Shopify to WooCommerce Migration Checklist for India

Shopify to WooCommerce Migration Checklist for India

A Shopify to WooCommerce migration checklist should cover more than exporting products and installing WordPress. You need to plan data, URLs, payments, GST workflows, shipping, security, testing and the launch process before moving your store.

Shopify and WooCommerce use different systems. Products, customers, orders, discounts, collections, apps, themes and settings do not always transfer directly. A careful migration protects your search visibility and reduces disruption for customers.

1. Decide Why You Are Migrating

Before touching the store, write down the business reason for the migration. Common reasons include greater control over hosting, more flexibility in checkout and content, access to WordPress, different plugin options, or a need to customise store operations.

WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin rather than a hosted e-commerce platform. You generally choose the hosting, WordPress setup, theme, plugins, backups and security controls yourself. This creates flexibility, but it also creates responsibilities that Shopify manages for you.

List the current Shopify features that your business depends on:

• Product catalogue and variants
• Collections and product filters
• Customer accounts
• Order history
• Discount codes
• Gift cards
• Store credit
• Subscription products
• Reviews and ratings
• Wishlist or comparison features
• Abandoned-cart recovery
• Email and WhatsApp notifications
• GST invoices
• COD verification
• Shipping-rate calculation
• Returns and refunds
• Analytics and advertising integrations
• Marketplace feeds
• Custom landing pages
• Blog content
• Wholesale or B2B pricing

Then classify each feature as one of the following:

1. Must work on the new website from launch
2. Can be replaced with a different tool
3. Can be postponed
4. Is no longer required

This prevents an important Shopify app from being forgotten during the migration.

Check whether WooCommerce fits your operating model

WooCommerce can be a practical choice for Indian D2C brands, small manufacturers, schools selling merchandise, clinics selling approved products, and agencies managing multiple sites. It can also become difficult when the team has no one responsible for updates, backups and troubleshooting.

Consider:

• Who will manage WordPress and plugin updates?
• Who will monitor failed payments and order emails?
• Who will handle backups and malware response?
• How much catalogue customisation is required?
• Do you need a developer for ongoing changes?
• Will the store need multiple Indian payment and shipping integrations?
• Is the current store already generating traffic from Google?
• Does the business require a subscription or marketplace feature?

A migration is not automatically an improvement. It is worthwhile when the new setup solves a specific business or technical problem without creating greater operational risk.

2. Audit the Existing Shopify Store

Create a complete inventory before exporting anything. Do not rely only on the Shopify admin dashboard. Review the live website as a customer and use analytics and search tools to identify what matters.

Record the store structure

Document:

• Domain name and subdomains
• Main navigation menus
• Product URLs
• Collection URLs
• Blog URLs
• Static pages
• Contact and support pages
• Policy pages
• Product variants
• Product options
• Tags and filters
• Internal links
• Images and downloadable files
• Forms and lead-capture sections
• Customer login and account pages

Export the Shopify product data, customers and orders using Shopify’s available exports or an approved migration tool. Check the columns before importing. A CSV may include product titles, handles, descriptions, vendors, types, tags, variants, SKUs, prices, stock and image URLs, but the exact export structure can vary.

Do not assume that every product field will map neatly to WooCommerce.

Audit data quality

Migration is a good time to identify problems such as:

• Duplicate products
• Inconsistent SKU formats
• Missing weights or dimensions
• Incorrect tax settings
• Unused product variants
• Broken image links
• Empty meta descriptions
• Repeated product descriptions
• Old blog posts
• Discontinued products that still receive traffic
• Customers with duplicate records
• Cancelled or test orders
• Outdated policy pages

Decide what should be migrated, cleaned, redirected, archived or removed. Taking all old data into WooCommerce can make the new website harder to manage.

Back up the source store

Keep copies of:

• Product export files
• Customer export files
• Order export files
• Blog content
• Images and media
• URL lists
• Theme customisations
• SEO titles and descriptions
• Redirects
• App settings
• Legal and policy content
• Analytics and tracking configurations

Retain the original export files without editing them. Make a separate working copy for cleaning and mapping. If you use a third-party migration service, understand where the data is processed and how it is deleted after the project.

3. Prepare WooCommerce and WordPress

Set up the new store on a staging domain or private development environment. Do not build directly on the live domain while the Shopify store is serving customers.

Choose suitable hosting

Hosting affects store performance, backups and administration. The cheapest shared hosting plan may not be suitable for a catalogue with many products, high-resolution images, multiple plugins or frequent campaigns.

Check whether the hosting arrangement includes:

• SSL support
• Server-side backups
• Adequate PHP and database resources
• Staging functionality
• Malware monitoring
• Firewall options
• Support for cron jobs
• Database access
• Restore options
• A clear upgrade path

A WooCommerce site needs more than WordPress and a theme. The hosting environment, caching configuration, image handling and database maintenance all influence reliability.

Build the base WordPress setup

Install and configure:

• WordPress
• WooCommerce
• A lightweight, maintained theme
• A child theme if custom theme changes are required
• A security solution
• A backup system
• A caching solution suitable for the host
• An SEO plugin
• A contact or support form
• A cookie and privacy notice system where applicable

Use a separate staging environment for development. Keep plugins to the ones the store genuinely needs. Every additional plugin can create maintenance, compatibility and security concerns.

Plan the WooCommerce data model

Map Shopify concepts to WooCommerce concepts before importing.

The objective is not to reproduce the Shopify admin screen exactly. It is to create a clean structure that staff can use reliably.

4. Complete Product Migration Carefully

Product migration is one of the most visible parts of the project. A product can appear on the new website while still having incorrect stock, variant pricing, images, tax treatment or shipping information.

Clean the product catalogue

Before import, standardise:

• Product names
• SKU formats
• Variant names
• Product descriptions
• Image file names
• Product categories
• Brand or vendor fields
• HSN or tax-related fields where used
• Weight and dimensions
• Stock status
• Backorder rules
• Sale prices
• Related products

Use a consistent naming convention. For example, colour and size attributes should use the same spelling across the catalogue. “Black”, “black” and “Blk” can create messy filters and duplicate-looking options.

Check variations

WooCommerce variable products require careful mapping. For every product, verify:

• Parent product exists
• Each variation has the correct attribute
• SKU is unique where required
• Price is correct
• Sale price has the correct dates or rules
• Stock quantity is correct
• Stock status is correct
• Variation image is assigned
• Weight and dimensions are correct if shipping depends on them
• Out-of-stock behaviour is configured

If a Shopify product has many combinations, test whether all combinations are genuinely needed. Unused variations can make the product page difficult to use and increase the amount of data WooCommerce must process.

Rebuild images properly

Image URLs from Shopify may not remain suitable after migration. Download or import the images into the WordPress media library, check that they are attached to the correct products and generate appropriately sized versions.

Avoid uploading large original images without optimisation. Product images should be sharp enough for the customer but not unnecessarily large. Add meaningful alternative text where it helps accessibility and product understanding. Do not fill alt text with repeated keywords.

Review product content for Indian customers

Check that product pages clearly state:

• Price and whether applicable taxes are included
• Available sizes or quantities
• Delivery locations and exclusions
• COD availability
• Return or exchange conditions
• Warranty details
• Care instructions
• Customer support contact
• Expected dispatch information, if shown

If the product is regulated, medical, ingestible or subject to special claims, review the content with the appropriate professional before publishing it. A migration should not carry over claims that are no longer accurate or compliant.

5. Plan SEO Migration Before Changing URLs

SEO migration is a separate workstream, not a final-day task. If important Shopify URLs disappear without equivalent WooCommerce URLs and redirects, search engines and customers may encounter 404 pages.

Build a URL mapping file

Create a spreadsheet with at least these columns:

• Old URL
• New URL
• Page type
• Redirect type
• Priority
• Status
• Notes

Include:

• Product pages
• Collection or category pages
• Blog posts
• Important landing pages
• Guides and buying resources
• Frequently visited support pages

Shopify commonly uses URL patterns such as /products/ and /collections/, while WooCommerce commonly uses product and category structures configured in WordPress. You can choose a similar structure, but do not change URLs without a reason.

Map an old page to the closest relevant new page. Do not redirect every discontinued product to the homepage. If there is no suitable replacement, use a helpful category or information page where appropriate, and decide whether a permanent redirect is justified.

Preserve important SEO elements

Review and migrate:

• SEO titles
• Meta descriptions
• Main headings
• Product descriptions
• Canonical settings
• Image alt text
• Structured data
• Internal links
• Breadcrumbs
• XML sitemap settings
• Robots directives
• Open Graph information
• Blog publication dates

Titles and descriptions should be reviewed rather than copied blindly. Product names, availability and offers may have changed during the migration.

Implement redirects and test them

Set up permanent redirects from old URLs to their new equivalents. Avoid chains such as:

Old URL → temporary URL → new URL

Each important old URL should ideally resolve in one step to the correct destination. Test redirects in a spreadsheet or crawling tool and check:

• Products
• Categories
• Blog posts
• Trailing slash variations
• Uppercase and lowercase variations where relevant
• URLs with tracking parameters
• Old campaign links
• External links used in advertisements or social profiles

After launch, submit the new sitemap in Google Search Console, monitor indexing and review crawl errors. Search traffic can fluctuate after a major website change. Do not judge the migration from one day of data.

6. Recreate Indian Payments, GST and Shipping

The payment and fulfilment setup must be tested with Indian transactions before launch. A gateway may be installed correctly but still fail because of webhook, currency, SSL, domain or callback settings.

Configure payment methods

Depending on the business model, you may need:

• UPI
• Cards
• Net banking
• Wallets
• Cash on delivery
• Bank transfer
• Payment links
• EMI or pay-later options, if suitable
• International payments, if the business sells outside India

Indian gateway options may include Razorpay, Cashfree or other providers. Select based on the business’s eligibility, settlement needs, supported payment methods, refund process, documentation and integration quality. Confirm the current requirements directly with the gateway.

Test:

• Successful payment
• Failed payment
• Abandoned payment
• Duplicate callback
• Delayed confirmation
• Refund
• Partial refund, if supported
• COD order
• Order cancellation
• Customer and admin email notifications

Never test only with a successful card payment. Real failures and delayed callbacks reveal different problems.

Review GST and invoicing

WooCommerce tax configuration should match the business’s advice from its accountant or tax professional. Review:

• GST registration status
• Applicable tax rates
• Product classification and HSN information
• Intra-state and inter-state treatment
• Customer billing state
• Shipping address rules
• Tax-inclusive or tax-exclusive display
• GSTIN collection for business buyers
• Invoice numbering
• Credit notes and refunds
• Export or zero-rated scenarios where applicable

The correct treatment can depend on the product, customer, location, registration status and transaction type. A plugin can calculate or display tax, but it does not replace professional tax advice.

If the business needs GST invoices, ensure that the invoice includes the information required for its process. Check whether the invoice is generated at the correct stage, attached to the order email and available for download.

Rebuild shipping rules

Map Shopify shipping settings to WooCommerce zones and methods. Consider:

• State or regional delivery zones
• Pin-code serviceability
• Flat-rate shipping
• Free-shipping thresholds
• Weight-based shipping
• Product-specific shipping
• COD charges
• Remote-area surcharges
• Dispatch locations
• Return shipping
• Partial shipment handling

Indian shipping tools and aggregators may include Shiprocket, Delhivery, Blue Dart, DTDC and others, depending on the business and serviceable locations. Check the current integration and carrier coverage rather than assuming that an existing Shopify connection will work on WooCommerce.

Test a prepaid order, COD order, a multi-product order, an address with a difficult pin code, and an order that crosses the free-shipping threshold.

7. Migrate Customers, Orders and Marketing Tools

Customer and order data requires more care than a product import because it contains personal and transactional information.

Customer accounts and passwords

Customer records may include names, email addresses, phone numbers, addresses and order history. Passwords usually cannot be copied directly between platforms because the two systems may use different password security methods.

Plan for one of these approaches:

• Ask customers to create or reset their passwords
• Import customer records without passwords and trigger a reset
• Keep account migration limited to essential records
• Give customers a clear explanation before or after launch

Do not email customers their passwords. Review the data fields you import and avoid bringing in information that is not needed for the new store.

Order history

Decide how much order history should be moved. Options may include migrating all orders, importing recent orders, or retaining older records securely outside the customer-facing store.

If orders are imported, verify:

• Order dates
• Order numbers or reference numbers
• Customer association
• Product names and SKUs
• Quantity
• Tax
• Shipping charges
• Discounts
• Payment method
• Fulfilment status
• Refund status
• Notes
• Downloadable files, if applicable

Historical order data may need a different workflow from new WooCommerce orders. Do not accidentally send “new order” emails for old orders during the import.

Reconnect marketing systems

Check integrations for:

• Google Analytics
• Google Search Console
• Google Merchant Center
• Meta Pixel
• Meta catalogue
• Email marketing platform
• WhatsApp notifications
• SMS provider
• CRM
• Accounting software
• Customer support tool
• Product reviews
• Affiliate tracking
• Advertising conversion events

The tracking code and event names may change after the migration. Test view-content, add-to-cart, checkout and purchase events. Confirm that one order does not create duplicate purchase events.

For WhatsApp or SMS notifications, make sure messages are sent only for the intended order events and follow the provider’s consent and template requirements. Review privacy and marketing permissions under the business’s applicable obligations, including India’s data protection requirements.

8. Test the New Store Before Launch

Use a written test plan. Ask someone unfamiliar with the build to place an order because internal teams often overlook confusing steps they already know.

Test the customer journey

Test on current mobile and desktop browsers:

• Homepage
• Navigation
• Search
• Category pages
• Filters
• Product pages
• Variant selection
• Cart
• Coupon codes
• Address entry
• GSTIN field, if available
• Shipping calculation
• Payment
• COD
• Order confirmation
• Customer account
• Password reset
• Order history
• Contact forms
• Returns and support links

Check different screen sizes and slower mobile connections. Make sure buttons, error messages and payment instructions are understandable.

Test the admin workflow

The internal team should test:

• New order notifications
• Payment status
• Stock reduction
• Order editing
• Invoice generation
• Shipping label or fulfilment workflow
• Refunds
• Coupon management
• Product updates
• Bulk edits
• Customer support notes
• Backup restoration
• User roles and permissions

Verify that staff members have only the access they need. Avoid giving every user administrator access.

Check technical quality

Before launch, review:

• SSL certificate
• Redirects
• 404 pages
• Sitemap
• Robots.txt
• Canonical URLs
• Structured data
• Page speed
• Image loading
• Caching
• Database backups
• Security alerts
• Email delivery
• Contact forms
• Search indexing settings
• Staging no-index settings

Ensure that the staging site is not accidentally left open to search engines. When the live site is ready, remove unnecessary no-index directives and submit the correct sitemap.

9. Plan the Launch and First Weeks

Choose a launch window that suits order volume and staff availability. A late-night launch is not automatically safer if nobody is available to handle failed payments or customer questions.

Prepare a launch checklist

Before changing the domain or directing customers to the new store:

• Take a final Shopify export
• Record the latest products, stock and orders
• Pause catalogue changes during the final migration window
• Confirm the final redirect list
• Confirm payment gateway live credentials
• Confirm shipping credentials
• Confirm email sender settings
• Confirm backups
• Confirm domain and DNS access
• Confirm SSL
• Record the rollback plan
• Inform the support and fulfilment team

Decide how orders created during the cutover will be handled. If the Shopify store remains active while the final import takes place, you need a method to reconcile any new orders, customers, payments and stock changes.

Monitor after launch

For the first period after launch, monitor:

• Payment success and failure messages
• COD orders
• Order emails
• Stock changes
• Shipping-rate errors
• Refunds
• Contact form submissions
• 404 errors
• Redirects
• Search Console indexing
• Organic traffic
• Merchant feed errors
• Analytics purchase events
• Server response and uptime

Keep the Shopify store accessible in a controlled form until you are confident that all required data has been retained and the new workflow is stable. Do not keep two public stores serving the same catalogue without a clear reason, as this can create order and SEO confusion.

Common migration mistakes

The most frequent problems are avoidable:

• Starting development without a data inventory
• Assuming Shopify apps transfer automatically
• Importing products without checking variations
• Forgetting customer password migration
• Changing every URL without a redirect map
• Testing only successful payments
• Applying incorrect GST settings
• Ignoring COD workflows
• Leaving staging pages indexable
• Sending old imported orders as new notifications
• Installing too many plugins
• Failing to document who manages backups and updates
• Taking down the old store before the new store is tested

A checklist is useful only when each item has an owner and a status. Add columns for responsible person, due date, test result and approval.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Shopify to WooCommerce migration suitable for a small Indian business?

It can be suitable when the business needs more control over its website, content or integrations and has a plan for hosting and maintenance. It may be less suitable if the team wants a fully managed platform with minimal technical administration. Compare the expected flexibility with the ongoing work of updates, backups, security and troubleshooting.

Can all Shopify products and customers be migrated?

Most standard product and customer fields can usually be exported and mapped, but the result depends on the data structure and the migration method. Product variations, custom fields, customer passwords, subscriptions and app-specific data often need separate handling. Always test a sample import before migrating the full catalogue.

Will SEO rankings remain the same after migration?

No migration can guarantee unchanged rankings. The risk can be reduced by preserving useful content, mapping important URLs, implementing redirects, checking canonicals and monitoring Search Console after launch. Avoid making unnecessary changes to URLs, page content and site structure at the same time.

Can Shopify customer passwords be moved to WooCommerce?

In many cases, passwords cannot be transferred directly because the platforms use different password storage methods. Customers may need to activate their accounts or reset their passwords. Communicate this clearly and do not send passwords by email.

What happens to Shopify apps during the migration?

Shopify apps do not automatically become WooCommerce plugins. For every important app, identify an equivalent WooCommerce extension, a custom feature or a new manual process. Check recurring charges, data ownership, integrations and compatibility before choosing a replacement.

How long does a Shopify migration take?

The duration depends on catalogue size, data quality, custom functionality, SEO requirements, payment and shipping integrations, and the amount of testing required. A small store with clean data may require less preparation than a larger store with subscriptions, multiple warehouses or complex tax rules. Treat the launch date as a project decision based on readiness, not only on development progress.

Where to Start

Begin with a store audit and a written data inventory. Export the Shopify catalogue, customers, orders, URLs and content, then create a mapping document for products, categories, redirects, payments, GST workflows and shipping rules.

Next, build WooCommerce on staging and migrate a small sample. Test product variations, customer accounts, invoices, prepaid payments, COD, shipping, emails and redirects before importing the complete store.

Keep the final launch checklist assigned to specific people, and retain backups of the original Shopify data. For help planning a Shopify to WooCommerce migration for an Indian store, talk to the Govindani Infotech team on WhatsApp; project pricing is confirmed by the team there.