A Canadian food manufacturer calls a Shopify partner and says they want to “integrate” their WooCommerce store with Shopify. What they actually want is a migration: they want to move their entire store off WooCommerce and onto Shopify and retire the WooCommerce installation entirely. The word “integrate” came from a meeting where someone used it loosely. Now the scoping conversation starts in the wrong place.
The reverse happens too. A distributor asks for a quote to “migrate their ERP to Shopify.” They do not want to replace their ERP. They want to connect it to Shopify so order data flows automatically between the two systems. That is integration, not migration. The ERP stays. Shopify gets added. Data moves between them on a schedule.
These are not minor terminology differences. They are different projects with different budgets, different timelines, and different outcomes. Understanding which one you need before you brief a development partner is what determines whether a project scopes correctly from day one.
01. The Core Distinction
Migration
A one-time project that moves your operation from one platform to another. The old platform is decommissioned.
- Has a clear start and end date
- Old system is retired after cutover
- Data moves once (with historical import)
- Theme, features, and checkout rebuilt on new platform
- Result: one platform where there used to be another
Integration
An ongoing connection between two systems that both remain active. Data flows between them continuously or on a schedule.
- No end date: operates indefinitely
- Both systems stay in use
- Data flows continuously or on a schedule
- Each system does what it does best
- Result: two systems working as one operational layer
Migration and integration are not competing options. Many merchants need both, in sequence: first a migration to get onto the right commerce platform, then integrations to connect that platform to the rest of the business's technology stack. But they are still two separate projects with separate scoping, separate timelines, and separate outcomes, even when they are planned and executed together.
02. What Migration Is
A migration is a replacement project. The goal is to end up running on a different platform than you are running on today. All of the content, data, and functionality from the old platform must either move to the new platform or be deliberately left behind, and the old platform is shut down after the cutover.
In the Shopify context, migration means moving from a non-Shopify platform to Shopify. The source platform is WooCommerce, Magento, Wix, Squarespace, BigCommerce, Lightspeed, a custom-built store, or another platform. After the migration, the source platform is retired. The business runs entirely on Shopify.
What makes migration a distinct category is finality. A migration has a cutover date: the point at which the new platform goes live and the old one stops accepting traffic. Everything that needs to exist on the new platform must exist before that date. Everything that does not exist by cutover is a problem to be solved after launch, in a live environment, with customers already using the new store.
When migration is the right answer.
Migration is the right project when your current ecommerce platform is actively limiting your growth, costing more to maintain than a modern alternative would cost to run, or creating technical debt that is compounding. The most common Canadian migration scenarios are:
- WooCommerce stores where plugin conflicts, server maintenance, and developer costs are consuming resources that should go into the business
- Magento installations where the complexity and licensing cost of maintaining a Magento 2 environment is disproportionate to the operational benefit
- Custom-built platforms where the original developer is no longer available, features cannot be added without major rework, and the system has become a liability
- Legacy platforms (osCommerce, Volusion, older Shopify competitors) that have not kept up with modern ecommerce requirements
- Wix or Squarespace stores that outgrew the platform's ecommerce capabilities and need proper inventory management, B2B support, or third-party integrations
03. What Integration Is
An integration is a connection project. Both systems stay active. The integration creates a data pipeline between them so that information created in one system automatically flows to the other without manual re-entry.
In the Shopify context, integration means connecting Shopify to another system that the business uses and will continue to use: an ERP (NetSuite, SAP, Syspro, Dynamics, Sage), a CRM (HubSpot, Salesforce), an accounting system (QuickBooks, Xero), a shipping platform (ShipStation, EasyPost), a 3PL warehouse management system, or a point-of-sale system. After the integration, both Shopify and the connected system are running simultaneously. Data flows between them automatically.
What makes integration a distinct category from migration is continuity. An integration does not have a cutover date after which one system is retired. It has a go-live date after which both systems run in concert. The integration project ends when the connection is stable and reliable. The connection itself runs indefinitely.
When integration is the right answer.
Integration is the right project when you are already on Shopify (or moving to it) and need it to work with other systems that will stay in place. The most common Canadian integration scenarios are:
- ERP integration: connecting Shopify to NetSuite, Syspro, SAP Business One, Dynamics 365, or Sage so orders flow from Shopify into the ERP for fulfilment and invoicing, and inventory flows from the ERP to Shopify
- CRM integration: connecting Shopify to HubSpot so customer purchase data flows into the CRM for account management, marketing automation, and sales rep visibility
- Accounting integration: syncing Shopify order and payment data to QuickBooks or Xero so revenue is recognized automatically without manual data entry
- 3PL integration: connecting Shopify to a third-party logistics provider's warehouse management system so fulfilment happens automatically without order re-entry
- B2B portal integration: connecting Shopify B2B to an ERP so wholesale account data, pricing, credit limits, and order history stay synchronized between the two systems
04. When You Need Both
Most mid-market Canadian merchants who are not yet on Shopify need both a migration and integrations, in that order. The migration gets them onto the right platform. The integrations connect that platform to the rest of their business.
A food manufacturer running WooCommerce with manual order entry into their Syspro ERP needs both. First, they migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify, moving their product catalog, customer records, and order history, and rebuilding their storefront on Shopify. Then, they integrate Shopify with Syspro so orders placed in Shopify flow automatically into the ERP without manual entry. Both projects are in scope. They are sequenced: migration first, integration after the Shopify store is stable.
The important planning point is that migration and integration timelines must be coordinated. An ERP integration built against WooCommerce (the old platform) before the migration is complete is integration work that will be discarded. Integrations should be built against the new Shopify platform, which means the migration must be substantially complete before integration development begins.
The sequencing rule:
If you need both migration and integration, complete the migration to the point where Shopify is stable and the data model is finalized before starting integration development. Integrations built mid-migration are frequently rebuilt after launch when the Shopify data model changes to accommodate migration requirements that were discovered late.
05. Which Platforms Migrate to Shopify
Canadian merchants migrate to Shopify from a range of source platforms. The complexity and cost of the migration varies significantly by platform.
| Source Platform | Migration Complexity | Typical Timeline | Key Considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| WooCommerce | Low to Medium | 4–8 weeks | Shopify's Store Importer handles basic data. Custom fields, plugin functionality, and URL structure require manual work. |
| Magento / Adobe Commerce | High | 8–16 weeks | Large catalogs, complex pricing, custom extensions, and deep customization make this the most demanding migration type. CPC $1,900 reflects buyer willingness to pay for expertise. |
| Wix eCommerce | Low | 3–6 weeks | Wix catalog export is limited. Manual product work is common. Relatively simple checkout logic. |
| Squarespace Commerce | Low | 3–6 weeks | Shopify's importer supports Squarespace. Custom templates and content pages require rebuild. |
| BigCommerce | Medium | 5–9 weeks | Similar feature set to Shopify makes data mapping more straightforward. Custom apps require equivalent Shopify app identification. |
| Lightspeed eCommerce | Medium | 5–9 weeks | Common among Canadian retailers. Lightspeed POS integration requirements must be reassessed in Shopify context. |
| Custom-built | High to Very High | 8–20 weeks | Data structure varies entirely by original build. Extraction work is significant. No standard importer available. |
For detailed migration guides by source platform, see the WooCommerce to Shopify migration guide and the Magento to Shopify migration guide.
06. What a Migration Actually Involves
A Shopify migration project has five workstreams that run in roughly this order. Understanding what each involves helps merchants set realistic expectations about timeline and what they will need to provide.
Data extraction and mapping
Exporting product data, customer records, and order history from the old platform in a format that can be imported into Shopify. For standard platforms, this uses Shopify's Store Importer app or a CSV export. For custom platforms, it requires building an extraction script against the old system's database. Data mapping defines how the old platform's data structure translates to Shopify's data structure. Fields that do not have a direct Shopify equivalent must be mapped to metafields or custom properties.
Theme and storefront development
Building the Shopify storefront: the theme, page layouts, navigation structure, product page design, collection pages, and any custom functionality. This is typically the largest workstream by development time and the one most merchants underestimate. The old platform's visual design does not transfer; it must be rebuilt in Shopify's Liquid templating language or a headless framework. Custom checkout logic and non-standard buyer flows require specific Shopify Plus checkout extensibility work.
App stack configuration
Identifying the Shopify apps that will replace the functionality of plugins, extensions, or custom features on the old platform. A WooCommerce store with a subscription plugin needs a Shopify subscription app. A Magento store with a custom loyalty program needs a Shopify loyalty app or custom development. App configuration, testing, and data migration for app-specific data (loyalty points, subscription schedules) is a distinct workstream from the core product and order migration.
SEO migration
Creating a complete URL redirect map from every old platform URL to its corresponding Shopify URL, configuring 301 redirects in Shopify, updating the XML sitemap, and submitting the new sitemap to Google Search Console. This workstream is frequently deprioritized and frequently the source of post-launch traffic loss. Every page with Google ranking value that does not have a redirect after launch is a ranking that has been discarded.
Testing and cutover
End-to-end testing of the new Shopify store against a defined test checklist: all products rendering correctly with accurate pricing and inventory, checkout completing successfully with all payment methods, all redirect rules firing correctly for SEO-critical URLs, email notifications sending correctly, and any integrations that are running pre-launch functioning as expected. Cutover is the DNS change that points the domain to Shopify. It should happen after the test checklist is complete, not before.
07. What an Integration Actually Involves
A Shopify integration project has a different set of workstreams from a migration. There is no cutover date and no old system being retired, but there are data model decisions, API architecture decisions, error handling requirements, and an ongoing maintenance commitment that migrations do not have.
Data model mapping
Defining exactly which data fields in Shopify correspond to which fields in the connected system, and what the source of truth is for each field. For an ERP integration, this means: which system owns the customer record, which system owns the inventory level, which system generates the invoice. Conflicts (the same field existing in both systems with potentially different values) must be resolved with a clear rule before development begins, not discovered mid-project.
Sync pattern design
Deciding which data flows are real-time (triggered by events) and which are batch (running on a schedule). Orders typically need to flow to the ERP in real-time. Inventory updates from the ERP to Shopify can be batch. Credit holds need near real-time updates. The sync pattern for each data flow must be designed explicitly. An integration where every data type syncs in real-time is expensive to build and maintain. An integration where everything is batch creates data staleness problems. The design is the work.
Error handling and alerting
Defining what happens when a sync fails: an order reaches Shopify but the ERP API is unavailable, a product code in a Shopify order does not match any ERP product code, a price sync produces an invalid value. Every failure scenario needs a defined behaviour: retry with backoff, alert an administrator, queue for manual review. Integration projects that do not design error handling before development produce integrations that fail silently and create data inconsistencies that take months to diagnose.
Build and testing
Development of the integration code, connector configuration, or middleware setup. Testing involves running synthetic data through the full integration cycle for each data flow, verifying data arrives correctly in both systems, and testing failure scenarios (API downtime, invalid data, rate limiting) to confirm error handling behaves as designed.
Monitoring and reconciliation
After go-live, an integration needs ongoing monitoring: is the sync running on schedule, are there errors building up in the queue, are the record counts in Shopify and the ERP consistent. A reconciliation job that runs periodically and compares record state between the two systems catches data drift before it becomes an operational problem. Integration projects that do not include monitoring and reconciliation accumulate silent data issues over months.
08. The Decision Framework
Three questions determine whether a merchant needs a migration, an integration, or both.
Is your current ecommerce platform being replaced?
Migration. If you are moving from WooCommerce, Magento, Wix, Squarespace, Lightspeed, or a custom platform to Shopify, that is a migration project. The old platform is retired.
Not a migration. If you are already on Shopify and want to connect it to other systems, that is integration.
Are you connecting Shopify to other systems that will stay in use?
Integration. If Shopify needs to exchange data with your ERP, CRM, accounting software, 3PL, or another active system, that is an integration project.
Not an integration. If Shopify will operate standalone without data connections to other active systems, no integration is required.
Are you doing both?
Migration first, integration second. Complete the migration to Shopify before building integrations to connected systems. Integrations built against the old platform are discarded after migration.
One or the other. Scope accordingly.
The combination that most mid-market Canadian manufacturers and distributors need when moving to Shopify for the first time: a Shopify migration from their current platform followed by a Shopify B2B ERP integration once the migration is live. These are two distinct project scopes that often run in the same engagement with the same development partner, but they are not the same project. Treating them as one produces timelines that are too short, budgets that are too small, and specifications that are incomplete.
For the specific integration guides by system type, see the Shopify ERP integration guide, the Shopify B2B ERP integration guide, and the HubSpot integrations and automations guide.
09. Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between migration and integration?
Migration is a one-time project that moves your operation from one platform to another: the old platform is decommissioned after cutover. Integration is an ongoing connection between two systems that both remain active, with data flowing between them continuously or on a schedule. A Shopify migration means moving off WooCommerce or Magento and retiring that platform. A Shopify integration means connecting Shopify to your ERP or CRM while both systems remain in use.
What is ecommerce replatforming?
Ecommerce replatforming is the process of moving a commercial store from one ecommerce platform to another. It is a migration project: products, customer data, order history, and content move from the current platform (WooCommerce, Magento, Wix, BigCommerce, or custom-built) to a new one (Shopify or Shopify Plus). Replatforming replaces the current platform rather than connecting to it.
How long does a Shopify migration take?
A Shopify migration takes 4 to 16 weeks depending on catalog size, data complexity, and the number of custom features to rebuild. WooCommerce migrations with clean catalogs can complete in 4 to 6 weeks. Magento migrations with complex pricing, custom integrations, and large order histories take 10 to 16 weeks. Custom platform migrations vary based on how the data is structured in the original system.
How much does a Shopify migration cost in Canada?
A Shopify migration costs between $8,000 and $60,000 CAD depending on scope. A straightforward WooCommerce to Shopify migration for a small merchant runs $8,000 to $20,000 CAD. A Magento to Shopify Plus migration for a mid-market merchant with complex pricing and custom integrations runs $25,000 to $60,000 CAD. Custom platform migrations are scoped individually.
Do I need a migration or an integration?
You need a migration if your current ecommerce platform is being replaced by Shopify. You need an integration if you are keeping your current systems and connecting them to Shopify or to each other. Most Canadian merchants moving to Shopify for the first time need both: a migration first, then integrations to connect Shopify to their ERP and CRM. These are two separate projects, even when handled by the same development partner.
What data moves during a Shopify migration?
Products (titles, descriptions, images, variants, pricing, inventory), customer records, order history, collection structure, blog content and pages, and URL structure for SEO redirects all move during a Shopify migration. Payment methods, subscriptions, and third-party app configurations do not automatically transfer and require specific handling. Custom features must be rebuilt on Shopify.
What happens to SEO during a Shopify migration?
SEO impact is managed through URL redirect mapping: every URL on the old platform with Google ranking value must redirect to its corresponding Shopify URL with a 301 redirect. Without redirects, Google treats old and new URLs as separate pages and the new store starts with zero ranking history. Merchants who do not prioritize SEO migration typically see a 30 to 50 percent drop in organic traffic for 3 to 6 months after launch.
Which platforms can migrate to Shopify?
Canadian merchants commonly migrate from WooCommerce, Magento and Adobe Commerce, Wix eCommerce, Squarespace Commerce, BigCommerce, Lightspeed eCommerce, and custom-built platforms. Shopify's Store Importer app handles basic data migration from WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and Squarespace. Magento and custom platform migrations require a certified Shopify Partner due to data complexity.
Related Resources
The complete guide to migrating from WooCommerce to Shopify
Migrating from Magento or Adobe Commerce to Shopify Plus
How to integrate Shopify with NetSuite, SAP, Syspro, Dynamics, and Sage
B2B-specific integration: company accounts, pricing, and orders
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