Migrating from Wix to Shopify: An Expert Guide for UK eCommerce Businesses

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Key UK search trends reflect this shift – phrases like “move from Wix to Shopify” and “migrate from Wix to Shopify” are increasingly popular as British business owners seek better solutions for online selling. These searches hint at common pain points: limitations in Wix’s eCommerce capabilities, the need for more robust sales tools, and concerns about SEO growth.

If you’re considering this move, this expert guide will walk you through how to migrate from Wix to Shopify step by step. We’ll cover everything from backing up your data and transferring your domain, to rebuilding your store on Shopify and avoiding common migration pitfalls. Let’s dive in!

Step-by-Step Migration Guide

Migrating your website can feel daunting, but breaking it into clear steps makes the process manageable. Below is a step-by-step guide to move from Wix to Shopify, covering preparation, data transfer, and launching your new Shopify store. Follow these steps to ensure a smooth transition:

Backing Up Your Wix Data:

Before anything else, create a full backup of your Wix site. Wix offers a Site History feature that automatically saves versions of your site.

Use this to your advantage – go to your Wix Dashboard, find Site History, and download the latest site revision as a backup. You can also manually duplicate your Wix site as an extra backup (in your Wix account, go to Site Actions → Duplicate Site).

Having a backup means that if anything goes wrong during the migration, you won’t lose critical content or settings. This step protects against potential data loss and gives peace of mind while you experiment on the new platform.

Transferring Your Domain from Wix to Shopify:

If you have a custom web address on Wix (e.g. yourstore.com), you’ll want to bring it over to Shopify so customers can continue to find you. The domain transfer involves a few steps on each side.

First, unlock your domain on Wix and obtain your authorization code (EPP code) – Wix will email this to you when you request a transfer. In your Wix dashboard, go to My Domains, select the domain, and choose “Transfer Away from Wix”.

Once you have the EPP code, head over to your Shopify admin. In Shopify, navigate to Settings → Domains, then click Connect existing domain.

Enter your domain name and follow the prompts to initiate the transfer. You might be directed to log into your domain registrar (or Wix, if it’s the domain provider) to approve the connection. After confirming, the domain will point to Shopify – note that DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to fully propagate.

Tip: It’s often wise to connect the domain (pointing it to Shopify) first, which keeps your email and other DNS records intact, and then proceed with a full transfer if desired.

By transferring or connecting your domain properly, you ensure your SEO “juice” and branding (URLs, backlinks, etc.) carry over seamlessly to your new Shopify store.

Setting Up Your Shopify Store Structure:

With your data backed up and domain ready, it’s time to set up the foundation of your new Shopify store.

Start by creating a Shopify account (if you haven’t already) and setting up a new store from your Shopify dashboard.

Shopify will guide you through basic details like your store name, business address, and default settings. Once the blank store is created, you’ll configure its structure to mirror (and improve upon) what you had on Wix.

This involves selecting a theme, creating essential pages, and organizing your navigation. Choose a Shopify theme that fits your brand – Shopify offers many free and paid themes which you can further customise via the Theme Editor.

For instance, add your logo, choose color schemes, and set up your homepage layout to resemble your old Wix design (or take this opportunity to refresh the look). Next, recreate your important pages: typically Home, About Us, Contact, any informational pages, and policy pages (Privacy Policy, Terms, etc.).

In Shopify’s admin, go to Online Store → Pages to add new pages as needed.

Also set up your product collections (similar to categories) if you had them on Wix – in Products → Collections, organize products into logical groups to maintain your store’s structure.

Don’t forget to build your menu navigation under Online Store → Navigation, so customers can browse pages and collections easily. During this stage, also review Shopify’s settings (under Settings → Store details, etc.) to input your business information and preferences.

It’s a good idea at this point to configure payment gateways and shipping settings as well, since these are part of your store’s infrastructure. Shopify supports dozens of payment options (from credit cards to PayPal and Apple Pay), so enable the ones your customers need.

Likewise, set up shipping zones, rates, or integrate shipping apps as necessary to match your previous shipping setup. By the end of this step, your Shopify store’s skeleton – theme, pages, menus, basic settings – should be in place, ready to receive your content.

Migrating Your Content (Products, Customers, Orders, and SEO settings):

This is the heart of the migration – getting all your data from Wix into Shopify. Fortunately, both Wix and Shopify allow data export/import via CSV files, though their formats differ.

Start with products: export your product catalogue from Wix as a CSV file (including details like titles, descriptions, prices, and images). Then, in Shopify admin, go to Products → Import and upload the CSV.

Be mindful that you might need to adjust the CSV columns to match Shopify’s format; for example, Shopify expects specific column headers for things like SKU, price, inventory, etc., as outlined in their documentation. If your Wix export isn’t directly compatible, take time to reorganise the CSV file so that Shopify can read it correctly.

Shopify’s import tool will then create all your products in the new store. Repeat a similar process for customer data: export your customer list from Wix (usually includes name, email, address) and import it via Customers → Import in Shopify. Note that for security, customer passwords cannot be migrated – customers will need to reset passwords, which we’ll address in testing.

For order history, you might keep Wix as an archive or use a third-party service to migrate orders, since Shopify’s import for orders is limited (many merchants choose not to import old orders, but you can use apps or APIs if needed).

When moving content, don’t forget SEO settings: on each product or page, carry over meta titles and descriptions from Wix to Shopify’s SEO fields (found at the bottom of the page editor in Shopify). This ensures your on-page SEO remains consistent.

Additionally, take note of your Wix URL structure: Wix URLs may differ (for example, Wix blog posts might have /post/ in the URL). Plan to set up 301 redirects for any URL that’s changing, which tells Google and other search engines where the content has moved. Shopify has a built-in URL redirect manager to make this easy – you can import a list of old URLs and their new Shopify destinations.

This step is crucial for preserving your search rankings and avoiding 404 errors when customers follow old links.

Testing Your New Shopify Store Before Launch:

Before going live, give your Shopify store a full test run. Browse each page, product, and category to ensure everything loads correctly, product details look right, and images display properly. Use Shopify’s test payment gateway to place test orders—check checkout flow, payment settings, and confirmation emails.

Don’t forget to test domain redirects: visit old Wix URLs to make sure they redirect correctly to Shopify. Fix any 404 errors using Shopify’s URL Redirects tool. Double-check SEO elements like meta titles, descriptions, and image alt text to avoid ranking drops.

Test contact forms, apps, and integrations too. Since customer passwords don’t migrate, use Shopify’s invite feature to email customers and prompt them to set new passwords. Lastly, confirm that Google Analytics and tracking codes work, and preview the store on mobile to ensure responsiveness.

Proper testing ensures a smooth transition—catching any issues before customers do.

Cautionary Tales & Common Pitfalls

Switching platforms isn’t without risks. Here are common mistakes we see when migrating from Wix to Shopify—and how to avoid them:

Broken Links & SEO Drops:

Wix and Shopify use different URL structures, so failing to redirect old Wix URLs often leads to 404 errors. Always set up 301 redirects before launch to ensure old links point to the right Shopify pages. Shopify’s bulk redirect tool makes this easy, helping preserve SEO rankings and organic traffic.

Data Loss:

CSV imports can go wrong—missing product details, customer data, or order history. Always back up your Wix data first. Before importing to Shopify, double-check CSV formats, and run a small test import to catch any issues.

Design Inconsistencies:

Wix’s drag-and-drop layouts won’t automatically match Shopify’s theme system. Don’t expect a perfect replica. Instead, plan to manually rebuild key design elements, and use this as an opportunity to refresh your store. Rushing this step often leads to a site that doesn’t reflect your brand well.

SEO & Traffic Dips:

It’s common to see short-term ranking drops post-migration, especially if meta titles, descriptions, and redirects aren’t handled properly. Generate a new sitemap, submit it to Google, and fix crawl errors quickly. Done right, Shopify’s SEO tools can help improve visibility long term.

CSV Import Issues:

CSV files can be finicky—wrong formats, large file sizes, or misinterpreted data fields are typical headaches. Shopify’s product CSV has a 15MB limit, so split large files. Always verify imported items for accuracy before going live.

UK-Specific Stats and Trends

The UK eCommerce market shows why so many brands move from Wix to Shopify. Both platforms hold around 21–22% market share, but Shopify is favoured by larger, high-growth businesses. It offers more advanced features, better checkout systems, and superior scalability—key for ambitious brands.

There are over 180,000 live Shopify stores in the UK, with merchants on Shopify reporting 25% higher sales growth compared to the overall market. Faster load times, better mobile optimisation, and powerful integrations give Shopify stores an edge in conversions and SEO.

Success stories like Planet X, who saw a 91% sales increase after migrating to Shopify Plus, show what's possible. While switching platforms won’t magically boost revenue, Shopify’s tools set you up to scale and succeed in the UK’s competitive eCommerce space.

Why Choose Expert Assistance for Your Migration

Migrating an eCommerce store is complex—technical, time-consuming, and full of potential pitfalls. While some go DIY, many business owners turn to experts to ensure a smooth, error-free transition. Here’s why working with specialists like Fourmeta UK makes a difference:

Seamless Data Transfer:

We’ve migrated countless stores. From CSV tweaks to image transfers and URL redirects, we handle it all efficiently—avoiding downtime, lost products, or customer data.

SEO Protection:

A poorly handled migration can tank your rankings. We preserve meta tags, map redirects, and fix any existing SEO issues, helping improve your search visibility long term.

Custom Integrations:

Need subscription forms, product configurators, or custom apps? We replicate (and often improve) any Wix functionality on Shopify, tailored to your business needs.

Focus on Your Business:

Let us handle the heavy lifting while you focus on growth. No late nights wrestling with CSV files or DNS settings—just regular updates and peace of mind.

At Fourmeta UK, we’ve guided many successful migrations from Wix to Shopify, helping brands unlock serious growth. We’ll protect your SEO, perfect your store design, and set you up to scale—start to finish.

Ready to make the leap from Wix to Shopify?

With the right help, it doesn’t have to be a headache or a risk. In fact, it can be an exciting upgrade for your business, setting the stage for greater online success. Check out Fourmeta’s professional Shopify migration services to see how we can help you execute a seamless move. We’ll handle the technicalities and ensure your store comes out on Shopify stronger than ever. Let us worry about the migration mechanics while you plan your next big business move – on your new and improved Shopify store!

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