2021 is poised to be the year many online store owners take a serious look at changing platforms. Whether it’s due to feature limitations, lack of support, or feelings they have outgrown their current one, moving a store to a different platform is a decision that should not be taken lightly.
When considering a move, it’s important to take a look at your current store, take notes on what features you want to carry over, what ones you can live without, and come up with a “wish list” of what you expect your new store to look and function like.
Once you’ve done that, it’s time to take a look at the big players in the eCommerce platform space, and there’s really only two – Shopify and BigCommerce.
Combined, BigCommerce and Shopify power over a million online stores from small retailers to major worldwide brands. Both offer a wide variety of design templates that you can choose from to give your site the look and feel you want without if you’re a DIY kind of person. If you choose to hire a pro, like Your Store Wizards, you can have a custom design built unique to your business.
Additionally, each platform offers thousands of apps in their own app stores – from different types of navigation and image carousels to advanced search apps and marketing features. Of course, the backend of each platform is designed to be simple yet powerful enough to act as your CRM, inventory management system, marketing dashboard, shipping station, and more.
Believe us when we say, “eCommerce platforms have come a long way!”
Once you’ve narrowed down the platform you want to move your online business to, it’s time to start planning.
The first thing we recommend you do is get the help of a developer who can review what you’ve put together, make sure that the platform you’re choosing is the right one for your business, and offer assistance with your migration.
Your Store Wizards is the partner you’re looking for when it comes to platform migration. We’ve migrated dozens of stores to the BigCommerce and Shopify platforms and have put together a comprehensive Store Migration Service (SMS) designed to make the process stress-free for the store owner.
After all, there are many steps that must be taken in order to successfully move a store. From initial data migration and integrity checks, to design, programming, and testing, moving from one platform to another is a daunting task but one that can be accomplished easily when placed in the hands of a qualified developer.
Our SMS includes everything, such as:
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- Comprehensive review of your existing store;
- Consultation with the store owner to choose the right platform;
- Data export, cleanup, import;
- Site design or theme customization;
- Support with setting up shipping, payments, etc;
- Access to our library of platform specific training videos;
- VIP white-glove support every step of the way;
- Dedicated project manager;
- Post-launch support;
- …and more!
Of course, if you’re one who likes to take on projects like this yourself, we’re here to help with whatever piece of the job you need assistance with.
To help you plan out your migration project and to give you an idea of what all needs to be done, we’ve put together a Site Migration Checklist that you can download for free. The items on the checklist are critical items that must be done in order for your migration to be successful and to avoid having impacts on your search engine visibility.
In addition, we’ve partnered with BigCommerce to offer you a whitepager called “Roadmap to Replatforming: A Step-By-Step Guide to an eCommerce Replatform.” This guide delves into the technical aspects of what you need to consider when thinking about moving platforms and is a must-read for those looking to switch.
If you’re just in the early stages of considering switching platforms, or if you’re committed to making a move, I encourage you to schedule a time to talk with us and learn more about the process as well as how we can partner to make your move a success. Simply fill out the form below and we’ll be in touch!
Scott Sanfilippo began his eCommerce journey in 1994 by co-founding one of the Internet’s first online retailers, TheFerretStore.com, which was acquired by PetCo in 2006. In 2001, he co-founded the eCommerce design and marketing firm Solid Cactus, which was acquired by web.com in 2009. Today, Scott is the General Manager of Your Store Wizards and lives in Delray Beach, FL. Scott can be contacted at scott@yourstorewizards.com.