September 25, 2025 11 mins

BigCommerce to Shopify Migration: Everything You Must Know

BigCommerce

Shopify Migration

Shopify Plus

If you are still running your store on BigCommerce, here is a reality check: are you truly building for the future, or simply keeping the lights on?

Ecommerce is expanding at breakneck speed. By 2027, global online sales are projected to touch $8 trillion, creating massive opportunities for brands that can adapt fast. (source: webandcrafts)

BigCommerce has built a reputation for its open SaaS model and B2B functionality. However, many merchants struggle with rising subscription fees, limited design flexibility, and slower rollout of new features.

On the other hand, Shopify has emerged as the go-to ecommerce platform for over 4.82 million merchants worldwide. It is home to some global names such as Heinz, Kylie Cosmetics, and Gymshark.

The reason is pretty simple: Shopify makes it easier to launch, scale, and innovate without the technical baggage. That is why 2025 is the year so many brands are considering migrating from BigCommerce to Shopify.

And this blog is not a checklist of steps.

It is a guide for ecommerce leaders who want to leave behind platform limitations and invest in a solution built for long-term growth.

Why BigCommerce to Shopify Migration Is Essential in 2025

Let us take a closer look at why businesses are making the switch from BigCommerce into Shopify this year.

#1 Cost Efficiency

When it comes to cost, the differences between both the platforms are more striking than most merchants expect. Here’s what we think about it:

Why BigCommerce Feels Expensive Over Time

Revenue-based pricing: This platform automatically upgrades your plan once your sales cross a certain limit. For example, the Standard plan ($39/month) caps at $50k annual sales, and you are forced into Plus or Pro as revenue grows.
Higher app and integration costs: Many essential features like advanced search, reporting, or abandoned cart recovery require add-ons or higher-tier plans.
Developer dependence: Merchants often need ongoing technical support for customizations, which adds to operational expenses.

Why Shopify Is More Predictable

Fixed monthly pricing: Plans range from Basic to Plus, and each one includes hosting, SSL, security, and updates. What you see is what you pay.
Affordable entry: Offers like $1/month for the first three months give merchants a risk-free start.
Lower total cost of ownership (TCO): A study found that Shopify stores experience: 88% less implementation cost, 32% lower platform fees, 21% less operational cost, and 31% lower TCO (source: Shopify)

Example:

Lull, a home furnishing retailer, migrated from BigCommerce to Shopify Plus and reported:

25% reduction in software-related expenses
10–15% savings on internal tech overhead

Mark Nagelmann, Director of Web Operations, shared: “Implementing Shopify inspired us to review our org structure, software stack, and operating expenses.”

(source: Shopify)

Also read: Top 10 ways to increase revenue with Shopify mobile optimisation

#2 Ease of Use and Reduced Technical Overhead

Managing an online store should be simple, but BigCommerce often adds layers of complexity. Shopify, on the other hand, is designed for merchants who want speed and flexibility without constant technical hurdles.

Why BigCommerce Creates Bottlenecks

Developer dependence: Theme edits, checkout adjustments, and advanced integrations usually require coding support.
Slower campaign execution: Launching promotions or updating storefronts often takes longer than it should.
Complex workflows: The interface is less intuitive, which makes onboarding and training more difficult for teams.

Why Shopify Feels Easy

User-friendly dashboard: Anyone on the team can manage products, collections, and promotions without extra help.
Drag-and-drop customization: Storefronts can be made quickly using Shopify’s theme editor and sections.
Smooth onboarding: Merchants can get stores live faster with guided steps.
Agile operations: Marketing teams can test ideas and campaigns instantly without waiting for developers.

#3 Scalability for Growing Businesses

As brands grow, the platform should grow with them. BigCommerce can support larger operations, but scaling often comes at the cost of complexity and technical overhead. Shopify, in contrast, offers built-in infrastructure that handles growth effortlessly.

Why BigCommerce Struggles to Scale

Heavy reliance on custom APIs: Expanding into new markets or adding advanced features often requires developer work.
Performance tuning: Merchants must invest in optimization to handle traffic spikes during events like Black Friday.
Higher technical costs: Expansion typically demands greater developer involvement and ongoing investment.

How Shopify Helps

Unlimited bandwidth: Stores can handle sudden traffic surges without slowing down.
Global CDN: The platform delivers fast load times across international markets.
Cloud-based infrastructure: Auto-scaling ensures stability even during peak seasons.
Shopify Plus advantages: Tools like Launchpad for automation, advanced APIs, and wholesale portals with custom pricing.

Example

Allbirds, the sustainable footwear brand, scaled globally on Shopify Plus. The platform’s infrastructure allowed them to expand into multiple markets without worrying about performance, downtime, or technical limitations.

#4 Security and Compliance

Trust and safety are non-negotiable in ecommerce. While both platforms provide security, the level of responsibility placed on merchants differs greatly.

Why BigCommerce Puts More on Merchants

PCI compliance management: Merchants must take extra steps to ensure full PCI compliance.
SSL setup: Certificates need to be managed manually, adding extra tasks for store owners.
Greater technical responsibility: Security oversight often falls back on the merchant or their developers.

Why Shopify Provides Peace of Mind

PCI DSS Level 1 compliance: Every Shopify store is certified at the highest industry standard.
Automatic SSL encryption: All storefronts are secured by default with no manual setup required.
Continuous monitoring: The platform’s infrastructure is actively monitored to prevent breaches or downtime.
Focus on growth: Merchants can concentrate on sales and expansion while Shopify manages the security layer.

#5 App Ecosystem and Integrations

The right tools can accelerate growth, but the availability and ease of integration vary greatly between platforms.

Why BigCommerce Feels Limiting

Smaller marketplace: This platform’s app store offers fewer choices compared to Shopify.
Costly custom work: Many advanced features require developer-built solutions.
Integration challenges: Apps often need extra technical setup to function smoothly.

Why Shopify Offers More Possibilities

8,000+ apps: Shopify’s App Store covers marketing, SEO, payments, logistics, and beyond.
Easy integrations: Popular tools like Klaviyo, Yotpo, and ReCharge connect without heavy coding.
Faster innovation: Merchants can test and launch new features quickly with plug-and-play apps.
Lower development costs: Pre-built integrations reduce reliance on custom development.

Also read: How to sell on Shopify without spending big on ads

Top 5 Things To Consider Before BigCommerce to Shopify Migration

Here are the critical factors to evaluate before making the move.

#1 Assess Your Business Model

Before migrating, it’s important to evaluate whether Shopify’s features align with your business model. Both B2B and D2C brands can thrive, but requirements differ.

For B2B Businesses

Wholesale portals: The platform includes dedicated Shopify B2B stores for bulk buyers.
Custom catalogs and pricing: Custom product visibility and pricing for different customer groups.
Advanced API integrations: Connect ERP, CRM, and fulfillment systems without heavy development.

For D2C Brands

Built-in marketing tools: Discount codes, abandoned cart recovery, and email campaigns included.
Shopify SEO: Optimized site structure, fast load speeds, and integrations with tools like Google Shopping.
Global reach: Multi-currency and multilingual capabilities for cross-border selling.

Product Catalog Considerations

Variant limit: The platform supports up to 99 variants per product, which suits most merchants.
Complex configurations: For highly customizable products (e.g., furniture, machinery), specialized apps like Bold Product Options or Infinite Options can extend capabilities.

Key Takeaway

Evaluate your current workflows, catalog complexity, and customer base. Mapping these needs to Shopify’s built-in features and apps ensures a smooth and future-proof migration.

Also read: A Shopify merchant’s guide to ranking in ChatGPT shopping

#2 Review Data Scope

When moving from BigCommerce to Shopify, it’s important to understand exactly what data can be migrated and how it translates into Shopify’s ecosystem.

What You Can Migrate

Products: SKUs, titles, descriptions, pricing, images, variants, and SEO metadata
Customers: Names, emails, phone numbers, billing and shipping addresses (note: passwords cannot be migrated due to encryption)
Orders: Complete order history, payment details, and shipping records
Content Pages: About Us, Contact, FAQ, and policy pages (may need formatting adjustments after migration)
Blog Posts: Can be migrated using tools like Matrixify or third-party apps
Discounts: Coupon codes and promotions can be recreated in Shopify’s native discount engine

Best Practices

Clean your catalog: Remove duplicates, inactive SKUs, or outdated product data before importing.
Review content: Reformat migrated pages and blogs to match Shopify’s theme design.
Check SEO fields: Ensure titles, meta descriptions, and redirects are mapped correctly to avoid traffic loss.

Key Takeaway

Migrating data is more than a copy-paste process. Preparing and cleaning your data beforehand ensures a smoother transition and prevents costly errors post-launch.

#3 Evaluate SEO and Redirect Needs

One of the biggest risks during migration is losing hard-earned search visibility. BigCommerce and Shopify use different URL formats, which means redirects are critical to protect rankings.

Why This Matters

Broken links can damage Shopify SEO user experience and brand credibility
Loss of indexed pages can lower your organic traffic
Unmapped URLs can lead to a drop in revenue from search

How to Protect SEO During Migration

Map old URLs to new Shopify URLs: Use a redirect mapping sheet and apply 301 redirects for every product, collection, and content page.
Preserve metadata: Carry over meta titles, descriptions, and alt tags to keep your on-page SEO intact.
Verify your domain: Reconnect your store to Google Search Console immediately after launch to ensure smooth indexing.
Check internal links: Update navigation, menus, and internal linking to match your new Shopify structure.

Bonus Advantage with Shopify

Mobile-first themes: Designed for speed and usability, aligning with Google’s Core Web Vitals.
Built-in SEO support: Fast load times, automatic sitemap generation, and optimized site architecture boost search rankings long-term.

Also read: 8 Proven tips to increase your ecommerce conversion rate

#4 Plan for Design and Theme Migration

Design plays a key role in user experience and conversions.

Why BigCommerce Themes Don’t Transfer

Incompatible architecture: This platform’s themes cannot be directly moved to Shopify.
Manual setup required: Merchants must select a new theme and re-create page layouts, navigation, and design elements.

Shopify Design Options

Free themes: Options like Dawn offer modern, responsive layouts suitable for most stores.
Premium templates: Advanced designs with added customization and marketing features.
Drag-and-drop builders: Tools like PageFly and GemPages enable high-converting pages without coding.

Key Takeaway

While migration requires design adjustments, Shopify’s flexibility and intuitive tools make it easy to create a polished, conversion-optimized storefront that aligns with your brand.

#5 Budget, Timeline, and Resource Allocation

Understanding costs and timelines upfront ensures a smooth migration from BigCommerce to Shopify.

Key Cost Factors

Shopify subscription: Plans range from Basic to Shopify Plus depending on your business needs.
Apps and integrations: Tools for marketing, SEO, subscriptions, or B2B features may require additional fees.
Migration tools: Apps like Matrixify or LitExtension streamline data transfer but may have associated costs.
Developer support: Customizations or complex integrations can require professional assistance.

Timeline Estimates

Small stores (<1,000 products): Typically 2–4 weeks for full migration.
Large catalogs or custom workflows: May require several months to complete.
Avoid peak periods: Schedule migrations outside major holidays or sales events to minimize downtime and customer disruption.

Key Takeaway

Careful budgeting and realistic timelines reduce surprises and ensure a smooth transition. It lets your store launch on Shopify with minimal risk and maximum efficiency.

Also read: Is Shopify plus worth it for DTC brands: Here’s the truth

Key Challenges and How to Overcome Them

Here are the common challenges when migrating from BigCommerce to Shopify and how to solve them.

#1 Managing Revenue-Based Costs

Challenge: BigCommerce automatically upgrades your plan as revenue grows, which can unexpectedly increase costs. Add-ons for features like advanced reporting, search, or B2B functionality also add up.

Solution:

Review Shopify’s predictable pricing tiers (Basic to Plus) and match them to your expected growth.
Leverage Shopify Plus for B2B tools without paying for unnecessary add-ons.
Audit your current BigCommerce apps to eliminate unnecessary costs before migration.

#2 Data Accuracy and Completeness

Challenge: Complex catalogs, multiple variants, or customer records may not map perfectly, leading to incomplete data or broken product setups.

Solution:

Back up all BigCommerce data, including products, orders, customers, and metadata.
Use trusted migration tools like Matrixify for automated import.
Conduct a post-migration audit to ensure SKUs, descriptions, and images match the original store.

#3 Feature and Integration Gaps

Challenge: Some BigCommerce features, such as certain B2B pricing rules, custom shipping calculators, or niche apps, may not have direct Shopify equivalents.

Solution:

List all critical BigCommerce functionalities before migration.
Find Shopify app alternatives (e.g., Klaviyo for email automation, Recharge for subscriptions, Bold for product options).
For unique workflows, consider custom API solutions on Shopify Plus.

#4 Customer Account Continuity

Challenge: BigCommerce customer passwords cannot be migrated due to encryption. This may disrupt repeat buyers if not communicated properly.

Solution:

Inform customers in advance via email campaigns about account reactivation.
Provide step-by-step guides for resetting passwords.

Offer incentives, such as discount codes, to encourage account logins post-migration.

#5 Downtime and Launch Risks

Challenge: Any migration carries the risk of downtime, which can impact sales and customer trust, especially during high-traffic periods.

Solution:

Schedule migration outside peak sales periods like holidays or major promotions.
Use tools that allow live data syncing while your BigCommerce store remains active.

Test the Shopify store thoroughly before the final launch, including checkout, shipping, and payment workflows.

Why Choose Matrixify for BigCommerce to Shopify Migration

Migrating to Shopify is all about accuracy, efficiency, and minimizing downtime.

Here’s why Matrixify is one of the most reliable tools for this transition in 2025.

Key Features for BigCommerce Merchants

Bulk import/export: Move large catalogs, customer records, orders, and content quickly. Ideal for stores with hundreds or thousands of SKUs.
Custom field mapping: Align BigCommerce fields to Shopify equivalents, including custom options, SEO metadata, and product variants.
Real-time syncing: Keep your store live while transferring data, reducing disruption to sales.
Support for complex data: Handles B2B pricing, multi-currency fields, and custom product configurations often used in BigCommerce stores.

Benefits for Merchants

Saves time: Eliminates tedious manual entry and reduces human errors.
Ensures accuracy: Large catalogs and historical data are transferred correctly, preserving product and order integrity.
No coding required: Merchants can handle migrations themselves using an intuitive, user-friendly interface.
Scalable for growth: Works for small D2C stores as well as large B2B operations with complex setups.

Conclusion

Moving your store from BigCommerce to Shopify is more than switching platforms. It is a strategic step that allows your business to grow, operate efficiently, and deliver a smooth experience to customers.

With careful planning, the right tools, and a clear focus on your goals, this move can open new opportunities and strengthen your position in the competitive world of ecommerce.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I migrate all my products and customer data from BigCommerce to Shopify?

Yes. You can migrate products, customer records, orders, content pages, and discount codes. Passwords cannot be transferred due to encryption, so customers will need to reset their accounts after migration.

Will moving to Shopify affect my search engine rankings?

If handled carefully, your SEO can remain intact. Create 301 redirects for old URLs, preserve meta titles and descriptions, and verify your domain in Google Search Console. Shopify’s fast, mobile-optimized themes also support Core Web Vitals, which can improve rankings post-migration.

How long does a BigCommerce to Shopify migration usually take?

The timeline depends on your store size and complexity. Small stores with fewer than 1,000 products can migrate within 1 to 2 weeks. Larger catalogs or stores with custom integrations may require 2 to 4 weeks. Cleaning data and planning redirects beforehand helps reduce delays.

Can I keep my store live while migrating to Shopify?

Yes. Using migration tools like Matrixify, you can transfer data while your store remains active. This ensures no disruption in sales or customer experience. After testing your Shopify store thoroughly, you can switch domains and officially launch the new store.

Does Shopify support B2B features like my BigCommerce store?

Shopify Plus offers the best B2B features, including wholesale portals, custom pricing, and advanced API integrations. For highly complex workflows, specialized apps or custom development may be needed, but most mid-sized B2B operations can transition smoothly and gain access to Shopify’s app ecosystem.