Is migration the right decision for you? Find out how one store moved platforms with incredible results.
You can’t predict store growth, but as a business owner, you always hope for the best. When it does happen, though, many owners are not prepared to deal with it. That’s why many growing eCommerce stores are moving from Magento to WooCommerce.
If you do a little research, one of the biggest differences you’ll notice between the two platforms is the cost.
Magento is expensive. It may be too expensive for many businesses to maintain long-term. Especially when you add in hosting and developer costs. And when every little change requires technical knowledge, the costs for getting expert help can add up.
Also, Magento doesn’t give you much flexibility.
Imagine pouring your money into building a brick-and-mortar store. That piece of property has walls around it. What happens when you need to expand your store?
It’s nearly impossible to do without a lot of extra costs and hassle.
WooCommerce, on the other hand, gives store owners like you the cost savings you want and the flexibility you need.
One company did exactly that with no regrets. Read on to find out how a Magento to WooCommerce migration helped Aqua Safe move towards their growth goals.
Unlocking Aqua Safe’s Growth Potential
Aqua Safe is an Australia-based company that specialises in water filtration. They used the Magento platform to run their store.
Over time, they noticed that this choice caused them a magnitude of problems.
First, the cost to maintain Magento was ridiculous. It’s an open-source platform, so users are responsible for hosting solutions themselves. So, on top of the annual cost of using Magento, Aqua Safe had to contend with separate hosting costs.
But that’s not where the budget woes ended for this company.
Magento requires tech knowledge to make the smallest changes to a store. Since many eCommerce owners don’t moonlight as programmers, there’s only one solution for them – hiring a developer. So, in addition to the annual platform fee and hosting costs, Aqua Safe also had to pay developer costs.
And this wasn’t a “once in a while” cost.
Even minor changes to the platform required a developer to go in and make them. This general lack of flexibility led to other problems for the online store.
Since it was such a hassle to add new features to their store, Aqua Safe couldn’t make changes as quickly as they’d like.
They couldn’t change the layout and usability. Nor could they change the presentation of product information without paying a developer every time. And this eventually led to a loss of sales.
Aqua Safe knew they needed to make a change or make peace with the fact that their business couldn’t reach its full potential. The business was strong, but they knew they could be getting more online sales. So, they decided to make the move to another platform. And making the choice to migrate from Magento to WooCommerce was an important step in growing their online sales.
WooCommerce is a proven platform for future online growth. Businesses gravitate to it because of its incredible flexibility. Aqua Safe took advantage of this feature right away.
They were able to extend the site and make the changes they wanted without any extra fuss. This led to a significant improvement to their eCommerce store’s user experience. Mobile and tablet users, who account for more than 40% of the traffic on the site, have a much-improved UX in terms of navigation, browsing products, and checkout.
Aqua Safe also leveraged plug-ins and features to encourage new and repeat business.
And what about those cost concerns?
The costs to maintain and extend the website were dramatically lowered, allowing Aqua Safe to focus on other aspects of their online store.
Many stores that switch from Magento to WooCommerce have a similar experience. Business owners take advantage of the cost savings and flexibility to make the changes they need in their stores. This can improve user experience and encourage higher customer conversion rates.
The key to switching platforms is to make sure that the migration process is seamless and smooth.
Six Tips for Moving from Magento to WooCommerce
Are you ready to make the move?
Make your platform switch seamlessly with these tips for Magento to WooCommerce migration:
Tip #1 – Data Backup
If you’re considering a switch between Magento and WooCommerce, it’s time to back up your data. Migrating from one platform to another is a relatively simple process. But it’s a good idea to keep a complete backup of your existing online store “just in case.”
Generally, automated migration to the WooCommerce platform won’t change the way your current store performs. It also won’t affect the existing store data, because auto migration duplicates and doesn’t move the originals.
However, any time you manipulate your web page information, it’s just good practice to create a backup.
Tip #2 – Password Import
Your clients may find creating new passwords for your new store a headache. You can save them from that pain by using a WooCommerce plugin to import that special data.
Don’t forget to let your customers know about your new store and look. Show them that you value their time by assuring them that their old login info works perfectly fine.
Tip #3 – Content in Multiple Languages
Do you use different languages in your online store?
If you do, you’re in good company. Research reveals that 52.4% of customers who buy online prefer to do so in their native language.
But this could provide a logistical nightmare if you’re migrating to another platform.
Fortunately, WordPress has a solution for you. Use the Multilingual Plugin to create or manage multilingual pages.
If you don’t have multiple languages enabled, Blaze Commerce can help with that. They have a team of WooCommerce developers that can customise existing themes and plugins. Get exactly what you want with an experienced team that specialises in front-end, back-end, QA, and everything in between.
Tip #4 – Keep SEO Rankings
You spent a lot of time, money, and energy to create your SEO rankings. The last thing you need is to lose them while trying to move your store in a new direction.
Keep your SEO positions intact when you move!
If you’re moving data yourself, take advantage of two extra functions on the Cart2Cart data import plugin.
First, make sure you select the option “create the 301 redirects on your target store after migration.” This option allows you to keep the old links even after the transfer. Also, make sure you install the Redirection plugin before you start the data transfer.
Next, select the option “migrate categories and products SEO URLs.” Checking this option enables the preservation of the URLs in the Source Cart. Using these steps also enables the transfer of meta titles, keywords, and descriptions to WooCommerce.
You also need the WordPress SEO plugin installed before you launch the full migration.
If this sounds too confusing, you can always go with another option – hire a professional.
Blaze Commerce specialises in everything WooCommerce. From design to migration and maintenance to support, they have the solution for you.
And if you’re worried about keeping your SEO rankings? They’ll take the necessary steps to make sure you don’t lose a thing.
Tip #5 – Manufacturer Info and Images
Switching platforms is like any move. Magento to WooCommerce migration takes a lot of planning. Especially when it comes to your product information. But it’s worth it to take the necessary steps to ensure that all of your manufacturer information comes with you.
Importing manufacturers to WooCommerce takes a plugin. You can choose between the free version available on WordPress or a paid version on WooThemes. Either one allows you to move manufacturer images from your old platform to WooCommerce.
Tip #6 – Product Options
You might have a variety of options set up for your products. Downloading and installing the Product Add-Ons extension allows you to transfer your existing product variants to your new store. This could mean things like available sizes, materials, and colours for certain products.
You can also add these product options later on if you want to expand your online store. Blaze Commerce can help expand your existing store and add elements that attract more customers. Alternatively, you could have their design team build a new WooCommerce site from scratch. Whether you want a simple facelift or a full remodeling, Blaze Commerce has a team that can design your store for your unique needs.
It’s Time to Consider Magento to WooCommerce Migration
Are you tired of paying the high cost of Magento maintenance? Maybe you want more flexibility to build and grow your store?
It may be time to make the move from Magento to WooCommerce. Give your store the flexibility to grow without breaking the bank. And give your visitors the benefit of better user experience.
Of course, moving from one home to another is difficult. Whether it’s a physical home or a platform for your store, you do need to pay attention to the details for a seamless transfer. You can migrate your data yourself. But why add to your stress?
Hire professional “movers” like the Blaze Commerce team to migrate your data and help you set up your store. Their decades of experience ensure that you will always work within current best practices. And their continued maintenance and hosting options make them an all-in-one solution.
Contact Blaze Commerce for more information about migrating to WooCommerce.
