Moderate 2-4 days 12 steps

Shopify to Square Online Migration Guide

Shopify

Square Online

This guide walks you through migrating from Shopify to Square Online to achieve a unified POS and online store experience while potentially reducing costs with Square's free plan and integrated payment system.

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Shopify to Square Online Migration Guide

Seamlessly migrate your Shopify store to Square Online to unify your POS and online store experience with integrated inventory management and omnichannel capabilities.

Export Your Shopify Store Data

Use Shopify's built-in export tools to download your products, customers, and order history as CSV files from your admin dashboard. Navigate to each section (Products, Customers, Orders) and use the 'Export' button to generate comprehensive data files for migration.

Set Up Your Square Online Account

Create your Square Online account and choose between the Free, Plus ($29/mo), or Premium ($79/mo) plans based on your business needs. Connect your existing Square POS system if you have one, or set up Square payments to enable the unified commerce experience.

Configure Store Settings and Design

Customize your Square Online store design, configure shipping zones, tax settings, and payment methods to match your current Shopify setup. Set up your domain and ensure all business information is accurately reflected in your new store.

Import Products and Inventory

Upload your Shopify product CSV to Square Online, mapping fields like SKUs, descriptions, prices, and images. Note that Square Online handles product variants differently than Shopify, so review and adjust variant structures as needed during import.

Migrate Customer Data and Test Orders

Import your customer database using the CSV export from Shopify, ensuring customer accounts and contact information transfer correctly. Process test orders to verify payment processing, inventory sync, and order fulfillment workflows are functioning properly.

Launch and Redirect Traffic

Update your domain DNS settings to point to Square Online and set up 301 redirects from your old Shopify URLs to maintain SEO rankings. Monitor the transition closely and communicate the change to customers while ensuring your Square POS integration is syncing properly.

Shopify to Square Online Migration Guide

A comprehensive 12-step process to migrate your e-commerce store from Shopify to Square Online, designed for businesses seeking unified POS and online store management with unlimited product variants.

Export Data from Shopify

30-60 minutes

Navigate to your Shopify admin dashboard and export all critical data using the built-in CSV export functionality. Go to Products > Export to download your product catalog, then navigate to Customers > Export for customer data, and finally Orders > Export for order history. Since Shopify limits variants to 100 per product, note any products that may benefit from Square Online's unlimited variant capability.

Tips:

• Export data during low-traffic hours to avoid missing recent orders
• Choose 'All products' and 'All customers' options for complete data transfer
• Save exported files with clear naming conventions like 'shopify_products_YYYY-MM-DD.csv'

Important:

• Shopify exports don't include product images directly - you'll need to download these separately
• Customer passwords cannot be exported due to security restrictions

Create Square Online Account

15-30 minutes

Sign up for a Square Online account at squareup.com/online-store, which will automatically create your Square ecosystem including POS capabilities. Choose your plan based on your business needs - the free plan offers basic functionality while paid plans provide advanced features like abandoned cart recovery. Link your existing Square account if you already use Square POS, or create a new Square seller account to enable the unified POS and online store experience.

Tips:

• Use the same business email address you used for Shopify for consistency
• Complete your business profile thoroughly as it affects payment processing approval
• Enable two-factor authentication for enhanced security

Important:

• Square Online availability varies by country - verify service availability in your region
• Some advanced features require paid plans

Select and Customize Your Theme

2-4 hours

Browse Square Online's theme library and select a design that matches your brand aesthetic and functional requirements. Unlike Shopify's extensive theme marketplace, Square Online offers fewer but highly optimized themes that work seamlessly with Square POS. Customize your chosen theme by uploading your logo, adjusting colors, fonts, and layout settings through the intuitive drag-and-drop editor.

Tips:

• Choose a mobile-responsive theme as Square Online prioritizes mobile optimization
• Test theme functionality with sample products before full migration
• Take screenshots of your current Shopify store design for reference

Important:

• Square Online themes are less customizable than Shopify's liquid templates
• Custom CSS options are limited compared to Shopify

Import and Configure Products

4-8 hours

Upload your Shopify product CSV to Square Online through the Items section of your Square Dashboard. Since Square Online supports unlimited variants per product, you can consolidate products that were split due to Shopify's 100-variant limit. Manually upload product images by accessing each product individually, as Square Online doesn't support bulk image import via CSV.

Tips:

• Map Shopify product categories to Square Online categories before import
• Use Square's bulk editing features to update multiple products simultaneously
• Take advantage of unlimited variants to create more comprehensive product options

Important:

• Product images must be uploaded manually after CSV import
• Some Shopify-specific fields may not transfer directly and require manual adjustment

Import Customer Data

1-2 hours

Import your Shopify customer CSV into Square Online through the Customers section of your Square Dashboard. Review and clean the customer data to ensure proper formatting, as Square Online may require different field structures than Shopify. Since customer passwords cannot be migrated, prepare a communication strategy to help customers reset their passwords on the new platform.

Tips:

• Send advance notice to customers about the migration and password reset requirements
• Segment your customer list to prioritize VIP customers for personal migration assistance
• Verify email addresses are properly formatted to avoid import errors

Important:

• Customer passwords cannot be migrated for security reasons
• Customer order history may not link automatically and may require manual association

Configure Payment Processing

30-45 minutes

Set up Square's integrated payment processing system, which is one of the key advantages of migrating from Shopify Payments. Configure accepted payment methods including credit cards, digital wallets, and buy-now-pay-later options through your Square Dashboard. The unified payment system will sync seamlessly between your online store and any physical Square POS terminals.

Tips:

• Review Square's processing fees which may differ from Shopify Payments
• Enable all relevant payment methods including Apple Pay and Google Pay
• Test payment processing in Square's sandbox environment before going live

Important:

• Payment processing approval may take 1-2 business days
• Some international payment methods available in Shopify may not be supported

Set Up Shipping Configuration

1-2 hours

Configure your shipping zones, rates, and methods in Square Online's shipping settings, replicating your Shopify shipping structure. Square Online integrates with major shipping carriers and offers real-time shipping calculations. Set up shipping profiles for different product types and configure any free shipping thresholds or promotional shipping rates you previously offered on Shopify.

Tips:

• Import your existing shipping zones and rates systematically to maintain consistency
• Test shipping calculations with various cart combinations
• Set up shipping confirmations and tracking notifications

Important:

• Some advanced shipping apps from Shopify may not have direct Square Online equivalents
• International shipping options may be more limited than Shopify

Configure Tax Settings

45-90 minutes

Set up tax calculations in Square Online by configuring tax rates for all applicable jurisdictions where you sell products. Square Online automatically calculates taxes based on customer location and product taxability, similar to Shopify's tax engine. Review and configure tax-exempt categories and any special tax rules that applied to your Shopify store.

Tips:

• Verify tax rates match your previous Shopify configuration
• Set up tax-exempt customer categories if applicable to your business
• Test tax calculations for various customer locations

Important:

• Tax compliance requirements may differ between platforms
• Some complex tax scenarios may require manual configuration

Migrate Content and Pages

3-5 hours

Recreate your essential pages including About Us, Contact, Privacy Policy, Terms of Service, and any custom landing pages from your Shopify store. Square Online's page editor is more simplified than Shopify's liquid template system, so you may need to adapt complex page layouts. Copy and paste content from your Shopify pages, adjusting formatting as needed for Square Online's editor.

Tips:

• Prioritize high-traffic pages first using your Shopify analytics data
• Optimize content for Square Online's SEO structure
• Create a sitemap of all pages to ensure none are missed

Important:

• Complex custom pages may require significant redesign
• Some Shopify apps' embedded content may not transfer directly

Set Up Domain and URL Redirects

2-3 hours

Configure your custom domain to point to your new Square Online store by updating DNS settings with your domain registrar. Set up 301 redirects from your old Shopify URLs to corresponding Square Online URLs to maintain SEO value and prevent broken links. This is crucial since Square Online uses a different URL structure than Shopify.

Tips:

• Create a comprehensive redirect map before changing DNS settings
• Use Google Search Console to identify your most important URLs for redirection
• Test redirects thoroughly before making the switch

Important:

• DNS changes can take 24-48 hours to propagate fully
• Some SEO ranking may be temporarily affected during the transition

Test Store Functionality

4-6 hours

Conduct comprehensive testing of your Square Online store including product browsing, cart functionality, checkout process, payment processing, and order fulfillment workflow. Test the integration between your online store and Square POS system if applicable, ensuring inventory syncs properly across channels. Verify that all imported data displays correctly and all essential features work as expected.

Tips:

• Create test orders using different payment methods and shipping options
• Test mobile responsiveness across various devices
• Verify inventory synchronization between online and POS systems

Important:

• Test thoroughly during off-peak hours to avoid customer confusion
• Some features may behave differently than their Shopify equivalents

Go Live and Monitor

Ongoing monitoring for first week

Launch your Square Online store by switching your domain DNS to point to the new platform and communicate the change to your customers through email and social media. Monitor the store closely for the first 48-72 hours, checking for any issues with orders, payments, or customer access. Set up Square Online's analytics and reporting tools to track performance and compare metrics with your previous Shopify data.

Tips:

• Announce the migration with emphasis on improved POS integration benefits
• Monitor customer support channels for migration-related questions
• Track key metrics like conversion rate and average order value

Important:

• Be prepared for potential customer confusion during the transition period
• Some temporary decrease in performance is normal during the adjustment period

What will be migrated

products

Products, descriptions, SKUs, prices, images. Variants: Shopify supports 100 vs Square Online's Unlimited.

customers

Customer contact info, addresses, marketing preferences transfer. Passwords must be reset for security.

orders

Order history for reference. Consider importing last 3-6 months for customer service.

Common challenges and solutions

Key questions businesses ask when migrating from Shopify to Square Online, covering data transfer, feature differences, and operational considerations.

How long does it typically take to migrate from Shopify to Square Online?

A basic migration usually takes 1-2 weeks, including data export from Shopify, manual setup in Square Online, and testing. The timeline depends on your product catalog size and customization needs, as Square Online has more limited design options than Shopify.

Will I lose my search engine rankings when switching from Shopify to Square Online?

You'll likely experience some SEO impact since Square Online has fewer SEO customization options than Shopify. Set up 301 redirects where possible and ensure your product URLs are optimized, though Square Online's SEO tools are more basic than Shopify's.

Can I transfer my order history and customer data from Shopify to Square Online?

You can export customer data via Shopify's CSV export, but order history migration is limited in Square Online. Customer contact information transfers, but you'll lose detailed order analytics and may need to manually recreate customer segments.

What happens to my Shopify apps when I migrate to Square Online?

Most Shopify apps won't have direct equivalents in Square Online due to its more limited app ecosystem. You'll need to find alternative solutions or rely on Square's built-in features, which may mean losing some advanced functionality you had with Shopify apps.

How do Square Online's features compare to what I have on Shopify?

Square Online offers excellent POS integration and a free plan, but has fewer customization options and third-party integrations than Shopify. You'll gain unified inventory management across online and retail channels but may lose advanced e-commerce features and design flexibility.

How much website downtime should I expect during the migration?

You can build your Square Online store while keeping Shopify live, minimizing downtime to just the DNS switch (a few hours). However, plan for potential issues with payment processing setup and inventory sync during the transition period.

Should I test my Square Online store before going live?

Yes, thoroughly test all functionality including payment processing, inventory management, and mobile responsiveness before switching. Use Square Online's preview mode to test the customer experience, and process test transactions to ensure everything works correctly.

Can I recreate my Shopify theme design in Square Online?

Square Online has more limited design customization compared to Shopify's extensive theme options. You may need to simplify your design and adapt to Square Online's template constraints, though the platform offers mobile-responsive designs and basic customization tools.

Will my customers need to create new accounts after the migration?

Yes, customers will need to create new accounts on Square Online as password data cannot be transferred for security reasons. Plan to communicate this change to customers and consider offering incentives for account recreation to maintain customer relationships.

How do I handle orders and inventory during the migration process?

Manually sync inventory between platforms during transition and be prepared to manage orders from both systems temporarily. Square's POS integration can help with inventory management, but you'll need to carefully coordinate stock levels to avoid overselling.

How will my costs change switching from Shopify to Square Online?

You could save significantly with Square Online's free plan or pay less with Plus ($29/mo) compared to Shopify Basic ($39/mo). However, factor in Square's payment processing fees and potential costs for replacing Shopify app functionality through other services.

Can I migrate my customer reviews from Shopify to Square Online?

Review migration depends on which review app you used on Shopify, and Square Online has limited built-in review functionality. You may need to manually transfer reviews or use a third-party review service that works with Square Online, though options are more limited than Shopify.