Moderate 2-4 days 12 steps

Squarespace to Big Cartel Migration Guide

Squarespace

Big Cartel

This guide walks you through migrating from Squarespace to Big Cartel, helping artists and makers transition to a more affordable, streamlined ecommerce solution designed specifically for creative businesses.

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Squarespace to Big Cartel Migration Preparation

Essential steps to prepare for migrating your online store from Squarespace to Big Cartel's affordable, artist-focused platform.

Audit Your Current Product Catalog

Review your Squarespace product count and variants to determine if you need Big Cartel's Gold plan (50 products) or Platinum plan (500 products). Note that Squarespace supports up to 250 variants per product, while Big Cartel has more limited variant options, so you may need to restructure complex products.

Export Your Squarespace Data

Go to Settings > Advanced > Import/Export in your Squarespace admin to download your product data as CSV files. Also export any blog content or pages using the WordPress export option if you plan to recreate content on Big Cartel or elsewhere.

Choose Your Big Cartel Plan and Theme

Sign up for the appropriate Big Cartel plan based on your product count and browse their free and premium themes. Big Cartel's themes are designed specifically for artists and makers, so select one that showcases your products effectively.

Prepare Product Images and Descriptions

Download all product images from Squarespace and organize them by product since you'll need to re-upload them to Big Cartel. Review and optimize product descriptions for Big Cartel's simpler format, focusing on key details that convert browsers into buyers.

Set Up Payment and Shipping Configuration

Gather your payment processor information (PayPal, Stripe) and shipping rates from Squarespace to configure in Big Cartel. Big Cartel integrates with fewer payment options than Squarespace, so verify your preferred processor is supported.

Plan Your Domain and SEO Transition

Decide whether to use Big Cartel's free subdomain or connect your custom domain from Squarespace. Create a list of your most important product and page URLs to set up redirects, minimizing SEO impact during the transition.

Squarespace to Big Cartel Migration Guide

A comprehensive step-by-step guide for artists and makers migrating from Squarespace to Big Cartel's affordable e-commerce platform. This process involves careful product consolidation due to variant limitations and manual content recreation.

Export Product Data from Squarespace

30-60 minutes

Navigate to Squarespace's Commerce section and export your product data as CSV. Download your inventory report which includes product names, descriptions, prices, and images. Note that Squarespace exports are limited and may not include all product variants in a structured format. You'll need to manually organize variant data since Big Cartel has a 50-variant limit compared to Squarespace's 250.

Tips:

• Export during low-traffic hours to avoid missing recent orders
• Download all product images separately from the asset library
• Create a spreadsheet to map Squarespace variants to Big Cartel's simpler structure

Important:

• Squarespace CSV exports don't include SEO data or detailed variant relationships
• Image URLs in exports may be temporary and need re-uploading

Export Content and Pages

45 minutes

Use Squarespace's Settings > Advanced > Import/Export to create a WordPress XML export of your site content. This will capture your blog posts, pages, and basic content structure. Download any additional media files from your asset library that aren't included in the export. Since Big Cartel has limited content management compared to Squarespace, you'll need to prioritize essential pages only.

Tips:

• Export includes blog posts which can be useful for SEO content
• Save important page URLs for redirect planning
• Screenshot complex page layouts for reference during recreation

Important:

• Big Cartel doesn't support blogs or complex page structures
• Custom CSS and JavaScript won't transfer automatically

Analyze and Consolidate Product Variants

2-4 hours

Review your exported product data and identify items with multiple variants that exceed Big Cartel's 50-variant limit. Consolidate similar variants or consider splitting complex products into separate listings. Create a migration spreadsheet mapping old products to new Big Cartel structure. This is crucial since Big Cartel's variant system is much simpler than Squarespace's flexible options.

Tips:

• Group similar color variations to reduce variant count
• Consider creating separate products for significantly different sizes
• Use Big Cartel's variant naming conventions (Size, Color, Style)

Important:

• You may lose some product complexity in the migration
• Customer bookmarks to specific variants will break

Create Big Cartel Account and Select Plan

15-30 minutes

Sign up for Big Cartel and choose the appropriate plan based on your product count (Gold for up to 25 products, Platinum for up to 100, Diamond for up to 300). Big Cartel's free plan supports up to 5 products, making it perfect for artists just starting out. Complete the basic store setup including store name, currency, and initial settings that align with your artistic brand.

Tips:

• Start with a lower plan and upgrade as needed
• Choose a store name that matches your artistic brand
• Set your primary currency based on your main customer base

Important:

• Plan limits are strict - exceeding product limits requires immediate upgrade
• Store name changes may affect your Big Cartel subdomain

Choose and Customize Theme

1-2 hours

Browse Big Cartel's artist-focused themes and select one that showcases your work effectively. Most themes are designed specifically for makers and artists with image-heavy layouts. Customize colors, fonts, and basic layout options through the theme editor. Upload your logo and configure the header/footer areas to match your brand aesthetic.

Tips:

• Preview themes with your actual product images before deciding
• Choose themes optimized for mobile since many art buyers browse on phones
• Keep customization simple as Big Cartel has limited design flexibility

Important:

• Theme switching later may require recustomization
• Advanced design changes require HTML/CSS knowledge

Set Up Payment Processing

45-60 minutes

Configure Big Cartel's integrated payment options including Stripe and PayPal, which are essential for artist businesses. Set up your Stripe account if you don't have one, as it's Big Cartel's primary payment processor with competitive rates for small businesses. Enable PayPal for customers who prefer that payment method. Configure your payout schedule and verify your bank account details for seamless transactions.

Tips:

• Stripe offers better international support for selling art globally
• Enable both credit card and PayPal options to maximize conversions
• Set up automatic payouts to maintain cash flow

Important:

• Payment processor approval can take 1-3 business days
• International selling may have additional tax implications

Configure Shipping Settings

1-1.5 hours

Set up Big Cartel's shipping zones and rates based on your product types and customer locations. Create shipping profiles for different product categories (prints, original artwork, small items) since artists often have varied shipping needs. Configure domestic and international shipping options, and set up calculated shipping if you sell items of varying weights and sizes.

Tips:

• Create separate shipping profiles for fragile artwork vs. prints
• Offer tracked shipping for higher-value original pieces
• Consider flat-rate shipping for prints to simplify customer experience

Important:

• International shipping requires customs forms and may have restrictions
• Underestimating shipping costs can hurt profitability

Import and Recreate Products

3-6 hours

Manually add your products to Big Cartel using your consolidated product list from step 3. Upload high-quality images for each product, ensuring they showcase your artwork effectively. Create detailed descriptions that highlight the artistic process, materials, and dimensions. Set up variants for size, color, or style options while staying within the 50-variant limit per product.

Tips:

• Use natural lighting photos that accurately represent colors
• Include scale references for artwork dimensions
• Write SEO-friendly product titles with relevant art keywords

Important:

• Big Cartel doesn't support bulk product import
• Large image files may slow down your store loading time

Configure Tax Settings

30-45 minutes

Set up tax collection based on your business location and where you're required to collect sales tax. Big Cartel automatically calculates tax for many US states and some international locations. Configure your tax settings for digital products if you sell prints or digital art downloads. Ensure compliance with local tax laws for art sales, which may have special considerations.

Tips:

• Consult with a tax professional about art sales requirements
• Enable automatic tax calculation for supported regions
• Keep records of all sales for tax reporting purposes

Important:

• Tax laws for art sales can be complex and vary by location
• You're responsible for remitting collected taxes to appropriate authorities

Recreate Essential Content Pages

2-3 hours

Manually recreate your most important pages in Big Cartel's limited page system, focusing on About, Contact, and Shipping/Returns policies. Since Big Cartel doesn't support complex page structures, simplify your content while maintaining essential information about your artistic practice. Create a compelling About page that tells your story as an artist and builds trust with potential buyers.

Tips:

• Focus on pages that directly support sales conversion
• Include your artistic background and process in the About page
• Create clear shipping and return policies to reduce customer inquiries

Important:

• Big Cartel has very limited content management compared to Squarespace
• No blog functionality means you'll lose SEO content

Set Up Domain and Redirects

1-2 hours

Point your custom domain to Big Cartel through your domain registrar's DNS settings or transfer domain management to Big Cartel. Create a redirect plan for your most important Squarespace URLs, though Big Cartel's redirect options are limited. Set up basic 301 redirects for key product and page URLs to preserve some SEO value and avoid broken links.

Tips:

• Keep your existing domain to maintain brand recognition
• Prioritize redirects for your best-selling product pages
• Update social media profiles with new store URLs

Important:

• DNS changes can take 24-48 hours to propagate globally
• Limited redirect options may result in some SEO loss

Test Store Functionality and Go Live

1-2 hours

Conduct thorough testing of your Big Cartel store including product browsing, cart functionality, checkout process, and payment processing. Test both desktop and mobile experiences since many art buyers shop on mobile devices. Place test orders to verify the entire customer journey from browsing to purchase confirmation. Check email notifications and ensure order management workflows are functioning properly.

Tips:

• Test with small amounts using real payment methods
• Ask friends to test the customer experience and provide feedback
• Verify that order confirmation emails are professional and branded

Important:

• Go live during low-traffic periods to minimize impact of any issues
• Have a rollback plan ready in case critical problems are discovered

What will be migrated

products

Products, descriptions, SKUs, prices, images. Variants: Squarespace supports 250 vs Big Cartel's 50.

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 answers for artists and makers considering migrating from Squarespace to Big Cartel's affordable e-commerce platform

How long does it typically take to migrate from Squarespace to Big Cartel?

The migration process usually takes 1-3 days for small product catalogs typical of Big Cartel users. Since Big Cartel focuses on simplicity, you'll need to manually recreate products using Squarespace's CSV export, but the streamlined setup process makes this relatively quick for artists with smaller inventories.

Will I lose my search engine rankings when switching from Squarespace to Big Cartel?

You'll likely experience some SEO impact since Big Cartel has more limited SEO customization options compared to Squarespace's advanced SEO tools. Set up 301 redirects where possible and focus on maintaining your product titles and descriptions to minimize ranking losses.

Can I transfer my order history and customer data from Squarespace to Big Cartel?

Big Cartel doesn't support importing historical order data or customer accounts from Squarespace. You'll need to maintain access to your Squarespace account for historical records and ask customers to create new accounts on your Big Cartel store.

What Squarespace features will I lose when moving to Big Cartel?

You'll lose advanced features like abandoned cart recovery, advanced analytics, inventory tracking, and extensive customization options. Big Cartel focuses on basic selling functionality, which works well for artists and makers but lacks Squarespace's comprehensive business tools.

How much money will I save by switching from Squarespace to Big Cartel?

You can save $17-39 per month depending on your current Squarespace plan. Moving from Squarespace Commerce Basic ($27/mo) to Big Cartel Platinum ($19.99/mo) saves $84 annually, while moving from Commerce Advanced ($49/mo) saves $348 annually.

Will there be any downtime during the migration to Big Cartel?

You can minimize downtime by building your Big Cartel store before switching your domain. However, expect some brief downtime during DNS propagation when pointing your domain to Big Cartel, typically 24-48 hours for full global propagation.

How do I transfer my product catalog from Squarespace to Big Cartel?

Export your products from Squarespace as a CSV file, then manually recreate them in Big Cartel since there's no direct import feature. You'll need to re-upload product images and adjust descriptions to fit Big Cartel's simpler product structure.

Can I customize my Big Cartel store design as much as I could with Squarespace?

Big Cartel offers much more limited design customization compared to Squarespace's extensive templates and design tools. You'll have basic theme options and some CSS customization on paid plans, but far fewer design possibilities overall.

What should I do about my existing customers during the migration?

Notify customers in advance about the platform change and potential service interruptions. Since customer accounts won't transfer, send instructions for creating new accounts and consider offering a small discount to encourage re-registration on your new Big Cartel store.

Is Big Cartel suitable if I plan to grow my business significantly?

Big Cartel works best for artists and makers with smaller product lines (up to 500 products on Platinum). If you plan significant growth, you may outgrow Big Cartel's limitations and need to migrate again to a more robust platform like Shopify or back to Squarespace.

How should I test my Big Cartel store before going live?

Set up your Big Cartel store on a temporary domain first, test all product listings, payment processing, and checkout flows. Since Big Cartel is simpler than Squarespace, focus on ensuring your essential selling features work correctly before switching your main domain.

Will my customer reviews transfer from Squarespace to Big Cartel?

Customer reviews won't automatically transfer since Big Cartel has limited review functionality compared to Squarespace. You may need to manually recreate important reviews or consider using a third-party review app, though Big Cartel's app ecosystem is much smaller than Squarespace's.