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Thinking about moving your online store from Squarespace to Shopify but feeling overwhelmed?
You’re not alone.
Maybe your store has outgrown Squarespace’s limited eCommerce features, or you’re frustrated with the lack of customization and advanced selling tools.
The thought of migrating everything—products, customer data, and design—can feel like a nightmare.
What if something breaks?
What if your SEO tanks?
Here’s the good news:
switching to Shopify doesn’t have to be a headache.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through a simple, step-by-step process to move your store smoothly—without losing data, traffic, or your sanity.
Whether you want better scalability, more powerful sales tools, or a seamless checkout experience, Shopify can give your business the upgrade it deserves.
Let’s make this transition easy!
Why Squarespace Sellers Are Switching to Shopify
While Squarespace offers a beautiful design-centric approach, Shopify provides a robust, feature-rich ecosystem that’s attracting more and more entrepreneurs.
It just has a lot more of what people are looking for in the eCommerce world so it’s something I can understand.
Where Squarespace falls short, Shopify excels.
The platform provides:
- More powerful checkout experiences
- Extensive app integrations
- Advanced marketing and SEO tools
- Sophisticated shipping and tax calculation options
- Cost-Effective Growth
Shopify’s pricing model is often more flexible and cost-effective for growing businesses.
With lower transaction fees and more comprehensive selling tools, many merchants find they’re actually saving money while accessing more powerful features.
Pro Tip: The right platform isn’t just about where you are now—it’s about where your business is going.
And a lot of times online store owners are seeing the potential and want to get on a platform that can carry them in the future.
How To Migrate From Squarespace to Shopify
1. Setting Up Your Shopify Foundation
Sign up for Shopify – Take advantage of their 3-day free trial to explore before committing
Choose your plan – Most of my clients find the $39/month Basic plan sufficient to start
Pro tip: Don’t overthink this step. You can always upgrade later as your business scales.
2. Finding Your New Digital Home
Choosing a theme feels overwhelming, I know. Think of it like moving into a new space – the structure matters more than the initial decorations.
- Browse the Shopify Theme Store – Filter by your industry for relevant suggestions
- Focus on mobile performance – 70% of your customers will likely shop on mobile
- Consider free themes first – Many of my most successful clients started with free themes
Real talk: The premium themes ($180-350) often include features you’d otherwise need apps for, potentially saving you money in the long run.
3. Exporting Your Squarespace Heart and Soul
This is where store owners often feel the most vulnerable. Your products represent countless hours of work – I promise we’ll transfer them with care.
- Access your Squarespace dashboard → Commerce → Products → Export
- Download all product images separately – Squarespace’s export doesn’t always include full-resolution images
- Export your blog posts if you have them – they’re valuable SEO assets
Always verify a sample product’s complete details after export.
4. Preparing Your Data (The Step Most Guides Skip)
- Open your exported CSV in Excel or Google Sheets
- Add columns for Shopify-specific features like tags, collections, and metafields
- Fix any special characters that may have exported incorrectly
5. Bringing Your Products to Their New Home
- Products → Import in your Shopify admin
- Upload your prepared CSV
- Map the fields carefully – this is where patience pays off
After import, personally check your top 20 bestselling products. The extra 15 minutes here can save hours of troubleshooting later.
6. Rebuilding Your Collections and Organization
- Create collections that mirror your Squarespace categories
- Set up automated collections based on product tags – a powerful Shopify feature Squarespace lacks
- Organize your navigation to maintain familiar pathways for returning customers
7. Setting Up the Business Essentials
- Configure shipping zones and rates
- Connect payment providers – Shopify offers more options than Squarespace
- Set up tax calculations – Shopify’s automatic tax calculations will save you hours of work
I recommend spending extra time here.
8. Bringing Your Customers Along
- Export customer data from Squarespace
- Format according to Shopify’s template
- Import to Shopify
- Send a welcome email explaining the move and any actions customers need to take
Personal touch: Include a small discount code as a “thank you” for their patience during the transition.
9. Testing Before Takeoff
- Place test orders using different payment methods
- Check mobile experience thoroughly
- Verify all automated emails are working and well-branded
- Test your site on different browsers
The hour you spend testing will save days of stress and potentially thousands in lost sales.
10. Transfer Domain From Squarespace To Shopify (Deep Breath)
- Connect your existing domain to Shopify
- Update DNS settings following Shopify’s instructions
- Set up 301 redirects for important pages
Schedule this step during your lowest traffic period. For most stores, that’s typically Tuesday or Wednesday night.
11. The Launch and Beyond
- Remove password protection
- Announce your new store to your email list and social followers
- Monitor analytics closely for the first week
The migration isn’t complete when you launch – it’s complete when your first 50 orders process smoothly.
When You Feel Stuck Migrating (Remember This Happens)
I’ve guided store owners through this process hundreds of times, and I’ve yet to encounter a problem that couldn’t be solved.
Remember: This migration isn’t just a technical process – it’s an investment in your business’s future.
The tools and scalability Shopify provides will open doors that simply aren’t available on Squarespace.
You’ve got this.
And if you ever doubt that, come back to this guide. I wrote it because I believe in your journey.
When stuck feels too much do these:
- Hire an expert (Near bottom of page)
- Look over the steps
- Reach out to support, they always help
- Consider Shopify App to help (Near bottom of page)
Squarespace to Shopify: Your Questions Answered
Is migrating my store going to be a huge headache?
Trust me, I’ve guided dozens of store owners through this exact move. It’s not as scary as it looks! The basics transfer pretty smoothly, and while you’ll need to roll up your sleeves for some details, most of my clients complete their migration in a weekend. Remember how intimidating setting up your Squarespace store initially felt? This is very similar.
What happens to all my products?
Your products will make the journey just fine! Export them from Squarespace as a CSV file, then import into Shopify. I usually tell my clients to double-check their best-sellers after import. Your product photos will need separate attention – I’ve found uploading them directly to Shopify gives you better quality than relying on the export.
Can I bring my blog content too?
You totally can by doing this manually, hiring an expert or as well a third party app that can help you out.
Will my Google rankings tank?
I hear this concern from literally everyone! With proper redirects (which I’ll walk you through), your SEO value transfers to your new store. In fact, most of my clients see improved rankings within a month or two because Shopify’s technical SEO structure is so solid. I personally remember making my first migration and was super worried but it’s only been beneficial.
What about my domain name?
Your domain stays yours! You’ll simply point it to your new Shopify store instead of Squarespace. Your customers won’t notice any difference in your web address. I typically help clients set this up last, after everything else is ready to go.
Will I lose my customer information?
The basic info transfers cleanly, though detailed purchase histories sometimes need extra attention. I actually love this part of migration because it gives store owners a chance to segment their customer list and plan more targeted marketing.
Do I need to set up all my payment processing again?
Yes, but it’s so much easier on Shopify! You’ll reconnect your payment methods in Shopify’s dashboard. Most of my clients end up adding more payment options than they had before because Shopify makes it so simple. Many discover their transaction fees actually decrease too!
Can I make my Shopify store look like my Squarespace site?
I’ve yet to meet a Squarespace design I couldn’t recreate on Shopify – often with improvements. Shopify’s themes are incredibly flexible, and their visual editor is actually more intuitive than Squarespace for most people. The best part? Shopify themes are built specifically for converting browsers into buyers.
What about my business email?
If Squarespace hosts your email currently, we’ll need to set up a new provider. I typically recommend Google Workspace for most of my clients. The migration is the perfect time to upgrade your email setup anyway – professional email is such an important touchpoint with customers!
How long will the whole process take?
For most stores, we’re talking 2-3 days of active work, spread over about a week. My smallest client completed everything in a single Saturday! The biggest factor is how many products you have and how complex your site structure is. I always suggest picking a slower sales period for the final switchover.
What should I do right after migrating?
I’d start testing out everything after the migration. Verify your store design and the user experience. Verify all your domains are working properly. The thing is overall as you start looking at your store you will start noticing if you have any issues.
Conclusion On Migrating From Squarespace To Shopify
As we wrap up this guide on migrating from Squarespace to Shopify, I want to acknowledge something important:
change is never easy, especially when it involves the digital storefront you’ve worked so hard to build.
I’ve walked alongside countless store owners through this exact transition.
Some approached it with excitement, others with trepidation.
Many felt both simultaneously.
Wherever you fall on that spectrum, know that your concerns are valid and your hopes for something better are well-founded.
The path from Squarespace to Shopify isn’t just a technical migration—it’s a business evolution.
Every product you carefully transfer, every description you refine, and every setting you configure is an investment in your future growth.
You’re not just changing platforms; you’re expanding possibilities.
There will be moments during this process when you question your decision (like I mentioned earlier).
Perhaps when you’re deep in CSV files or troubleshooting a redirect.
In those moments, keep your focus on why you started this journey:
the advanced marketing tools, the scalable infrastructure, the robust app ecosystem, and the freedom to grow without constraints.
The good news?
This isn’t a journey you have to take alone.
Between Shopify’s support team, active community forums, and experts like myself who have mapped this terrain many times before—help is always available.
So take a deep breath.
Back up your data.
And when you’re ready, take that first step.
Your business deserves room to grow, and with this migration, you’re creating exactly that.
I’m rooting for your success on the other side.
If needed, leave a comment below too and I’ll help out or I’ll even reach out to Shopify for you.
