WooCommerce to Big Cartel Migration Guide

Navigate to WooCommerce > Products and use the built-in export tool to generate a CSV file containing all product information. Download the file and open it in a spreadsheet application to review the data structure. Pay special attention to product variations, as Big Cartel has a 50-variant limit per product that may require consolidation. Clean up any unnecessary fields and ensure product images are accessible via direct URLs.

Review your exported product data and identify items with more than 50 variants that need to be split or simplified for Big Cartel compatibility. Consider consolidating similar products or reducing variation options to fit Big Cartel's artist-focused model. Create a mapping document showing how WooCommerce products will be structured in Big Cartel. Remove or archive low-performing products to streamline your new store.

Use WooCommerce's customer export feature or a plugin like 'Export Customer Data' to download customer information in CSV format. Export order history through WooCommerce > Orders > Export to maintain sales records for tax and business purposes. Note that Big Cartel doesn't have a direct customer import feature, so this data will primarily serve as a reference and for your own customer outreach. Save customer email addresses for announcing your platform migration.

Sign up for a Big Cartel account at bigcartel.com 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 testing. Enter your basic store information including store name, description, and contact details. Verify your email address and complete the initial account setup process.

Browse Big Cartel's theme gallery and select a design that complements your artistic style and product photography. Most themes are free, with some premium options available for $9-19. Customize your chosen theme using Big Cartel's visual editor to match your brand colors, fonts, and layout preferences. Upload your logo and configure the header, footer, and navigation elements to create a cohesive brand experience.

Big Cartel doesn't support CSV imports, so you'll need to manually create each product using the simplified product creation interface. Start with your best-selling items and work systematically through your prioritized product list. Upload high-quality product images (up to 5 per product), write compelling descriptions, and set pricing. Configure variants for size, color, or other options while staying within the 50-variant limit per product.

Set up payment processing through Big Cartel's integrated options including Stripe and PayPal. Navigate to Settings > Payments and connect your existing payment accounts or create new ones. Configure accepted payment methods, currency settings, and any payment-related messaging for customers. Test the payment process with small transactions to ensure everything processes correctly before going live.

Configure shipping zones, rates, and methods in Settings > Shipping to match your current fulfillment process. Big Cartel offers simple flat-rate shipping, calculated shipping through integrated carriers, and free shipping options. Set up different shipping rates for domestic and international orders, and configure any product-specific shipping requirements. Create clear shipping policies and estimated delivery timeframes for customer communication.

Set up tax collection in Settings > Taxes based on your business location and tax obligations. Big Cartel can automatically calculate taxes for US states and some international regions, or you can set manual tax rates. Configure tax-exempt categories if applicable to your art sales, and ensure compliance with local tax laws. Review tax settings for digital products if you sell downloadable art or digital goods.

Recreate essential pages from your WooCommerce site including About, Shipping Policy, Return Policy, and Contact pages using Big Cartel's simple page editor. Copy content from your WordPress site and adapt it to Big Cartel's streamlined format. Set up your store policies, artist statement, and any other content that helps customers understand your brand and purchasing process. Configure your contact information and social media links.

Configure your custom domain in Big Cartel's settings by updating DNS records or transferring your domain if needed. Set up 301 redirects from your old WooCommerce product URLs to corresponding Big Cartel pages to preserve SEO value and prevent broken links. Create a simple redirect page on your old WordPress site announcing the move and linking to your new Big Cartel store. Update all external links, social media profiles, and marketing materials with your new store URL.