Migrating to Shopify: what moves and how your old URLs are kept

What moves

According to Shopify's official guide, these are the data types that can be migrated:

• Products.
• Customers.
• Historical orders (already fulfilled).
• Gift cards and store credits.
• Blogs.
• Pages.

Shopify says to import in this order: products first, then customers, then historical orders, so they connect properly. Methods range from copy and paste to a CSV import, a migration app, hiring a Shopify Partner or a custom solution; CSV does not cover every data type.

What is not on the list above (for example reviews, coupons, subscriptions, installed apps or your current store design): this list does not guarantee that they move. Ask, before you hire whoever does the migration, whether each one moves or is rebuilt in Shopify. Shopify also notes that the theme (the design) is chosen and customized inside Shopify.

How your URLs are kept (301 redirects)

When you change platforms, URLs often change. Shopify gives an example: a shipping policy page can go from /policies/ to /pages/. If nothing is done, anyone arriving through the old address sees an error.

The fix is a 301 redirect: a permanent notice that says "this page moved to this other address". Google recommends this kind of redirect when a site's URLs change.

What the sources say:

• Shopify (official help): set up redirects before transferring the domain, so saved links and links from other sites do not show errors; they can be imported by CSV; after launch, check that they work, especially for the old store's most-visited pages.
• Google (updated Aug 20, 2026): use server-side permanent redirects (301 or 308) from each old URL to its new equivalent; redirect straight to the final destination and avoid chains; do not send many old URLs to one unrelated page such as the homepage; and keep redirects in place for a long time, generally at least a year. Google also says permanent redirects do not cause a loss of PageRank (its internal measure of link authority) and that a temporary fluctuation in positions is expected while it reindexes.

Important: a well-done redirect helps, but Google does not guarantee your positions will hold. No migration can promise that.

What to check before you start

1. 1
   Catalog size. It sets how much work there is.
2. 2
   A list of your important URLs. Keep the most-visited pages and the ones other sites link to at hand.
3. 3
   Domain. Shopify says to disconnect the domain from the old platform before connecting it, to avoid certificate errors.
4. 4
   Shipping, taxes and payments. Shopify lists them as steps to set up in the new store, plus placing test orders before opening.
5. 5
   What sits outside the list. Reviews, coupons, subscriptions, apps and design: ask about each one.

Next step

If you would rather start a brand-new Shopify store than migrate, see online stores on Shopify or choose your service. If you are still choosing a platform, compare them first in Shopify vs. WooCommerce for a small business.

Frequently asked questions