How to Transfer Products and Orders From Squarespace to Shopify

Migrating your online store from Squarespace to Shopify is a strategic decision many e-commerce businesses consider as they grow. While Squarespace gives you a user-friendly platform for smaller operations, Shopify has some advanced features that can be a better fit for your business if you’re growing quickly (or have imminent plans to).

This guide will give you a step-by-step process for transitioning your store, covering the important stuff like data migration, choosing a theme, and post-launch optimization so that you have a smooth transfer of your e-commerce operations.

Why Consider Moving to Shopify?

Before we dive into the transfer process, let’s discuss why you might want to make the switch:

1. Scalability: Shopify is designed to grow with your business, from a few products to thousands.
   
   
2. E-commerce Focus: While Squarespace is great for general websites, Shopify is built specifically for online stores.
   
   
3. App Ecosystem: Shopify’s extensive app store means you can easily customize your store and get added functionality.
   
   

Advanced E-commerce Features: Shopify has a bunch of really good inventory management, multi-channel selling, and reporting tools.

Preparing for the Move: What You Need to Know

Transferring your online store from Squarespace to Shopify is a big step that requires careful planning. Let’s break down the key factors you’ll need to consider as you prepare for this transition.

• Time is an important factor. Depending on how complex your store is, the migration can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. The number of products, amount of customer data, and any custom features all affect how long the move will take.
  
  
  
• Cost is another important consideration. You’ll need to budget for your new Shopify plan, any paid apps you might need, and potentially some professional help. Don’t forget to factor in the possibility of a temporary dip in sales during the transition period.
  
  
  
• SEO should be a top priority during your move. To maintain your search engine rankings, you’ll need to set up redirects for all your pages, update your sitemap, and ensure all your meta information transfers correctly. Keep a close eye on your rankings in the weeks following the migration.
  
  

While Shopify is user-friendly, there will still be a learning curve. Expect to spend some time getting familiar with the new admin panel, understanding how to manage your products and orders, and learning how to make design changes in the new system.

Steps to Transfer From Squarespace to Shopify

1. Prepare Your Shopify Store

• Create a Shopify Account: Sign up for a new account or log in if you already have one.
  
  
• Choose a Theme: Select and customize a Shopify theme that suits your brand.
  
  

2. Export Data from Squarespace

To Export Products:

• Navigate to Products & Services > Products.
  

• Select the products you want to export.
  
  
• If you want to export your entire inventory, choose Select All after you select your first product.
  
  
• Then, choose Export. 
  

Export Orders and Customers:

• For orders, go to Products & Services > Orders.
  
  
• Choose Download CSV to export your current orders. 

3. Edit Shopify CSV

• Download the Shopify Product CSV Template
  
  
  • Use this as a guide for formatting your data.
    
    
  • Open using Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel, or Numbers.
    
    
    
• Edit Your Squarespace Export
  
  
  • Open your products_[date].csv file.
    
    
  • Create a new tab in your spreadsheet for the Shopify-formatted data.
    
    
  • Copy the column headers from the Shopify template to this new tab.
    
    
  • Copy and paste your Squarespace data into the corresponding Shopify columns.
    
    

Squarespace data type	Shopify data type	Action
Product URL	Handle	Change column name to Shopify’s data type. The Handle can contain letters, dashes, and numbers, but no spaces, accents, or other characters, including periods. Handles are used in the URL for each product.
Title	Title	No action needed.
Default Vendor Name	Vendor	Change column name to Shopify’s data type.
Categories	Type	Change column name to Shopify’s data type.
Tags	Tags
Option Name 1	Option1 Name	Change column name to Shopify’s data type.
Option Value 1	Option1 Value	Change column name to Shopify’s data type.
Option Name 2	Option2 Name	Change column name to Shopify’s data type.
Option Value 2	Option2 Value	Change column name to Shopify’s data type.
Option Name 3	Option3 Name	Change column name to Shopify’s data type.
Option Value 3	Option3 Value	Change column name to Shopify’s data type.
SKU	Variant SKU	Change column name to Shopify’s data type.
Weight	Variant Grams	Convert pounds to grams by multiplying the values by 453.6. Change column name to Shopify’s data type.
Price	Variant Price	Change column name to Shopify’s data type.
Stock	Variant Inventory Qty	Change column name to Shopify’s data type. Remove any non-numeric characters.

• Review Important Details
  
  
  • If using the sample file:
    
    
    • Remove all example products and variants.
      
      
    • Note that the “Variant Inventory Qty” column is for single-location stores only.
      
      
    • For multi-location inventory, use the separate inventory CSV file.
      
      
  • The “Price / International” and “Compare At Price / International” columns are included but often left blank.
    
    
• Final Check
  
  
• Ensure your CSV file contains only the Shopify-templated product data.
  
  
• Double-check that all unnecessary columns have been removed.
  
  

4. Import Data into Shopify

• On Shopify, click Products.

• Then, click Import. 

• Choose your Shopify-templated product data.
  
  
• Make sure to preview and double check if all product information are imported correctly.

Post-Transfer Considerations

After successfully moving your store, keep these points in mind:

Keep an Eye on Your Numbers

Your store’s performance data is crucial. Watch your traffic and sales closely in the coming weeks. Compare these numbers to your old Squarespace data. This will help you spot any issues quickly.

Update Your Online Presence

Don’t forget to tell the world about your move. Update your social media profiles with your new Shopify store link. Change your email signature too. If you have any offline marketing materials, make sure they show your new web address.

Back Up Your New Store

Shopify has built-in backups, but why not go the extra mile? Look into additional backup apps from the Shopify App Store. Set up regular, automated backups for extra peace of mind. It’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your business data.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

During the transfer process, you might encounter some challenges. Here are solutions to common problems:

1. The Case of the Missing Products

If some products didn’t make the journey:

• Review your CSV file for any errors or inconsistencies
  
  
• Try a fresh import with the corrected file
  

2. Fixing Broken Links

Broken links can frustrate customers and harm SEO:

• Use a broken link checker tool to identify any issues
  
  
• Systematically fix internal links to ensure a seamless browsing experience
  

3. Design Discrepancies

Your Shopify store might not look exactly like your Squarespace site at first:

• Dive into Shopify’s theme customizer
  
  
• Take time to adjust settings for fonts, colors, and layouts
  
  
• Remember, Shopify’s flexibility allows you to create a unique look that could even improve upon your old design
  

4. SEO Concerns

To maintain your search engine rankings:

• Ensure all your old URLs are properly redirected to their new counterparts
  
  
• Set up your Shopify SEO settings carefully, including meta descriptions and title tags
  
  
• Consider using Shopify SEO apps for additional optimization
  

Conclusion

Transferring from Squarespace to Shopify requires careful planning and execution, but it can be a great move for growing e-commerce businesses. Take your time with each step to ensure a smooth transition. With your store now on Shopify, you’re well-positioned to scale your business and take advantage of advanced e-commerce features. Keep learning and optimizing, and you’ll be set for e-commerce success!

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