If you are worried about migrating from an OpenCart store to a Shopify one, you need not have nightmares about it! You can be assured that this migration can be done seamlessly and smoothly without hiring specialized developers. For quite some time, online merchants have been taking advantage of the option Cart2Cart which is an automatic migration tool that makes the entire process simpler.
Cart2Cart has received a lot of praise in the migration of stores from Opencart to Shopify. According to online e-commerce owners, Cart2Cart is able to migrate all the important elements of the store without facing any kind of technical issue. Furthermore, this tool will cost you just a fraction of what you would pay to hire technical experts or an agency.
You must be quite interested to understand how this tool functions and this post is the perfect guide that will take you through Data migration from Shopify with Cart2Cart and the various data migration methods and the benefits of opting for Cart2Cart.
Shopify Data Migration With Cart2Cart
The Approaches for Data Migration from OpenCart to Shopify
Though OpenCart and Shopify are e-commerce platforms, both of them have unique methods of operation. OpenCart is an open-source platform for your online store, whereas Shopify is a closed system that combines the shopping cart with many web hosting services, POS capabilities, etc.
Both these platforms have unique system frameworks that make the migration between them a challenge. To add to the chaos, the default transfer tool of Shopify can be used just to import the domain of your online store from the original store to the system of Shopify.
Therefore, there are just 3 ways in which you could transfer your store data:
1. The Manual Data Migration from OpenCart to Shopify
Now, as we are well aware, anything that requires a lot of manual work requires the individual to possess knowledge as well as experience. The same is applicable to data migration as well. This process calls for advanced technical skills so that the migration process is smooth and no difficulties arise.
The migration process does not mean that you just have to copy all the data from one online store and paste it onto your target store.
Both entities have to be programmed individually and configured. The process is quite intricate, and the whole procedure would require days to complete. However, since this would be conducted by yourself, it is the cheapest of the three options, as there is no payment made to any third party. But, note that the risks are equally high – even a small error such as missing out on data can spoil the whole process. Always cross-check batches of data before as well as after importing the data.
2. The Assisted Data Migration from OpenCart to Shopify
Only a few merchants opt for the manual method of data migration and the rest might not be having the time to dedicate to the manual method or do not have the necessary technical skills for the same.
A good alternative for those who do not possess technical skills is to hire a professional expert or an agency to get the data migration process done. The end result would be the handing over of a Shopify store loaded with features and having all the original components.
However, this method is expensive and might not be feasible for small businesses. Also, the task could take days to complete as in an agency, the tasks are divided amongst many professionals.
3. The Automated Data Migration from OpenCart to Shopify
So, if you are not keen on the assisted method and also the manual method isn’t a good option for you as you lack the skills, the best route would be the automated migration from OpenCart to Shopify.
It has the best of both the methods incorporated. You have total control over the process without having technical expertise. You can easily import your OpenCart data to the Shopify store without having any knowledge or experience in programming.
So, how is this done? You have to use a specialized tool to perform the entire data transfer process. All you need to do is get it linked with the cart directories, post which the tool handles the rest automatically. There are numerous tools available that offer a complete automated migration from OpenCart to Shopify, of which Cart2Cart is amongst the very reliable tools.
Why Should Cart2Cart Be Used for Data Migration from OpenCart To Shopify?
1. Extensive Experience
Cart2Cart is a sophisticated migration solution that concentrates on e-commerce platforms and isn’t limited to only OpenCart and Shopify. Cart2Cart has been facilitating automatic data migration for over ten years. By 2019, this tool had already completed about 150,000 e-commerce data migrations over various shopping cart platforms.
At present, it supports more than 86 shopping carts, inclusive of some top brands like WooCommerce, BigCommerce, PrestaShop, osCommerce, 3dcart, Magento, etc. Cart2Cart has extensive experience in data migration and you can confidently choose this tool.
2. Simple and easy to use
Cart2Cart is quite simple to use and no technical skills are required to import your OpenCart store to the Shopify platform. You can totally depend on this tool for the entire data migration and all the main store entities will be transferred to the target platform using minimal input and supervision by a human.
In Cart2Cart, all you need to provide is the store details of OpenCart and Shopify. With the help of its intuitive migration wizard, you can enter the URL’s of both the source and target stores, prior to choosing the entities that need to be transferred. This wizard also guides you through the stages of configuration before the complete migration.
3.Free Demo Migration
At Cart2Cart, not everything needs to be paid for. Firstly the tool can be downloaded and installed without any charges. Also, you can create an account with Cart2Cart free of cost.
Cart2Cart also allows the user to create as well as customize their migration from OpenCart to Shopify without being charged. They also give you a free demonstration where it gives you a preview of the process and what you could expect from the tool. Once you are assured of handing over the task to Cart2Cart, you can go ahead with the payment.
4. Flexible
Data migration between two platforms like OpenCart and Shopify includes many variable elements which vary from one platform to another. For example, one online site may have to transfer more than a thousand products and product categories between two platforms, whereas another online store might have to transfer just a few hundred items.
This issue has been considered by Cart2Cart and you can specify how many elements have to be transferred in addition to any add-ons required. You can also select the exact store entities that you want to migrate and also add a few additional elements such as migration insurance (which is an extra cost). Usually, Cart2Cart charges the user depending on the data volume that they wish to transfer. However, this is quite a low cost in comparison to that of assisted migration.
5. No Downtime
A very common problem faced when you migrate your store from one platform to another is web service downtime. However, at Cart2Cart, the import of elements from OpenCart to Shopify takes place without interfering with your web service.
Cart2Cart system has been designed to take care of the data transfer in the background simultaneously when the site is online. So, your store can function even when the transfer is being done and you will not suffer any loss due to the import.
6. Customer Support
Cart2Cart is a migration tool that is reliable, flexible, and very user-friendly. All you need to do is click the intuitive wizard and the migration process begins smoothly. However, though the system is quite simple and easy, problems could arise and this is when you would need a good customer support team to assist you.
There could be technical issues, or the servers might go offline or there could be errors as well. To handle these issues, Cart2Cart has a customer support team that can be accessed 24/7 through phone, live chat, and email. They are quite responsive and very knowledgeable and all the queries are addressed quickly.
How Much Does It Cost To Migrate OpenCart to Shopify?
Migration from OpenCart To Shopify with Cart2Cart (Step By Step)
The Pre Migration Step: Setting the Target Store at Shopify
Once you have your OpenCart based store, a corresponding site has to be created on Shopify, and this becomes the target store. This is the store where all the store data from OpenCart will be migrated to. Setting up a store on Shopify is simple. You can choose the price package that suits you and start creating the new store on Shopify.
Shopify has a good website builder in addition to many good pre-built themes for your store. No technical skills are required as the customization process is simple and straightforward. You can choose the layout elements and modify them with the help of the WYSIWYG visual editor offered by Shopify.
Make sure you do not edit heavily in this stage and avoid any extensive customizations because there are chances that these would interfere with the data mapping of Cart2Cart. You can customize the store post the completion of data migration.
Step 1: Installing Cart2Cart and Creating a User Account
Once you have created your store on Shopify, you can begin setting up the account in Cart2Cart which will be used for the migration from OpenCart to Shopify. There are 2 approaches that can be used.
Firstly, you can install the migration module directly from the dashboard of Shopify. This migration app is a lightweight tool that encloses itself with the online store platform seamlessly. After this can create the user account.
The alternative approach is where you initiate the entire process from the main site of Cart2Cart directly. Irrespective of the approach considered, you will observe that you can sign up using your social accounts like Google or Facebook or personal information.
Step 2: Launching the Migration Wizard
Once you access the Cart2Cart system via your account on the platform, you can head to the migration wizard. Click the tab “Create Migration” on your dashboard and you can launch the wizard.
The first stage is related to the source cart. You will have to direct Cart2Cart to the OpenCart store and have a connection with its data directory. You have to fill in the source cart details and the source store URL as well. Once this is done, you can connect Cart2Cart with the data directory of your OpenCart online store.
Step 3: Installation of Cart2Cart Extension
In this stage, you need to provide the details of your target shopping cart. You need to select your target cart as Shopify and the steps that follow are not quite similar to that of OpenCart.
You do not have to download as well as create the bridge for the target cart, as the system will make you install the Cart2Cart migration extension of Shopify directly to the admin control panel of your Shopify store.
Step 4: Selection of Entities To Be Transferred
In this stage, the aim is to preserve the main data elements and also maintaining the original framework. You can select the elements you wish to transfer before you begin the migration procedure. For example, when it comes to products, Cart2Cart can transfer each and every product’s Name, Full Description, SKU, Images, Status, Price, Manufacturer, Special Price, Meta Title, URL, Meta Description, etc.
In terms of store orders, the elements that can be transferred are Order ID , Order Status, Order Date, Products Ordered (Name & SKU), Quantity, Product Price, SubTotal Price, Tax Price, Discount Price, Shipping Price, Order Comments, Total Price, Customer Name, Billing & Shipping Address, Email, etc.
Step 5: Customizing the Data Transfer With Extra Options
The Additional Options enable the store owner to control how the migration process has to be conducted, which indicates you can customize the migration from OpenCart to Shopify. In case you have to pull some strings on the budget, you can select the system wherein the current data is cleared on the target store prior to the data migration.
This is the only free option available for customization. Premium add-ons are available in the range of $29 to $59. You can choose the add-ons based on the requirement and your budget.
Step 6: Free Demo Migration
Once the configuration of the carts, source and target, is complete, the entities have been selected and the add-ons required have been chosen, you can either proceed with the migration process or you can opt for the free demo and then pay for the migration service. It is suggested to opt for the demonstration before you go ahead with the migration of your OpenCart store to the Shopify store.
Once everything has been configured, the migration process will just require a few hours for a standard online store. Post this, you will receive an email from Cart2Cart and then you can review the Shopify site. You could conduct some test orders and check on the payments as well to check if the site is functioning right.
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- eCommerce Migration: The Definitive Guide; Checklist
I hope this article helps you out with your data migration from OpenCart to Shopify!
