What a migration involves
Moving a store from one platform to another means exporting data in one format, cleaning and reshaping it, importing it into another, and making sure every old address leads somewhere useful. The data side is detailed but predictable. The search side is where stores lose money, because traffic arrives at old URLs for months or years after a move.
Our service covers both. The step-by-step reasoning for the search side is in the migration guide; this page explains what we do and what you receive.
What moves, and what usually cannot
| Data | Usually moves | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Products and variants | Yes | Option structures differ between platforms and need reshaping |
| Categories and collections | Yes | Rules-based collections may need rebuilding |
| Product images | Yes | File names and alt text are worth fixing during the move |
| Customers | Yes | Passwords usually cannot be moved, so customers set a new one |
| Order history | Usually | Some platforms import past orders only through apps or APIs |
| Reviews | Often | Depends on the review app at both ends |
| Gift cards and store credit | Sometimes | Balances need careful reconciliation |
| Page and blog content | Yes | Layouts are rebuilt, not copied |
| URLs | No, they change | Every important old URL needs a redirect |
The redirect map is the core deliverable
Google's own migration guidance is clear on the essentials: map old URLs to new ones before the move, use server-side permanent redirects, update sitemaps and internal links, and keep the redirects for as long as possible, generally at least a year. It also warns that search visibility may fluctuate temporarily during a move[1].
We build the map from your old platform's export, your sitemap, your analytics landing pages and your top linked pages. Each old URL is matched to the closest new page, not dumped on the home page. Products you no longer sell redirect to the most relevant category, or return a clear "no longer available" page if nothing fits.
Our migration process
- Inventory. Export everything, list every URL type and decide what moves, what is retired and what is rebuilt.
- Data mapping. Field-by-field mapping from the old platform to the new one, signed off before any import.
- Test import. A first import into a staging store, checked against counts and a sample of real products.
- Redirect map. Old to new URL pairs in a spreadsheet you can review, then loaded into the new platform.
- Cutover plan. A timed plan for the switch: content freeze, final data sync, DNS change, redirect checks.
- Launch day checks. Test orders, redirect sampling, sitemap submission and Search Console checks.
- Follow-up. Crawl and Search Console reviews over the following weeks to catch missed URLs.
Customer accounts and communication
Platforms usually do not allow customer passwords to be exported, so customers need to set a new password after a move. We plan an account activation email and an on-site message so returning customers are not caught out. Any marketing email sent as part of this must follow the Spam Act: consent, clear identification of your business and a working unsubscribe that is honoured within five working days[2]. The Spam Act guide covers the details.
What it costs
Australian price guides give a sense of scale. One lists migration to Shopify at $3,000 to $15,000 and migration to WooCommerce at $3,000 to $12,000, both updated November 2026, with the final figure depending on the store's history[3][4]. Order history, custom data and the number of URLs drive the cost more than the number of products. We quote after the inventory step, when those figures are known.
When to delay a migration
We advise against migrating just before your busiest season, during a major product launch, or when nobody on your side can check data during the test import. A migration is safest when there is time to test and time to fix what testing finds.
Questions
Will I lose my Google rankings?
Some fluctuation during a move is normal, and Google says so. Careful redirects, updated internal links and sitemaps are what prevent a short dip from becoming a long one.
Can customers keep their passwords?
Usually not. Platforms generally do not export passwords, so customers set a new one. We plan the emails and on-site prompts for that.
How long does a migration take?
From inventory to launch, we plan four to eight weeks for a migration without design changes and eight to fourteen weeks when the store is redesigned at the same time. Data volume and how quickly test imports can be checked move it within those ranges. The six weeks of search monitoring described in the migration guide come after launch, on top of that.
Can you migrate from a custom or older platform?
Usually, if the data can be exported to files or reached through an API. We check that during the inventory step before quoting the full job.
Sources
Opened and checked on 3 November 2026. Each entry says what kind of source it is.
- Site Moves and Migrations (How to move a site). Google Search Central, updated 20 August 2026. Platform documentation
- Avoid sending spam. Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), undated page. Regulator
- Shopify Website Cost Australia 2026: $2,000-$30,000 Verified Pricing. What's The Damage, updated November 2026. Commercial publisher, referral site
- WooCommerce Cost Australia 2026: $3,000-$40,000 Verified Pricing. What's The Damage, updated November 2026. Commercial publisher, referral site