Shopify Migration Checklist for Agencies

Summary

A migration checklist that goes beyond the obvious. This covers the decisions and dependencies that actually derail Shopify migrations, data integrity, app replacement, integration timing, and the redirect logic that protects organic traffic.

Generic Checklists Miss What Actually Kills Migrations

"Migrate products," "set up shipping," "test checkout." You already know this. What kills migrations is the stuff that doesn't fit neatly into a task list:

The ERP integration that requires middleware nobody budgeted for
The 47 apps on the old platform that each need a replacement decision
The URL structure change that tanks organic traffic for six months
The customer data that can't be imported because password hashes don't transfer

This checklist focuses on the questions you need answered before you build the migration plan, not after you've already committed to a timeline.

How to Use This List

Work through each section during discovery. Assign owners to each question. Document answers in a system that connects them to your architecture decisions and project scope.

If you can't answer a question, that's a risk. Flag it, estimate the effort to resolve it, and factor it into your timeline.

Data Migration

Customer Data: Password Resets and Field Mapping

What customer fields exist on the current platform that don't have native Shopify equivalents?
How will customer passwords be handled? (Shopify cannot import hashed passwords, what's the re-authentication strategy?)
Are there customer segments, tags, or custom attributes that drive marketing automation? How will those be recreated?
What's the historical order data retention requirement? Does the client expect full order history in Shopify, or is a cutoff acceptable?
Are there B2B customer records with company hierarchies, payment terms, or custom pricing? How does this map to Shopify's B2B features or a workaround?

Product Data: Source of Truth and Variant Limits

What product data lives outside the ecommerce platform (PIM, ERP, spreadsheets)? Which system is the source of truth post-migration?
How are product variants structured today? Will the 100-variant-per-product limit in Shopify cause issues?
Are there product relationships (bundles, kits, frequently bought together) that need app-based solutions?
What metadata exists on products (custom fields, specs, compliance data) and where will it live in Shopify?
How are product images managed? What's the naming convention, and will URLs change?

Order History: What Stays, What Gets Archived

What's the minimum historical order data required for customer service, reporting, and returns processing?
How will legacy order IDs be preserved or mapped for customer service lookups?
Are there open orders, subscriptions, or recurring transactions that need to continue uninterrupted?
What financial data needs to remain in the legacy system for accounting and compliance?

App and Functionality Replacement

Audit Every App, Not Just the Obvious Ones

What apps or plugins are installed on the current platform? (Get the full list, not just the "important" ones.)
For each app: what business function does it serve, and is that function still needed?
Which apps have stored data that needs to be migrated (reviews, wishlists, loyalty points)?
Are there custom-built features that will need Shopify apps, custom development, or removal?

App Selection: Cost, Compatibility, and Plus Requirements

For each required function, what's the Shopify app shortlist? Who's evaluating them?
What's the cost delta between current app spend and projected Shopify app spend?
Which apps require their own integrations (to ERPs, CRMs, marketing tools)? Are those integrations available?
Are there apps that only work on Shopify Plus? Is the client on Plus or standard?

Functionality That Has No Clear Shopify Equivalent

What current functionality has no clear Shopify equivalent?
What's the workaround or custom development estimate for each gap?
Has the client agreed to drop any functionality that's not worth rebuilding?

Integrations

Map Every System Connection Before You Scope

What systems currently integrate with the ecommerce platform (ERP, OMS, WMS, CRM, marketing automation, POS)?
For each integration: is it direct, via middleware, or manual?
Which integrations are real-time vs. batch? What are the latency requirements?

Shopify Connector Availability and Middleware Decisions

Does each integrated system have a Shopify connector, or is custom development required?
If middleware is needed, what's the platform (Celigo, Workato, custom)? Who builds and maintains it?
What's the data mapping between current platform fields and Shopify fields for each integration?
How will inventory sync work during the transition period?

Launch-Critical vs. Phase-Two Integrations

Which integrations must be live at launch vs. can be phased?
What's the testing plan for each integration before go-live?
Who owns the integration on the third-party system side? Are they engaged?

URL Structure and Redirects

URL Mapping: Shopify's Structure vs. Current Reality

What's the current URL structure for products, collections, pages, and blog posts?
How does it differ from Shopify's default structure?
Can Shopify's URL structure be modified to match, or are redirects required?
What's the total number of URLs that need redirect rules?

Redirect Implementation: 1:1, Pattern-Based, or Both

Are you implementing 1:1 redirects, pattern-based redirects, or both?
What tool or method will handle redirects (Shopify native, app, server-level)?
How will you handle URLs for discontinued products or removed pages?
What's the plan for international or multi-language URLs if applicable?

Protecting Organic Traffic Through the Migration

Has the current site's organic traffic been audited by landing page?
Which URLs drive the most organic revenue? Are those redirects verified?
What's the monitoring plan for organic traffic post-launch?
Who's responsible for fixing redirect issues discovered after go-live?

Theme and Frontend

Theme Build, Customization, or Headless

Is this a theme customization, custom theme build, or headless frontend?
If using a pre-built theme, which one? Has it been tested for required functionality?
What current design elements must be preserved vs. can be updated?
Are there brand guidelines or a design system that the theme must follow?

Content Migration: Pages, Posts, and Custom Modules

What CMS content exists (pages, blog posts, landing pages)? How is it being migrated?
Are there content blocks, modules, or templates that need to be rebuilt in Shopify's editor?
Who's responsible for content QA after migration?

Frontend Performance and Accessibility Requirements

What JavaScript-dependent features exist today (quick view, filters, mega menus)?
Are there accessibility requirements (WCAG compliance level)?
What's the performance budget? How will it be measured?

Checkout and Payments

Payment Gateway Continuity or Migration

What payment gateways are currently in use?
Are those gateways available on Shopify, or is a switch required?
If switching, what's the merchant account setup timeline?
Are there stored payment methods or tokenized cards that can't be migrated?

Checkout Customization: Standard vs. Plus Requirements

What checkout customizations exist today (fields, upsells, logic)?
Which require Shopify Plus checkout extensibility vs. can be done on standard?
Are there compliance requirements (tax calculation, invoicing) that affect checkout?

Subscriptions: Migrating Without Service Interruption

Are there active subscriptions that need to continue?
What subscription app will be used on Shopify?
How will existing subscribers be migrated without service interruption?

Operations and Launch

Team Training and SOP Updates

Who needs training on Shopify admin before launch?
What SOPs need to be updated for the new platform?
Are there third-party teams (fulfillment, customer service) who need onboarding?

Testing: UAT, Integration Verification, Load Testing

What's the UAT plan and who's responsible for sign-off?
How will you test integrations with live data before cutover?
What's the load testing approach for high-traffic sites?

Cutover: Downtime, DNS, and Rollback Authority

What's the downtime window, if any?
What's the DNS and domain cutover sequence?
What's the rollback plan if critical issues are found post-launch?
Who has authority to make the go/no-go decision?

How DigitalStack Connects Checklist Answers to Project Scope

DigitalStack treats migration checklists as living discovery artifacts. Each question connects to the stakeholder responsible for the answer, the architectural decision it informs, and the scope or risk it creates.

When a question gets answered, that answer flows into your project scope, architecture documentation, and client deliverables. When it doesn't get answered, it's flagged as a risk with an owner and a resolution deadline.

This turns a checklist from something you review once into a structured system that tracks migration readiness across the entire engagement.

Next Step

Use this checklist as the foundation for your next Shopify migration discovery. If you're managing multiple migrations or want to connect these questions to your architecture and scope documentation, explore how DigitalStack structures complex discovery workflows.