Custom platform to Shopify Plus migration
We migrate custom-built ecommerce platforms to Shopify Plus from Melbourne, LA, and London. The brands we migrate aren't running from platforms that don't work. They're running from the cost of maintaining them.
Custom builds age. The engineers who built them move on. Every new feature requires original dev work instead of platform updates. Every security patch is someone's weekend. Whether you're on Drupal Commerce, Spree, Sylius, custom Rails, custom Node or React, bespoke PHP, or legacy .NET, we audit what you have, document what it does, and map the translation layer to Shopify Plus.
14+ years
0
4 weeks
Every custom model, every API endpoint, every scheduled job, every integration point. We interview the engineers who built it (or read their handover docs if they're gone) and document what each component does, what breaks if it stops, and what replaces it in Shopify. Custom builds come with tribal knowledge - our job is to get that knowledge into a map your future team can use.
What does your platform do that an off-the-shelf system doesn't? Custom pricing logic, bespoke checkout flows, internal admin tools, custom reporting, unique inventory rules, proprietary recommendations. We catalog every differentiator and classify it: Shopify-native, Shopify app, Shopify Function, Hydrogen component, or standalone service. Nothing gets dropped without a conscious decision.
Most custom builds exist because 5 to 10 years ago Shopify wasn't capable of the target use case. That's rarely still true. Checkout Extensibility, Shopify Functions, metafields, B2B, Markets, and the modern app ecosystem cover more than most teams assume. Where native isn't enough, we rebuild as a Shopify app or Hydrogen component. The goal is to get off custom infrastructure, not to rebuild your custom stack inside Shopify.
Custom data models need custom export scripts. We reconcile counts and spot-check records between source and target before cutover and again after. No silent data loss. Customer passwords reset via transactional email, and we handle the comms flow so it doesn't damage the relationship. Historical order data migrates by agreed cutoff (all history, active customers only, last X years) depending on scope.
Custom URL structures need custom redirect logic. We build the 301 map, test through a crawler pre-launch, migrate structured data, and monitor Search Console through week four. ERP, 3PL, PIM, tax, and marketing automation reconnect via Shopify APIs or middleware. Parallel environments, stakeholder UAT, DNS switch in a low-traffic window, on-call coverage through week two.
- Rebuild every custom feature just because you had it. Migration is the moment to decide what was worth the maintenance burden and what wasn't.
- Ship before data reconciles 1:1. Product, customer, and order counts match or we don't launch.
- Sign off on a redirect map we haven't crawler-tested. Every redirect runs through a crawler pre-launch.
- Run your migration as a side-project. Lead engineer, PM, and QA owner named and allocated on every migration.
For custom platform migrations, the classic vs headless decision usually depends on what your current stack looks like. Teams used to full control of the frontend often land on Hydrogen because the mental model is closer to what they had.
That said, classic Shopify Plus removes a lot of infrastructure burden that custom teams didn't realise they were carrying. Hosting, security, uptime, CDN, checkout - all managed. We scope both paths during discovery based on your roadmap and team shape.
Phased path works well here: classic now to get off the custom infrastructure, Hydrogen later if the roadmap calls for it.
Frequently Asked Questions about
Custom Platform to Shopify Plus Migration
If you have more questions, we're happy to answer them - just reach out.
How long does a custom platform migration take?
14 to 24 weeks depending on what's custom. Data-heavy custom builds with proprietary business logic, deep integrations, or undocumented features sit at the longer end. Simpler custom stacks with clean data models and documented APIs skew shorter.
What kinds of custom platforms can you migrate from?
Any of them. Drupal Commerce, Spree, Sylius, custom Rails, custom Node or React, bespoke PHP, legacy .NET, custom Java, or anything else. The specific source matters less than what the platform does - we map the functionality, not the framework.
Will we lose the custom features our team built?
Depends on the feature. Some custom features now have Shopify-native equivalents that do the same job better. Some get rebuilt as Shopify apps or Hydrogen components. Some get dropped because the original business case no longer applies. We catalog every custom capability during discovery and make the keep/replace/drop decision together.
What happens to our custom integrations and APIs?
Most custom integrations rewire to Shopify APIs directly or via middleware (Mulesoft, Boomi, Patchworks, Celigo). Internal APIs that your custom platform exposed can be replaced with Shopify's Admin API, Storefront API, or a custom Shopify app exposing the same contract. We audit every integration during discovery and confirm the target before committing to scope.
Can Shopify Plus handle everything our custom platform does?
Probably, but honestly not always. Shopify Plus is capable but it's not infinite. During discovery we find the one or two things your custom platform does that Shopify can't match, and we tell you. If the gap is material, Shopify isn't the right move. Most of the time the gap isn't material and the infrastructure trade is worth it.
Do we stay live during the migration?
Yes. Your custom platform keeps running until DNS cutover. We build on parallel infrastructure, migrate data in stages, and run a final sync the night before launch. No sales pause.
How do you handle custom platforms with no documentation?
Carefully. Undocumented systems get more discovery time up front - we reverse-engineer the data model, interview anyone who still remembers how it works, and work through the codebase. Migration scope reflects the discovery reality, not an optimistic estimate.