Switching from Shopify to BigCommerce is an important step for businesses looking to grow. There are many reasons: greater scalability, more flexible integrations, and better cost control. At the same time, a migration is more than just technical—it also impacts SEO, design, and business processes.
Shopify is great for getting started. But as business grows, many merchants hit limitations: rising app costs, limited customization options, or a lack of B2B and multi-store features.
BigCommerce offers a robust solution with many built-in features that are essential for larger stores. However, migrating your store carries risks. Without clear planning, you risk data loss, drops in SEO ranking, and unnecessary costs. That's why it pays to work with experts like Datora.
As Shopify specialists, we analyze your existing store, offer strategic advice, and help you unlock the full potential of BigCommerce.
Why migrate from Shopify to BigCommerce?
Many merchants start with Shopify because it is easy to set up and intuitive to use. But as your business grows, requirements become more complex—and this is where BigCommerce really shines.
- Scalability: BigCommerce offers more room for growing product catalogs and complex business models.
- Functionality: Built-in features such as B2B solutions, multi-storefronts, and advanced SEO options are available out of the box.
- Flexibility: Less reliance on paid third-party apps, as many features are already built in.
- Cost: Depending on revenue structure and feature requirements, BigCommerce can be more cost-effective in the long run.
In short: If your business is growing and your store is hitting limits, BigCommerce can be the next logical step.
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- BigCommerce Enterprise vs. Shopify Plus: Two enterprise solutions head-to-head.
The 6 Steps of Migration
A successful move requires a clear structure. The following steps will help you make the process well-planned and secure.
- Audit & back up your data: Before you move data, create a full backup. Back up products, categories, customers, orders, content, and SEO settings. Also check which apps you use and whether there are BigCommerce equivalents.
- Setting up your new store:
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- Choose a theme that matches your brand identity.
- Set up layout, navigation, and mobile display.
- Configure payment and shipping methods.
- Install necessary apps or use built-in BigCommerce features.
Tip: Take the opportunity to modernize your store design and improve usability.
- Data export: Shopify offers export options via CSV files or third-party tools.
Check the following:
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- Are all product variants correctly included?
- Are prices, SKUs, and descriptions correct?
- Were metafields and SEO data included in the export?
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Import into BigCommerce: Map the fields correctly.
Pay special attention to:
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- Product variants (colors, sizes, bundles)
- Customer and order history
- Categories and collections
- SEO info such as meta titles, meta descriptions, and URL slugs
- Set up redirects (301 redirects): SEO is a critical factor. Every old URL should be redirected to the new BigCommerce URL. Without redirects, you risk losing rankings, traffic, and revenue.
- Store check & tests before you go live:
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- Test the entire checkout process.
- Check mobile display, loading speed, and images.
- Verify prices, tax rates, and shipping costs.
- Have multiple people place test orders.
With these six steps, you lay the foundation for a successful move. They help you take a structured approach, avoid mistakes, and make the transition much easier.
Risks & Pitfalls
On paper, the six steps seem straightforward. In practice, things often look different: Even minor mistakes can have far-reaching consequences, from lost rankings to data issues in the new store. That’s why it’s important to know the typical pitfalls and take targeted steps to prevent them.
Common risks:
- Data mapping: Not every field in Shopify fits directly into BigCommerce. Incorrect mappings lead to incorrect product information or incomplete records.
- App dependencies: Features that were handled via apps in Shopify must be remapped or replaced in BigCommerce .
- SEO risks: Broken redirects or incomplete metadata can cause your search engine rankings to suffer.
- Variant complexity: The larger the catalog and the more variants (colors, sizes, etc.), the higher the likelihood of errors.
- Time required: Testing, revisions, and training your team often require more resources than initially anticipated.
Anyone who underestimates such a migration risks lost revenue and frustration. With a clear view of potential pitfalls, you can avoid issues early on and plan realistically. It's best to bring in experienced consultants or agencies who know the risks and mitigate them in advance, keeping your migration predictable and secure.
Practical tips for a successful move
- Use tools: Automated migration services like Cart2Cart or LitExtension can save you a lot of work. They automatically transfer products, categories, customers, and orders. Even so, you should manually review the results to catch inconsistencies or missing data early on. For smaller stores, these tools are an affordable solution, and for larger ones, at least a solid foundation.
- Test iteratively: Start with a Pilot run: Migrate only a small selection of products and orders. This lets you check whether the Data mapping works, all fields have been transferred correctly, and the checkout is running. Only when the test runs without errors should you start the full migration. An iterative approach saves time and reduces risks.
- Use the SEO checklist: SEO losses are one of the biggest risks. Use tools like Screaming Frog, SEMrush or Ahrefs, to crawl your Shopify URLs, Metadata to back up and prepare redirects. After the migration, you should recrawl all important pages and verify that redirects are working properly and metadata was transferred cleanly.
- Optimize design: A migration is the perfect opportunity for a redesign. Analyze your conversion rates and customer feedback beforehand to make targeted improvements. Ensure clear navigation, fast loading times, and mobile responsiveness. A fresh, modern design not only ensures a better user experience, but can also boost your conversion rate.
- Bring in experts: Many steps can theoretically be done on your own. However, especially for large stores, it pays to bring in professionals. Experts take care of data mapping, redirect strategies, testing, and technical implementation. This saves time, reduces stress, and prevents errors that could jeopardize your revenue.
Migration with Datora
If you're from Switch from Shopify to BigCommerce want to, you should seek professional advice. Computer is on Shopify specialized and guides you both strategically and technically throughout the entire migration.
The team analyzes your existing Shopify store, advises on suitable BigCommerce solutions, and helps you unlock the full potential of the new platform.
With Datora, you have a partner who:
- professionally handles your data mapping,
- Properly sets up redirects and SEO,
- Conducts tests and supports you through to go-live,
- strategically advises you on how to benefit from BigCommerce in the long term.
Here's how to ensure your store keeps running smoothly without ranking drops or lost revenue.
Conclusion: Why migrate from Shopify to BigCommerce?
Migration offers many opportunities: more flexibility, better scalability, and often lower costs in the long run. At the same time, it is complex and carries risks that are easily underestimated. From incomplete data and broken redirects to SEO losses, small mistakes can have a major impact.
That is why proper preparation is crucial: backups, data verification, careful mapping, and extensive testing. Those who also rely on experts like Datora reduce risks, save time, and ensure that the new store goes live quickly and professionally.
So you can focus on what really matters: your growth and your customers.
