Order of data migration
A migration rarely fails on the technology, it fails on the sequence. Start with the product catalog, because orders and customers later reference those records. Customers come next, and orders go last.
WooCommerce exports products and customers as CSV; Shopify imports them via the native CSV import or a migration app. Run a test pass in a development store before you populate the live store.
- Products including variants, SKUs, images and stock levels
- Map categories and tags to Shopify collections
- Customer data (addresses, email, B2B/B2C tax status)
- Orders as a historical, non-editable reference
- URL redirects and metadata for SEO
What happens to your invoice history
Old WooCommerce invoices should not be imported into Shopify. Under German § 14 UStG and GoBD they must remain unchangeable, sequentially numbered and audit-proof, ideally right where they were created, as PDF or e-invoice (ZUGFeRD/XRechnung). Download and back up every document before you shut down your WooCommerce system.
For new orders from go-live onward, you generate invoices fresh in the Shopify world. With creating Shopify invoices automatically this runs without manual upkeep and keeps your bookkeeping gapless. The key is that your sequential invoice numbering continues seamlessly from your old range.
301 redirects: save your SEO instead of losing it
The most common migration mistake is lost traffic because URL structures change. WooCommerce uses paths like /product/... or /shop/..., while Shopify uses /products/... and /collections/.... Every old URL therefore needs a permanent 301 redirect to its new target.
Build a mapping table that pairs each WooCommerce URL with its Shopify counterpart. Shopify offers native URL redirects; for large catalogs a bulk import of redirects pays off. After go-live, watch Search Console to catch 404 errors early.
Rebuilding tax logic in Shopify
Tax settings can't be transferred one-to-one; they are reconfigured in Shopify. Review your status before go-live: as a small business under § 19 UStG (since the 2025 reform up to €25,000 prior year and €100,000 current year) you charge no VAT. More on this in the small-business exemption and Shopify.
If you sell EU-wide to consumers, the OSS scheme kicks in above the €10,000 EU threshold with the destination country's rate; for B2B deliveries with a valid VAT ID, reverse charge applies at 0%. You set both up in setting up OSS in Shopify and reverse charge for Shopify B2B sales.
Connect accounting instead of manual upkeep
After the migration you don't want to book every order by hand again. Connect Shopify directly to your accounting system so invoices, credit notes and cancellations flow automatically, for example via connecting Shopify to sevdesk or connecting Shopify to Lexware Office.
That way the tax logic (19% standard rate, 7% reduced, OSS, reverse charge) is assigned correctly per order and transferred via webhook. For how automatic booking works in detail, see automating Shopify accounting.
Go-live checklist
Plan a fixed cutover window and test the new store thoroughly beforehand. Only once data, redirects and tax logic are in place do you switch DNS and your payment provider live.
- Test order with real tax calculation completed
- All WooCommerce documents exported and archived audit-proof
- 301 redirect mapping fully imported
- Invoice number range continues seamlessly
- Accounting connection and webhooks tested
- DNS switch and SSL verified
