Ease of use and associated costs are significant factors to consider when acquiring an e-commerce platform. Additional concerns when building an e-commerce site can include factors such as site security, coding, and expensive maintenance.
Shopify has addressed these concerns by eliminating many of the technical complications, hosting logistics and providing many easy-to-use features. With Shopify becoming the more dominant e-commerce platform more business owners are considering migrating from their existing e-commerce provider to Shopify.
If you currently manage your website on WooCommerce and have considered moving, let's explore the migration process.
Why You Should Move From WooCommerce to Shopify
Quick Built Time
The speedy process of setting up a Shopify platform is among the many reasons merchants prefer Shopify. It may take only a day or two to pick themes, set payment details, and update products for the site to be ready.
All the features in Shopify are inbuilt. You'll only require to set up the theme to align with the site content. Ultimately, the transition to Shopify will be quick, which will enable you to resume selling straightaway.
Better Security
Shopify is a hosted e-commerce site that comes with security features. It means you don't need to acquire an SSL certificate or PCI-DSS compliance separately, a significant shortcoming of WooCommerce sites.
The inbuilt SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is responsible for safeguarding personal information from cybercriminals. Shopify sites have a tiny padlock icon that signifies protection of online payments, enhanced SEO rankings, and a general perception of a secure website.
Equally, Shopify sites are PCI-DSS compliant, which means they're ready and legally approved to accept credit card payments. It's unlike WooCommerce, which requires you to hire a technician and extra plugins for security.
Ease Of Use
Shopify is an easy-to-use platform that a typical business person can readily use. It's also unlike WooCommerce sites, with a steep learning curve due to the technicality in its application.
Shopify achieves an 'ease of use' accolade by being a hosted solution. This means you can comfortably run your store without having to separately find additional resources for security, hosting, domain acquisition, software download or updates, and back-ups. These features are all included in what Shopify offers.
It's Affordable
Shopify charges an all-in-one monthly bill that consists of all services from hosting, security, maintenance, and associated services. You can learn more about which Shopify plan is right for your business here.
A Step by Step Guide on How to Migrate to Shopify
Step 1: Export Stored Data From WooCommerce
Commence the migration process by exporting stored data from the WooCommerce site. Once the download is complete, save it in an XML file. You can choose specific fields instead of exporting the entire content. If you're not sure which field to leave out, download the entire data.
Click Tools>Export>All Content>Download Export File.
Step 2: Import the Downloaded File to Shopify
After creating the XML file, it's time to import the stored data to Shopify. Note that the XML file for all content is compatible with the store importer app. If you have other file formats, you can manually import CSV files or use third-party product import apps.
Here are the steps to follow on the Shopify Admin site.
- Select Apps, then Store Importer.
- The dialogue box will display 'import data onto the Shopify page'; choose WooCommerce from the dropdown menu.
- On the upload files option, click 'add file' to activate the exported files. When uploading product files, choose both default and bulk edits to import the data without errors. The system lets you select multiple CSV files.
- Select the XML file: Continue Import and lastly, import.
Step 3: Check the Imported Data for Completeness
If the import process is successful, the products and data will be available on the Shopify admin page. It's relatively common to find some products or customers that partially or fail to import. It's also common to encounter errors in the files, impacting how Shopify stores data appear.
Here's a summary of incidences you might encounter after importing:
Errors on Bundled Products: Any attempt to upload bundled products will fail; instead, you're supposed to import them manually. You are required to use a product bundle app that is available for download from the Shopify App Store.
Product Import Successful but Unavailable: It's an incident that can occur if the product visibility is set as hidden in the WooCommerce sales channel. It's common when dealing with seasonal products, out of stock, or products not currently on sale.
Here's how to activate availability:
- Open the Shopify admin, click products, then all products.
- Right click on the product's name to open the details. Under sales channel product status, set it as active.
- Click manage to activate other channels you'd like to make the products available.
- Click save to complete the process.
Some Products or Customers Failed to Import: In instances where a product or a customer fails to import, you'll need to add it manually. The system automatically rejects customers with similar emails or phone numbers by giving priority to the recent entry with matching details.
Here's how you can correct the anomaly from the Shopify admin.
- Click product, then all products.
- On the products page, click add product, type title of the product, additional details, and finally save.
Some product variants may fail to be imported, resulting in an unsuccessful upload process. For example, if you sell men's shoes in different sizes and colors, a successful upload should contain color and size variants. Apply the steps used to update missing products to upload the product manually.
Try Our Shopify Ecommerce Solution
Migrating your business from WooCommerce to Shopify can reduce the constant hassle of managing your e-commerce site. Shopify is the ideal solution that'll let you focus on your business and accelerate its growth.
Harlo is here to facilitate a smooth migration to Shopify. We're a Shopify Plus Partner that builds on digital design and development expertise to deliver an exceptional user experience. Visit us to receive a service estimate.
