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Switching platforms

How to migrate your online store without losing sales

A seven-step plan to move your store to a new platform with no downtime: export data, rebuild, test, set redirects, switch DNS and monitor rankings and orders.

By Orvexa TeamUpdated 3 min read
Rows of jewellery on a street stall in Janpath market, New Delhi
Photo: Pinakpani, CC BY 4.0 · All photo credits
Key takeaways
  • Keep your old store live until the new one is tested and ready
  • Redirect every old URL so rankings and shared links survive
  • Move on a quiet day, then watch orders, errors and traffic for two weeks

Moving platforms scares founders for good reason: a bad migration means a broken checkout, lost rankings and angry customers. A good one is nearly invisible. The difference is a plan.

Step 1: Decide why and when

Write down why you are moving (cost, features, control, speed) and what success looks like. Choose a quiet period, not the week before a festive sale. Plan at least two to four weeks end to end for a small store.

Step 2: Export everything you can

Take a full backup of products, variants, images, collections, customers, orders, discount codes, pages and blog posts, plus your list of current URLs. This checklist shows what to take.

Step 3: Build the new store alongside the old

Import the data, set up payments, shipping, taxes and policies, and apply your branding. Your old store keeps selling during this time, so customers see no change.

Step 4: Test like a customer

Place test orders using UPI, a card and cash on delivery. Check confirmation messages, invoices, tracking links and refunds. Test on a phone. Check that GST invoices carry the right tax split.

Step 5: Map your redirects

List every old URL and match it to the new one. These permanent (301) redirects tell search engines and visitors where things moved. Read 301 redirects explained.

Step 6: Switch your domain

Lower your DNS TTL a day or two earlier, then point your domain to the new platform. Keep your email records unchanged. Read DNS basics for store owners and connect vs transfer. DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to spread fully, though many visitors see them within minutes or hours.

Step 7: Monitor for two weeks

Check orders, payment success rates, 404 errors, page speed and search traffic daily. Keep the old store accessible in the background for a month, in case something needs recovering.

Things that do not migrate cleanly

  • Customer passwords. Platforms usually cannot move password hashes, so customers may need to reset passwords or use a one-time login link. Tell them in advance.
  • Themes. A design built for one platform generally cannot be moved to another and must be rebuilt.
  • Apps and their data. Reviews, loyalty points and subscriptions need their own export or a replacement.
  • Analytics history. Export it, because the new platform starts with a blank slate.

Tell your customers

Send a short message by email and WhatsApp a few days before: what is changing, whether they need to do anything, and how to reach you if something looks wrong.

What to do next

Create a one-page plan with dates for each step and an owner for each task. Start with the export, because it tells you how big the job really is.

Frequently asked questions

Will my Google rankings drop if I migrate?

A small, temporary dip is common. Keeping URLs the same where possible, redirecting every changed URL and submitting a new sitemap limit the risk.

Do I need to stop selling during the move?

No. Keep the old store live until you switch the domain, then the new store takes over.

Can I migrate on my own?

Yes for a small catalogue. For hundreds of products or years of orders, ask the new platform whether it handles the import and redirects for you.

Topics:migrationreplatformingseodowntimeecommerce

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