Migrating from Akinon to Shopify is the process of moving from Turkey's leading enterprise e-commerce infrastructure to a globally scalable platform. This migration involves transferring the product catalog, customer data, order history, and SEO authority to the new platform while preserving them. A migration carried out without proper planning can lead to both data loss and a decline in organic traffic.
What is Akinon and Who Uses It?
Akinon is a headless architecture enterprise e-commerce platform established in Turkey in 2013. It serves large retailers with its OMS (Order Management System), PIM (Product Information Management), and omnichannel sales management features. Brands such as LC Waikiki, Migros, Marks & Spencer Turkey, and Boyner are among those using the Akinon infrastructure.
The platform is designed to centrally manage large operations and multi-channel (physical store + online) sales. However, for brands below a certain volume, Akinon's setup and maintenance costs may become prohibitive, making the transition to a more flexible platform like Shopify a valuable option.
Why Switch from Akinon to Shopify?
The fundamental differences between the two platforms are clear, and the decision to switch is typically driven by the following dynamics:
Triggers for the transition decision:
- Goal of expanding into international markets: Shopify's multi-language, multi-currency, and tax infrastructure is much more ready to use compared to Akinon.
- Greater application needs: Global SaaS integrations such as Klaviyo, Yotpo, Gorgias, and ReCharge can be set up in minutes via the Shopify App Store.
- Cost optimization: For mid-sized brands, Akinon's enterprise license cost can be significantly higher than Shopify Advanced or Plus.
- Developer independence: Shopify's extensive global developer ecosystem eliminates the problem of finding resources.
Important Note: Akinon is still a powerful platform for large omnichannel operations. Brands that process 10,000+ orders per day and have multiple physical stores should perform a full cost-benefit analysis before migrating away from Akinon.
What Gets Migrated When Moving from Akinon to Shopify?
Clearly defining the migration scope determines the project's success. Data to be transferred from Akinon to Shopify is grouped into five main categories:
1. Product Catalog
- Product titles, descriptions, SKUs
- Variants (color, size, material)
- Images (main image + additional images)
- Price information (list price, discounted price)
- Stock quantities
- Meta titles and meta descriptions (critical for SEO)
- Collection/category relationships
2. Customer Data
- First name, last name, email, phone number
- Registered address information
- Account creation dates
- KVKK compliance: seek legal advice before transferring customer data
3. Order History
- Completed orders (date, amount, products)
- Return records
- Note: Shopify does not natively import old orders; third-party tools or API are required
4. Content and Blog Posts
- Blog articles (if any)
- Static pages (About Us, Contact, Policies)
5. SEO Assets
- Current URL structure
- Meta titles and descriptions
- Canonical URLs
- 301 redirect map (the most critical step)
Transitioning from Akinon to Shopify: Step-by-Step Process
Step 1: Document the Current Akinon Structure
Before starting the migration, thoroughly document the current state:
- List of all active URLs (using a site crawl tool: Screaming Frog or Sitebulb)
- List of pages receiving organic traffic from Google Search Console
- Current rankings (export from SEMrush or Ahrefs)
- Number of products, number of categories, number of customers
- List of active integrations (payment, shipping, accounting, ERP)
This document forms the basis of the post-migration checklist. Migrating without documentation makes it impossible to see what has been lost.
Step 2: Prepare the Shopify Store
Set up the basic structure of your Shopify store before starting the data migration process:
- Select your Shopify plan (Advanced or Plus for medium-sized brands)
- Connect the domain name or prepare DNS settings
- Select and customize the theme (refer to Akinon's design logic)
- Set up payment integration (İyzico or PayTR)
- Create shipping profiles
Step 3: Transfer the Product Catalog
Product data from Akinon is typically exported using two methods:
Method A: CSV Export Export products from the Akinon admin panel in CSV format. Arrange the columns according to Shopify's product import template. Basic columns: Handle, Title, Body (HTML), Vendor, Type, Tags, Published, Option1 Name, Option1 Value, Variant SKU, Variant Price, Image Src.
Method B: API Integration You can pull product data via Akinon's REST API and write it to the Shopify Admin API. This method is more reliable for large catalogs (10,000+ products) and preserves image links.
Technical Note: A product can have a maximum of 100 variants in Shopify. This limit is higher in Akinon. If you have products with 100+ variants, you may need to restructure your product.
Step 4: Preserve SEO — 301 Redirect Map
The most common mistake when migrating from Akinon to Shopify is changing the URL structure. When the old URLs indexed by Google return a 404 error, organic traffic plummets within weeks.
The URL structure typically changes as follows:
Set up a 301 redirect in Shopify for each old URL. In Shopify, you can do this via the Navigation > URL Redirects menu or with a bulk CSV import. For 1,000+ redirects, Shopify Plus's Bulk Redirects feature or third-party apps (Easy Redirects) are more practical.
301 redirect checklist:
- All product pages
- All collection/category pages
- Blog posts
- Static pages
- Homepage (if necessary)
Step 5: Re-establish Integrations
Identify the Shopify equivalents of the integrations running in Akinon:
Step 6: Verify in Test Environment
Keep your Shopify store password-protected before going live and perform the following tests:
- Check at least 10 product pages from each category
- Complete a test order from start to finish
- Test the mobile experience on different devices and browsers
- Verify that 301 redirects are working using tools (Screaming Frog)
- Measure page load speed using Google PageSpeed Insights
Step 7: Make the Switch and Monitor SEO
Best time for going live: low-traffic period (2:00 AM–6:00 AM or off-season). Redirect the domain to Shopify, submit the new sitemap to Google Search Console, and monitor the following metrics daily for the first 30 days:
- Organic traffic (GSC > Performance)
- Crawl errors (GSC > Coverage)
- 404 pages (GSC > Not Found)
- Core Web Vitals score
Common Mistakes When Migrating from Akinon to Shopify
Mistake 1: Migrating without 301 redirects The most common and most damaging mistake. Without redirects, all old URLs will return 404 errors; Google will begin removing these pages from its index.
Mistake 2: Not re-optimizing product images Images exported from Akinon are often large file sizes. When transferring to Shopify, convert them to WebP and compress them to a maximum width of 2048px.
Mistake 3: Attempting to transfer customer passwords Shopify does not import hashed passwords for security reasons. You must send customers a password reset email after the migration.
Error 4: Closing the old Akinon store immediately after migration Keep the old store accessible for at least 30 days. It serves as a reference point if missing redirects or data loss are detected.
FAQ: Migrating from Akinon to Shopify
How long does migration from Akinon to Shopify take? It depends on the catalog size and number of integrations. A store with fewer than 500 products can be migrated in 2–4 weeks. Projects with 5,000+ products, active ERP integration, and numerous 301 redirects may take 2–4 months. Parallel operation (old store open, new store in testing phase) is recommended for a seamless transition.
Will customer reviews accumulated on Akinon be transferred to Shopify? Akinon's built-in review system is not directly compatible with Shopify. Reviews can be exported as CSV and imported into applications such as Judge.me or Yotpo. However, original source verification may be lost; this should be evaluated in terms of trust.
Is it possible to maintain SEO rankings? A properly executed migration preserves organic traffic to a large extent. Setting up complete 301 redirects, transferring meta data, and submitting the sitemap to Google are critical steps. Nevertheless, minor ranking fluctuations are normal for 4–8 weeks after the transition.
Will custom developments in Akinon be transferred to Shopify? Custom components written for Akinon will not work directly in Shopify. They need to be redeveloped using Shopify's Liquid template language and API. Make a list of these customizations and prioritize which ones are truly necessary.
How is the transition from Akinon to Shopify done? The transition from Akinon to Shopify consists of four main stages: documenting the existing structure, transferring product and customer data, defining 301 redirects to preserve SEO, and re-establishing integrations. The most critical step is URL redirection; without it, organic traffic will drop significantly within weeks.
Akinon or Shopify: which platform is better? Akinon is designed for corporate brands with a strong omnichannel retail structure and high order volume. Shopify is advantageous for brands that want to expand globally, need a broad application ecosystem, and seek a more flexible cost structure. The two platforms cater to different needs; the right choice depends on brand size, growth goals, and technical capacity.
Will there be SEO loss when migrating from Akinon to Shopify? There is no permanent SEO loss with a properly executed migration. Organic traffic is largely preserved provided that 301 redirects are fully defined, meta data is transferred, and the new sitemap is reported to Search Console. A small fluctuation of 4–8 weeks after the migration is normal and will resolve once Google completes indexing the new structure.
Expert Support for Migrating from Akinon to Shopify
Migrating from Akinon to Shopify is a strategic decision that requires technical expertise. A planned approach is essential to preserve data integrity, transfer SEO authority, and minimize integration disruptions.
At Nodus Works, we manage end-to-end migration projects for brands transitioning from Akinon to Shopify in Turkey. If you want to plan your transition from Akinon to Shopify, explore our migration services and contact us for a free preliminary assessment.
