Replatforming: What Actually Works
Moving a store from one commerce platform to another, with the catalog, customers, orders and URLs it carries.
Marcus Adeyemi
What is at stake
Replatforming is the riskiest project an e-commerce business undertakes, and the risk is concentrated in data migration and URL handling.
The playbook
- Build and test the redirect map before launch
- Migrate order history, not just customers
- Plan the password reset communication carefully
- Run a full crawl comparison before and after
- Avoid launching into a peak trading period
Where it goes wrong
Avoid:
- Launching without tested redirects
- Leaving order history behind
- Migrating in the run-up to peak season
- Assuming data mapped cleanly without verifying
The numbers behind it
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Data to migrate | catalog, customers, orders, content and URLs |
| Redirects | required for every URL with traffic or links |
| Customer passwords | usually cannot be migrated and require a reset flow |
| Order history | customers expect it to survive |
| Timing | avoid peak trading periods |
Getting outside help
When to hand it over: Bring in help before any replatform, when a migration has already cost traffic or orders, or when data will not map cleanly between platforms.
Where this comes from
- Google Search Central — Site moves with URL changes
- Shopify Help Center — Migration guidance
- Baymard Institute — Platform selection research
The figures and practices above come from the sources listed.
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Where to go next
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