How long does a typical shop migration to Shopware take?

The duration depends on the scope of the source system, data volume and the number of integrations to migrate. A medium-sized B2B shop migration with 10,000 to 50,000 products, a complete customer base and one ERP integration typically takes between 8 and 16 weeks (project experience). Larger systems with multiple ERP integrations, complex pricing structures and extensive legacy data may require 20 to 30 weeks. After reviewing your system landscape in a free initial consultation, we can provide a well-founded estimate.

What happens to existing Google rankings during the platform switch?

With a well-designed redirect strategy, rankings can be largely preserved through a shop switch. We compile a full URL inventory, forward every existing URL via 301 redirect to the corresponding Shopware page and monitor Google Search Console for 404 errors daily after go-live. A temporary, minor visibility dip in the first weeks after the switch is normal and typically resolves within four to eight weeks, provided redirects are complete and correctly implemented.

Can order history and customer data be fully transferred?

Yes, provided the data is stored in a structured form in the source system. Order histories, customer master records, delivery addresses and price group information can all be fully transferred to Shopware. Migrated orders are immediately available to your customers in the customer portal after go-live. For older legacy systems without structured database access or export interfaces, we develop custom extraction logic.

Does ongoing business have to be interrupted for the migration?

No. We work exclusively in parallel operation. Your existing system runs fully until the final go-live date. All migration work, data imports and tests take place on a separate staging environment. Only the final DNS cutover requires a brief propagation window of a few hours, during which both systems are simultaneously reachable.

Do you also migrate existing ERP integrations?

Yes. Migrating existing ERP integrations from SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, DATEV or JTL to the Shopware API architecture is a fixed component of our migration projects. We analyze the existing data flows, rebuild the interfaces in parallel with the migration project and test them fully on the staging environment before they are activated at go-live. Full details on our integration options are available on the integrations page.

How does your migration differ from a simple data export and import?

A raw data export from the legacy system and import into Shopware overlooks numerous critical aspects: URL redirects for SEO, correct migration of customer groups and price structures, validation and cleansing of data quality issues, migration of media and documents, and the connection of all third-party systems. Our structured migration process with ETL framework, multi-stage validation, redirect management and post-migration monitoring ensures the switch goes smoothly for your customers and your search engine visibility.

Shop Migration to Shopware: Secure, Complete, Without Ranking Loss

A platform switch is one of the most critical phases in e-commerce. We migrate your existing shop to Shopware Community Edition – including all product data, customer records, order histories, URL structures and SEO rankings. Our structured migration process ensures your business runs without interruption and not a single Google ranking is lost in the transition.

Discuss Your Migration All Services

Data migration without loss SEO redirect management Parallel operation until go-live

50+

successfully completed shop migrations (project experience)

data losses across our migration projects (project experience)

98%

of all migrated URLs forwarded via 301 redirect (project experience)

4–12

weeks typical migration duration depending on scope

A shop migration is far more than a technical move. It is a strategic project that demands careful planning, precise data work and a thorough understanding of SEO. As a specialized B2B e-commerce agency, we accompany you from the initial inventory to stable production operation on Shopware. We handle the migration of all data, develop a complete redirect strategy and ensure that your new shop is performant, secure and ready for your ERP systems from day one.

Migration process in 6 phases: from legacy system to stable Shopware platform

What a Shop Migration Covers

Many companies underestimate the true scope of a shop switch. Beyond the raw data transfer, URL structures, SEO-relevant metadata, customer accounts, order histories and integration points with ERP and PIM systems must all be carefully migrated. Missing even one of these components can lead to data loss, frustrated customers or lasting ranking damage. We cover the full scope of a professional migration and coordinate all stakeholders – from your internal IT team to your logistics partners.

Product Data Migration

Transfer of all products including descriptions, attributes, images, documents, category trees, volume pricing and customer-specific conditions. ETIM and BMEcat classifications are preserved. Variant products and configurable items are correctly mapped to the Shopware data model.

Customer Records and Accounts

Migration of all customer master records including company and contact data, delivery addresses, debitor numbers, price and customer groups, and stored payment methods. Passwords are reset to Shopware standards with an optional email notification to each customer.

Order History

Complete transfer of existing orders with line items, status, delivery addresses and invoice data. Order history is immediately available to your customers in the B2B customer portal after go-live, without any manual data import.

URL Structure and Redirects

Full inventory of all existing URLs from the source system, derivation of the new Shopware URL structure and creation of a complete 301 redirect map. Not a single link from external directories, partner sites or email campaigns will lead to a dead end.

SEO Metadata

Transfer of all page-specific meta titles, meta descriptions, canonical URLs and hreflang entries from the legacy system. Structured data, Schema.org markup and Open Graph tags are newly implemented for Shopware and optimized as part of our e-commerce consulting.

ERP and System Integrations

Migration of existing integrations to SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, DATEV, PIM systems and logistics partners to the Shopware API architecture. New interfaces are developed in parallel with the migration project and fully tested before go-live. See our integrations page for details.

Which Systems We Migrate From

Every migration begins with a thorough analysis of the source system. Data models, export interfaces and the quality of the existing data determine the effort and strategy. We have experience with a wide range of source platforms and develop a tailored migration approach for each.

TYPO3 with shop extensions: Export via TYPO3-native APIs or direct database extraction, mapping of TYPO3 page structure to Shopware categories
WordPress with shop plugins: Migration of product data, customer records and order history via REST API or database export
Contao and Joomla: Extraction via database queries, cleansing and transformation into Shopware-compatible import formats
JTL-Shop: Direct database connection or JTL export interfaces for products, customers and orders
SAP Commerce (hybris): Structured data extraction via OCC APIs or database access, mapping of complex product variants
Custom builds and legacy systems: Tailored extraction logic via database access or REST/SOAP APIs, using CSV-based intermediate formats where needed

Legacy system stays active until go-live

We work exclusively in parallel operation. Your existing shop continues running unchanged until the final go-live. Customers can keep ordering and your team maintains data as usual. Only once all tests are passed and all data validated does the switchover happen – with a clearly defined rollback plan ready for any unforeseen situation.

SEO Protection During Migration

The biggest risk factor in any shop switch is the potential loss of organic search rankings. When URLs change, content disappears or redirect chains are introduced, visibility can drop sharply and take months to recover. Our migration projects therefore include a comprehensive SEO protection concept, developed in close coordination with your team or your SEO agency.

Redirect Management as a Critical Success Factor

At the start of each migration project, we compile a full URL inventory of the source system: product pages, category pages, landing pages, blog posts and all other indexed URLs. Through automated crawling and analysis of Google Search Console data, we identify which URLs generate organic traffic and are most important to protect. For these, we develop a direct 1:1 redirect mapping to the corresponding Shopware target pages. Redirect chains of more than one hop are consistently avoided. After go-live, we monitor the Search Console for 404 errors and add any missing redirects within 24 hours.

Content Parity Before Go-Live

Search engines evaluate not only URL structures but also content quality. We ensure that every migrated page in the new Shopware shop has at least the same content depth as in the legacy system. Product descriptions, technical attributes, downloadable documents and category-specific copy are transferred in full. Thin or missing pages are supplemented before go-live. Structured data including Product, BreadcrumbList and Organization schema are correctly implemented so Google can index and categorize the new pages quickly and accurately.

The Migration Process in Six Phases

Schritt 1

Inventory and Analysis

Full inventory of the source system: data volume, data quality, URL structure, existing integrations, SEO status and technical specifics. Crawl of all indexed URLs, Search Console analysis, identification of critical data domains. The output is a detailed migration plan with timeline, resource requirements and a prioritized risk list.

Common Risks and How We Address Them

Shop migrations rarely fail due to technical issues alone – they fail because of inadequate planning, missing resources or unrealistic timelines. Drawing on our project experience, we know the typical pitfalls and have developed a proven countermeasure for each.

Data Loss from Faulty Extraction

We validate every export step with automated checksum comparisons: product count, customer count, order count and image count are reconciled before and after migration. Any discrepancies are fully resolved before go-live.

Ranking Drop from Missing Redirects

The URL inventory is derived completely from crawl data and Search Console. Every indexed URL receives a direct 301 redirect. After go-live we monitor 404 rates daily and close gaps within 24 hours.

Delays from Data Quality Issues in the Legacy System

Many legacy systems contain inconsistent data: duplicate SKUs, missing required fields, orphaned images. We identify data deficiencies in the analysis phase and create a structured remediation plan with clear responsibilities.

Broken ERP Integration After Go-Live

All interfaces are fully developed and validated with real test data on a separate staging environment. A multi-step integration smoke test is a standard part of every go-live protocol.

Customer Login Problems After the Switch

Customer accounts are migrated with complete address and price group information. Immediately after go-live, we send an automated welcome email with instructions for setting a new password and a direct support contact.

Performance Drop in the New System

Before go-live, we run load tests with realistic data volumes and user scenarios. Caching layers, Elasticsearch configuration and server infrastructure are sized to match the measured load. See our performance services for details.

Data Migration in Detail: ETL Process and Quality Assurance

The heart of every migration is the ETL process (Extract, Transform, Load). For each migration project we develop a tailored ETL framework that understands the specific data structures of the source system and maps them into the Shopware data model. Transformation rules are documented and signed off together with your team.

Extraction: Complete data extraction from the source system via API, database access or structured export files. Parallelized processing for large data volumes to minimize extraction time
Source data validation: Checks for completeness, consistency and plausibility. Missing required fields, invalid characters and duplicate records are automatically flagged
Transformation: Mapping of all fields to the Shopware data model, conversion of prices and units, normalization of category structures, cleansing of HTML content
Image and media migration: Automated download of all product images, documents and PDFs from the legacy system. Optimization to WebP format, re-assignment to migrated products in Shopware
Test import and quality review: Multi-stage test import with spot-check manual review and automated comparison tests. Product detail pages, price displays and image galleries are visually validated
Final migration run: The last data migration run takes place immediately before go-live with a delta sync that updates only records changed since the previous test import

B2B-specific data complexity

In B2B contexts, customer data is far more complex than in B2C: company hierarchies with parent accounts and subsidiaries, customer-specific article numbers, price lists with volume tiers and special conditions, users with different ordering permissions within a single customer account. We account for all these structures in migration planning and map them fully in Shopware.

Shopware as the Target Platform: Why the Migration Is Worth It

Many companies migrate to Shopware Community Edition because their existing platform has reached functional or scalability limits. Shopware provides a powerful foundation for B2B requirements: a native B2B suite for customer groups, approval workflows and customer-specific catalogs, a flexible plugin architecture for custom extensions, and a modern API-first design that simplifies all our ERP and system integrations. Combined with our Shopware development and B2B portal development, the result after migration is a platform that grows with your business.

Modern Architecture

Shopware is built on a modern PHP stack with Symfony components, a Vue.js frontend and a complete REST API. This enables flexible extensions and a future-proof architecture for headless scenarios.

Native B2B Features

Customer groups with individual price lists, budget limits, multi-level approval workflows, alternative delivery addresses and invoice recipients are natively built into Shopware – without costly custom development.

Open Source and Hosting Freedom

Shopware Community Edition is open source. You are not tied to proprietary hosting infrastructure, can self-host or choose a hosting partner in Germany, and retain full control over your code.