WooCommerce to Shopify migrations in South Africa
Move from WooCommerce to Shopify without treating the migration as a simple export
Cape Wired plans and implements WooCommerce to Shopify migrations for established product businesses. The work covers data, catalogue structure, design, redirects, integrations, testing and launch so the new Shopify store is built around the operation you need now, not copied blindly from the old site.
Founder-led support for Cape Town, the Western Cape and ecommerce businesses across South Africa.
More than moving CSV files
A platform migration is part data project, part rebuild and part launch operation
WooCommerce and Shopify organise products, variants, categories, content, customer accounts and extensions differently. A direct copy can carry old structural problems into the new platform or leave important data and functionality behind.
Cape Wired starts by reviewing what the current store contains, how the business operates and which information genuinely needs to move. The new Shopify architecture is then planned around product discovery, day-to-day management, delivery, payments, reporting and future growth.
The migration plan separates data that can be imported, content that needs restructuring, features that require a Shopify app or custom development, and legacy elements that should not be rebuilt at all.
What the migration can include
A complete move from the old platform to a maintainable Shopify operation
The final scope depends on catalogue size, product complexity, customer and order data, plugins, content, integrations and the condition of the existing WordPress site. Essential migration work is agreed before implementation begins.
Discovery and data audit
Understand what exists, what is reliable and what needs to be rebuilt.
- Product, variant and category review
- Customer and historical-order requirements
- Plugin, integration and custom-field audit
- Content, media and URL inventory
Shopify architecture
Reorganise the store around Shopify and the way customers actually browse.
- Navigation and collection planning
- Product types, tags and metafields
- Filtering and search requirements
- Content and internal-link structure
Product and customer data
Clean, transform, import and validate the agreed records.
- Product and variant data preparation
- Images, SKUs, pricing and stock checks
- Customer-data migration where required
- Import reports and exception handling
Theme and storefront build
Create a new Shopify storefront rather than reproducing the old WordPress theme.
- Theme setup and visual system
- Homepage, product and collection templates
- Responsive mobile and tablet layouts
- Custom Liquid sections where justified
Payments, delivery and integrations
Configure the systems needed for the South African operation.
- Payment-gateway setup support
- Courier, shipping and local-delivery rules
- Collection and fulfilment requirements
- Email, reviews, analytics and app setup
Redirects, testing and launch
Reduce avoidable disruption when the domain moves to Shopify.
- Priority URL mapping and redirect import
- Test orders, payments and notifications
- Analytics, forms and tracking checks
- Domain switch and post-launch review
What needs careful mapping
Not every WooCommerce feature or record has a direct Shopify equivalent
These areas are reviewed early because they can materially affect scope, timing, app costs and the launch plan.
Complex products and variants
Product add-ons, unusual option structures, bundles, subscriptions and custom pricing may need a different Shopify data model or app setup.
Customer accounts and passwords
Customer records can be migrated when correctly prepared, but existing passwords cannot simply be transferred. The account transition must be communicated and tested properly.
Historical orders and reviews
Order history, reviews and other plugin-managed records may require a specialist migration app, manual work or an agreed archive approach.
URLs, content and WordPress features
Shopify URL structures differ from WordPress. Blog posts, pages, downloadable content and important landing pages need deliberate mapping.
WooCommerce to Shopify migration pricing
Starting prices that reflect the catalogue, data and operational risk involved
Migration pricing cannot be based on product count alone. Variant complexity, customer data, historical orders, plugins, content, redirects, integrations and the condition of the existing site all affect the workload.
Migration Essentials
For a smaller WooCommerce store with a manageable catalogue, standard products and limited custom functionality.
- Discovery and migration plan
- Core product-data preparation and import
- Shopify theme setup and key templates
- Essential payment and delivery configuration
- Priority redirects, testing and launch
Growth Store Migration
For an established ecommerce business that needs stronger architecture, richer templates and a broader data and redirect scope.
- Detailed data and plugin audit
- Catalogue, collections and navigation rebuild
- Customer-data and selected content migration
- Custom sections and integration setup
- Detailed redirect, test and launch plan
Large or Complex Migration
For large catalogues, historical orders, subscriptions, bundles, wholesale requirements, multiple integrations or substantial custom work.
- Large or inconsistent data sets
- Specialist migration apps or scripts
- Complex product and customer requirements
- Extensive redirect and SEO safeguards
- Phased testing and controlled cutover
Pricing is shown in South African rand. Shopify subscriptions, premium themes, paid apps, migration-tool licences, third-party integration fees, photography, extensive copywriting, product-data remediation and any applicable taxes are excluded unless stated in the proposal. Very large or technically unusual migrations may be priced on request after an audit.
Migration process
A phased move that keeps the current WooCommerce store trading until launch
Audit the existing store
Review data, plugins, URLs, integrations, content, catalogue structure and current operational constraints.
Define the migration map
Agree what will be imported, rebuilt, archived, replaced by an app or excluded from the new store.
Build the Shopify store
Configure the theme, navigation, collections, templates, payments, delivery and required integrations.
Import and validate data
Prepare and import agreed records, then check products, variants, images, customers and exceptions.
Test the full operation
Complete mobile, navigation, search, cart, payment, delivery, email, analytics and admin checks.
Complete the final cutover
Update time-sensitive data, apply redirects, switch the domain and complete post-launch checks.
Migration SEO safeguards
Changing platforms should not mean abandoning every URL and search signal
WooCommerce and Shopify use different URL structures, so important product, category, page and article URLs need to be mapped to their most relevant new destinations. Redirects should be prepared before launch and checked after the domain switch.
The migration can also include checks for page titles, descriptions, headings, internal links, image handling, structured content, analytics and Search Console. These steps reduce avoidable risk, but rankings and traffic cannot be guaranteed.
Who the service is for
Best suited to established product businesses that need a more manageable platform
A strong fit
- WooCommerce administration has become slow, fragile or difficult to maintain
- The store depends on too many plugins or repeated technical workarounds
- You need implementation as well as migration advice
- The catalogue and customer journey need restructuring during the move
- You can provide data access, operational knowledge and timely decisions
Probably not the right fit
- You only want the cheapest possible automated data transfer
- The new site must copy the current WordPress design exactly
- You expect every plugin to have an identical Shopify replacement
- There is no internal owner for products, content or approvals
- You expect guaranteed rankings, revenue or uninterrupted visibility
Relevant migration experience
Direct experience moving a complex ecommerce operation from WooCommerce to Shopify
Cape Wired's migration process is informed by operating ecommerce businesses, managing large catalogues and dealing with the commercial consequences of platform decisions.
WooCommerce to Shopify migration for a complex craft-beer catalogue
Migrated the business in May 2025, rebuilt catalogue management and continued developing the Shopify operation with around 1,000 live products.
Earlier platform rebuild and long-term Shopify operation
Rebuilt a specialist direct-to-consumer business on Shopify and managed its technical, operational and commercial development through growth and eventual sale.
Ongoing Shopify theme, template and SEO implementation
Built reusable Liquid sections, richer product and collection templates and content structures around the needs of an active product brand.
Related Shopify services
Support for the build, search and custom functionality around the migration
Shopify store builds
Plan and build the new Shopify storefront, catalogue architecture and launch setup around the needs of the business.
See Shopify Store BuildsCustom Liquid development
Build reusable sections, templates and features where standard Shopify theme settings do not cover the operational requirement.
See Custom Liquid DevelopmentEcommerce SEO
Strengthen product, collection and content search foundations during the migration or through a separate post-launch programme.
See Ecommerce SEOWooCommerce to Shopify migration FAQ
Questions about moving an ecommerce store from WooCommerce to Shopify
How much does a WooCommerce to Shopify migration cost?
Smaller migrations start from R35,000, established growth-store migrations from R60,000 and larger or more complex projects from R90,000. The final proposal depends on catalogue size, data quality, product complexity, integrations, content, redirects and historical-order requirements.
How long does a WooCommerce to Shopify migration take?
A focused migration commonly takes several weeks. Larger catalogues, complex product data, custom functionality, slow content approvals and extensive integration work can extend the timeline. The schedule is confirmed after the discovery and data audit.
Can the WooCommerce store keep trading during the migration?
Usually, yes. The Shopify store can be built separately while the current WooCommerce store continues trading. A final data update and controlled domain switch are then planned for launch, with the exact approach based on order volume and integration requirements.
Can products, customers and orders all be migrated?
Products and customers can usually be migrated after the data is prepared for Shopify. Historical orders often require a specialist migration app or another agreed method. The audit confirms what can move cleanly, what needs transformation and what should be retained as an archive.
Will customer passwords move to Shopify?
Existing customer passwords cannot be imported from WooCommerce through a standard customer CSV because passwords are encrypted outside Shopify. Customers may need to activate or access their Shopify accounts using the account method configured for the new store.
What happens to WooCommerce plugins and custom functionality?
Plugins are not transferred directly. Each important function is reviewed and either handled through Shopify's native features, a suitable app, custom Liquid or a separate integration. Some legacy functionality may be simplified or removed where it no longer provides commercial value.
Can the same domain be used after the migration?
Yes. The existing domain can normally be connected to Shopify at launch. The domain switch is coordinated with redirects, DNS changes, email checks, analytics and post-launch testing so the transition is controlled.
Can you protect existing SEO during the move?
Cape Wired maps important URLs, prepares redirects and reviews metadata, headings, internal links, content, analytics and Search Console before and after launch. These safeguards reduce avoidable risk, but rankings and traffic cannot be guaranteed because search performance depends on factors beyond the migration itself.
Planning a move from WooCommerce to Shopify?
Share the current store, approximate catalogue size, customer and order requirements, important plugins, integrations and the problems you want the new platform to solve. Cape Wired will review the project and recommend a practical migration scope.