BigCommerce to Shopify
Migrating from BigCommerce to Shopify lets you switch to a platform known for ease of use, a vast app ecosystem, and migrations run entirely from Shopify admin. In 2025, merchants choose Shopify for unified admin experience, lower complexity, and the ability to move products, customers, and orders using dedicated apps—without touching your current BigCommerce store.
This guide covers BigCommerce’s data structure, how it maps to Shopify, and a step-by-step migration path using Shopify apps such as Cart2Cart, all run from your new Shopify store.
1. The Strategic Pivot: Why Leave BigCommerce?
💰 Pricing & Transparency
The BigCommerce Pain: Transaction fees and tiered plans can surprise growing stores. Feature sets and limits vary by plan.
The Shopify Gain: Clear subscription tiers; migration and daily operations run from one admin with predictable costs.
🚀 Ecosystem & Apps
The BigCommerce Pain: App ecosystem is smaller than Shopify’s. Some integrations require custom development or workarounds.
The Shopify Gain: Largest eCommerce app store; migration apps install in Shopify and connect to BigCommerce from there.
🛠 Ease of Use
The BigCommerce Pain: Admin and theme customization can feel technical compared to Shopify’s streamlined flow.
The Shopify Gain: Intuitive admin; themes and checkout are consistent. Migrate once from Shopify admin and manage everything in one place.
⚡ Multi-Channel & POS
The BigCommerce Pain: Multi-channel and POS options are available but not as deeply integrated as Shopify’s native offerings.
The Shopify Gain: Shopify POS, social selling, and marketplaces are built in; migration apps run inside the same admin.
2. The Pre-Migration Architecture Audit
BigCommerce exposes a REST API and stores data in a structured way. A quick audit ensures a smooth migration from Shopify admin.
- BigCommerce plan & API: Confirm your plan supports API access; migration apps use the Store API to read products, customers, and orders.
- Product types: Standard and variant products map to Shopify products and variants; option sets map to Shopify options.
- Channels: If you use multiple channels (e.g. Amazon, eBay), plan which data to migrate to Shopify and whether you need multi-channel setup after.
- Custom fields & options: BigCommerce custom fields and modifier options can map to Shopify metafields or variant options; verify app support.
- Categories: BigCommerce categories map to Shopify collections; hierarchy can be flattened or preserved depending on the app.
3. Exact Data Mapping: The Blueprint
BigCommerce’s API aligns well with Shopify; a migration app run from Shopify admin handles the mapping.
🛍 Product Data Mapping
| BigCommerce (Source) | Shopify (Target) | Notes & Logic |
|---|---|---|
id (product) | id | Shopify generates new IDs. Use SKU for mapping. |
name | title | Direct string transfer. |
sku (variant) | variants[].sku | SKU at variant level in both platforms. |
price (variant) | variants[].price | Price per variant. |
description | body_html | HTML; images re-hosted to Shopify CDN. |
| Categories | collections | BigCommerce categories → Shopify collections. |
| Option sets / variants | options and variants | Variants map directly to Shopify variants. |
👥 Customer Data Mapping
| BigCommerce Field | Shopify Field | Critical Logic |
|---|---|---|
email | email | Unique identifier. |
password | password (on create) | Password reset recommended. Hashing may differ; customers often reset passwords. |
| Addresses (API) | addresses[] | Billing/shipping mapped to Shopify addresses. |
📦 Order Data Mapping
| BigCommerce Field | Shopify Field | Mapping Logic |
|---|---|---|
id (order) | name (order number) | Preserve BigCommerce order ID in name for reference. |
| Status | financial_status, fulfillment_status | Map statuses to Shopify’s dual status system. |
| Order total | total_price | Direct mapping; currency conversion if needed. |
4. The Toolkit: Selecting Your Vehicle
Option A: Shopify App Migration (Recommended)
Cart2Cart and similar apps in the Shopify App Store
Install the app in Shopify and run the migration from Shopify admin. The app connects to BigCommerce via API, maps data, and creates redirects—no code or server access on your side.
- ✅ Pros: No coding; runs from Shopify admin; handles products, customers, orders, and SEO redirects.
- ❌ Cons: Cost scales with data volume.
Option B: Custom Integration
BigCommerce API + Shopify Admin API
- ✅ Pros: Full control, custom logic.
- ❌ Cons: Developer time ($100–$200/hr), 30+ hours typical.
5. Execution Protocol: Step-by-Step
Phase 1: Environment Preparation
1.1. Prepare Target (Shopify):
Create your Shopify store; enable password protection during migration if desired.
1.2. Prepare Source (BigCommerce):
Ensure Store API is enabled and you have API credentials (or OAuth) for the migration app to connect.
Phase 2: Connection from Shopify Admin
2.1. Install the migration app (e.g. Cart2Cart) from the Shopify App Store and open it from your Shopify admin.
2.2. Connect BigCommerce as source—enter store URL and API credentials as required by the app.
Phase 3: Migration Execution
- Run from Shopify admin: Select products, customers, orders; start migration. Variants and options map automatically.
- Create 301 redirects: Use the app to map old BigCommerce URLs to new Shopify URLs.
- Custom fields: If you use BigCommerce custom fields, check app mapping or add metafields post-migration.
Phase 4: Post-Migration
4.1. Customer communication: Notify customers; recommend password reset if the app indicates it.
4.2. Verify data: Check products, collections, and orders in Shopify admin.
6. Financial Breakdown: Cost of Migration (2025)
Custom Development
Developer Cost
Shopify App (e.g. Cart2Cart)
Typical Range
Agency Service
Starting Cost
7. Troubleshooting & SEO Preservation
Common Challenges
- API rate limits: BigCommerce may throttle; migration apps often handle this with pacing. Run during off-peak if needed.
- Modifier options: Product modifiers map to Shopify options/variants; verify in the app or documentation.
- Multi-currency: If you use multiple currencies, plan how they map to Shopify markets.
The 301 Redirect Strategy
BigCommerce and Shopify URL structures differ. Use the migration app’s redirect feature from Shopify admin to map old URLs to new ones and preserve rankings.
Ready to Move to Shopify?
Migrate from BigCommerce to Shopify using an app run from your Shopify admin. No coding or server access—get products, customers, orders, and SEO redirects in one flow.