If you're running your online store on Wix and wondering if there's a better platform out there to support your growth, you're not alone. Shopify, known for its powerful e-commerce tools, scalability, and seamless user experience, has become a top choice for businesses ready to level up their online game.
But let’s be honest: the idea of moving your entire store to a new platform can feel complex. What happens to your product data, SEO rankings, or even your store’s design?
Don't worry—we've got you covered. In this blog, we’ll explore why so many businesses are making the leap to Shopify, the key differences between the two platforms, and provide you with a step-by-step guide to make your migration smooth and stress-free.
Let’s dive in!
What is Wix?
Wix, launched in 2006, is a versatile website builder ideal for beginners and small business owners. Its user-friendly interface, templates, blogging, photo galleries, and e-commerce functionality make it easy to create attractive sites without coding.
What is Shopify?
Introduced in 2006, Shopify is a leading e-commerce platform for businesses of all sizes. It offers a wide range of e-commerce tools, customizable templates, and innovative features to support business growth. Ideal for enhancing e-commerce operations with multi-channel selling, SEO features, and third-party app integrations. Many online stores are switching from Wix to Shopify for its robustness and scalability.
Why Migrate from Wix to Shopify?
Migrating from Wix to Shopify unlocks advanced e-commerce features like scalability, an extensive app ecosystem, and built-in analytics, which can significantly boost your online store's performance, especially if you are doing it for the first time. Let’s explore the key reasons why making the switch can be a game-changer for your business.
1. Enhanced E-commerce Functionality
Shopify offers superior e-commerce features like multi-currency support, automated tax calculations, and cart abandonment recovery emails, which Wix lacks. Additionally, Shopify provides discounted shipping rates and enhanced customer checkout experiences, driving more conversions and boosting your store's performance with Shopify Payments.
2. Scalability and Growth Potential
Shopify offers unmatched scalability, with hosting optimized for peak traffic and no limits on products or sales. Its app store provides additional functionalities, while live chat support ensures you're always covered. If you're looking to expand internationally or scale your business, the Shopify platform is the platform to go for.
3. SEO and Marketing Capabilities
Shopify excels in SEO, offering customizable H1, title, and meta tags for better search rankings. It supports content creation through blogs, integrates social media, and provides email marketing tools. With various marketing features and detailed analytics and insights, Shopify empowers businesses to grow their audience and convert traffic effectively.
4. Powerful Built-in Analytics
Shopify’s built-in analytics provides in-depth insights into sales, customer behavior, and marketing performance, helping you make data-driven decisions. Wix lacks a comparable tool, making Shopify the clear choice for businesses that want to track and optimize store performance.
5. Extensive Integrations
Shopify integrates seamlessly with third-party tools for email marketing, CRM, accounting, and more, streamlining your store’s operations. Wix doesn’t offer this level of integration, so Shopify gives you the tools you need to automate tasks and grow your business effectively.
6. Vast Shopify App Store
The Shopify App Store offers thousands of apps that enhance your store's functionality, from inventory management to customer support, and many come with a free trial. Shopify’s diverse app options far surpass what Wix offers, providing the flexibility and tools to tailor your store’s features and improve the customer experience.
Feature |
Wix |
Shopify |
E-commerce Features |
Basic e-commerce tools, limited scalability |
Advanced e-commerce tools, unlimited scalability |
Customization |
Drag-and-drop builder, less flexible |
Fully customizable with themes, apps, and code access |
App Store |
Limited app selection |
Extensive app marketplace with 3,000+ apps |
SEO Capabilities |
Basic SEO options, limited control |
Advanced SEO tools, full customization of meta tags |
Analytics |
Basic analytics, limited reporting |
Advanced reporting, detailed customer and sales insights |
Payment Options |
Limited payment gateways |
Supports 100+ payment gateways, multi-currency |
Abandoned Cart Recovery |
No built-in cart recovery |
Built-in cart recovery email automation |
Shipping |
Basic shipping options |
Discounted shipping rates, advanced shipping settings |
App Integrations |
Limited integrations |
Extensive integrations with email, marketing, CRM, and more |
Scalability |
Limited growth potential |
Highly scalable with robust infrastructure |
Support |
24/7 customer support, limited help |
24/7 support, expert Shopify Plus support |
Pricing |
Cheaper for basic stores, but costly for features |
More expensive but includes advanced tools for growth |
What Are the Key Steps in the Migration Process?
Migrating your Wix store to Shopify involves several key steps: importing your Wix web store data, transferring your domain, and configuring your new Shopify store. While this may seem like a complex process, our step-by-step guide simplifies these stages into easy-to-follow actions. Let’s take a closer look at each step to ensure a seamless transition from Wix to Shopify.
Step 1: Import Wix Store Data
Export Data from Wix:
-
Products:
- The first step is to log in to your Wix account and go to your Wix Dashboard.
- Navigate to Products.
3. Click on the Export Products button to download your product data as a .csv file.
4. Ensure Correct File Format: Before importing the data into Shopify, make sure your .csv files meet Shopify's specific format requirements. Check Shopify's guidelines for product and customer import templates to ensure that your data is properly structured.
5. Click on Export.
Import Data into Shopify:
-
Products:
- In your Shopify Admin panel, go to Products.
2. Next step is to click on Import.
3. Click on Add File and select the product .csv file you exported from Wix.
4. Once selected, click Continue to begin the import process.
Complete the Import Process: Once the files are uploaded, Shopify will process the data and add the products and customers to your new store. Make sure to review the imported data to confirm that everything is correctly transferred.
Step 2: Connect and Transfer the Domain Name
- Log into Your Wix Account: Go to your Wix account and navigate to Domain Settings.
- Choose the Domain to Transfer: Select the domain you want to transfer to Shopify.
-
Transfer Your Domain:
- Follow the instructions in Wix to unlock your domain and obtain the transfer authorization code.
- Log into your Shopify Admin panel, go to Online Store > Domains, and select Transfer Domain.
- Enter the authorization code from Wix and follow the steps to complete the transfer.
- Wait for Confirmation: Shopify will send an email on your email address to confirm the transfer. The transfer process may take up to seven days.
- Domain Go Live: Once the transfer is complete, your domain will automatically point to your new Shopify store.
Step 3: Configure Shipping Options
-
Configure Shipping Settings:
- Go to Settings > Shipping and delivery in your Shopify Admin panel.
- Set up shipping zones based on the regions you want to deliver to (e.g., domestic and international shipping).
- Choose your shipping methods, such as flat rates, free shipping, or carrier-calculated rates.
- Add any additional shipping rules, such as handling fees or free shipping thresholds.
- Save your settings to apply the shipping options.
By following these steps, you can successfully migrate your Wix store to Shopify and get your online business up and running on a more powerful platform.
What are the Post-Migration Activities?
1. Checking Migration Results
Once you finish moving from Wix to Shopify, review the migration results. Check if all items, including product descriptions, are imported correctly. Explore your new Shopify store thoroughly to confirm everything works well. Remember, it's simpler to address problems now than after your store is live.
2. Personalizing Your New Shopify Store
Shopify has more customization options than Wix. Personalize your new Shopify store by trying various themes. Customize headers, footers, and product displays for a fresh look.
Use Shopify's SEO features to optimize your online store for search engines. Improve SEO by optimizing meta descriptions, URLs, titles, and image alt text. You can also use relevant keywords and benefit from Shopify's unique SEO advantages.
3. Testing Functionality and Placing Orders
Before launching your new site Shopify store, thoroughly test its functionality by exploring all pages, checking links, adding products to the cart, and placing test orders. Make sure to enter basic details to ensure smooth order processing, payment gateway, shipping settings, and customer notifications for a positive customer experience.
Low Efforts Migration from Wix to Shopify with TheGenieLab
Migrating your online store from Wix to Shopify can feel like a daunting task—from transferring product data to redesigning your store layout and preserving SEO rankings. That’s where TheGenieLab, a certified Shopify expert, steps in to simplify the process.
With years of experience, we ensure a smooth and hassle-free migration, handling everything from data transfer and domain setup to theme customization and app integration. Our team helps you maintain your store’s performance, optimize for SEO, and create a stunning Shopify storefront that drives growth.
Contact TheGenieLab today and let us help you unlock new opportunities for your ecommerce business!
Conclusion
Migrating from Wix to Shopify website is a great way to future-proof your ecommerce store, but it’s important to recognize that this transition doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By breaking it into manageable steps, you can ensure a smooth move to Shopify’s powerful, scalable platform.
Shopify provides you with the tools to optimize every part of your old store, from sales tracking to SEO. As the saying goes, “Don’t just migrate; elevate!” With Shopify’s extensive capabilities, your store’s growth will have no limits!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Will I lose my SEO rankings when migrating from Wix to Shopify?
There may be temporary SEO fluctuations during the Shopify migration, but careful attention to domain transfer, redirects, and SEO settings like meta descriptions and URLs can help maintain your rankings in Google search.
2. Can I transfer my Wix store design to Shopify?
You can't directly transfer the design from your Wix website to a Shopify site. You'll need to select a new Shopify theme and adjust it to match your existing branding.
3. What happens to my Wix store after migration?
Your Wix site remains live until you deactivate it or transfer the Wix domain name. Redirect your old domain to your new Shopify domain for seamless visitor flow.
4. Do I need technical skills to migrate from Wix to Shopify?
While Shopify migration is user-friendly, some technical skills may be helpful for custom features. If unsure, you can opt for a Shopify migration service for assistance.
5. Is there any downtime during the migration process?
Minimal downtime is expected during Shopify migration. To reduce disruption, plan the migration during off-peak hours and ensure all payment methods and cart recovery are set up beforehand.