Inventory the current setup completely
Before migration, capture products, variants, categories, customers, orders, media, URLs, extensions, tracking and external systems. Only then can you decide what must be migrated and which functions need to be rebuilt.
Define the target data model
Source and target platforms rarely use identical fields. A mapping describes how products, variants, attributes, prices, categories and relationships will be represented in the new system. Edge cases should be defined before import.
Create a URL and redirect plan
Every relevant legacy URL needs an appropriate target. Permanent changes should redirect to the closest useful destination. Redirect chains and mass redirects to the homepage should be avoided because they lose intent and context.
Inventory integrations separately
ERP, PIM, inventory, CRM, payment, shipping and marketplaces are separate migration workstreams. Define direction, frequency and failure handling for each data flow in the target architecture.
Make test migration repeatable
A good import is not a one-off manual event. It should be repeatable so mapping errors can be fixed and final delta data can be transferred later. Test runs should cover volume, relationships and edge cases.
Plan go-live and monitoring
After the switch, review data flows, redirects, indexation, logs and critical pages. The migration is only complete when important operational and search processes are stable in production.
Common failure points
Incomplete URL inventories, broken variant logic, missing media relationships or unclear integrations often appear late. A thorough inventory and realistic test migration reduce those risks.