Magento is one of the most used eCommerce platforms around, and has been used successfully by many companies to sell their products online. But there are a raft of alternatives, and if the needs of your business change you might start to consider switching from Magento to another platform like Shopify.
Why Consider Shopify?
Businesses switching from Magento to Shopify typically cite a few key things that influenced their decision:
- Ease of use – Unlike other platforms that require a great deal of work to setup and customise, Shopify is simple to set up and use from the get go.
- Ease of maintenance – As a closed, hosted solution, Shopify development teams take care of ongoing patches and bug fixes, you don’t have to do this yourself.
- Extensions – Shopify comes with a wide range of extensions (Shopify Apps) that can be set up in one click to add new functionality to your store.
- Security – Again, as Shopify is a hosted solution, they effectively handle all of your data for you and they have invested in the highest levels of security to keep their clients data safe.
Switching Sides
While many people put off migrating from one platform to another, if approached correctly it needn’t be a complex process:
- Consider the alternatives – The landscape of eCommerce platforms is constantly changing and evolving. Don’t assume that the evaluation you did previously is still up to date, it is worth looking at all options with fresh eyes before you move platforms.
- Test it out – Before you commit to moving, be sure to test out the new platform. There are likely specific constraints or things that you don’t like about your current platform, experiment to make sure they you won’t have the same issues with Shopify.
- Consult the professionals – Despite what the Shopify teams might tell you, migrating from Magento to Shopify can be tricky, particularly if you have a complex business with lots of customisations. Getting the migration wrong can cause significant delays, while also resulting in missed sales and damage to your brand. To mitigate this risk it is advisable to consult with a team who has expertise in this field and can guide you through.
- Track the progress – To determine whether the migration has been a success, you should set yourself metrics and look periodically to ensure that you achieved them. Make a judgement retrospectively whether migrating was the right option, or whether you will need to move platforms again in the future to achieve your business goals.
The Shopify Plus platform has additional tools to help ease the pain of migration, but this also comes at additional cost, typically starting at around $2000 (£1500) per month. When you factor in the costs associated with Shopify, an alternative like WooCommerce could be a more suitable option.
AsOne eCommerce Migration
As experts in the eCommerce space, we’ve helped countless businesses get online, and countless others switch from one platform to another as the demands of their business have changed.
We work with all the major eCommerce platforms, and have first-hand insight to the pros and cons of working with each. Our technical teams are therefore uniquely positioned to manage a smooth transition from one platform to another, ensuring that your business keeps running and setting you up for long-term success.
If you’re considering moving from Magento to Shopify, or any other eCommerce platform, and would like some advice to ensure that the transition goes as smoothly as possible, don’t hesitate to get in touch and speak to one of our experts.
