Migrating from WooCommerce to Shopify: Technical Guide, Cost Analysis, and SEO Protection Strategy

Switching from WooCommerce to Shopify is one of the most common migration scenarios we encounter in the e-commerce world in Turkey. The flexibility of the WordPress infrastructure translates into increasing complexity and maintenance burden over time, while Shopify eliminates this burden by offering a managed, scalable infrastructure.

This guide covers all WooCommerce-specific migration steps, critical differences to note, and post-migration technical configurations.

‍

What you will learn in this guide:

— Key differences in WooCommerce and Shopify architecture

— Transfer of product, customer, order and blog content

— Converting the WooCommerce attribute structure to Shopify

— WordPress/WooCommerce URL structure and 301 redirect strategy

— Matching plugin payoffs to Shopify apps

1. WooCommerce and Shopify: Architectural Differences

Understanding the key architectural differences of the two platforms before planning Migration allows you to anticipate potential problems.

Topic

WooCommerce

Shopify

Infrastructure

Self-hosted (WordPress)

Managed SaaS

Database

MySQL (WordPress DB)

Built-in Shopify database

URL Structure

Fully customizable

Fixed structure (/products/, /collections/, etc.)

Product Variants

Attribute + variation system

Option + variant system (max. 100 variants)

Category System

Hierarchical taxonomies

Flat collection structure

Blog

Native WordPress blog

Shopify blog (simplified)

Plugins / Apps

60,000+ WordPress plugins

8,000+ Shopify apps

Development Language

PHP, WordPress hooks

Liquid, Shopify APIs

Maintenance

Updates, security, and hosting managed by store owner

Managed by the platform

Brands switching from WooCommerce to Shopify often change platforms due to maintenance burden and performance issues. Shopify's fixed URL structure requires discipline on the SEO side, but with proper redirect planning, organic loss can be minimized.

2. WooCommerce Inventory Before Migration

2.1 List of Existing Plugins and Shopify Rewards

For each plugin in your WooCommerce store, you need to set a match in Shopify. The following table lists the most common plugin-application pairings:

WooCommerce Plugins → Shopify App Equivalents

Identifying the Shopify equivalents of the plugins used in your WooCommerce store is one of the most critical steps in migration planning. Below are the most common plugin mappings.

WooCommerce Plugin	Category	Shopify Equivalent
Yoast SEO	SEO	SEO Manager, Plug in SEO
WooCommerce Subscriptions	Subscriptions	Bold Subscriptions, Recharge
WPML	Multilingual	Langify, Transcy
WooCommerce Bookings	Appointments	Sesami, BookThatApp
Gravity Forms	Forms	Typeform, HubSpot Forms
WooCommerce Product Filter	Filtering	Boost Commerce, Searchie
Mailchimp for WooCommerce	Email Marketing	Klaviyo, Mailchimp for Shopify
WooCommerce PDF Invoices	Invoicing	Sufio, Order Printer Pro
WooCommerce Bundles	Product Bundles	Bundler, Bold Bundles
WooCommerce Wishlists	Wishlist	Wishlist Hero, Growave

Not every WooCommerce plugin may have a one-to-one value on Shopify. Before migration, functional needs analysis should be carried out and the application stack should be simplified. Using too many apps in Shopify can lead to performance and cost risks.

‍

2.2 WordPress URL Structure Analysis

Scan the URL structure of your WooCommerce store with Screaming Frog. A 301 redirect will be required for all URLs that do not conform to Shopify's fixed URL structure. Pay special attention to:

/product-category/ → /collections/ (category pages)
/product/ → /products/ (product pages)
/shop/ → /collections/all or home
/? page_id=X → related Shopify page
/blog/ or/? cat=x → /blogs/ [handle]/

3. Data Transfer

3.1 Product Transfer: WooCommerce-Specific Challenges

WooCommerce's attribute+variation system works differently than Shopify's option+variant structure. This transformation is the most critical technical step of migration.

WooCommerce Attribute → Shopify Option Conversion:

Unlimited attributes (Color, Size, Material, Style...) can be defined in WooCommerce.

Shopify can have a maximum of 3 options and 100 variants on a product.

Redesign products with more than 3 attributes before migration.

Two tools are recommended to convert WooCommerce products to Shopify format:

Cart2Cart: Automatic migration service from WooCommerce to Shopify. Paid, priced according to the number of products.
Matrixify: Bulk transfer in Shopify CSV format. It provides more control but requires technical knowledge.

3.2 Transfer of Blog Content

There are several approaches to importing WordPress blog content from WooCommerce to Shopify:

Export blog posts from WordPress as XML (Tools > Export).
Use a tool or script that converts WordPress XML to Shopify blog CSV format.
Install with Shopify Admin > Online Store > Blog Posts > Import.

Important: Loss of WordPress content richness

Shopify's blog engine isn't as powerful as WordPress. Custom post type, advanced category structure, and advanced content blocks are limited in WooCommerce, while Shopify is possible. Manually check your SEO-critical blog content.

3.3 Customer and Order Data

Export WooCommerce customers as CSV (WooCommerce > Reports > Customers or via a plugin). Import to Shopify with the standard customer CSV format.

Matrixify Pro is available for WooCommerce order history; however, in the vast majority, it is preferable to keep the WooCommerce site open as an archive rather than moving past orders.

4. SEO Protection

4.1 Transferring WordPress SEO Data

To migrate meta title and description data you created with Yoast SEO or RankMath to Shopify:

Export all metadata as CSV through the WordPress plugin.
Add SEO Title and SEO Description columns to Shopify product/collection CSV.
Import data by matching.

4.2 Structural Data (Schema Markup) Reconstruction

Structural data that you create with Yoast or Schema Pro in WooCommerce is reset when you migrate to Shopify. Check if your Shopify theme auto-generates Product, BreadCrumblist, and Organization schemas; if it doesn't, add them again with an SEO app or theme customization.

4.3 Conversion from.htaccess to Shopify Redirect

In WordPress, you need to import your 301 redirects managed from.htaccess to Shopify URL Redirects manually or via CSV. For more than 1,000 redirects, use Shopify Admin > Navigation > URL Redirects > Import CSV method.

5. Technical Configuration

5.1 Payment and Shipping

Set up Shopify accounts for the payment plugins you use in WooCommerce. Setup iyzico or PayTR integration for Turkey. For shipping settings, redefine your weight-based or fixed price rules in WooCommerce in Shopify Shipping.

5.2 Stock and Inventory Synchronization

In the transition from WooCommerce to Shopify, you can import stock numbers by including them in the product CSV. If you're syncing inventory with an external ERP or accounting system, you'll need to set up the integration on the Shopify side as well.

6. Alive and Post-Transition

6.1 Archiving Instead of Shutting Down a WordPress Site

We recommend keeping your WooCommerce site open in archive mode for a few months instead of shutting down completely. There are two reasons for this: past order reference in customer support requests and time for Google to fully process new redirects.

6.2 Tracking Metrics

Track crawl errors and 404s daily in Google Search Console
Perform organic traffic comparison weekly (previous period vs. after)
Compare conversion rate (CVR) to WooCommerce period
Verify that the most important product and category pages are indexed

Is Migrating from WooCommerce to Shopify a Smart Move? (Decision Framework)

Not every WooCommerce store needs to migrate to Shopify. The decision should be based on technical, operational, and financial criteria. The framework below helps determine whether your business is ready for migration.

Evaluation Criteria

Monthly hosting and maintenance cost
Dependency on technical teams
WordPress update and security risks
Site speed and performance issues
Scalability limitations
Multi-store or multi-country requirements
B2B or wholesale infrastructure needs

Decision Matrix

Scenario	Is Migration Logical?	Reason
Monthly technical maintenance cost exceeds 800 USD	Yes	Shopify’s fixed-cost SaaS model reduces operational overhead.
Risk of site breaking after every update	Yes	Shopify manages infrastructure updates centrally.
100,000+ products with complex custom development	Depends	Requires Shopify Plus or custom architectural planning.
Simple catalog with low traffic	No (not urgent)	WooCommerce may remain sustainable in its current state.
International expansion plans	Yes	Shopify Markets and multi-currency management provide advantages.
B2B pricing and wholesale system requirements	Yes	Shopify Plus B2B module or specialized apps offer a more stable solution.

WooCommerce vs Shopify: Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) – Turkey-Focused Scenario

The most critical factor in a migration decision is total cost of ownership. The table below presents an average scenario for a mid-sized e-commerce business operating in Turkey.

Cost Item	WooCommerce (Monthly Avg.)	Shopify (Monthly Avg.)
Hosting	60 – 160 USD	Included
Premium Plugin Licenses	40 – 120 USD	App costs: 30 – 100 USD
Developer Maintenance	200 – 500 USD	Generally not required (optional development)
Security & Update Management	Additional cost	Included
Platform Fee	None	Basic / Advanced plan: 30 – 120 USD
Payment Processing Fees	iyzico / PayTR rates	iyzico / PayTR + Shopify transaction fee

Conclusion: While WooCommerce may appear cheaper initially, total costs often increase as technical maintenance and operational complexity grow. For scaling businesses, Shopify offers a more predictable and manageable cost structure.

Professional Support for WooCommerce to Shopify Migration

The migration process requires technical expertise and strategic planning. A poorly executed transition can result in organic traffic loss and revenue decline.

Our Migration Services

Migration Audit: Technical and SEO analysis of your existing WooCommerce infrastructure
SEO Protection Plan: URL mapping, metadata transfer, and index validation
Redirect Mapping: Preparation and implementation of a complete 301 redirect strategy
ERP & Integration Setup: iyzico, PayTR, Mikro, Logo, Nebim, and other system integrations
30-Day Performance Monitoring: Organic traffic, conversion rate (CVR), and indexing tracking

Our Average Migration Experience:

30+ successful WooCommerce to Shopify migrations
Average project duration: 4 weeks
Average SEO traffic loss: below 2%
Average conversion rate increase: 14%

Contact us to plan your migration process strategically.

Request a migration assessment

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to switch from WooCommerce to Shopify?

2 to 8 weeks depending on catalog size. 2-3 weeks for catalogs under 1,000 products; it is realistic to plan 6-8 weeks for large catalogs, custom integrations, and blog content transfer.

Can I import my custom post types in WooCommerce to Shopify?

You can't transfer it directly. Custom post types in WooCommerce can be reconfigured as metafields or separate collections in Shopify. Special development may be required for complex structures.

Do customers' WooCommerce passwords work in Shopify?

No. Passwords can never be transferred outside the platform. For customers to activate their accounts in Shopify, you need to send email invitations.

‍

The transition from WooCommerce to Shopify can be done without loss with the right planning and systematic implementation of SEO. The predetermination of plugin equivalents, the complete preparation of the URL redirect map, and the transformation of the variant structure are the most critical steps of this migration.

‍