osCommerce to BigCommerce
Switching from osCommerce to BigCommerce preserves your products, customers, orders, and SEO. This resource covers how to map data, choose migration tools, estimate costs, and run the migration.
Migrating from osCommerce to BigCommerce is a strategic upgrade to a modern hosted SaaS e-commerce solution. In 2025, with osCommerce's limitations and BigCommerce's REST API, Stencil themes, App Marketplace, and zero transaction fees, the case for migration has never been stronger.
Key Facts: osCommerce to BigCommerce
- 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
What You Gain: osCommerce → BigCommerce
Stores outgrow osCommerce for various reasons. Here’s what BigCommerce brings to the table:
💰 Hosted Infrastructure
The osCommerce Pain: Legacy or limited architecture. Scaling constraints. Limited customization.
The BigCommerce Gain: Hosted SaaS. No server management. Focus on selling. Zero transaction fees.
🚀 App Marketplace
The osCommerce Pain: Addon ecosystem small. Template lock-in.
The BigCommerce Gain: BigCommerce App Marketplace. One-click integrations. Stencil theme flexibility.
🛠 Product Variants
The osCommerce Pain: Product structure differs. Verify mapping.
The BigCommerce Gain: Unlimited product variants. Flexible options. Streamlined catalog management in Admin.
⚡ Admin & Multi-Currency
The osCommerce Pain: Legacy admin. No native API.
The BigCommerce Gain: Intuitive BigCommerce Admin. Native multi-currency. Built-in SEO tools.
Who Should Migrate from osCommerce to BigCommerce?
osCommerce to BigCommerce migration suits merchants seeking hosted infrastructure, broader app ecosystem, and zero transaction fees. BigCommerce offers Stencil themes and native multi-currency.
osCommerce to BigCommerce: Platform-Specific Considerations
Platform-specific considerations for osCommerce to BigCommerce:
- osCommerce structure differs from BigCommerce—migration tools map entities.
- Product variants/options map to BigCommerce variants. Verify mapping coverage.
- Image paths differ from BigCommerce CDN—re-upload or transform URLs.
osCommerce to BigCommerce Pre-Migration Checklist
Pre-migration prep: verify osCommerce data and configure BigCommerce. Mapping osCommerce fields to BigCommerce correctly is essential.
Data Structure Overview
osCommerce and BigCommerce use different data structures—mapping them correctly prevents data loss.
- osCommerce Version: Check your version. Structure may differ.
- Database/API: Ensure access for data export.
- BigCommerce Setup: Create BigCommerce store. Configure API.
- Product Structure: Source variants map to BigCommerce variants.
- Images: Export from source. Upload to BigCommerce CDN.
osCommerce to BigCommerce Data Mapping: Products, Customers, Orders
Proper data mapping avoids broken variants and lost customer/order links. Below: osCommerce to BigCommerce field mappings.
🛍 Product Data Mapping
| osCommerce Field (Source) | BigCommerce Field (Target) | Notes & Logic |
|---|---|---|
product_id / id |
Product.id |
BigCommerce generates new IDs. Use SKU for mapping. |
name / title |
Product.name |
Direct string transfer. |
sku / model |
Product.sku |
Direct mapping. |
price |
Product.price |
Direct price transfer. |
description |
Product.description |
HTML content. Images need re-uploading. |
categories |
Product.categories |
Source categories map to BigCommerce. |
variants / options |
Product.variants |
Source variants map to BigCommerce variants. |
👥 Customer Data Mapping
| osCommerce Field | BigCommerce Field | Critical Logic |
|---|---|---|
email |
Customer.email |
Unique identifier. |
password |
Customer.password |
Password migration supported with tool. |
address |
Address |
Source addresses map to BigCommerce. |
📦 Order Data Mapping
| osCommerce Field | BigCommerce Field | Mapping Logic |
|---|---|---|
order_id |
Order.id |
Preserve order ID in BigCommerce. |
status |
Order.status |
Map source statuses to BigCommerce. |
total |
Order.total_inc_tax |
Direct mapping. |
osCommerce to BigCommerce Migration Tools
Migrating osCommerce to BigCommerce? Choose automated cloud tools, CSV workflows, or custom builds. Compare options before deciding.
Option A: Automated Cloud Migration (Recommended)
Tools: Cart2Cart, LitExtension
Specialized tools that connect via osCommerce database/API and BigCommerce API.
- ✅ Pros: Handles structure complexity, preserves relationships, formats data for BigCommerce automatically.
- ❌ Cons: Cost scales with data ($200–$400).
Option B: CSV Import
Tools: osCommerce Export + BigCommerce Admin Import
Export from osCommerce, format for BigCommerce, and import manually.
- ✅ Pros: Lower cost, direct control.
- ❌ Cons: Manual work required. Limited to products and categories.
Option C: Custom Development
Tools: osCommerce DB/API + BigCommerce API
Build a custom script using osCommerce database or API and BigCommerce REST API.
- ✅ Pros: Complete control, reusable.
- ❌ Cons: Expensive ($2,500+), time-consuming.
How to Migrate from osCommerce to BigCommerce: Step-by-Step
Follow these phases for osCommerce to BigCommerce. BigCommerce migration overview for context.
Phase 1: Environment Preparation
1.1. Prepare Target (BigCommerce):
Create your BigCommerce store. Complete setup. Configure API access. Use subdomain for testing.
Tip: Don't point your domain yet.
1.2. Prepare Source (osCommerce):
Ensure database or API access. Keep your osCommerce store live during migration.
Phase 2: Connection Setup
2.1. BigCommerce Access:
Configure API credentials in BigCommerce Admin. Migration tools connect via BigCommerce API.
2.2. osCommerce Access:
Provide database credentials or API access. Migration tool connects to osCommerce data source.
Phase 3: Migration Execution
Select what to move. Critical settings:
- Create 301 Redirects: Essential for SEO. Redirects from osCommerce URLs to BigCommerce URLs.
- Migrate Product Variants: BigCommerce supports unlimited variants. osCommerce options map automatically.
- Migrate Images: Images downloaded from osCommerce and uploaded to BigCommerce CDN.
- Password Migration: Supported with migration tool. Customer passwords converted to BigCommerce format.
Phase 4: Post-Migration
Verify products, images, prices, variants. Notify customers. Choose a BigCommerce Stencil theme from BigCommerce Theme Marketplace.
osCommerce to BigCommerce Migration Cost (2025)
Example: 2,000 products, 10,000 orders, 5,000 customers:
Custom Script
Developer Time
Automated Cloud
Average Cost
Agency Service
Starting Cost
osCommerce to BigCommerce: Troubleshooting & SEO
What often goes wrong (and how to fix it):
- Variant Mapping: BigCommerce supports unlimited product variants. osCommerce options map automatically.
- Database/API Structure: osCommerce structure differs from BigCommerce. Migration tools handle translation.
- Image Migration: osCommerce images need re-uploading to BigCommerce CDN.
- Password Migration: Supported with migration tool.
301 Redirects: Preserve SEO
osCommerce URLs differ from BigCommerce URLs. Create 301 redirects to preserve search rankings. Automated tools create redirects—verify in BigCommerce Admin.
osCommerce to BigCommerce: Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers on cost, duration, password migration, and SEO for osCommerce to BigCommerce.
How long does osCommerce to BigCommerce migration take?
Automated osCommerce to BigCommerce migration typically takes 2–4 hours for medium catalogs. Run a demo migration first to validate data mapping.
Can osCommerce customer passwords transfer to BigCommerce?
Migration tools often support password transfer when hashing is compatible. Check tool documentation—otherwise customers reset passwords.
Will SEO survive the migration?
Yes, with 301 redirects from source URLs to BigCommerce URLs. Automated tools create redirect rules. Submit the new sitemap to Google Search Console.
Ready to Migrate from osCommerce to BigCommerce?
Switching osCommerce to BigCommerce removes hosting headaches and adds Stencil flexibility. Use a demo migration to verify data before launch.