WooCommerce Migration: Move Your Store While Preserving Your Sales Data

Why migrating a store isn't like migrating a showcase site

A showcase site can be copied and checked. A store, on the other hand, holds transactional data that keeps changing and depends on external services : orders and stock evolve every day, payments go through a gateway, and order emails depend on the sending method. A migration carried out without precaution can create gaps between the old and new site, lose orders received during the cutover, or cut off payments and emails on the new hosting.

What needs to follow the store

• products (listings, variations, images, categories) ;
• orders and their history ;
• customers and their accounts ;
• up-to-date stock ;
• coupons and pricing rules ;
• WooCommerce payment and shipping settings, with reconfiguration or validation of external services when needed.

WooCommerce-specific pitfalls

Payment gateway re-authentication

After migration, some gateways may require re-authentication or validation by the merchant account owner, especially when the domain, return URLs or connection method have changed. This validation cannot be carried out on the client's behalf.

Webhooks to check

Webhooks must be checked after migration. If the domain or endpoint URL changes, they need to be updated or recreated depending on the gateway. Even if the domain stays the same, their reachability and correct behavior should still be verified, otherwise order statuses may stop updating after payment.

Transactional emails

Transactional emails depend on the sending method used : hosting server, SMTP or a transactional email service. After migration, sending, the sender domain and, if the sending provider or DNS change, the SPF, DKIM and DMARC settings need to be checked.

Orders split between the old and new site

If both stores stay active during the cutover, orders can end up recorded separately in two databases that have since diverged. The procedure should therefore plan a temporary order freeze or a controlled reconciliation before the new site opens for good.

Sessions and carts

Active sessions can be invalidated : without precaution, a cart can become inconsistent at the moment of cutover.

The WPASSIST method

1. Preparation. Inventory of the store, its access, and external services (host, DNS, gateways).
2. Staging. Copy and verification on a test environment before any cutover. Payment tests use test mode when the gateway allows it.
3. Cutover procedure. Defining how orders received during the transfer are handled, then a controlled DNS switch.
4. Post-migration checks. Verifying orders, an agreed payment method, webhooks and the sending of a transactional email, within the scope treated. Real-condition testing is carried out only with the client's agreement ; any transaction or refund fees charged by the gateway remain the client's responsibility.
5. Report. A clear summary of what was migrated, checked, and what remains to be watched.

The WooCommerce migration package

The price is determined before the intervention based on the useful volume to migrate : site files and database export, measured before compression, excluding caches and local backups. Up to 2 GB included : €119 excl. VAT. Above 2 GB : €149 excl. VAT. Fixed price, announced before work starts. Caches and old backups excluded from the calculation are not deleted from the source server, unless expressly requested by the client.

Included in the package

Copying the store to a temporary environment when access allows it, domain cutover, checking general operation, an agreed payment method and the sending of a transactional email, then a report.

Not included without an additional quote

Manual re-entry of a large volume of orders, reconfiguring several gateways, complex mail DNS changes, migrating external services, ERP integrations or custom development. If any of these needs arise, we tell you before any intervention and propose a suitable quote.

Conditions

• access to hosting, DNS and gateway accounts must be provided by the client ;
• some gateways require re-authentication by the merchant account owner ;
• DNS propagation and third-party provider delays do not depend on WPASSIST ;
• the package does not cover a site redesign, custom functional development, or legal or GDPR compliance work.

After the migration

Once the store is up and running on its new hosting, regular follow-up reduces risk : updates with a prior backup, usable backups with tested restoration, availability monitoring and verification of the purchase funnel after sensitive actions. That's the role of WPASSIST Care : Care Pro for simple stores, Care VIP for active or high-stakes stores.

Frequently asked questions

Will I lose orders during the migration ?

Orders received during the cutover follow a procedure defined before the migration (order freeze or controlled reconciliation), to limit the risk of loss or discrepancy between the old and new site.

Will the store be unavailable during the migration ?

A migration doesn't necessarily cause complete unavailability : the old and new server can both stay reachable while DNS caches refresh. A short checkout suspension can however be scheduled to avoid orders being recorded simultaneously in two different databases. The procedure is defined before the cutover.

Will my payments work after the migration ?

The payment journey and webhooks are checked after migration. Some gateways, however, require re-authentication that only the merchant account owner can carry out.

How is the price set ?

€119 excl. VAT up to 2 GB included, €149 excl. VAT above that, based on the useful volume to migrate (files + database export, measured before compression, excluding caches and local backups). The price is fixed and announced before work starts.