When Is the Right Time to Migrate?
Good times to migrate
A replatforming project is usually justified when several strategic and operational factors align:
Looking to grow into new markets
Increasing complexity in operations or integrations
A need for better customer experiences
Rising technical debt and maintenance costs
Plans for omnichannel retail or internationalisation
Difficulty innovating quickly on the current platform
Once you’re ready to embark on a migration project, aim to proceed:
Before major growth phases
Before rebrands
During platform end-of-life
Ahead of international expansion
Bad times to migrate
There are also some key times you should avoid:
Peak trading periods
On the approach to Black Friday / Cyber Monday
During major campaign launches
Periods of inventory instability
Migration timelines
Whether you’re delivering the project in-house or partnering with an agency, using parts 1 and 2 of the guide, you should be able to map out a realistic timeframe for the migration and launch.
An agency will be able to provide an accurate timeline for this, based on the scoping and discovery process. Every migration is different but as a very broad guide, a simple project could take 6 to 10 weeks, with more complex sites taking up to 6 months.
Stakeholders You Need Involved
The right people being involved from the start is key to a successful migration project, so make sure that the right people in your business are included from day one.
Internal stakeholders
Ecommerce manager
Marketing team
SEO staff
Operations
Customer service
IT
Finance
Leadership
External stakeholders
Agencies
Designers and developers
ERP/integration providers
App vendors
SEO consultants
Defining ownership and responsibilities
We’d recommend the following to help minimise the risk of delays or errors as the project progresses:
A RACI matrix (a project management tool that clarifies task ownership and expectations). It assigns team members one of four roles - Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, or Informed - for every project task, to create accountability
Weekly governance meetings
Choosing the Right Shopify Agency
This section is for brands that have decided to partner with an agency. If you’re undertaking the project in-house, you can skip this part. Perhaps go and have a cup of tea and we’ll see you in the next bit.
What to look for
Platform expertise - make sure you shortlist agencies with experience of delivering results on Shopify. Look at their website and case studies - who have they worked with?
Migration experience - check they’ve successfully migrated other brands to Shopify. Who have they replatformed, and are there client testimonials about their experience?
SEO understanding - make sure they understand how to protect and improve your SEO performance
Systems integration capability - case studies should help you understand their past experience here. Ask about any integrations specific to your business
UX/CRO capability - do they know how to deliver an ecommerce experience that will sell and help your business to grow?
Support model - do you have a named contact to manage the project? What are their SLAs, and their project process?
Questions merchants should ask agencies
Here are some questions you should ask before making any decisions:
How do you handle redirects?
What testing process do you use?
How do you minimise SEO impact?
What happens after launch?
How do you handle data migration validation?
Red flags
And finally, a few things that should give you pause:
If they say ‘SEO takes care of itself’
No QA process
No launch or post-launch support
An over-reliance on apps
No technical discovery phase
Try and narrow your search down to two or three agencies that seem to be a good fit for you, both technically and culturally. Don’t underestimate the importance of finding a team of humans that you’ll enjoy working with!
