Moderate 2-4 days 12 steps

Shopify to Wix Migration Guide

Shopify

Wix

This guide walks you through migrating from Shopify to Wix to reduce costs and simplify store management for small businesses. Learn how to transfer your products, avoid transaction fees, and leverage Wix's intuitive drag-and-drop builder.

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Shopify to Wix Migration Preparation

Essential steps to prepare for migrating your online store from Shopify to Wix, focusing on data export, platform setup, and ensuring a smooth transition for small business operations.

Export Your Shopify Store Data

Use Shopify's built-in CSV export feature to download your products, customers, and order history from your admin dashboard. Navigate to each section (Products, Customers, Orders) and export the data, keeping in mind Shopify's 100 variant limit per product when planning your Wix catalog structure.

Choose and Set Up Your Wix Business Plan

Select the appropriate Wix business plan based on your needs - Business Basic ($27/mo) for essential features, Business Unlimited ($32/mo) for growing stores, or Business VIP ($59/mo) for priority support. Complete the initial Wix account setup and domain configuration to prepare for your store migration.

Design Your New Wix Store Layout

Use Wix's drag-and-drop builder to create your store's visual structure before importing products. Take advantage of Wix's ecommerce templates and customize the design to match your brand, ensuring the layout works well for your product catalog size and customer browsing experience.

Prepare Product Data for Wix Import

Review and clean your exported Shopify product CSV files to match Wix's import format requirements. Organize product images, descriptions, and pricing data, and consider how to handle any products with complex variants since the platform structures may differ.

Set Up Payment and Shipping Configuration

Configure Wix Payments or connect your preferred payment gateway within your new Wix store. Establish shipping zones, rates, and tax settings that match your current Shopify configuration to ensure consistent customer experience during the transition.

Plan Customer Communication Strategy

Prepare your customer base for the platform change by drafting notification emails about the upcoming migration. Plan how you'll import customer data to Wix and consider creating new accounts for customers, as login credentials cannot be directly transferred between platforms.

Complete Shopify to Wix Migration Guide

A comprehensive 12-step process to migrate your online store from Shopify to Wix, designed for small businesses seeking affordable simplicity. This guide covers everything from data export to final testing, ensuring a smooth transition while maintaining your customer base and SEO rankings.

Export Data from Shopify

30-45 minutes

Navigate to your Shopify admin panel and use the built-in CSV export functionality to download your products, customers, and orders data. Go to Products > All products > Export, then repeat for Customers and Orders sections. Ensure you export all variants since both platforms support up to 100 variants per product. Download these files to a secure local folder for the migration process.

Tips:

• Export data during low-traffic hours to avoid missing recent orders
• Check that all product variants are included in the export
• Save exports with clear naming conventions like 'shopify_products_[date].csv'

Important:

• Customer passwords cannot be exported and will need to be reset
• Some custom fields may not transfer and require manual recreation

Set Up Wix Account and Business Plan

45-60 minutes

Create your Wix account and select an appropriate eCommerce plan that fits your business needs and budget. The Business Basic plan is often suitable for small businesses migrating from Shopify. Complete the initial store setup wizard, including your business information, currency, and basic store preferences. Connect your domain or purchase a new one through Wix's domain services.

Tips:

• Choose Business VIP plan if you need priority support during migration
• Set up your store in the same currency as your Shopify store
• Use the same business name and details for consistency

Important:

• Domain transfer can take 5-7 days, plan accordingly
• Some features require higher-tier plans, review requirements first

Select and Customize Wix Template

2-3 hours

Browse Wix's eCommerce templates and select one that matches your brand aesthetic and functional requirements. Focus on templates designed for your industry type, whether it's fashion, electronics, or general retail. Customize the template's colors, fonts, and layout to match your existing Shopify store's branding. Upload your logo and adjust the header, footer, and navigation structure.

Tips:

• Choose templates with built-in mobile optimization
• Select templates that support your product display needs (grid vs. list)
• Test template responsiveness on different devices before proceeding

Important:

• Template changes after going live can affect SEO and user experience
• Some advanced Shopify customizations may not be replicable in Wix

Import and Configure Products

3-5 hours

Use Wix's product import feature to upload your Shopify product CSV file. Navigate to Store Products > More Actions > Import Products and upload your CSV. Map the Shopify fields to corresponding Wix fields, ensuring product titles, descriptions, prices, and inventory levels transfer correctly. Manually upload product images since they typically don't transfer automatically through CSV imports.

Tips:

• Clean up product descriptions to remove Shopify-specific HTML tags
• Optimize product images for Wix's recommended dimensions
• Set up product categories and collections before importing

Important:

• Product URLs will change, requiring redirect setup later
• Complex product variants may need manual adjustment after import

Configure Product Categories and Collections

1-2 hours

Organize your imported products into logical categories and collections within Wix's product management system. Create a category structure that matches or improves upon your Shopify organization. Set up collection pages with appropriate filters and sorting options to help customers navigate your product catalog. Configure product tags and search functionality to enhance discoverability.

Tips:

• Use clear, SEO-friendly category names
• Create featured collections for homepage display
• Set up automated collections based on product tags or price ranges

Important:

• Too many categories can confuse customers
• Category URLs should be optimized for SEO before publishing

Import Customer Data

1-2 hours

Import your Shopify customer CSV file into Wix through the Contacts section of your dashboard. Go to Contacts > Import and upload your customer file, mapping fields like email addresses, names, and phone numbers. Set up customer groups or segments based on purchase history or customer lifetime value. Configure email verification processes since imported customers will need to reset their passwords.

Tips:

• Send welcome emails to imported customers explaining the migration
• Create customer segments for targeted marketing campaigns
• Set up customer account creation incentives to encourage re-engagement

Important:

• Customers must create new passwords, which may cause initial friction
• Customer order history from Shopify won't be accessible in their Wix accounts

Set Up Payment Processing

1-2 hours

Configure Wix Payments or connect your preferred payment processors like PayPal, Square, or Stripe. If you used Shopify Payments, you'll need to transition to Wix Payments or another supported gateway. Set up your payment processing fees, currency options, and fraud protection settings. Test payment processing with small transactions to ensure everything works correctly.

Tips:

• Compare processing fees between Wix Payments and third-party options
• Set up multiple payment methods to maximize customer convenience
• Configure automatic tax calculation if available in your region

Important:

• Payment processor changes may affect your merchant account history
• Some international payment methods may not be available on Wix

Configure Shipping Settings

1-2 hours

Set up your shipping zones, rates, and methods in Wix's shipping settings to match your current Shopify configuration. Create shipping rules based on weight, price, or destination zones. Configure free shipping thresholds, local delivery options, and international shipping policies. Integrate with shipping carriers like USPS, UPS, or FedEx for real-time rate calculations if needed.

Tips:

• Offer free shipping thresholds to increase average order value
• Set up shipping notifications and tracking integration
• Create clear shipping policy pages for customer reference

Important:

• Shipping rate changes may affect customer expectations
• International shipping rules may be more limited than Shopify

Configure Tax Settings

45-60 minutes

Set up tax calculations in Wix based on your business location and tax requirements. Configure automatic tax calculation for different regions, states, or countries where you sell. If you were using Shopify's tax engine, replicate those settings in Wix's tax configuration. Set up tax-exempt customer groups if applicable to your business model.

Tips:

• Verify tax rates match your current Shopify settings
• Set up tax reporting features for easier bookkeeping
• Configure tax display preferences (inclusive vs. exclusive)

Important:

• Tax calculation errors can cause compliance issues
• Some complex tax scenarios may require third-party tax apps

Migrate Content and Pages

3-4 hours

Recreate your essential pages like About Us, Contact, Privacy Policy, Terms of Service, and FAQ pages in Wix. Copy content from your Shopify store and adapt it to Wix's page builder format. Set up your blog if you had one on Shopify, importing posts manually or through available migration tools. Configure your site's navigation menu to include all important pages and create a logical user flow.

Tips:

• Optimize page content for Wix's SEO features
• Use Wix's drag-and-drop editor to improve page layouts
• Set up contact forms and lead capture elements

Important:

• Page URLs will change, requiring redirect setup
• Some Shopify apps' functionality may need alternative solutions

Set Up URL Redirects and SEO

2-3 hours

Create 301 redirects from your old Shopify URLs to corresponding Wix URLs to maintain SEO rankings and prevent broken links. Use Wix's URL redirect manager or .htaccess files to map old product, category, and page URLs to new ones. Optimize your Wix site's SEO settings including meta titles, descriptions, and structured data. Submit your new sitemap to Google Search Console and update any external links pointing to your old store.

Tips:

• Prioritize redirects for your highest-traffic pages first
• Use Google Analytics to identify your most important URLs
• Set up Google Search Console for your new Wix domain

Important:

• Missing redirects can significantly impact SEO rankings
• Some SEO features may be more limited compared to Shopify apps

Test and Launch

2-4 hours

Conduct comprehensive testing of your new Wix store including product browsing, cart functionality, checkout process, payment processing, and email notifications. Test on multiple devices and browsers to ensure compatibility. Place test orders using different payment methods and shipping options. Once testing is complete, update your domain DNS settings to point to Wix, announce the migration to your customers, and monitor the site closely for the first few days.

Tips:

• Create a testing checklist to ensure all functionality works
• Have friends or family test the user experience
• Prepare customer service responses for migration-related questions

Important:

• Launch during low-traffic periods to minimize disruption
• Monitor for increased customer service inquiries during the first week

What will be migrated

products

Products, descriptions, SKUs, prices, images. Variants: Shopify supports 100 vs Wix's 100.

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 and practical answers for businesses migrating from Shopify to Wix eCommerce platform

How long does it typically take to migrate from Shopify to Wix?

A complete migration usually takes 2-4 weeks depending on your store size and complexity. Small stores with under 100 products can often complete the migration in 1-2 weeks, while larger catalogs may require additional time for data transfer and design customization.

Will I lose my search engine rankings when migrating from Shopify to Wix?

There will likely be some temporary SEO impact due to URL structure changes and platform differences. However, proper 301 redirects and maintaining your content can minimize losses, though Wix's SEO capabilities are generally less robust than Shopify's.

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

You can export customer data using Shopify's built-in CSV export feature, but order history transfer is limited on Wix. While customer contact information can be imported, detailed order histories and customer account functionality may not fully transfer.

What happens to my Shopify apps when I migrate to Wix?

Shopify apps won't transfer to Wix, and you'll need to find alternative solutions within Wix's app market. Wix has fewer third-party integrations available, so some advanced functionalities from Shopify apps may not have direct equivalents.

How do Wix's ecommerce features compare to Shopify's?

Wix offers basic ecommerce functionality suitable for small businesses but lacks many of Shopify's advanced features like abandoned cart recovery, advanced inventory management, and extensive payment gateways. Wix is better suited for simple product catalogs rather than complex ecommerce operations.

How much website downtime should I expect during the migration?

You can build your Wix site while keeping Shopify live, minimizing downtime to just the DNS switching period (typically 24-48 hours). Plan the final switch during low-traffic periods to reduce impact on sales and customer experience.

Should I migrate from Shopify to Wix for my growing business?

This migration works best for small businesses seeking cost savings and simplicity rather than growth-focused companies. If you're scaling rapidly or need advanced ecommerce features, Wix's limitations in scalability and functionality may hinder your business growth.

Can I recreate my Shopify theme design on Wix?

Wix's drag-and-drop builder makes it easy to create visually appealing designs, but you'll need to rebuild your theme from scratch. While Wix offers good design flexibility, achieving the exact same look and functionality as your Shopify theme may require compromises.

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

Yes, customers will need to create new accounts on your Wix store as password data cannot be transferred for security reasons. You can import customer contact information, but they'll need to set up new passwords and re-enter payment information.

How can I continue selling during the migration process?

Keep your Shopify store active while building the Wix site in parallel to maintain continuous sales. Only switch over once the Wix store is fully tested and ready, ensuring minimal disruption to your business operations.

How much money will I save by switching from Shopify to Wix?

You can save significantly on monthly fees, with Wix Business plans starting at $27/month compared to Shopify's $39/month basic plan. However, factor in potential revenue loss from reduced functionality and the one-time migration costs when calculating total savings.

Can I migrate my customer reviews from Shopify to Wix?

Product reviews don't automatically transfer and will need to be manually recreated or imported using third-party tools if available. This process can be time-consuming and may result in losing some review data, impacting your social proof temporarily.