I’m going to walk you through how to transfer Shopify products to WooCommerce. After helping dozens of store owners make this switch, I’ve learned what works and what doesn’t.
If you’re tired of Shopify’s monthly fees or want more control over your online store, you’re in the right place.
Why More Store Owners Are Switching From Shopify to WooCommerce
Let’s be honest – Shopify is great for beginners. But as your business grows, you might find yourself wanting more freedom and fewer monthly charges.
You’ll Save Money (Eventually)
When you transfer Shopify products to WooCommerce, you’ll escape those monthly subscription fees ($29-$299 depending on your plan). WooCommerce itself is free – you’ll just pay for hosting (around $10-30/month) and any extras you need. One of my clients saved over $1,800 in the first year after switching!
You Get to Call the Shots
I remember helping a clothing store owner who wanted a unique checkout process that Shopify simply couldn’t deliver. After we helped transfer Shopify products to WooCommerce, they could customize every little detail of their store. With WooCommerce, if you can imagine it, you can probably build it.
Your Store Actually Belongs to You
When your business runs on Shopify, you’re essentially renting digital space. Transfer Shopify products to WooCommerce, and you actually own your entire store. Your product data, customer info, and sales history all live on your server – not someone else’s platform.
Before You Start: Get Your Ducks in a Row
A successful move requires some homework. Here’s what I recommend to all my clients.
Take Stock of What You Have
Before you transfer Shopify products to WooCommerce, grab a coffee and spend an hour answering these questions:
- How many products do you sell?
- Do you use variants (like size or color options)?
- Have you created any special fields for your products?
- Do you need to bring customer accounts with you?
- What about order history?
I once worked with a store owner who forgot about their product reviews until after migration – don’t make that mistake!
Get Your New WooCommerce Home Ready
You wouldn’t move into a new house before the electricity was turned on, right? Same goes here:
- Get WordPress installed on your hosting account
- Install the WooCommerce plugin
- Run through the setup wizard (it takes about 10 minutes)
- Pick a theme you like
- Set up payments and shipping
Trust me – having this done before you transfer Shopify products to WooCommerce will save you headaches later.
Three Ways to Transfer Shopify Products to WooCommerce
After helping dozens of stores migrate, I’ve found there are three main approaches. Let’s look at each one.
Option 1: DIY with CSV Files (Good for Small Stores)
If you have fewer than 50 products without many variations, this method works well:
- In your Shopify admin, go to Products > All Products
- Click the Export button
- Choose “All products” and CSV format
- Head over to your WooCommerce dashboard
- Go to Products > Import
- Upload that CSV file
- Match up the fields (I’ll tell WooCommerce that “Title” means “Product Name”)
- Complete the import
I used this method for a jewelry store with 30 products, and it took about an hour total. The downside? You might lose some data like complex variations or custom fields.
Option 2: Use Shop2Woo Plugin (Best for Most Stores)
For most stores, I recommend using a dedicated plugin like Shop2Woo:
- Install Shop2Woo on your WordPress site
- Use the plugin to export your Shopify data as JSON
- Create WooCommerce API keys in your dashboard
- Connect both platforms using the plugin
- Pick what you want to bring over
- Click start and let it work its magic
Last month, I helped a home goods store with 200+ products use this method. It took about 2 hours from start to finish, and everything transferred perfectly, even their complex product bundles.
Option 3: Hire a Professional (Best for Large or Complex Stores)
If you have hundreds of products or a very customized setup, you might want expert help:
- Find a company that specialises in migrations
- Give them access to both stores
- Tell them exactly what you need transferred
- Review their test migration
- Give the green light for the full transfer
Yes, you’ll pay more (typically $300-1500 depending on size), but for complex stores, it’s often worth it. I recently worked with a client who tried to DIY their 500-product store migration and ended up hiring pros after three frustrating days.
Step-by-Step: Transfer Shopify Products to WooCommerce Using Shop2Woo
Since most store owners fall into the middle category, let me walk you through the Shop2Woo process in more detail.
Step 1: Get Your Shopify Data Ready for Export
First, you’ll need to prepare your Shopify store data:
- Install Shop2Woo on your WordPress site
- Go to the Shop2Woo dashboard
- Use the export tool to create a special URL (it’ll look something like https://your-store.myshopify.com/products.json?limit=250&page=1)
- If you have lots of products, Shop2Woo will automatically handle them in batches
A client once asked me, “Do I need to clean up my Shopify store first?” My advice is to remove any products you don’t want to keep before you start the transfer process.
Step 2: Connect WooCommerce Through Its API
Now you’ll create a secure connection between the platforms:
- In WordPress, go to WooCommerce > Settings > Advanced > REST API
- Click “Add key” and give it read/write permissions
- Copy your Consumer Key and Consumer Secret
- Paste these into Shop2Woo’s settings
This is like giving Shop2Woo a special key to your WooCommerce store so it can add products.
Step 3: Begin the Product Transfer
Now for the fun part – watching your products transfer Shopify products to WooCommerce:
- Click “Start Import” in Shop2Woo
- Choose what to include (products, images, variants, etc.)
- Decide how to handle any existing products
- Start the transfer
- Watch the progress bar as everything moves over
The plugin will automatically match up all your product information:
- Names and descriptions
- Photos and galleries
- Prices and inventory counts
- Categories and tags
- Variations and options
- SEO details
Step 4: Check That Everything Moved Correctly
After you transfer Shopify products to WooCommerce, always check your work:
- Look at several different types of products
- Make sure photos, descriptions, and prices match
- Test adding products with variations to your cart
- Check that your categories look right
- Verify inventory numbers match your Shopify store
I always tell clients to place a test order too – it’s the best way to catch any issues.
Common Headaches When You Transfer Shopify Products to WooCommerce
Even with good tools, you might hit some bumps. Here are problems I’ve seen and how to fix them.
When Product Variations Look Weird
Shopify and WooCommerce handle variations differently. In Shopify, you have “options,” while WooCommerce uses “attributes.” This can cause some strange results.
The Fix: After you transfer Shopify products to WooCommerce, check your most complex products first. You might need to adjust how their attributes are set up.
When Images Refuse to Move
Large image libraries sometimes cause timeouts during transfer.
The Fix: Use Shop2Woo’s option to move images in smaller batches. If that doesn’t work, you might need to ask your host to increase your PHP memory limit temporarily.
When Custom Fields Go Missing
Shopify’s metafields don’t always have a clear home in WooCommerce.
The Fix: Choose a migration tool that handles metafields, or be prepared to recreate your most important custom data manually after you transfer Shopify products to WooCommerce.
After the Move: Making Your New Store Shine
Once you’ve completed your transfer, here’s what I recommend:
- Check all your URLs – Make sure your product links still work
- Set up redirects – Point old Shopify URLs to your new WooCommerce ones
- Test your checkout – Place a few test orders
- Optimize your images – Resize and compress them for speed
- Set up your analytics – Make sure you’re tracking visitors and sales
Is It Really Worth It to Transfer Shopify Products to WooCommerce?
After helping dozens of store owners make this move, I can tell you: for most growing businesses, yes.
One client who switched last year told me: “I was scared to transfer Shopify products to WooCommerce, but now I wish I’d done it sooner. My monthly costs are lower, and I can finally make my store work exactly how I want.”
The transfer process does take some effort, but with tools like Shop2Woo, it’s much easier than it used to be. Even if you’re not tech-savvy, you can make this move with the right preparation and tools.
Ready to make the jump? Start by counting your products and setting up your WordPress site. With the right approach, you can transfer Shopify products to WooCommerce and have your new store up and running in a weekend.
Looking for more e-commerce tips? I’ve been helping store owners optimize their online shops for over 8 years. Drop a comment below with your questions!
