Migration · 5 min read
Shopify migration mistakes we still see on cutover week
Redirects left to an intern, passwords assumed to copy, and SEO treated as a phase that starts after the party.
September 26, 2026 · ElvoApps
These are process failures, not platform bugs.
- Redirects as a leftover. If the table is not reviewed, you will 301 your best category to the homepage.
- Assuming customer passwords move. They almost never do. Tell customers the truth.
- Copying every WooCommerce plugin as a Shopify app. You will pay for three overlapping SEO apps and still have two canonical tags.
- Testing checkout with a dummy SKU only. Test the ugly product: high quantity, a preorder, a bundle.
- Changing the theme and the domain on the same night. You will not know which change caused the 404s.
The checklist exists so this article is shorter. For a partner-led move, go to Shopify migration.