Source feasibility
Data access, APIs, exports, identifiers, relationships, volumes, history, quality, and update patterns are reviewed.
Shopify PartnerCustom Platform to Shopify Migration Service
We reverse-engineer the source data, business rules, integrations, content, and operational workflows, then rebuild them around a maintainable Shopify architecture.
What migrates from a custom platform to Shopify
There is no standard connector, so every record is mapped field by field to Shopify. Most commerce records have a clear destination.
Products and variants
Yes, with mappingProducts, SKUs, prices, stock and media are transformed into Shopify products and variants, and checked against Shopify's variant and option limits.
URLs and 301 redirects
YesEvery indexable URL is mapped to Shopify's URL patterns with permanent redirects.
SEO metadata
YesTitles and descriptions move to Shopify's SEO fields.
Customers
YesProfiles and addresses migrate.
Order history
YesHistorical orders are imported and linked to customers without triggering emails, payments or stock changes.
Categories and custom attributes
YesCategories become collections; custom attributes move to metafields or metaobjects.
Reviews
Yes, via a review appReview data is exported and imported into your chosen Shopify review app.
Content and blog posts
YesPages and posts move to Shopify pages, blogs and metaobjects; layouts are rebuilt in the theme.
Pricing and customer rules
Yes, with mappingCustomer-specific pricing becomes discounts, Shopify B2B catalogues or custom logic, depending on the rule.
Subscriptions
DependsRecurring orders move to a Shopify subscription app; saved payment details depend on your payment provider.
Gift cards and store credit
PartlyBalances are reconciled and recreated as Shopify gift cards or store credit.
Discount codes
RecreatedDiscount logic is rebuilt with Shopify discounts or Shopify Functions.
A custom platform migration starts with source discovery
There is no standard export or assumed data model. We establish how the platform actually works, who owns each system, and what the Shopify store must preserve.
Custom migrations succeed when assumptions are replaced with evidence. We create a traceable map from source behaviour to Shopify so undocumented legacy logic does not become a launch-day surprise.
See our complex catalogue work for Seal Skin Covers.
- 01Source data discovery
- 02Business rule reconstruction
- 03Integration architecture
Our custom platform to Shopify migration process
- 1.
Technical discovery
We inspect architecture, databases, APIs, exports, repositories where available, hosting, vendors, security constraints, and system owners.
- 2.
Requirements reconstruction
Business rules and operational workflows are documented through data evidence, user interviews, storefront behaviour, and integration traces.
- 3.
Shopify target architecture
Catalogue, identity, B2B, content, checkout, integration, analytics, and operational needs are assigned to a maintainable target model.
- 4.
Migration pipeline and rehearsals
Repeatable extraction, transformation, loading, exception handling, and reconciliation are built and tested with representative data.
- 5.
Parallel validation
Data, storefront, integrations, security, operations, reporting, SEO, and customer journeys are validated against agreed acceptance criteria.
- 6.
Controlled transition
The final sync, traffic switch, redirects, integration cutover, rollback responsibilities, monitoring, and support coverage are coordinated.
Migration risk assessment
What we review before your Custom platform migration
The assessment establishes what can be extracted, what must be rebuilt, where risk sits, and how the transition can be rehearsed.
Rule and workflow inventory
Catalogue, pricing, identity, checkout, payments, tax, fulfilment, service, permissions, and edge cases are documented.
Integration boundaries
System ownership, data direction, events, schedules, errors, security, vendors, and support responsibilities are mapped.
You receive a scoped migration approach, major risks, dependencies, and the decisions needed before implementation.
Book a risk assessment
Migration apps vs a managed migration
Off-the-shelf migration apps such as Cart2Cart and LitExtension connect to known platforms, so they rarely fit a custom build. Import tools such as Matrixify can still load well-prepared spreadsheets into Shopify, which works for simple catalogues once the data has been extracted and cleaned.
When a migration app is usually enough
- A modest catalogue with simple products and variants
- Few integrations, apps or custom fields to carry over
- Limited organic traffic, so redirects can be handled with a short list
- An in-house team with time to check the imported data and fix exceptions
When a managed migration is worth it
- Organic search matters and every indexable URL needs a mapped redirect
- Custom fields, complex options, B2B pricing or subscriptions need deliberate mapping
- ERP, fulfilment, marketing or other integrations must keep working on day one
- You need record-level reconciliation, rehearsal imports and a planned cutover
A managed migration can still use these tools where they fit. The difference is that one team owns the result, from mapping to launch.
Custom platform to Shopify migration FAQ
A custom platform to Shopify migration typically takes 4–6 weeks depending on catalogue size, integrations and design scope.
We confirm the timeline after the risk assessment, once data volumes, integrations and the storefront scope are clear.
It depends on scope: the size and complexity of the catalogue, which data needs to move, the integrations and custom functionality involved, and whether the storefront is being redesigned or rebuilt.
We don't quote a figure before we've seen the store. The risk assessment comes first and gives you a scoped approach to price against.
No. Your current platform stays live and keeps trading while we build and test the Shopify store separately. Any short content or order freeze is agreed with you in advance.
We crawl the public site, supplement it with route and analytics data where available, inventory canonical URLs and content, map permanent redirects, validate metadata and internal links, and monitor indexing after launch.
Customer passwords can't be transferred because they are stored as one-way hashes, so customers activate their Shopify accounts or sign in with a one-time code.
Anything else that can't move directly is documented with a replacement plan rather than silently dropped.
Ideally read-only access to the database or API, any existing exports, and the code repository or documentation. We also speak to the people who run the platform day to day, because undocumented behaviour often lives in their workflows rather than in the code.
Yes. Many teams keep the legacy system available in read-only mode for a period after launch for reference, reporting and support. We agree how long it stays available and which data remains the source of truth.