Shopify to WooCommerce Migration

We highly recommend you try a demo first to see how our system works. Or else, you can run full migration right away.

• To try Demo: Start your demo migration tool with a limited number of entities to see how it migrate products from Shopify to WooCommerce ect. You will see the same actions as the actual migration. After choosing entities and extra options, simply click “Start Free Demo Migration” to start migrating.

During WooCommerce Demo migration, you can see the data transfer status. Test transfer will take about 20 minutes, depending on how many entities you migrate from Shopify to WooCommerce.

• To perform Full Migration: You can choose the “Skip Demo Migration” button to perform full migration right away. Once the migration service starts, it will run on the server smoothly. There’s no need to keep your PC on while the process is running, it’s completely safe to turn it off! Just relax and have a cup of coffee, you will receive a notification email when the transfer is completed.

If you prefer a hands-off approach, our All-in-One Shopify to WooCommerce migration servicesoffer the perfect solution. Our migration experts will handle everything, ensuring a smooth, error-free transition. This service includes:

• Personalized support with a dedicated assistant.
• Custom configuration to match your store’s specific needs.
• Free additional options to enhance your migration.

Migrating from Shopify to WooCommerce doesn’t have to be complicated. With LitExtension’s automated migration tool, you can move your store quickly, securely, and hassle-free—whether you do it yourself or let our experts handle it for you.

How to Manually Migrate Shopify to WooCommerce?

If you prefer not to use an automated migration tool like LitExtension, you can manually transfer your Shopify store data to WooCommerce. However, this process requires more time and effort. Below are the key steps to manually migrate products, customers, and orders while ensuring your new WooCommerce store functions correctly.

1. Export Shopify data as CSV files

Shopify allows you to export store data in CSV format, which can then be imported into WooCommerce. To do this:

• Go to your Shopify Admin panel.
• Navigate to Products, Customers, and Orders sections.
• Click Export and select CSV file format for each category.
• Download the exported files to your computer.

2. Import products, orders, and customers to WooCommerce

WooCommerce has built-in import tools, but for better control, you may need additional plugins like WP All Import or Product CSV Import Suite.

To import Products:

• In your WooCommerce dashboard, go to Products > Import.
• Upload the Shopify product CSV file and map the fields correctly.
• Click Run the Importer to transfer products.

To import Customers:

• Use a plugin like Import Users from CSV to import customer data.
• Ensure email addresses, names, and purchase history are correctly mapped.

To import Orders:

• WooCommerce does not have a default order importer, so you’ll need a plugin like WP All Import or Order CSV Importer.
• Map order IDs, product details, customer information, and payment statuses.

3. Implement 301 redirects

Shopify and WooCommerce use different URL structures, meaning existing Shopify URLs won’t work automatically after migration. Without proper 301 redirects, old URLs may lead to 404 errors, negatively impacting SEO efforts and user experience. To prevent traffic loss and broken links, you must set up 301 redirects:

• Install a plugin like Redirection or Rank Math SEO.
• Redirect old Shopify URLs to their new WooCommerce counterparts.
• Test the redirects using Google Search Console to ensure they work properly.

If you use LitExtension’s migration tool, 301 redirects can be set up automatically, ensuring that all old Shopify URLs properly lead to their new WooCommerce versions. This helps preserve SEO efforts, backlinks, and customer bookmarks with zero manual effort.

What to do after Shopify to WooCommerce Migration?

Once your Shopify to WooCommerce migration is complete, there are a few essential steps to take before officially launching your new store. This ensures everything is working correctly, your customers experience a seamless transition, and your store is optimized for performance and sales.

1. Verify and test your WooCommerce store

Before making your WooCommerce store live, thoroughly review the migrated data. You should check product listings, customer details, order history, and category structures to ensure that everything has transferred correctly. Also, remember to test through your store as a customer would—browse products, add items to the cart, and complete a test purchase to confirm that payments and checkout functions are working properly.

2. Set up payment, shipping, and tax settings

WooCommerce allows greater flexibility in payment and shipping methods compared to Shopify. If you haven’t configured these settings yet, now is the time to do so. So, let’s make sure to:

• Enable and test payment gateways like PayPal, Stripe, or other providers.
• Configure shipping methods and integrate with carriers if necessary.
• Adjust tax settings to comply with your country’s regulations.

3. Install essential WooCommerce plugins

Unlike Shopify, which relies on apps, WooCommerce gives you control over the features you add to your store. Some must-have plugins include:

• Security plugins like Wordfence to protect against cyber threats.
• Caching plugins such as WP Rocket for faster site speed.
• Marketing automation tools like Mailchimp for email campaigns.
• Customer support integrations such as LiveChat or WhatsApp.

Should You Transfer Shopify to WooCommerce Now?

Deciding when you should migrate from Shopify to WooCommerce is a strategic choice that depends on various factors related to your business needs, growth, and preferences. Here are some situations where considering a migration might be appropriate:

1. Your business requires a higher level of customization over your website’s design, functionality, source code, etc.
2. You’re looking for a more cost-effective solution and prefer a model where you have greater control over expenses, especially avoiding monthly subscription fees.
3. You want more flexibility in choosing your hosting provider and hosting setup that aligns with your financial situation and performance requirements.
4. SEO is a top priority for your business, and you want to leverage the robust SEO features inherited from WordPress through WooCommerce.
5. Your growing business has changing requirements that can be accommodated by WooCommerce’s open-source nature and flexibility.

However, if you’re unsure about technical aspects, LitExtension offers an automated, hands-free migration process that minimizes risks.