Zen Cart to BigCommerce
Switching from Zen Cart 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 Zen Cart to BigCommerce is a strategic upgrade from an osCommerce-derived PHP/MySQL platform to a modern hosted SaaS solution. In 2025, with Zen Cart's legacy architecture, limited updates, and no headless capabilities, and BigCommerce's REST API, Stencil themes, and App Marketplace, the case for migration has never been stronger.
Key Facts: Zen Cart 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: Zen Cart → BigCommerce
Stores outgrow Zen Cart for various reasons. Here’s what BigCommerce brings to the table:
💰 Hosted Infrastructure
The Zen Cart Pain: Legacy PHP/MySQL structure. No modern framework. Extensions can conflict. Limited scalability.
The BigCommerce Gain: Hosted SaaS. No server management. Focus on selling. Zero transaction fees.
🚀 App Marketplace
The Zen Cart Pain: Zen Cart plugins scarce. PHP template customization only.
The BigCommerce Gain: BigCommerce App Marketplace. One-click integrations. Stencil theme flexibility.
🛠 Product Variants
The Zen Cart Pain: products_attributes structure. Options map differently.
The BigCommerce Gain: Unlimited product variants. Flexible options. Streamlined catalog management in Admin.
⚡ Admin & Multi-Currency
The Zen Cart Pain: Admin interface legacy. No native API.
The BigCommerce Gain: Intuitive BigCommerce Admin. Native multi-currency. Built-in SEO tools.
Who Should Migrate from Zen Cart to BigCommerce?
Zen Cart to BigCommerce migration suits merchants on legacy Zen Cart (osCommerce fork) seeking hosted infrastructure, modern admin, and active development. Zen Cart development has slowed; BigCommerce is actively maintained with Stencil themes and App Marketplace.
Zen Cart to BigCommerce: Platform-Specific Considerations
Platform-specific considerations for Zen Cart to BigCommerce:
- Zen Cart products_model maps to BigCommerce SKU—legacy SKU formats may need normalization.
- Zen Cart products_attributes structure differs from BigCommerce variants—migration tools map options.
- Zen Cart images/ folder and BigCommerce CDN use different naming conventions.
Zen Cart to BigCommerce Pre-Migration Checklist
Pre-migration prep: verify Zen Cart data and configure BigCommerce. Mapping Zen Cart fields to BigCommerce correctly is essential.
Data Structure Overview
Zen Cart and BigCommerce use different data structures—mapping them correctly prevents data loss.
- Zen Cart Version: 1.5.x or 1.6.x? Table structure may differ.
- Database: MySQL. Direct DB or REST API (if extension installed).
- BigCommerce Setup: Create BigCommerce store. Configure API.
- Product Structure: Zen Cart attributes map to BigCommerce variants.
- Images: images/ directory. Upload to BigCommerce CDN.
Zen Cart to BigCommerce Data Mapping: Products, Customers, Orders
Proper data mapping avoids broken variants and lost customer/order links. Below: Zen Cart to BigCommerce field mappings.
🛍 Product Data Mapping
| Zen Cart Field (Source) | BigCommerce Field (Target) | Notes & Logic |
|---|---|---|
products_id |
Product.id |
BigCommerce generates new IDs. Use SKU for mapping. |
products_name |
Product.name |
Direct string transfer. |
products_model |
Product.sku |
Direct mapping. |
products_price |
Product.price |
Direct price transfer. |
products_description |
Product.description |
HTML content. Images need re-uploading. |
products_to_categories |
Product.categories |
Zen Cart products_to_categories maps to BigCommerce. |
products_attributes |
Product.variants |
Zen Cart attributes map to BigCommerce variants. |
👥 Customer Data Mapping
| Zen Cart Field | BigCommerce Field | Critical Logic |
|---|---|---|
customers_email_address |
Customer.email |
Unique identifier. |
customers_password |
Customer.password |
Password migration supported. Both use similar hashing. |
address_book |
Address |
Zen Cart address_book maps to BigCommerce. |
📦 Order Data Mapping
| Zen Cart Field | BigCommerce Field | Mapping Logic |
|---|---|---|
orders_id |
Order.id |
Preserve Zen Cart order ID. |
orders_status |
Order.status |
Map Zen Cart statuses to BigCommerce. |
orders_total |
Order.total_inc_tax |
Direct mapping. |
Zen Cart to BigCommerce Migration Tools
Migrating Zen Cart 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 Zen Cart 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: Zen Cart Export + BigCommerce Admin Import
Export from Zen Cart, 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: Zen Cart DB/API + BigCommerce API
Build a custom script using Zen Cart database or API and BigCommerce REST API.
- ✅ Pros: Complete control, reusable.
- ❌ Cons: Expensive ($2,500+), time-consuming.
How to Migrate from Zen Cart to BigCommerce: Step-by-Step
Follow these phases for Zen Cart 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 (Zen Cart):
Ensure database or API access. Keep your Zen Cart 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. Zen Cart Access:
Provide database credentials or API access. Migration tool connects to Zen Cart data source.
Phase 3: Migration Execution
Select what to move. Critical settings:
- Create 301 Redirects: Essential for SEO. Redirects from Zen Cart URLs to BigCommerce URLs.
- Migrate Product Variants: BigCommerce supports unlimited variants. Zen Cart options map automatically.
- Migrate Images: Images downloaded from Zen Cart 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.
Zen Cart 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
Zen Cart to BigCommerce: Troubleshooting & SEO
What often goes wrong (and how to fix it):
- Variant Mapping: BigCommerce supports unlimited product variants. Zen Cart options map automatically.
- Database/API Structure: Zen Cart structure differs from BigCommerce. Migration tools handle translation.
- Image Migration: Zen Cart images need re-uploading to BigCommerce CDN.
- Password Migration: Supported with migration tool.
301 Redirects: Preserve SEO
Zen Cart URLs differ from BigCommerce URLs. Create 301 redirects to preserve search rankings. Automated tools create redirects—verify in BigCommerce Admin.
Zen Cart to BigCommerce: Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers on cost, duration, password migration, and SEO for Zen Cart to BigCommerce.
Is Zen Cart still supported?
Zen Cart receives occasional updates but development is limited. BigCommerce has a larger ecosystem and active release cycle with hosted infrastructure.
Can I migrate Zen Cart attributes to BigCommerce?
Yes. Zen Cart product attributes (options, values) map to BigCommerce product variants. Automated tools handle the conversion.
Ready to Migrate from Zen Cart to BigCommerce?
Switching Zen Cart to BigCommerce removes hosting headaches and adds Stencil flexibility. Use a demo migration to verify data before launch.