WebCentral → Shopify
Migration Guide
A comprehensive, step-by-step guide for migrating your existing WebCentral-hosted e-commerce website to Shopify while retaining your custom domain, preserving SEO rankings, and minimising customer-facing downtime.
Pre-Migration Preparation & Data Backup
Before making any changes to your live website or domain settings, you must prepare your data and plan your new store's structure. Your existing site remains fully live throughout this entire phase.
Take a Snapshot of Your Current Site
Use a site crawler tool such as Screaming Frog or JetOctopus to map your existing website's full URL structure, page titles, meta descriptions, and H1 headings. This snapshot is critical for setting up 301 redirects later to prevent broken links and preserve SEO rankings.
Reference: Shopify SEO Migration Guide
Export Your Store Data
Export your existing store data into CSV files. You will need:
- Products (descriptions, images, variants, prices)
- Customer records and order history
- Blog posts and static pages (About Us, Shipping Policy, etc.)
Reference: Migrate to Shopify — Import Data
Set Up Your Shopify Store on the Default Domain
Sign up for Shopify and build your store on the default .myshopify.com domain. Your live custom domain continues pointing to your old WebCentral site — so customers experience zero downtime while you build.
- Import your exported CSV data into Shopify
- Choose and customise a Shopify theme to match your brand
- Configure shipping rates, tax settings, and payment providers
Preserving SEO & Mapping URL Redirects
Different e-commerce platforms use different URL structures. For example, your old site may use /category/shirts, while Shopify uses /collections/shirts. Without redirects, old links will return 404 errors and you will lose organic traffic and search rankings.
| Old URL Structure | New Shopify URL Structure |
|---|---|
/category/shirts | /collections/shirts |
/product/blue-shirt | /products/blue-shirt |
/blog/my-post | /blogs/news/my-post |
Create a URL Mapping Spreadsheet
Implement 301 Redirects in Shopify
Import these redirects in bulk or enter them manually in Shopify admin under Online Store → Navigation → URL Redirects. A 301 redirect tells search engines the page has permanently moved, passing SEO value to the new URL.
Reference: Creating URL Redirects in Shopify
Does Shopify Automatically Create Redirects?
Shopify has no way of knowing what URLs existed on your previous platform. It cannot read your old website's structure and generate redirects on its own. This means:
Tools That Can Help Automate the Process
| Tool / Method | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Shopify Store Importer app | Imports products and customers and maps them to Shopify URLs, but does not create redirects from old platform URLs |
| Bulk URL redirect CSV import | You create a spreadsheet of old → new URL mappings and upload it in bulk via Shopify admin (Online Store → Navigation → URL Redirects) |
| Screaming Frog / JetOctopus | Crawls your old site to generate the full URL list, which you then map and import as redirects |
| Shopify apps (e.g. Easy Redirects, SEO Manager) | Help manage and bulk-import redirect lists, but still require you to supply the old URL mappings |
| Cloudflare Bulk Redirects | If your domain uses Cloudflare, you can set up bulk redirects at the DNS level before or during migration |
Preparing for the Domain Switch
To ensure the switch from your old WebCentral site to your new Shopify site happens as quickly as possible, you need to lower your DNS TTL settings in advance. This dramatically reduces the propagation window.
Lower Your DNS TTL — At Least 24 Hours Before the Switch
DNS propagation — the time for servers worldwide to recognise your new settings — can take up to 48 hours by default. Lowering the TTL in advance reduces this to minutes.
- Log in to your WebCentral Hosting Panel at theconsole.webcentral.au
- Navigate to your domain's DNS settings (see Phase 4 for exact steps)
- Change the TTL on your
Arecord andwwwCNAME record to 300 seconds (5 minutes) - Save changes and wait at least 24 hours before proceeding
Connecting Your WebCentral Domain to Shopify
Once your Shopify store is fully built and tested, you are ready to point your custom domain to Shopify. The recommended approach is to connect (not transfer) the domain — this keeps domain billing and management in WebCentral while pointing traffic to Shopify. Learn the difference
Required DNS Records
| Record Type | Host / Name | Value / Target |
|---|---|---|
A | @ (root domain) | 23.227.38.65 |
AAAA | @ (root domain) | 2620:0127:f00f:5:: |
CNAME | www | shops.myshopify.com. |
Option A: Standalone Domain in WebCentral
Use this if your domain is not attached to a WebCentral hosting product. WebCentral DNS docs
Option B: Domain Attached to a WebCentral Hosting Product
Use this if your domain is linked to a WebCentral Web Hosting or cPanel product. WebCentral hosting domain docs
Verify the Connection in Shopify
Reference: Connect Your Third-Party Domain Manually
SSL Certificates & Security
Shopify automatically provisions and provides a free TLS/SSL certificate for every custom domain connected to the platform. You do not need to buy, configure, or renew any SSL certificate.
| Scenario | SSL Required? | Cost | Action Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify-managed domain | No | Free | Automatic |
| Third-party domain connected to Shopify | No | Free | Automatic after DNS update |
| Third-party domain transferred to Shopify | No | Free | Automatic |
| Purchasing a third-party SSL certificate | Not supported | N/A | Shopify does not allow custom SSL uploads |
How SSL Provisioning Works
Once your WebCentral DNS records are updated and Shopify verifies the domain connection, SSL certificate generation begins automatically. Your store's URL will change from http:// to https://, and a padlock icon will appear in the browser address bar.
- SSL Pending status is normal and will display in Shopify admin (Settings → Domains) while DNS propagates — up to 48 hours, but typically much faster if you lowered your TTL in Phase 3.
- Once propagation is complete, the domain status changes to Connected and SSL becomes fully active.
Reference: Enabling Secure Connections to Your Shopify Store
letsencrypt.org, pki.goog, and ssl.com. Most domains do not use CAA records, so this is unlikely to apply to you.Post-Launch QA & Monitoring
Immediately after your domain connects and SSL is active, perform the following quality assurance checks to confirm everything is working correctly.
Test Functionality
Verify Redirects
Submit Your XML Sitemap
Shopify automatically generates a sitemap at yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml. Submit this to Google Search Console to prompt Google to crawl and index your new site structure.
Monitor Analytics
Post-Launch Checklist
Partner Sign-Off Checklist
Before you point your DNS records, your Shopify Partner should be able to answer every question below satisfactorily. Use this as your formal sign-off checklist. Request written confirmation (email is sufficient) that all items are complete.
| Question to Ask | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Has a full test order been placed and completed successfully, including payment capture? | Confirms the checkout and payment gateway are wired up correctly |
| Have all payment gateways been tested (credit card, PayPal, Afterpay, etc.)? | Each gateway has its own integration and can fail independently |
| Has the order confirmation email been received and does it display correctly? | Broken transactional emails are a common oversight |
| Are shipping rates calculating correctly at checkout for all zones? | Misconfigured shipping rules can cause lost sales immediately after launch |
| Are taxes calculating correctly for your jurisdiction (e.g. GST for Australia)? | Incorrect tax settings can create compliance issues |
| Have discount codes and gift cards been tested? | These are often configured but not verified end-to-end |
| Question to Ask | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Have all products been imported, including all variants, images, and descriptions? | Partial imports are common with large catalogues |
| Are all product prices, compare-at prices, and SKUs correct? | Pricing errors go live the moment DNS switches |
| Have customer records been migrated (if applicable)? | Customers may need to reset passwords on first login |
| Have historical orders been imported (if required)? | Important for warranty, returns, and customer service continuity |
| Are all collections correctly populated and displaying the right products? | Collection rules can silently exclude products |
| Question to Ask | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Has a full list of 301 redirects been implemented from all old URLs to new Shopify URLs? | Without these, existing Google rankings and inbound links break immediately |
| Can you provide the complete redirect mapping spreadsheet for our records? | You need this for audit purposes and future reference |
| Have page titles, meta descriptions, and H1 headings been preserved or improved from the old site? | Changing these unnecessarily resets accumulated SEO value |
| Has the XML sitemap been verified and is it accessible at /sitemap.xml? | Required for Google Search Console submission post-launch |
| Are there any pages with accidental noindex tags or robots.txt blocks? | A single misconfigured robots.txt can de-index your entire store |
| Question to Ask | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Has the custom domain been added to Shopify admin (Settings → Domains) and verified? | The domain must be pre-registered in Shopify before DNS is pointed |
| Which DNS records exactly do we need to update, and what are the precise values? | Gets you the exact A record IP and CNAME target to enter in WebCentral |
| Have you confirmed there are no conflicting A records or CNAME records that need to be removed first? | Conflicting records prevent Shopify from provisioning SSL |
| Has the store password page been disabled so customers can access the site after DNS switches? | Shopify stores launch with a password by default — it must be manually disabled |
| Has the primary domain been set correctly in Shopify (www vs non-www)? | Determines which version gets the SSL certificate and canonical URLs |
| Question to Ask | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Have the MX records been confirmed as untouched? | Changing MX records during a DNS update breaks all business email |
| Have all third-party app integrations been tested (e.g. email marketing, loyalty programs, reviews)? | Apps often require post-install configuration that gets missed |
| Has the Shopify Email sender domain (SPF/DKIM) been configured for transactional emails? | Without this, order confirmation emails may land in spam |
| Has Google Analytics (or your analytics platform) been installed and verified as tracking? | You need data continuity from day one |
| Question to Ask | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Has the site been reviewed on mobile (iOS and Android) as well as desktop? | Shopify themes can behave differently across devices |
| Are all images loading correctly and are they optimised for web (not oversized files)? | Large images slow page load speed and hurt conversion rates |
| Are all internal links pointing to the new Shopify URLs (not the old site or .myshopify.com domain)? | Internal links to the old domain break after DNS switches |
| Are all legal pages present and up to date — Privacy Policy, Terms of Service, Refund Policy, Shipping Policy? | Required for consumer law compliance in Australia |
| Question to Ask | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Will you transfer full ownership of the Shopify store to our account before DNS is pointed? | You should own the store, not the agency |
| Can you confirm our admin access is at Owner level? | Ensures you are not locked out after the partner relationship ends |
| Can you provide documentation of all apps installed, their costs, and what each one does? | Ongoing app subscription costs can add up unexpectedly |
| What is the agreed support window post-launch if issues are discovered? | Establishes accountability for bugs found in the first days after go-live |
"Can you confirm in writing that the store is fully ready for DNS cutover, and that all items on the agreed scope of work have been completed and tested?"
Getting this confirmation in writing (email is sufficient) protects you if issues arise post-launch and establishes a clear point of handover responsibility.