How to Transfer Your Store from Volusion to Shopify? A Step-by-Step Guide

How to transfer Volusion to Shopify? If you’re currently running an online store on Volusion and considering switching to Shopify, you’re not alone. Thousands of eCommerce business owners are making the move as Shopify continues to dominate the market with its user-friendly interface, powerful features, and robust app ecosystem.

But migrating an online store from one platform to another isn’t something you do on a whim. It involves careful planning, a bit of technical know-how, and a strong understanding of both platforms to ensure that your data, design, SEO, and customer experience are preserved — or even improved.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the entire process of transfer Volusion to Shopify step-by-step. Whether you’re a small business owner or managing a growing eCommerce operation, this guide will help you execute a seamless transition.

Why Migrate from Volusion to Shopify?

Before diving into the “how,” let’s briefly cover the “why.” Understanding the benefits of Shopify over Volusion can validate your decision and keep your migration goals aligned.

1. Ease of Use

Shopify’s clean, intuitive dashboard makes managing products, orders, & customers far easier than Volusion. The platform is beginner-friendly while still offering advanced customization for developers.

2. Modern Templates

Volusion’s design options are outdated and limited. Hundreds of stunning, mobile-responsive themes are available on Shopify, with both free and premium options to suit any niche.

3. App Ecosystem

Shopify has an extensive app marketplace (over 8,000 apps) that enhances functionality — from email marketing to dropshipping — many of which are not available or supported on Volusion.

4. SEO and Performance

Shopify outperforms Volusion in terms of SEO optimization, faster load times, and mobile responsiveness — all of which are crucial for search engine rankings and conversions.

5. Support and Community

With 24/7 customer support and a vibrant user base, Shopify ensures that you’re never alone when running your store.

Step-by-Step Guide to Migrating from Transfer Volusion to Shopify

Let’s get into the actual migration process. There are manual and automated ways to transfer data, but here’s a comprehensive step-by-step guide that you can follow or adapt based on your store’s complexity.

Step 1: Prepare Your Store for Migration

Before beginning the migration, make a full backup and audit of your Volusion store.

Back up all data:

  • Products (including SKUs, variants, pricing, and images)
  • Customer information
  • Order history
  • Pages and blog posts
  • URLs and SEO data
  • Theme files (if reusable)

Volusion doesn’t provide a one-click export of all your data, but you can use the export tools under Inventory > Import/Export.

Audit your store:

  • What’s working? What’s not?
  • Are there outdated or duplicate products?
  • Can you delete any outdated blog entries or pages?

Use this time to clean your data so you only migrate what you need.

Step 2: Set Up Your Shopify Store

It’s time to prepare your new Shopify store.

Sign up for a Shopify account

Start with a 14-day free trial if you’re still exploring.

Choose a theme

Many free & premium themes are available in Shopify’s Theme Store. Choose one that complements your industry and brand. Customize your theme through the Shopify Theme Editor (no coding needed for basic edits).

Configure store settings

Set up:

  • Store name
  • General information
  • Tax and shipping settings
  • Payment gateways (Shopify Payments, PayPal, Stripe, etc.)

Step 3: Migrate Your Data from Volusion

You have three main options for migrating your data:

Option 1: Use a Third-Party Migration Tool

Platforms like Cart2Cart or LitExtension provide an automated way to transfer data from Volusion to Shopify.

Cart2Cart, for example, can migrate:

  • Products and categories
  • Customers
  • Orders
  • Images and variants
  • CMS pages and blog posts
  • SEO URLs (if properly mapped)

Pros:

  • Fast and automated
  • Minimal downtime
  • Saves effort

Cons:

  • Paid service (price varies based on volume)
  • Some data may require manual clean-up afterward

Option 2: Manual Migration

If your store is small, manual migration may work — especially for tighter control.

Steps:

  1. Export products as a CSV from Volusion.
  2. Configure the CSV file to follow Shopify’s recommended product import format.
  3. Import into Shopify via Products > Import.
  4. Do the same for customer data and orders.
  5. Manually copy over pages and blog posts.

Tip: Shopify provides CSV templates for each data type, which you can find in their Help Center.

Option 3: Hire a Shopify Expert

If you’re pressed for time or dealing with complex customizations, hiring a migration expert might be the safest route.

Step 4: Rebuild Your Store Design

You can’t migrate your Volusion design directly to Shopify — the platforms use entirely different frameworks.

However, this is an opportunity to:

  • Modernize your brand look
  • Improve UX and navigation
  • Implement mobile-first design

Use the Shopify Theme Editor or work with a developer to replicate (or improve) your old design.

Step 5: Redirect URLs and Preserve SEO

Your SEO rankings may suffer if you migrate without using 301 redirects. Make sure all of your previous Volusion URLs point to their updated Shopify equivalents.

How to do it:

  1. Export a full list of your Volusion URLs.
  2. Connect them to Shopify’s corresponding new URLs.
  3. Open Online Store > Navigation to > URL Redirects, utilize Shopify’s URL redirection feature.

Also, resubmit your sitemap to Google Search Console & make sure your new site is crawlable.

Step 6: Test Everything Thoroughly

Before launching, double-check:

  • Product pages and categories
  • Checkout flow
  • Payment gateways
  • Email notifications
  • Contact forms
  • Mobile responsiveness
  • SEO elements (titles, meta descriptions)

Create a checklist & test each major function across different devices and browsers.

Step 7: Go Live and Monitor

After you’re happy, point your domain to Shopify & make the official launch.

To do this:

  1. Log in to your domain registrar.
  2. Update DNS settings to Shopify’s IP address.
  3. Navigate to Shopify Admin > Settings > Domains to set your primary domain.

After launching:

  • Monitor Google Search Console for crawl errors.
  • Use analytics software like Google Analytics, Shopify Analytics, and Hotjar to track performance.
  • Run promotional campaigns to re-engage your audience.

Common Challenges (and How to Handle Them)

1. Data Format Mismatches

Shopify has strict CSV formatting rules. Double-check fields when importing, especially variants & images.

Fix: Use Shopify’s import guidelines or third-party migration tools that auto-format the data.

2. SEO Drops

Loss of metadata or improper redirects can lower your search engine rankings.

Fix: Set up 301 redirects, retain page titles/descriptions, and verify your sitemap in Search Console ASAP after launch.

3. Lost Functionality

A few custom features in Volusion might not exist in Shopify.

Fix: Search Shopify’s App Store for alternatives, or consult a Shopify developer for custom solutions.

Final Thoughts: Is It Worth Switching from Volusion to Shopify?

In almost every case, the answer is yes.

Shopify offers a modern, scalable, and user-friendly solution that empowers you to grow your online business with ease. While migration requires time and effort, the long-term benefits — including better design, stronger SEO, more integrations, and improved performance — far outweigh the temporary challenges.

By following this guide and preparing carefully, you can make the transition smoothly and set your business up for future success on one of the most powerful eCommerce platforms available today.