Squarespace to Shopify Migration: Automation?
Thinking of migrating to Shopify using Automation?
Shopify is a great tool and offers some significant features that Squarespace cant match. The truth is they are tools with different priorities and come from different places - aimed at different users with different needs.
Over time one platform can become limiting or not provide the scope for growth that you require, making change desirable or unavoidable to continue to grow.
We recently wrote about the possible implication of, and approaches to migrating. Read that article here:
If you have decided to move your entire e-commerce operation to Shopify, then there are a number of things to consider:
Manually recreate vs Automation
There are a series of steps that are necessary when you create a Shopify store. Recreating product listings is one, but there are many other things to consider which makes automatic tools quite attractive.
There are some tools to help with the repetitive tasks - But as with any automated process there are things you need to be aware of and to check:
There are several tools available and each has it’s own approach and degree of comprehensiveness. However here is some general guidance on what to consider when using a migration service or tool to migrate from Squarespace to Shopify.
Data Migration: Ensure that the tool can migrate all the necessary data, such as products, customers, orders, and content, from Squarespace to Shopify. Check if there are any limitations on the amount or type of data that can be migrated.
SEO Preservation: Check if the tool can help preserve your SEO rankings by setting up proper 301 redirects from your old Squarespace URLs to the new Shopify URLs.
Data Integrity: Assess if the tool can maintain data integrity, such as relationships between products, orders, and customers, during the migration.
Customisation and Themes: Understand that the tool may not migrate your theme or any customisations you have made to your Squarespace site. You may need to set up a new theme and customizations on Shopify.
Third-Party Apps and Integrations: The tool may not migrate any third-party apps or integrations you are using on Squarespace. You will need to set up these apps and integrations on Shopify.
Cost: Assess the cost of using the tool and whether it fits within your budget.
Support and Documentation: Check if the tool provides adequate support and documentation to guide you through the migration process.
Reviews and Testimonials: Look for reviews and testimonials from other users who have used the tool to migrate from Squarespace to Shopify.
Testing: Check if the tool offers a way to test the migration before making it live. This can help you identify and fix any issues before the actual migration.
Downtime: Check if there will be any downtime during the migration and plan accordingly.
* Possibly most important: What is not done: It is vital that you understand what is not set up, what requires decisions to be made, what accounts need to be created (Shopify pay for example)
Automation tools can save a lot of time, but trial runs, testing, and a complete understanding of strengths and weaknesses is essential to ensure a smooth transition.
It is always recommended to leave your Squarespace site functioning before starting the migration and to thoroughly test the new Shopify site before making it live. (It’s also good to keep it online albeit locked afterwards too).
Obviously, we’d also highly recommend consulting with a professional or a team experienced in such migrations can help ensure a smooth transition (Mainly us!).
