Miva merchant to Bigcommerce

Step 1: Assess Your Current Miva Merchant Setup

Before initiating the migration from Miva Merchant to BigCommerce, it is essential to conduct a thorough assessment of your current Miva Merchant setup. This step serves as the foundation for a successful migration, allowing us to understand the scope of data, functionalities, and customizations that will need to be transferred.

During this assessment, we will review the following:

• Data Inventory: Identify the types of data that need migration, including products, customers, orders, and any other relevant information.
• Custom Features: Document any custom features or modifications that have been implemented on your Miva Merchant store, as these may require special attention during the migration process.
• Integrations: List all current integrations with third-party tools, such as payment gateways, shipping providers, and marketing tools, to ensure they are compatible with BigCommerce.

We will also evaluate the performance metrics of your Miva Merchant store, including traffic patterns, sales data, and customer behavior, which will help in strategizing the migration process effectively.

Step 2: Prepare Your BigCommerce Store

Once we have assessed your Miva Merchant setup, the next step is to prepare your BigCommerce store. This preparation is critical to ensure that the new environment is optimized for data migration and aligns with your business goals.

We will undertake the following actions:

• Create Your BigCommerce Account: Start by signing up for a BigCommerce account. Choose the appropriate plan that aligns with your business needs, keeping in mind the features you require.
• Configure Store Settings: Access the BigCommerce dashboard and configure essential settings, such as store name, currency, tax settings, and shipping rates. Ensure that these settings reflect your business model and the regions you operate in.
• Select a Theme: Choose a theme that best represents your brand. BigCommerce offers a variety of free and paid themes that can be customized according to your preferences.
• Set Up Payment Gateways: Configure payment gateways to ensure smooth transactions. BigCommerce supports multiple payment options, so select the ones that align with your customer preferences.

By completing these preparations, we ensure that your BigCommerce store is ready to accept the data migrated from Miva Merchant.

Step 3: Backup Your Miva Merchant Data

Creating a backup of your Miva Merchant data is a crucial step to ensure that no data is lost during the migration to BigCommerce. This backup acts as a safety net, allowing us to restore your original data if any issues arise during the migration process.

To back up your Miva Merchant data, follow these steps:

• Export Product Data: Navigate to the product management section in your Miva Merchant dashboard. Utilize the export feature to download a complete list of products, including descriptions, prices, and images.
• Export Customer Data: Similarly, export customer information from the customer management section. Ensure that you include all relevant fields such as names, email addresses, and order history.
• Export Order Data: Access your order history and export all relevant order data. This includes order IDs, product details, customer information, and shipping addresses.
• Backup Store Configuration: Document any custom configurations or settings that define your store's operations. This includes payment settings, tax configurations, and shipping methods.

Once the data is backed up, verify the integrity of the exported files to ensure they are complete and ready for migration.

Step 4: Choose a Migration Method

With your data backed up, the next step is to choose the appropriate migration method from Miva Merchant to BigCommerce. This decision can significantly influence the complexity and success of your migration process.

There are generally two primary methods for migration:

• Automated Migration Tools: These tools, such as Cart2Cart, streamline the process by automating data transfer from Miva Merchant to BigCommerce. They typically offer features like:
• Fast data transfer with minimal downtime.
• Real-time progress updates during migration.
• Support for various data types, including products, customers, and orders.
• Manual Migration: If your migration involves extensive customizations or requires specific data handling, a manual migration may be more suitable. This approach involves:
• Manually importing data into BigCommerce using CSV files.
• Recreating custom features or configurations that were present in Miva Merchant.
• Testing each component to ensure compatibility with BigCommerce's structure.

We will evaluate your specific needs and resources to determine the best migration method that balances efficiency and accuracy.

Step 5: Execute the Migration

Now that we have prepared both Miva Merchant and BigCommerce, it’s time to execute the migration. This phase is critical and requires careful execution to ensure that all data is transferred accurately and completely.

For an automated migration, follow these steps:

• Set Up the Migration Tool: If using an automated migration tool like Cart2Cart, log in to the tool and configure the migration settings, including selecting Miva Merchant as the source and BigCommerce as the target.
• Select Data Types: Choose the types of data you want to migrate, such as products, customers, orders, and any associated images or custom attributes.
• Run a Demo Migration: Before performing the full migration, execute a demo migration to review how the data will appear in BigCommerce. This step allows us to identify any issues and make adjustments as necessary.
• Launch Full Migration: Once the demo migration is successful, proceed to launch the full migration. Monitor the process closely for any errors or warnings.

If opting for a manual migration, ensure that:

• The data files are correctly formatted for BigCommerce’s requirements.
• Each component is tested individually for compatibility.
• The migration process includes thorough validation to confirm data integrity.

Completing this step efficiently ensures that your new BigCommerce store is populated with accurate and complete data.

Step 6: Post-Migration Review

After successfully migrating data from Miva Merchant to BigCommerce, it is crucial to perform a post-migration review. This step helps ensure that the migration was successful and that all functionalities are operating as intended.

During the post-migration review, we will focus on the following:

• Data Verification: Cross-check the migrated data in BigCommerce against the original data from Miva Merchant. This includes verifying products, customer information, order history, and any custom attributes.
• Functionality Testing: Test all functionalities on your BigCommerce store, including product displays, cart operations, checkout processes, and payment gateway integrations. Ensure that customers can navigate the site without issues.
• SEO Settings: Review and optimize SEO settings on the new platform, including meta tags, URL structures, and sitemap submissions to search engines. This step is crucial for maintaining visibility in search results.

By conducting a thorough review, we can identify any discrepancies or issues that need to be addressed before fully launching your new store.

Step 7: Launch Your BigCommerce Store

With the post-migration review completed and all necessary adjustments made, we are now ready to officially launch your new BigCommerce store. This step marks the culmination of the migration process and requires careful execution to ensure a smooth transition.

To launch your store, we will follow these steps:

• Finalize Launch Settings: Ensure that all settings in BigCommerce are set for public access. This includes verifying that payment gateways are active, shipping methods are configured, and tax settings are correct.
• Announce the Launch: Communicate the launch to your customer base through email newsletters, social media, and other marketing channels. Highlight any new features or improvements they can expect.
• Monitor Store Performance: After launching, closely monitor your store's performance. Use BigCommerce's analytics tools to track traffic, sales, and customer behavior. Be prepared to make adjustments based on initial feedback.

Launching your store successfully sets the stage for enhanced growth and customer engagement on the BigCommerce platform.

Power Your Step - Get in Touch

Contact PowerCommerce to ensure a seamless migration experience. Our team of experts is here to support you every step of the way, ensuring that your transition from Miva Merchant to BigCommerce is smooth and efficient.

Don’t hesitate to reach out for a risk-free consultation. We bring over 15 years of industry expertise and a commitment to helping you grow your ecommerce business.

1. Visit our contact page to fill out our form.
2. Call us directly at 800-099-9090.
3. Email us at info@powercommerce.com for inquiries.

Let us help you power your ecommerce journey with our cutting-edge solutions and customer-centric approach!