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E-commerce · Migration

Moving from BigCommerce to Shopify without losing ground

The data is the easy part. Feature mapping and URL redirects decide whether the move goes well.

Map features before moving data

Modifiers need a Shopify plan

Redirect root-level product URLs

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The short answer

A BigCommerce to Shopify migration has three parts: move the data (products, customers, orders, pages and blog posts), replace the features BigCommerce gave you built in, and protect your search traffic with 301 redirects. The data move is the easy part. The work is in mapping BigCommerce product options and modifiers to Shopify variants, finding apps for features such as B2B price lists, and redirecting URLs, because BigCommerce product URLs often sit at the root of your domain while Shopify puts every product under /products/. Plan those three, run a test migration, and launch only after test orders work end to end.

Why stores move, and when they should not

Businesses usually move from BigCommerce to Shopify for the larger app and theme ecosystem, an easier editor for marketing teams, Shopify’s checkout and Shop Pay, or because their agency and staff already know Shopify. Those are good reasons.

Be more careful if your store depends on things BigCommerce handles natively and Shopify handles through apps or the Plus plan, such as complex B2B pricing, several storefronts from one back end, or products with many option types. Moving still works, but the cost and effort shift from the platform fee to apps and setup. Price that out before you commit.

Map features before you move data

Make a two-column list: what you use on BigCommerce today, and how Shopify will do it. The usual trouble spots:

  • Options vs modifiers. BigCommerce separates variant options (which create SKUs with their own stock) from modifiers (text fields, checkboxes, add-on choices that do not track stock). Shopify variants cover the first. Modifiers usually need line item properties or a product options app.
  • Variant limits. Shopify now allows up to 2,048 variants per product, raised from 100 in October 2025, but each product is still limited to three option types. A product with size, color, material and finish needs to be split or handled by an app.
  • Custom fields. BigCommerce custom fields and metafields map to Shopify metafields, which you define first and then fill during import.
  • B2B and customer groups. Price lists, customer-group pricing and quote requests may need Shopify Plus B2B features or a wholesale app.
  • Multi-storefront. If you run several brands from one BigCommerce back end, decide whether that becomes several Shopify stores or one store with markets.
  • Theme. BigCommerce Stencil themes do not transfer. Expect to choose or build a Shopify theme.
  • Integrations. Accounting, ERP, shipping and email connectors must be reconnected, and some are different products on Shopify.

Move the data in the right order

Shopify’s migration guidance is to import products first, then customers, then historical orders, so orders link to the right products and customers. Pages, blog posts and gift cards can follow in any order.

  1. Products. Export from BigCommerce, convert to Shopify’s product CSV format or use a migration app. Check that every variant has a unique SKU and that image URLs load.
  2. Customers. Shopify’s customer CSV accepts names, addresses, tags and email marketing consent as yes or no. Passwords cannot be migrated; Shopify’s newer customer accounts sign in with an emailed one-time code, which avoids forced resets.
  3. Orders. Historical orders need a migration app or the Shopify API. Turn off staff new-order notifications first, or every imported order sends an email.
  4. Content. Pages and blog posts come across with a migration app or by hand. Rewrite thin pages rather than copying them.
  5. Gift cards and store credit. Move outstanding balances and test that customers can redeem them.

Run the whole thing once on a development store, check a sample of products and customers by hand, then run the final import close to launch so recent orders are included.

Protect your URLs and rankings

URL changes are where BigCommerce migrations lose traffic. A product at yourstore.com/blue-widget/ becomes yourstore.com/products/blue-widget. A category at /widgets/ becomes /collections/widgets. Blog posts move to /blogs/news/ or your blog’s handle. Every one of those needs a 301 redirect.

  • Crawl the BigCommerce site and pull URL data from Google Search Console so you include pages that get impressions, not just pages in your menu.
  • Map each old URL to its closest new match. Redirecting everything to the homepage throws away the ranking value of each page.
  • Bulk import the list in Shopify under Content, Menus, URL redirects. Standard plans allow up to 100,000 redirects; Plus allows up to 20 million.
  • Shopify redirects only trigger when the old path would otherwise return a 404, and URLs with query strings may not work as expected. Test faceted and filtered URLs separately.
  • Keep product titles, descriptions and meta descriptions the same at launch. Improve them later, once rankings settle.

After launch, submit /sitemap.xml in Search Console, watch the Pages report for new 404s, and fix them weekly for the first month.

Planning a move off BigCommerce?Book a free 30-minute call and we will review your catalog, apps and URLs and tell you where the risk is.

Shopify or Shopify Plus?

Larger BigCommerce stores, especially Enterprise customers, often compare Shopify Plus. As of 2026, Shopify’s pricing page lists Plus with unlimited staff accounts and a fully customizable checkout, and Shopify’s help center gives Plus a much higher redirect limit. Plus is also where Shopify’s fuller B2B features sit. A store with straightforward retail sales and one storefront usually does well on a standard plan. Compare the yearly total, including apps that replace BigCommerce’s built-in features, rather than plan fees alone.

Cutover checklist

  • Test orders for every payment method, shipping zone, tax setting and discount type.
  • Confirm that order confirmation and shipping emails carry your branding and correct details.
  • Rebuild abandoned checkout and post-purchase email flows in your email tool.
  • Check that orders and inventory sync with accounting and fulfillment.
  • Update your Google Merchant Center feed and ad final URLs to the new paths.
  • Lower DNS time-to-live the day before, switch the domain during a quiet window, and keep BigCommerce active long enough to pull any late data.

How JLB USA can help

JLB USA builds on Shopify, Shopify Plus and BigCommerce, so we can tell you honestly whether moving makes sense for your store. We have built websites for growing businesses for more than 15 years, with 500+ clients and 1,000+ projects. When we move a store we set up redirects from old pages so rankings carry over, and you can edit your own store and keep it if you leave. We also connect stores to accounting, CRM and ERP through our systems integration work. Learn more about our web design and e-commerce services, or see our Magento to Shopify checklist for a similar move.

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Questions we hear

Can I migrate from BigCommerce to Shopify without losing SEO?

Yes, if you redirect every old URL to its closest new page with a 301, keep titles and content consistent at launch, and monitor Google Search Console for 404s afterward.

Does Shopify have a BigCommerce import tool?

As of 2026, Shopify’s Store Migration app lists platforms such as WooCommerce, Square, Wix and Etsy, but not BigCommerce, and Shopify’s help center has no BigCommerce-specific guide. Most stores use CSV imports for products and customers and a third-party migration app for orders, content and larger catalogs.

What happens to BigCommerce product modifiers on Shopify?

Options that create stock-tracked SKUs become Shopify variants. Modifiers such as text fields or add-on choices usually need line item properties or a product options app.

Do I need Shopify Plus if I am on BigCommerce Enterprise?

Not always. Plus suits stores that need fuller B2B features, a very large number of redirects, checkout customization or many staff accounts. Simpler retail stores often fit a standard plan.

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