What data to export before you switch e-commerce platforms

The best time to find out you forgot something is before you leave, not after. Use this checklist and keep every file.

The essentials

Content and SEO

• Pages and policies (about, shipping, returns, privacy).
• Blog posts and their images.
• A list of every URL on the old site, so you can build redirects (how).
• Page titles and meta descriptions, which are part of your SEO.
• Sitemap from the old store.

Settings that are easy to forget

• Shipping zones and rates.
• Tax settings and GST details.
• Email and WhatsApp templates.
• Payment gateway settings and settlement details.
• Staff accounts and permissions.

Data in apps

Reviews, loyalty points, subscriptions, wishlists and back-in-stock requests often live in separate apps. Ask each app how to export, and whether the new platform can import it. Subscriptions and gift cards need special care because customers have paid in advance.

Analytics

Export reports on top products, traffic sources and conversion, and download your historical data from your analytics tool. The new platform starts at zero, so history becomes your benchmark.

Store it safely

Customer and order files contain personal data. Keep them in a secure, access-controlled location, delete copies you no longer need, and do not email them around. Under India's DPDP Act and, if you sell to Europeans, the GDPR, you are responsible for protecting this data. See DPDP for online stores and GDPR for Indian D2C brands.

Check the export

Open each file and confirm it has the right number of rows, readable names and complete addresses. Compare totals with your dashboard, for example total products and orders. Fix gaps now.

A simple way to track progress

Use a table in a spreadsheet with four columns: item, where it lives, exported (yes or no) and checked (yes or no). Review it with whoever helps run the store. Many migration problems come from one person assuming another has exported something. Mark each line "checked" only after you have opened the file and spot-checked ten rows against the live store.

When a platform makes export hard

Some platforms limit what you can export. If an item cannot be downloaded, you have three options: ask the vendor's support to provide it, copy it by hand if it is small, or use a migration service that reads it through a supported connection. Whichever you choose, record the date and keep proof of what you collected.

Related reading

• Migrating from WooCommerce, Wix or Dukaan: what changes and what to plan for

What to do next

Create a folder named with today's date, export the essentials first, and tick off the rest. If your new platform offers a migration service, share the folder with them rather than guessing what they need.