BigCommerce to WooCommerce
Moving your store from BigCommerce to WooCommerce lets you keep products, customers, orders, and content intact—while protecting SEO rankings and customer logins. This guide walks through data mapping, migration tools, pricing, and execution steps.
Migrating from BigCommerce to WooCommerce moves your store from a dedicated e-commerce platform to a WordPress-based solution. Whether you're consolidating with WordPress, tapping into the WooCommerce plugin ecosystem, or simplifying your stack—this guide covers the data mapping and migration steps you need.
BigCommerce to WooCommerce: Quick Facts
- Average cost: $69–$400 (automated) vs $2,500+ (custom)
- Typical duration: 2–4 hours (automated) vs weeks (manual)
- Recommended method: Automated cloud migration (Cart2Cart, LitExtension)
- Password migration: Supported with migration tool
- SEO preservation: 301 redirects required—automated tools create them
Why Move from BigCommerce to WooCommerce?
BigCommerce works for many stores, but its constraints can limit growth. WooCommerce offers a different set of advantages:
💰 Hosted Infrastructure
The BigCommerce Pain: Dedicated platform. Separate from WordPress. No WordPress integration.
The WooCommerce Gain: Hosted or managed. Reduced server management. Focus on selling.
🚀 App Ecosystem
The BigCommerce Pain: App Marketplace vs. WordPress plugins. Different ecosystem.
The WooCommerce Gain: Broader app ecosystem. One-click integrations. More third-party options.
🛠 Ease of Use
The BigCommerce Pain: Stencil themes vs. WordPress themes. Different architecture.
The WooCommerce Gain: User-friendly admin. Modern UX. Non-technical users can manage stores.
⚡ Quick Launch
The BigCommerce Pain: Hosted SaaS. No WordPress consolidation.
The WooCommerce Gain: Launch fast. Focus on selling, not infrastructure.
Who Should Migrate from BigCommerce to WooCommerce?
BigCommerce to WooCommerce migration suits merchants consolidating with WordPress (blog, content marketing), preferring the WooCommerce plugin ecosystem, or already invested in WordPress. Trade-off: shared WordPress resources and plugin dependency.
BigCommerce to WooCommerce: Platform-Specific Considerations
Each migration path has its own quirks. For BigCommerce → WooCommerce, watch for:
- BigCommerce API structure maps to wp_posts/wp_postmeta—product variations require careful mapping.
- BigCommerce CDN paths differ from wp-content/uploads—update image URLs in product descriptions.
- WooCommerce uses taxonomies for categories; BigCommerce uses Product.categories—structure differs.
BigCommerce to WooCommerce Pre-Migration Checklist
Before moving from BigCommerce to WooCommerce, review your source data and prepare the WooCommerce store. Different structures mean mapping matters—get it wrong and you risk data loss.
Understanding the Platform Disconnect
BigCommerce and WooCommerce use different data structures—mapping them correctly prevents data loss.
- BigCommerce Plan: Check API access.
- WooCommerce Setup: Install WordPress + WooCommerce.
- Product Structure: BigCommerce variants map to WooCommerce variations.
- Images: BigCommerce CDN to wp-content/uploads.
BigCommerce to WooCommerce Data Mapping: Products, Customers, Orders
Correct field mapping from BigCommerce to WooCommerce keeps variants, customer history, and order links intact. Reference mappings for developers:
🛍 Product Data Mapping
| BigCommerce Field (Source) | WooCommerce Field (Target) | Notes & Logic |
|---|---|---|
Product.id |
wp_posts (product) |
WooCommerce generates new IDs. Use reference for mapping. |
Product.name |
_product_title |
Direct string transfer. |
Product.sku |
_sku |
Direct mapping. |
Product.price |
_price |
Direct price transfer. |
Product.description |
_product_content |
HTML content. Images need path updates. |
Product.categories |
product_cat (taxonomy) |
BigCommerce categories map to WooCommerce. |
Product.variants |
_product_attributes |
BigCommerce variants map to WooCommerce variations. |
👥 Customer Data Mapping
| BigCommerce Field | WooCommerce Field | Critical Logic |
|---|---|---|
Customer.email |
user_email |
Unique identifier. |
Customer.password |
user_pass |
Password migration supported. Similar hashing. |
Address |
billing/shipping meta |
BigCommerce addresses map to WooCommerce meta. |
📦 Order Data Mapping
| BigCommerce Field | WooCommerce Field | Mapping Logic |
|---|---|---|
Order.id |
order_id |
Preserve BigCommerce order number. |
Order.status |
order_status |
Map BigCommerce status to WooCommerce. |
Order.total_inc_tax |
_order_total |
Direct mapping. |
BigCommerce to WooCommerce Migration Tools
For BigCommerce → WooCommerce, three approaches: automated cloud migration (recommended), CSV import, or custom scripts. Compare BigCommerce migration tools for features and pricing.
Option A: Automated Cloud Migration (Recommended)
Tools: Cart2Cart, LitExtension
Specialized tools that connect via BigCommerce API and WooCommerce API.
- ✅ Pros: Handles structure complexity, preserves relationships, formats data for WooCommerce automatically.
- ❌ Cons: Cost scales with data ($200–$400).
Option B: CSV Import
Tools: BigCommerce Export + WooCommerce Import
Export from BigCommerce Admin, format for WooCommerce, and import manually.
- ✅ Pros: Lower cost, direct control.
- ❌ Cons: Manual work required. Limited to products and categories.
Option C: Custom Development
Tools: BigCommerce API + WooCommerce API
Build a custom script using BigCommerce API and WooCommerce API.
- ✅ Pros: Complete control, reusable.
- ❌ Cons: Expensive ($2,500+), time-consuming.
How to Migrate from BigCommerce to WooCommerce: Step-by-Step
Use this workflow for BigCommerce → WooCommerce with automated tools. Full BigCommerce migration guide for planning.
Phase 1: Environment Preparation
1.1. Prepare Target (WooCommerce):
Create your WooCommerce store. Complete setup. Configure API access. Use subdomain for testing.
Tip: Don't point your domain yet.
1.2. Prepare Source (BigCommerce):
Ensure API access. Keep your BigCommerce store live during migration.
Phase 2: Connection Setup
2.1. BigCommerce Access:
Configure API credentials in BigCommerce Admin. Or install migration app if using automated tools.
2.2. WooCommerce Access:
Provide API credentials. Migration tool connects to WooCommerce.
Phase 3: Migration Execution
Select what to move. Critical settings:
- Create 301 Redirects: Essential for SEO. Redirects from BigCommerce URLs to WooCommerce URLs.
- Migrate Product Variants: BigCommerce variants map to WooCommerce variants.
- Migrate Images: Images from BigCommerce CDN uploaded to WooCommerce media system.
- Password Migration: Supported with migration tool. Customer passwords converted.
Phase 4: Post-Migration
Verify products, images, prices, variants. Notify customers. Choose a WooCommerce theme.
BigCommerce to WooCommerce Migration Cost (2025)
For a typical store (2,000 products, 10,000 orders, 5,000 customers):
Custom Script
Developer Time
Automated Cloud
Average Cost
Agency Service
Starting Cost
BigCommerce to WooCommerce: Troubleshooting & SEO
Common issues when moving BigCommerce to WooCommerce:
- Variant Mapping: BigCommerce variants map to WooCommerce variants. Check variant limits (e.g., Shopify 100/product).
- API Structure: BigCommerce REST API differs from WooCommerce. Migration tools handle translation.
- Image Migration: BigCommerce CDN images need re-uploading to WooCommerce media system.
- Password Migration: Supported with migration tool.
301 Redirects: Preserve SEO
BigCommerce URLs differ from WooCommerce URLs. Create 301 redirects to preserve search rankings. Automated tools create redirects—verify in target admin.
BigCommerce to WooCommerce: Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions about BigCommerce to WooCommerce—costs, timing, passwords, and SEO.
Why move from BigCommerce to WooCommerce?
WooCommerce integrates with WordPress—unified blog and store, single admin. BigCommerce is dedicated e-commerce. Choose WooCommerce if WordPress is central to your strategy.
Can BigCommerce variants become WooCommerce variations?
Yes. BigCommerce product variants map to WooCommerce product variations (attributes + variations). Migration tools handle the conversion.
Ready to Migrate from BigCommerce to WooCommerce?
Migrating from BigCommerce to WooCommerce gives you new platform capabilities, broader ecosystem, and reduced constraints. Run a free demo to confirm your data maps correctly.