How To Migrate from BigCommerce to Shopify
Migrating from BigCommerce to Shopify involves transferring all your existing store data, including:
Products (images, descriptions, variations, etc.)
Customers (names, email addresses, purchase history, etc.)
Orders (past orders, order details, etc.)
Themes (designs, layouts, custom code)
Apps & Integrations (features or tools connected to your store)
SEO Data (URLs, meta tags, etc.)
You'll need to perform several key tasks to ensure a smooth migration and minimise downtime.
DIY Migration with Cart2Cart or Similar Solution
For small eCommerce stores looking for a simple, cost-effective solution, Cart2Cart and similar migration services offer automated tools to migrate data between platforms with minimal effort. Here's a step-by-step guide:
1: Sign Up for Cart2Cart (or Similar Service)
Go to Cart2Cart (or a similar service like LitExtension).
Create an account, and choose the ‘BigCommerce to Shopify’ migration option.
2: Connect Your BigCommerce Store
Provide BigCommerce Store Access: You'll need to input your BigCommerce store URL and API credentials (you can find this in your BigCommerce admin panel under Advanced Settings > API Accounts).
Test Connection: Cart2Cart will test the connection to ensure it's working.
3: Connect Your Shopify Store
Provide Shopify Store Access: Enter your Shopify store URL and connect via your Shopify credentials.
Test Connection: Cart2Cart will ensure Shopify is connected.
4: Choose Data to Migrate
Select the data you want to migrate, including:
Products (descriptions, images, variants)
Categories
Customers
Orders (optional but recommended for historical data)
SEO Data (URLs, meta titles/descriptions)
5: Perform a Free Demo Migration
Cart2Cart will offer a demo migration with a limited number of products to ensure that everything works as expected. You can test how the data looks and confirm that everything transfers correctly.
6: Full Migration
After confirming the demo migration is successful, you can perform the full migration. The system will migrate your data in a few hours to a day, depending on your store’s size.
7: Post-Migration Tasks
Review Data: Check that all data (products, orders, customers, etc.) is correctly migrated.
Adjust Design: Apply a theme to your Shopify store (either by customising an existing one or using a pre-built theme).
Set Up Shopify Apps: Install any Shopify apps you need (email marketing, shipping, etc.).
Test the Store: Run tests to ensure everything works smoothly, including payments, checkout, and order processing.
Cost of Migration from BigCommerce to Shopify
The cost of migrating from BigCommerce to Shopify depends on the complexity of your store, the amount of data being transferred, and whether you choose a DIY approach or hire a professional to manage your migration. Here are some indicative costs:
Option 1: DIY Migration Costs
Shopify Plan:
Basic Shopify: $39/month
Shopify: $105/month
Advanced Shopify: $399/month
Cart2Cart Pricing:
Starts at around $69 for basic migrations (products and orders).
Cart2Cart typically charges based on the number of products, orders, and customers to migrate.
More advanced migrations can cost anywhere from $200 to $600+ depending on data volume.
Domain Name Transfer:
If you're transferring your domain to Shopify, there might be a domain transfer fee (typically $10-$20/year).
Option 2: Professional Migration Services
Full-Service Migration: Hiring a migration expert or agency is a good way to approach a replatforming, but costs depend on the agency, size of the website, and requirements for the new store. Our advice is to research some agencies who are experienced in migrations, and have a chat with them for a quote. You can then decide which agency best fits your business and matches your budget.
Custom design or theme development: this figure can vary wildly depending on region and complexity of site build. The best approach would be to narrow your search down to 2 or 3 agencies whose work you like, and approach them for a discovery call.
Custom app development or integration: again, this figure is wholly dependent on the project.
The key takeaway is that this option costs more, but the project is managed completely on your behalf.
How Long Does a Migration From BigCommerce to Shopify Take?
The time it takes to migrate depends on your store's size and complexity (sorry, that answer crops up a lot but it’s true for a lot of the questions!!).
Option 1: DIY Migration (via Cart2Cart or Similar)
Small Store (under 500 products): Typically 1-2 days for data migration and testing.
Medium Store (500-2,000 products): May take 3-5 days for migration and post-migration adjustments.
Large Store (over 2,000 products): Can take 1-2 weeks for migration, including testing and theme adjustments.
Option 2: Professional Migration
If you're building a custom store or integrating complex features, a full migration and new store can take anywhere between one and five months to complete.
Post-Migration Checklist
Once the migration is complete, make sure you do the following to check everything has gone as expected:
Test Store Functionality: Ensure everything works smoothly (orders, payments, etc.).
Set Up Redirects: Set up 301 redirects from your old BigCommerce URLs to your new Shopify URLs to preserve SEO rankings and make sure visitors find the right pages.
Update Payment Gateways: Ensure payment gateways are set up and working correctly in Shopify.
Install Shopify Apps: Add necessary apps for SEO, marketing, analytics, and any other features.
Inform Customers: Notify customers about the migration, especially if there will be any downtime or changes to the user experience.
This guide should provide a solid foundation for migrating from BigCommerce to Shopify. Depending on the size of your store, you can either manage the migration in-house using tools like Cart2Cart or hire an agency like Radiant for a more complex migration. Either way, careful planning and testing are key to ensuring a smooth transition.
BigCommerce to Shopify Migration FAQs
Can you migrate BigCommerce to Shopify?
Yes, you can migrate your online store from BigCommerce to Shopify. The process involves exporting your data from BigCommerce (such as products, customers, and orders) as a CSV file and then importing it into your new Shopify store, effectively transferring your store content to the Shopify platform.
Some key points about migrating from BigCommerce to Shopify:
You can export data like product details, customer information, order history, and even reviews from BigCommerce and import them into Shopify using CSV files.
There are third-party migration services available that can automate the process, making it easier to transfer data between platforms without manual data entry.
As with all platform migrations, it’s important that proper URL redirects are set up to maintain SEO rankings when switching to the new platform.
Check if your existing BigCommerce plugins have equivalent functionality on Shopify’s app store, or if you’re working with an ecommerce agency like Radiant, they may be able to custom build that functionality for you.
How can I migrate gift certificates from BigCommerce to Shopify?
To migrate gift certificates from BigCommerce to Shopify, the most common method is to export your gift certificate data from BigCommerce as a CSV file, then import that file into Shopify using its product import feature.
You can also use a third-party migration service that automates the process, allowing you to transfer gift certificate details directly between platforms.
a) Export from BigCommerce
Access your BigCommerce admin panel and navigate to the gift certificate management section.
Choose to export your gift certificate data as a CSV file, ensuring it includes key details like code, value, and customer information (if applicable).
In your Shopify admin, go to "Products" > "Gift cards" to activate the gift card feature.
Download a sample CSV template from Shopify to understand the required column headers for importing gift certificates.
b) Import to Shopify
Upload the exported CSV file from BigCommerce to Shopify's product import tool.
Map the relevant columns from your BigCommerce export to the corresponding fields in the Shopify import template.
Review the import preview to ensure data is mapped correctly before finalising the import.
c) Using a third-party migration service
Select the best service for you - for example, Cart2Cart, LitExtension, or Matrixify can handle the transfer of gift certificates between platforms.
Provide your BigCommerce and Shopify store credentials to the service.
Specify that you want to migrate gift certificate data.
Initiate the transfer process, and the service will handle the data conversion and import.
Things to consider:
If you want to associate gift certificates with specific customers, ensure your export from BigCommerce includes customer details and that the import to Shopify correctly maps this information.
After importing, always double-check that all gift certificates are transferred accurately and that they can be redeemed correctly on your Shopify store.
Should I switch from BigCommerce to Shopify?
This all depends on your business needs. Switching from BigCommerce to Shopify could be a good idea, particularly if it’s important for you to have a user-friendly interface, a large app ecosystem, and a strong focus on conversion optimisation through a fast checkout process. If you need very advanced customisation options for your store and are comfortable with more technical and development focused aspects, BigCommerce might be better suited for you.
Reasons to switch to Shopify
Shopify generally has a more user-friendly interface, making it easier to manage your store, even for non-technical users.
Shopify offers a vast selection of apps for various functionalities like marketing, shipping, customer support, and more, providing greater flexibility to customize your store.
Shopify's checkout process is widely considered to be faster and more optimised for conversions compared to BigCommerce.
Shopify is a market leader in the ecommerce platform space, which can benefit your brand image.
Reasons to stay on BigCommerce
BigCommerce allows for more in-depth customisation, including greater control over code and design elements, which can be beneficial for complex stores.
BigCommerce does not charge transaction fees on sales, which can be advantageous for high-volume sellers.
If your business focuses heavily on B2B sales, BigCommerce might offer more suitable features, although Shopify does have B2B functionality and works well for wholesale operations thanks to integrations with B2B software like Sparklayer.
Before making a decision
Carefully evaluate your business requirements, considering factors like sales volume, desired level of customization, and marketing priorities.
Consider the cost of each platform based on your expected sales volume.
Understand the complexity and potential costs involved in transferring your data from BigCommerce to Shopify.
How can I transfer data from BigCommerce to Shopify for free?
You can transfer data from BigCommerce to Shopify for free using the Cart2Cart Migration Wizard. You can also use the Matrixify app or LitExtension to migrate data between the two platforms.
Cart2Cart
Set up your source and target carts
Select the data you want to move
Map languages, currencies, and order statuses
Start a free demo migration
Run a full database migration
Matrixify
Create BigCommerce API credentials
Upload the credentials text file to Matrixify
Select the “Dry Run” option to generate an Excel file
Download the generated Import Results file and check the data
Import the Excel file
LitExtension
Select BigCommerce as the source cart and Shopify as the target cart
Enter your store's URL
Select the data you want to migrate
Launch the migration
You can also use the Shopify Admin Panel to import orders and customers from BigCommerce.
Which is better, Shopify or BigCommerce?
According to most comparisons, Shopify is generally considered ‘better’ than BigCommerce for most businesses, particularly smaller ones, due to its user-friendly interface, larger app ecosystem, and higher conversion rates, while BigCommerce might be a better choice for larger businesses with complex needs thanks to its scalability and advanced features for managing multiple stores and products.
Key points to consider
Shopify is widely considered easier to set up and use for beginners.
Shopify generally boasts higher conversion rates compared to BigCommerce.
Shopify has a much larger selection of apps and integrations available.
BigCommerce is sometimes preferred by larger businesses due to its ability to handle high volumes of products and complex sales channels. However, there are also huge businesses on the Shopify platform, such as GymShark.
While pricing structures are similar, depending on your needs, BigCommerce may be slightly cheaper for larger businesses.
How do I import products from BigCommerce to Shopify?
To import products from BigCommerce to Shopify, you can export the products to a CSV file and then import them into Shopify. You can also use apps like Matrixify, LitExtension, or Cart2Cart to migrate data between the two platforms.
Create an export template in BigCommerce
Export the products using the template
Rename the exported file
Upload the CSV file to Shopify
Review the imported data
Import the data into Shopify
Additional tips
Before migrating, back up your BigCommerce database
Consider the order in which you import data. For example, you might want to import products first, then customers, and then orders
After importing orders, they'll be set to ‘Archived’ status. You can unarchive them, but you won't be able to do anything with them that you can't do with orders created in Shopify
How do I migrate a BigCommerce theme to Shopify?
It’s not possible to directly transfer the theme code, but you can export your product data from BigCommerce as a CSV file, then import it into a new Shopify store.
For a more seamless migration, consider using a third-party migration service that can automate much of this process.
Key steps involved:
Access your BigCommerce admin panel and export your product information, including descriptions, images, categories, and variants, as a CSV file.
Sign up for a Shopify account and choose a theme from the Shopify Theme Store that aligns closely with your BigCommerce theme's style.
Use the Shopify "Store Importer" tool to upload your exported BigCommerce CSV file and map the data fields to the corresponding Shopify fields.
If you’re not working with a design agency like Radiant to create your Shopify store, within the Shopify theme editor, adjust colours, fonts, layouts, and other visual elements to match your BigCommerce theme.
Review and replicate any custom features or functionalities from your BigCommerce theme, like product filtering, product display options, or specific checkout features.
Several third-party services like Cart2Cart, LitExtension, or Matrixify can streamline the migration process by automatically transferring data and making adjustments to match the Shopify platform.
Some key points:
Directly transferring theme code from BigCommerce to Shopify is not possible due to the different platform structures.
Even with a migration service, you will likely need to manually fine-tune the design and functionality of your Shopify theme to match your BigCommerce theme.
Ensure you set up proper URL redirects from your old BigCommerce store to your new Shopify store to avoid losing search engine ranking. We’ve seen lots of examples of migrations that don’t take this into account and their traffic and rankings have tanked, so please make sure this is addressed. We can help if you need guidance.
Can I migrate BigCommerce logins to Shopify?
It’s not possible to migrate your BigCommerce logins to Shopify, but you can migrate your BigCommerce data to Shopify. This includes products, customers, orders, and more.
