How to Become Happy-Go-Lucky via CS-Cart to Shopify Migration

Suitable for all types of online business, robust, reliable and with all needed features included — this is a shopping cart of your dream. But reality dictates its own rules, and sometimes you have to face a lot of annoying challenges while online trading. Remember how many times you’ve been wondering about the platform that would meet all your requirements? And then you’ve found Shopify. Seemed, that was it! But how to move all your data from CS-Cart to Shopify? Is there the only way to switch from one platform to another to do the whole work manually? Of course, not! Keep reading, and we’ll provide you with:

• the smoothest way on how to perform automatic e-commerce platforms’ migration;
• detailed CS-Cart vs Shopify comparison;
• advantages and disadvantages of migration to Shopify.

Warning! The underlying truth will be uncovered!

CS-Cart vs Shopify: Where Is the Difference?

CS-Cart is a flexible, customizable and SEO-friendly shopping cart for effortless online trading. It has all needed inbuilt features to make your online business running convenient and profitable.

Launched in 2005, now CS-Cart has reached the number of 12,444 live websites. This is also the most popular e-commerce solution in the SMB category, that means the high level of users’ trust.

The shopping cart is famous for its’ strong level of customization that meets all user’s requirements and demands. The shoppers will thank you for this, and all e-shop owners highly appreciate this function. CS-Cart allows you considerably to enlarge the business and grow even from the little online shop to extensive moll.

The CS-team offers their users a few versions of the software edition to concentrate on the business aims they’re going to achieve. The prosperity and well-being of your craft depend on choosing the right CS-version.

There are a few versions you may cooperate with: CS-Cart, CS-Cart Multi-Vendor, or CS-Cart Ultimate. Each of them is developed for businesses with different income, clients’ number, products, etc.

Technically CS-Cart is strong enough to compete even with the undisputed leaders on the e-commerce market like Shopify, Magento or WooCommerce but things are different in reality. So what makes CS-Cart good but not enough to overtake another shopping carts? Let’s clear up all the pros and cons to be 100 sure what CS-Cart is made from.

1. It’s open-source ecommerce solution. You’re free to perform any changes — to add or to delete something to make the e-store look even better. CS-Cart is a PHP e-solution with the MySQL database managing system and Ajax technology used for traffic reduction and interface convenience.
2. Straightforward and intuitive admin panel. Here you’ll never face the “How to find this?” problem because all the options are just a few clicks away. Even the most inexperienced user will cope with CS-Cart and feel him/herself freely with it only in a couple of hours.
3. Always up-to-date. CS-Cart support must be highly estimated. Their team with the latest server technologies will make everything to protect the e-store from hackers and other issues. With minimum 6 updates per year, CS-Cart continually cares about becoming better and more advanced.
4. Budgeted cost. Yes, at the beginning it seems that CS-Cart is cheap and affordable for everyone. But there’s a hidden issue. Initially, there is a free trial period to give users the opportunity to test the shopping cart and decide whether is it suitable for their business or not. After this, to create the larger storefronts or make any modifications with add-ons, you’ll meet additional charges. One more good thing with CS-Cart — 30-days guarantee for all customers, which characterize service as a reliable one. Further pricing is divided into CS-Cart lifetime cost ($385) and Multi-Vendor plan — for $1450 lifetime price. A little bit costly. That’s the first reason why this e-commerce solution loses their potential clients.

The more detailed information on pricing you may check on the CS-Cart website.

5. Many essential features and necessary tools included. Mobile Commerce for making it possible for your users to browse, select products and buy something in the e-store using their mobile devices. Convenient Product Display for simplifying the whole process of changing the product options. Super easy cart functionality that makes CS-Cart an outstanding player in the ecommerce game. Images, users reviews or even all the added options flows extremely smoothly here. Integration with many third-party applications (PayPal, MailChimp, API2Cart, Facebook, Shipway, Magic 360, and many more) to expand your store functionality, and make it more comfortable for online shoppers. These, and many many more, like eBay and Amazon integration, easy Content Management, dozens of variants for payment methods, lots of extensions and plugins to capture all the possible customers for your online store.

6. Easily customizable design. It is painlessly to create the unusual design with CS-Cart. All you have to do is to select the theme you like the most and choose the appropriate color (if there’s need). Even the pickiest online shop owner will find the proper design here because CS-developers are ready to make your dreams real. Since the Custom Design Services are available, all CS-clients have the opportunity to create the unique and original custom design.

Yes, CS-Cart is a worthy, reliable and decent suggestion for running an ecommerce business. But are there the only positive facts concerning this shopping cart? Of course, not. There are a lot of better e-commerce solutions which easily win in the battle with CS-Cart. See where this cart fails:

Risk №1: CS-Cart can provide you with the free version, but due to this fact there are significant limitations in its functionality and terms.

Risk №2: Forget all your excitement from CS-Cart pricing because since all your credits run out, the tech support becomes more expensive than you suggest.

Risk №3: Previously we were writing about usual cart’s upgrades that allow the platform always to stay modern and advanced. But here is the other side of the same coin. All these upgrades are paid so welcomely to meet annual upgrade fees.

Risk №4: Comparing CS-Cart with another popular e-commerce platforms, be ready to face to the limitations with ready-to-use modules and free add-ons on this shopping cart.

Risk №5: Attention with choosing the payment gateway! Since with CS-Cart the amount of them is also quite limited.

Risk №6. Customization possibility. As it was mentioned previously, there’s an opportunity to change whatever you want and built the online store according to your preferences. It is still a truth, BUT you have to be a professional developer to do it by yourself. Or hire an IT specialist to do it for you. No more other ways.

We’re convinced: at least one of the problems from the list above, is familiar to you. If not, that means you’re the one who knows the Risk №7.

Looking for better alternative is the most suitable solution in this case. Will it be Magento or WooCommerce or PrestaShop or another e-commerce platform — be attentive, selective and demanding. All these e-commerce platforms may provide your business with the overwhelming success, but the main task here is not to get lost and make the right choice. Your request is “CS-Cart to Shopify migration.” Okay, let’s check what Shopify is.

Shopify is the 3rd most popular shopping cart in the Top 1 Million sites in Hosted Solution category. With the number of 638,081 live websites using Shopify, it is the leader among the most robust and reliable ecommerce platforms.

This is a complete shopping cart that lets the online traders start, enlarge, and manage their business. This e-commerce platform, online store’s creation, and customization is a simple and straightforward task. Here you’re free to choose where to sell. Is it web, or mobile, or social media, or online marketplaces, or brick-and-mortar locations, or even the pop-up shops — everything is affordable and ready to be used.

Shopify is a cloud-based and hosted ecommerce solution. You’re free of worries about upgrading or maintaining software or web servers. This gives you the independence to access and run the e-business from anywhere with internet connection available.

Shopify is very cool. This is the choice of the majority of ecommerce entrepreneurs. See why!

13 Reasons why Shopify is an Ideal E-Commerce Platform

1. It’s hosted ecommerce solution. No worries about managing every aspect concerning shopping cart, its functionality, and all the technical things. Platform provider supports all of them. Hosted solutions are more comfortable in using, and if you’re not a tech guy, the better idea is not to waste time, money and efforts with self-hosted platforms.
2. It supports multiple languages. Did you know how many customers go away from your store just because the interface language is unfamiliar to them? Why lose customers? Numerous languages are what enlarges store’s audience significantly.
3. Shopify designers have created more than 100 professional templates. And that’s not all. Enjoy!

1. Troubles with payment processes? We’re convinced: with a lot of payment gateways available here will make the problems disappear.
2. 24/7 reliable, always ready to help support is an excellent work of Shopify-team.
3. Would you like to try something in advance before buying it? Like we do it before buying fruits, vegetables, etc.? Yes? Shopify’s team has the same opinion, that’s why Free 14-Days Trial version is waiting for you.
4. Why is your BF? No, not that person you’ve thought at first. Your Mobile device is your best friend. You’ve already known what I mean — Shopify is mobile friendly and there’s nothing to add. That’s wonderful!

1. It’s never enough on the way to perfection, so Stripe and 3rd party integrations always are the winning solutions.
2. Never underestimate the possibilities of blogging. You may even not realize how helpful it is. Shopify provides its users with the Blog supporting function, and we highly recommend not to ignore this opportunity.
3. SEO optimization, keywords selection and many more bring Shopify’s store owners a stable success and income from day-to-day. Join them, and you’ll never be sorry.
4. Keep in touch with your clients via MailChimp or other Email providers. It’s convenient and definitely will save a lot of your time.
5. Responsible business owners, like caring mothers, always have to treat their customers. The best way to do it — use coupons and discount codes. This Shopify’s function will cope with task perfectly.
6. Even the incredibly profitable business risks to crack if there no control and reporting, The platform’s Analytics reporting is the last but not the least its benefit from our list.

Now you know everything about CS-Cart vs Shopify. Or almost everything=) CS-Cart is good but not the best e-commerce platform. Comparing with Shopify, it has weaker functionality, and the reasons for switching are apparent.

Cart2Cart offers the smoothest way on how to perform shopping carts migration. The whole process includes only a few simple steps. Delegate Cart2Cart the CS-Cart export and in a few days invite the shoppers to the bran-new e-shop.

CS-Cart to Shopify Migration Guide

Step 1. Sign in or Register your Cart2Cart Account

Step 2. Choose your Source Cart

Choose CS-Cart as a Source Cart and provide your current store URL. Then, download Connection Bridge, unpack it from archive and shift bridge to the root directory.

With any questions on Bridge installation look through our FAQ section or reach out to Support Manager. Available 24/7 via live chat, email, and phone call.

Step 3. Set Up Your Target Cart

Here you have to select Shopify as a Target Cart. Click on Install Plugin button to get Cart2Cart app. After that, proceed with the migration setup within your Shopify Admin Panel. It’s more convenient to work there. After that, click Choose Entities to continue your Shopify migration.

Step 4. Choose Entities

Specify the entities you want to be moved. You can transfer all data or choose only a few necessary items. If desired, select some additional options which can expand the functionality of automated shopping cart migration. For example, Clear current data to save the right order in the new shop. Or skip product thumbnail images migration to avoid duplication. Check the whole list of CS-Cart to Shopify migration data as well as additional options here.

Step 5. Perform Free Demo Migration

Click Start Demo Migration to check the service in action by moving a limited number of entities from CS-Cart to Shopify. Wait until the migration is finished and check the results. You’ll also get email notification that a limited amount of data is moved to your Shopify store. The next step if Full Migration. Contact Support Team once you have any questions or your data transfer requires peculiar customizations.

Instead of Epilogue

This article is the complete guide with information on how and why to migrate from CS-Cart to Shopify. We’ve checked all features of both e-platforms to make you sure that Shopify is the most worthy shopping cart among all CS-Cart alternatives. You also know how easy it all works via Cart2Cart. Annoying and outdated manual data input, plugins installation and code manipulations are in the past. Smooth and clear Shopify import is what nowadays consumers need. Keep selling your products online while speedily moving to a new ecommerce solution because Cart2Cart does not affect the stores’ performance. Always count on Cart2Cart and enjoy the excellent service! 24/7 support will answer to any migration-related questions. Don’t wait! Start Free Demo migration right now and be one step closer to your dream-store. Happy migration!