Migrate from Wix to Shopify in 2026: Updated Walkthrough

Wix is a popular starting platform for new ecommerce stores. The drag-and-drop interface is approachable, the templates look modern, and the all-in-one nature is appealing for first-time site owners. The trade-offs become apparent as stores grow — limited app ecosystem, weaker marketing integrations, less flexibility for custom workflows.

Migrating from Wix to Shopify is among the most common platform switches we see. This guide is the updated walkthrough for 2026.

When migration makes sense

Move to Shopify when:

• You're at $5K+/month revenue and growing
• You want to integrate apps Wix doesn't support
• You're investing in paid ads and need better tracking infrastructure
• You're hitting Wix's customization limits
• You're planning international expansion

Stay on Wix when:

• You're under $2K/month
• You're satisfied with current capabilities
• You don't have time to manage migration
• You'd rather use the upgrade time on growth instead

Migration is real work. Don't migrate just because Shopify is "better" — migrate when you actually need the capabilities.

Pre-migration checklist

Before starting:

• Count active products (and total variants)
• Document current URL structure
• Export customer list
• Save 12 months of order history
• Note active discount codes
• List third-party integrations
• Document current theme customizations

Step 1: Export from Wix

Wix's export options vary by store age and plan tier. Common options:

Products: Wix Stores → Catalog → Export. Downloads CSV with product data.

Customers: Contacts → Export. CSV with email and contact details.

Orders: Wix Stores → Orders → Export. CSV with order history.

If your Wix plan doesn't expose export, you may need to use third-party tools (LitExtension, Cart2Cart) which scrape the data via API access.

Step 2: Set up Shopify

Standard new-store setup:

• Create Shopify account, choose plan
• Pick a theme (Dawn is solid; consider premium themes if Wix design was important to your brand)
• Configure basic settings (taxes, shipping, payments)
• Don't connect domain yet — Wix store stays live during prep

Step 3: Import products

Shopify's product CSV format. Map Wix fields to Shopify:

• Product Name → Title
• Description → Body (preserves HTML if formatted)
• SKU → Variant SKU
• Price → Variant Price
• Compare At Price → Variant Compare At Price
• Inventory → Variant Inventory Quantity
• Categories → Tags

Wix variants (size, color, custom options) need conversion. Each variant becomes its own row in Shopify's CSV with a shared product handle.

For complex catalogs, Matrixify (Shopify app) automates the conversion better than manual CSV editing.

Step 4: Rebuild collections and navigation

Wix's category system doesn't map directly to Shopify's. You'll need to:

• Create Shopify collections matching your Wix categories
• Set automatic collection rules (by tag) so products self-assign
• Rebuild main navigation (Online Store → Navigation)
• Set up footer menu

Plan to spend 3-5 hours on this regardless of catalog size — it's organizational work, not just data transfer.

Step 5: Customer import

Shopify customer CSV. Customers will need to reset passwords post-migration since Wix password hashes don't transfer.

After import:

• Send customer announcement email with reset password instructions
• Tag imported customers for segmentation
• Sync to your email tool (Klaviyo recommended)

Step 6: Order history

Options for orders:

Option 1: Keep Wix accessible. Maintain Wix subscription for 90-180 days post-migration. Reference for order lookups, returns, customer service.

Option 2: Migrate orders. Use Matrixify to import historical orders. Preserves customer-side order history view in Shopify.

Option 3: Archive only. Export CSVs, store offline, customer service references when needed. Cheapest but most friction.

For most stores: Option 1 first 90 days, then close Wix.

Step 7: SEO redirects

Critical step. Wix URL patterns vary, but typically look like:

yourstore.com/product-page/product-name
yourstore.com/category-name

Shopify URLs:

yourstore.com/products/product-handle
yourstore.com/collections/collection-handle

Set up 301 redirects in Shopify (Online Store → Navigation → URL Redirects):

• Map old URL to new URL for every product
• Map old category URL to collection URL
• Handle any custom pages (about, contact, FAQ)

For large catalogs, bulk-import redirects via CSV. Manual entry for under 50 products is fine.

Test redirects before cutover. Use a tool like Screaming Frog to crawl old URLs and verify they 301 to correct destinations.

Step 8: Email and marketing migration

If you used Wix's built-in email, you're starting fresh on Klaviyo or Mailchimp:

• Export email subscribers from Wix
• Import to new email tool
• Rebuild flows (welcome, abandoned cart, post-purchase)
• Connect to Shopify for behavioral data

For Meta/Google ads: pixels need to be reinstalled on Shopify. Don't lose attribution by forgetting this step.

Step 9: Cutover day

Sequence:

1. Verify Shopify store is fully ready
2. Disable Wix checkout (prevents accidental orders to old store)
3. Update DNS to point domain to Shopify
4. Wait for DNS propagation (2-24 hours)
5. Test full purchase flow on live domain
6. Send customer announcement email
7. Monitor for issues over 72 hours

Schedule cutover for Tuesday or Wednesday morning. Avoid Friday (issues over weekend), avoid Monday (weekend issues bleeding in).

Step 10: Post-migration

Week 1: Stabilize. Watch for customer service inquiries. Check Search Console for crawl errors.

Week 2-4: Optimize. Use Shopify capabilities to improve experience — better collections, app additions, theme refinement.

Month 2-3: Marketing recovery. Ad accounts re-stabilize. SEO recovers from migration dip.

Month 4+: Growth mode. Now you have the platform to scale.

Common Wix migration mistakes

Trying to recreate the Wix design exactly. Shopify themes work differently. Don't fight the platform.

Forgetting to update social media links. Update Instagram, Facebook, TikTok bios with new domain or URLs.

Skipping pixel reinstall. Meta and Google pixels need to be installed on Shopify. Don't lose tracking.

Cutting Wix subscription too soon. Keep it accessible for 90 days as an order reference.

Trying to migrate during a sale or busy period. Don't.

Cost of migration

DIY: $0 + 25-40 hours of your time.

With Matrixify or migration tools: $30-200 in tooling.

Agency-assisted: $1,500-5,000 depending on complexity.

For most under-300-product stores, DIY is feasible. For complex catalogs or operational migrations, paying an agency saves significant time and reduces risk.

What to do this week

If you're on Wix and considering migration, pull your product and customer counts. Map your current URL structure (the redirect setup is the most underestimated part of migration).

If migration looks manageable, schedule it for a low-traffic 30-day window. Plan the customer communication early.

For more, see our migrate from GoDaddy to Shopify, migrate from Square Online to Shopify, and Shopify vs WooCommerce comparison.