Migration of an online store from OpenCart to Shopify: URL redirects, customers, and orders

Migrating an online store from OpenCart to Shopify is a chance to organize everything and not lose traffic. Transferring an online store from OpenCart to Shopify sounds easy, but the details determine whether there will be a drop.

Here we will go through URL redirects, customers, and orders. You will also see a brief plan for Shopify store development, plus common mistakes that are painful to see later.

What is actually transferred when moving to Shopify

When we say online store migration, people think "I copy the products and that's it." In reality, an entire system is moved: structure, data, and customer habits.

Most commonly, products, variants, categories/collections, prices, stock, images, pages, blog posts, customers, and orders are migrated. Then come 301 redirects and testing of orders, emails, and indexing.

• Catalog: products, variants, options, attributes, tags.
• Structure: categories and collections in Shopify, menus, filters.
• Content: pages, blog, product descriptions, images, and alt texts.
• Data: customers, orders, statuses, addresses, notes.
• Technical: URL map, 301, canonicals, sitemap, robots.

If you want to see how Shopify store development and quick website migration combine, open Shopify store build + Migration.

URL redirects and preserving URL structure

URL redirects are where money is lost without noticing. One missed 301 and suddenly your top product becomes a 404, and then you wonder why there are no sales.

The goal is simple: old OpenCart URLs should lead to the correct Shopify pages. This is an SEO migration, but also clear navigation for people.

Online store migration from OpenCart to Shopify.

Redirect map and 301 in Shopify

Start by exporting all important URLs. Not just products. Include categories, filtered pages, articles, and the most visited info pages.

• List "old URL → new URL" for each product and category.
• Rules for bulk redirects when the structure is similar.
• Check for duplicates and canonicals to avoid confusion.
• Testing redirects before and after launch.

Practical tip: maintain one version of the "redirect map" and keep it. It's your insurance, honestly.

Common mistakes in URL redirects

• Redirecting everything to the homepage. It's quick, but it's wrong.
• Changing slugs without reason. Then you wonder who named what.
• Internal links left pointing to the old domain or old paths.
• Missed collections and pages for shipping, returns, contacts.

For broader navigation and quick access to all pages, use Site map.

Customers and orders: migration without losing history

Customers are more important than the theme. If you don't transfer profiles and orders correctly, your support will overheat.

When transferring customers to Shopify, emails, names, addresses, and tags are usually moved. For orders – numbers, values, statuses, and notes, as much as possible from the source.

Shopify data migration: CSV import or API migration

CSV import is quick for products and some customer data. API migration is more flexible for complex variants, many orders, or specific fields.

• Check for duplicate emails and profiles before import.
• Prepare password and access rules. Email reset is often used.
• Compare the number of orders and amounts after transfer.
• Test notifications: confirmation, shipping, cancellation.

Mini checklist for orders and payments

With an Official Shopify Partner, order settings are more relaxed. If payments and deliveries are chaotic, even the best design won't help.

• Check currency, taxes, and shipping rules.
• Test order with different payment methods.
• Confirmation emails and templates, without missing fields.
• Mobile version: buttons should be visible and not "jump".

If you've reached this point and want to compare services for SEO services, SEO optimization, and GEO optimization, see Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) for websites: Plans and prices.

Shopify store build: steps, timelines, and common mistakes

Shopify store development is not just "choosing a theme and uploading products." It's about building structure, UX, trust, and speed so the store sells consistently.

For a standard project, a working Shopify store can be prepared in about 2 weeks. With more complex integrations, the timeline increases, and that's normal.

Steps for building a Shopify store

• Architecture: categories/collections, menu, filters, search.
• Theme and design: Online Store 2.0 sections, mobile screens, speed.
• Catalog: product templates, variations, metafields, images.
• Settings: shipping, payments, taxes, emails, policies.
• Integrations: couriers, analytics, pixels, automations.
• Content: product descriptions, categories, blog, internal links.

Timelines by week, roughly

• Week 1: structure, theme, main pages, catalog import.
• Week 2: redirects, settings, tests, final adjustments, and launch.

Common mistakes in Shopify store development

• Too many apps. Speed drops and no one explains why.
• Identical product descriptions from the supplier. Then there's duplicate content.
• Collections without logic. The customer gets lost and leaves.
• Missing meta titles and meta descriptions. It's minor, but it affects visibility.
• Images without compression and without WebP. Pages become heavy.

For more examples and ideas for Shopify, SEO news, and SEO blog topics, check out AI Tech News: Blog for Shopify and SEO trends.

SEO, GEO, and AEO after migration

Once the store is in Shopify, the "to be found" part comes in. This includes site SEO optimization, on-page SEO, and generative optimization, which helps with visibility in Google AI and ChatGPT Search.

It's not just text. There's structure, data, and internal links. The small things that no one wants to do, but they work.

• Meta data: titles and descriptions for categories, products, and pages.
• Structured data and entity signals to understand the context.
• Internal linking between collections, articles, and product pages.
• Image optimization: alt texts, sizes, WebP where possible.
• Speed and Core Web Vitals, without overloading the store with heavy scripts.

Small words that drive searches

People search in many ways: seo, сео, sometimes even ceo optimization. They also search for "website development," "Shopify store build," and "seo price" or "seo prices."

That's why it's important to have clear categories, clean URLs, and meaningful texts. Short but useful.

If you want to return to the beginning and see all services in one place, open Home.

Questions and answers

Question: How do I set up 301 redirects in Shopify? Answer: Create a "old → new" map and test each important page before launch.

Question: Are customers and orders transferred to Shopify? Answer: Yes, they are usually migrated, but the format depends on the data and platform.

Question: Who can migrate an online store quickly? Answer: Look for a team experienced in online store migration from OpenCart with clear tests before launch.

Question: How long does a Shopify store build take? Answer: A standard store is often ready in about 2 weeks if there are no heavy integrations.

Question: What is GEO and why do I need it? Answer: It is an approach for visibility in generative search engines when the search is "like a conversation."

Conclusion

Successful migration is a combination of technique and content. Start with URL redirects, carefully transfer customers and orders, and test everything before launch.

If you want a specific plan and quick action, contact us through Contact SEOexpert.bg and confidently proceed with the migration of your online store from OpenCart to Shopify.