Shopify Migration Checklist for UK Businesses
Introduction
Migrating to Shopify is a major step for any ecommerce business. While Shopify offers speed, scalability, and flexibility, a poorly planned migration can result in lost SEO rankings, broken customer journeys, and lost revenue.
This Shopify migration checklist for UK businesses outlines exactly what needs to be considered before, during, and after your move to Shopify.
Pre-Migration Checklist
1. Audit Your Existing Website
Before migrating, review:
Current platform (WooCommerce, Magento, OpenCart, Squarespace, Wix)
Product and collection structure
SEO traffic and top-performing pages
Integrations (payments, fulfilment, CRM)
2. Map All Existing URLs
One of the most critical SEO steps.
You must:
Export all live URLs
Map old URLs to Shopify equivalents
Prepare 301 redirects before launch
Failing to do this is the most common cause of traffic loss.
3. Plan Your Shopify Structure
Shopify handles products and collections differently.
Consider:
Collection logic
Filters and navigation
SEO-friendly URLs
Blog and content migration
Migration Checklist
4. Migrate Products, Customers & Orders
Ensure:
Product variants are correct
Images are optimised
Customer accounts are retained
Order history is preserved where needed
5. Configure UK-Specific Settings
For UK businesses, ensure:
GBP pricing
VAT configuration
UK payment providers
Shipping rules and zones
6. Choose Apps Carefully
Only install what you need.
Too many apps can:
Slow down your store
Create conflicts
Increase monthly costs
SEO Checklist (Critical)
7. Preserve SEO Metadata
Migrate:
Page titles
Meta descriptions
Headings
Alt text
8. Test Redirects Before Launch
Every redirect should be:
Tested manually
Checked for chains
Logged for errors
9. Set Up Analytics & Search Console
Before going live:
Google Analytics
Google Search Console
Google Merchant Center
Post-Launch Checklist
10. Monitor SEO & Performance
After launch:
Check crawl errors
Monitor rankings
Track conversions
Fix issues quickly
When to Use a Shopify Migration Specialist
If your store:
Generates regular revenue
Relies on organic traffic
Has integrations
Cannot afford downtime
Expert migration support significantly reduces risk.
Planning a Move to Shopify?
Speak to Maxim Consulting Services before you migrate.
Shopify Migration Services for UK Businesses
Maxim Consulting Services provides end-to-end Shopify migration support for UK ecommerce businesses. From SEO-safe migrations to post-launch optimisation, we ensure your move to Shopify supports growth — not disruption.
