Move a proprietary, custom-built or unsupported ecommerce platform to Shopify with a migration plan covering databases, products, customers, orders, custom business logic, APIs, integrations, storefront functionality and SEO URLs.
Custom ecommerce platforms can range from relatively simple PHP stores to large internal applications connected to inventory, accounting, ERP, CRM, fulfilment and other business systems.
Some may have conventional product and order tables. Others may use completely proprietary data models and workflows.
The migration therefore begins by understanding the database, business logic, data relationships, integrations and customer-facing functionality before deciding what Shopify should replace.
We then separate what should become native Shopify functionality from what still requires apps, APIs or custom Shopify development.
The source platform does not need to be a major commercial ecommerce product. What matters is whether the data and workflows can be extracted, understood and rebuilt appropriately.
Legacy or proprietary ecommerce applications built with PHP and a custom database.
Custom Laravel applications combining ecommerce with internal business workflows.
JavaScript or Node-based ecommerce environments with custom APIs and commerce logic.
Older or discontinued ecommerce software that requires custom data extraction rather than a standard migration connector.
Existing frontend and backend architectures where Shopify is being considered as the new commerce platform.
Proprietary systems developed internally for a company's specific products, customers or order workflows.
Custom platforms frequently require a tailored data transformation layer between the existing database and Shopify.
A custom database may contain product and operational fields that have no direct one-to-one equivalent in Shopify.
Each field should be mapped according to what it actually does in the business.
Proprietary platforms often contain years of business rules that are invisible until the migration begins.
Customer-specific pricing, quantity pricing or calculated price workflows should be documented and redesigned.
Custom inventory relationships, warehouse rules and product availability logic may require integration planning.
Internal approval, fulfilment or order-routing processes should be identified before Shopify implementation.
Proprietary customer roles, account permissions and saved data may require a new Shopify approach.
Existing recurring-purchase logic should be reviewed separately before selecting the Shopify subscription architecture.
Wholesale pricing, company accounts and business purchasing may require Shopify B2B or additional development.
Many custom ecommerce platforms sit inside a broader technical architecture.
Existing systems should be evaluated before deciding which data Shopify owns and which data remains external.
Custom migrations become significantly easier to scope when we can review the source database schema, API documentation, export capabilities or existing technical documentation. If documentation is limited, we can begin by reviewing the live application and available access before defining the migration method.
A custom platform may use virtually any URL structure. Some stores have clean routes, while older platforms may depend on query strings, IDs or deeply nested URLs.
Important landing pages should be identified and mapped before launch.
Custom frontend code generally cannot simply be dropped into Shopify. The storefront should be rebuilt around Shopify's theme architecture and the current needs of the business.
Rebuild the main storefront around current brand, product and customer priorities.
Create a clearer product-discovery structure using Shopify collections and filters.
Rebuild product templates around Shopify data, media and purchasing requirements.
Rebuild business-critical storefront functionality using Liquid, apps or custom development.
Validate browsing, product selection and purchasing on mobile devices.
Configure payments, shipping, taxes, notifications, policies and required operational settings.
Review database structure, source code, APIs, catalogue, customers, orders and external systems.
Define Shopify products, data structures, storefront functionality, apps and integrations.
Develop the Shopify environment and transform source data into the agreed Shopify format.
Validate data, business workflows, APIs, redirects and the customer storefront.
Complete final data synchronization, domain changes and post-launch validation.
Pricing depends on the source database, available exports, APIs, catalogue complexity, customer and order data, custom workflows, external integrations, SEO requirements and the scope of the new Shopify storefront. We review the existing system before proposing the migration architecture.
Yes, provided the source data and functionality can be accessed and understood. The migration method depends on the database, APIs, available exports and existing business logic.
Yes. Custom PHP and Laravel systems can be evaluated for migration. We first review the database, application structure and important ecommerce workflows before defining the Shopify architecture.
Database access can make a custom migration easier to evaluate, but the exact access required depends on the source system. Existing APIs, exports or technical documentation may also be useful.
Yes. Custom product fields can be reviewed and mapped into Shopify variants, metafields, metaobjects, collections or external integrations depending on how the data is used.
Customer and order data can be included when the required source information is available and the data can be mapped appropriately into the new Shopify environment.
Many workflows can be redesigned using Shopify functionality, apps, Liquid development, APIs or custom applications. The existing logic should be reviewed before deciding the best implementation.
Shopify can be integrated with many external business systems. Existing APIs, middleware and required data flows should be reviewed individually as part of the migration scope.
A headless or custom frontend architecture may be possible depending on the project's requirements. We recommend comparing that approach with a Shopify-native storefront before deciding which architecture is appropriate.
It can if existing URLs and content are changed without planning. Important legacy URLs should be crawled, mapped and redirected to relevant Shopify destinations where appropriate.
In many cases, yes. The Shopify environment can be developed and tested separately while the existing system remains live, followed by a planned final synchronization and cutover.
The correct Shopify plan depends on business requirements such as B2B workflows, integrations, operational complexity and scale. We evaluate those requirements during migration planning.
Custom migration pricing depends on the source platform, database, catalogue size, customer and order data, integrations, business logic, SEO requirements and the scope of the new Shopify build.
Yes. Zrafted can provide ongoing Shopify development, troubleshooting, maintenance, integrations, SEO, CRO and store management after launch.
Send us the existing platform details, available technical documentation and the business workflows Shopify needs to support. We'll review the database, integrations, custom functionality and migration requirements before defining the technical scope.
