Every business reaches a point where change becomes necessary for growth.
If you're switching from Square to Shopify, you're likely looking for a platform that can scale with your ambitions—one that naturally connects all aspects of your retail operation.
While migrating your store's data and operations requires careful planning, the right approach makes all the difference. This guide provides a clear roadmap for moving from Square to Shopify, helping you maintain business continuity while setting up for future growth.
Pre-migration planning
Build your migration team
A successful move from Square to Shopify requires a dedicated team. Here’s who you can hire:
- Project Manager: Oversees the entire migration and keeps everything on schedule.
- Data Specialist: Handles transfer of sales, customer, and product information.
- Shopify Developer: Sets up the Shopify store and integrates necessary systems.
- Operations Specialist: Manages inventory transfer, staff training, hardware installation, and developing new SOPs for POS processes.
Create a backup
Save a copy of all your Square data before starting your move to Shopify. This protects your business data if anything goes wrong during the switch.
Think of it as a safety net. If problems arise during migration, you can restore everything back to how it was.
Choose how to migrate your Square store’s content
When moving to Shopify, choose what information is worth keeping. This is a good time to clean house and leave behind anything that isn't working well.
You may want to migrate:
- Products. Descriptions, images, prices, and inventory counts.
- Customers. Contact details and purchase history.
- Historical orders. Transaction records and order information.
- Reviews. Customer testimonials.
Choose how to migrate each type of content. Common methods include:
| Migration Method | Description |
|---|---|
| Copy paste | Copy the content from your existing Square store and paste it into your new Shopify store. |
| CSV import | Export your data into CSV files and import them to your new Shopify store. |
| Third-party migration apps | Use apps like Migrationpro. |
| Migration expert | Hire a Shopify Partner to manage your migration. |
How to migrate from Square to Shopify
This guide will cover using CSV files to make the migration.
1. Export your product data from Square
Follow these steps to export your product data.
- From your Square account, go to Items & orders > Items.
- Click Actions > Export Library.
- In the modal, select Export to CSV, and then click Export.
- Name the file SquareProductDownload.csv, and then save the file to your computer.
2. Edit your product export data
Download and view the product CSV template, then edit your SquareProductDownload.csv file to match the format. Copy the column headers, then paste your Square import data into the Shopify product CSV template.
💡Make sure your CSV file contains only the product CSV templated data from your Square store before you import it.
Review the following details:
- The sample file shows how to format your data with one example product. When making your own file, delete these example entries before importing your actual products.
- Use the Variant Inventory Qty column to set stock levels if you have just one store location. You'll need to use a separateinventory CSV file instead for multiple store locations.
- The file includes columns for international pricing, but they're empty since these products don't need special prices for different countries. Learn more about Shopify International CSV columns.
Review this table to see how Squares's data matches with Shopify's. Delete any columns from your Square file that aren't shown here. Note that Shopify has some extra columns not found in your Square export. You may need to look these up separately.
| Square Data Type | Shopify Data Type | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Reference Handle or Permalink | Handle | Decide which column you want to use for Handle. The Reference Handle or the Permalink can be mapped to the Handle in Shopify’s product CSV. If you choose Reference Handle, remove hashtags. The Handle can contain letters, dashes, and numbers, but no spaces, accents, or other characters, including periods. Handles are used in the URL for each product. |
| Item Name | Title | Change column name to Shopify's data type. |
| Default Vendor Name | Vendor | Change column name to Shopify's data type. |
| Category | Product Category | This column should contain values from Shopify’s standard product categories. Learn more about Shopify’s product taxonomy. The Product Category column can also be left blank. |
| Option Name 1 | Option1 Name | Change column name to Shopify's data type. |
| Option Value 1 | Option1 Value | Change column name to Shopify's data type. |
| Option Name 2 | Option2 Name | Change column name to Shopify's data type. |
| Option Value 2 | Option2 Value | Change column name to Shopify's data type. |
| Option Name 3 | Option3 Name | Change column name to Shopify's data type. |
| Option Value 3 | Option3 Value | Change column name to Shopify's data type. |
| SKU | Variant SKU | Change column name to Shopify's data type. |
| Weight (kg) | Variant Grams | Convert kilograms to grams by multiplying the values by 1000. Change column name to Shopify's data type. |
| Price | Variant Price | Change column name to Shopify's data type. |
| SEO Title | SEO Title | No action needed. |
| SEO Description | SEO Description | No action needed. |
| Default Unit Cost | Cost per item | Change column name to Shopify's data type. |
3. Import your product data
After editing your SquareProductDownload.csv, import it to Shopify.
- From your Shopify admin, go to Products.
- Click Import.
- Click Add file, and then select the SquareItemDownload.csv.
- Deselect Publish new products to all sales channels, and then click Upload and preview.
- Review the details about the import, and then click Import products.
After uploading, you'll get a confirmation email at the address linked to your Shopify store.
Confirm and organize products
After importing your products, check that everything transferred properly. Look at important details like prices, weights, and inventory counts.
Some common issues you might encounter:
| Problem | Solution |
|---|---|
| Products are imported, but not published. | Make them available to your sales channels. |
| Products are missing details. | Review the product description and fill in the missing information. |
| Product variants didn’t import | Add the product to your store manually. |
Next:
- Review your product details, like description, images, variants, price, and meta description.
- Create product collections so they are easier to find.
4. Export your customer data from Sqaure
Migrating your customer data lets you continue communicating with them on Shopify. Export your data to a CSV file.
- From your Square account, go to Customers > Customers.
- Click Directory.
- Click Import / Export > Export Customers.
- In the modal, choose which customers you want to export:
- To export all customers, select All Customers, and then click Export.
- To export specific customers, select Specific Groups, and then click Export.
- In the next modal, click Download.
- Name the file SquareCustomerDownload.csv, and then save the file to your computer.
5. Edit your customer data from Square
Download the customer CSV template and then edit your SquareCustomerDownload.csv to match it.
💡Make sure your file matches Shopify's layout exactly. Your file must have the same headings as the customer CSV template. There is no data mapping support for customer CSV imports.
| Square Data Type | Shopify Data Type | Action |
|---|---|---|
| First Name | First Name | No action needed. |
| Surname | Last Name | Change column name to Shopify's data type. |
| Email Address | Change column name to Shopify's data type. | |
| Email Subscription Status | Accepts Email Marketing | Change column name to Shopify's data type. Use the following values to update the column: yes or no. |
| Street Address 1 | Default Address Address1 | Change column name to Shopify's data type. |
| Street Address 2 | Default Address Address2 | Change column name to Shopify's data type. |
| City | Default Address City | Change column name to Shopify's data type. |
| State | Default Address Province Code | Change column name to Shopify's data type. This column should contain the province's or state's ISO code associated with the customer's default address. |
| Country | Default Address Country Code | This column isn't available in your Square download, but you will need this information for your Shopify import. This column should contain the country ISO code associated with the customer's default address. |
| Postal Code | Default Address Zip | Change column name to Shopify's data type. |
| Phone Number | Default Address Phone | Change column name to Shopify's data type. |
6. Import your customer data from Square
- From your Shopify admin, go to Customers.
- Click Import.
- Click Add file, and then select the SquareCustomerDownload.csv.
- Click Import customers.
- Review the details about the import, and then click Import customers.
- Review customer import summary, and then click View all customers.
7. Import your reviews to Shopify
You can’t migrate reviews from Square to Shopify natively. But you can add them using the following apps from the Shopify App Store:
8. Export your order history from Square
- From your Square account, go to Online > Orders.
- Click Export Orders.
- Name the file SquareOrdersDownload.csv, and then save the file to your computer.
9. Import your order history to Shopify
Import your order history to Shopify using one of three apps:
Post-migration setup
Now that the migration is over, you can create your online store to start selling.
- Create your online store
- Configure payments
- Arrange your shipping options
- Set up taxes
- Create staff accounts and permissions
- Redirect old domains
Ceate your online store
Every Shopify store includes a free them that you can customize. You can also buy a theme from elite designers in the Theme Store.
Shopify lets you test themes through a preview function to see how your products and brand will look. Experiment with customizations in the editor and compare features across 80 theme options to find the best fit.
Configure payments
To take credit card payments, you need a payment provider. You can use Shopify Payments if it works in your country or pick a third-party payment provider.
Using Shopify Payments helps you save money on fees, and you can see all your payments right in your Shopify dashboard.
Turn on Shopify Payments in your admin area and decide how you want to collect payments in your store. After that, you need to set up your checkout to handle orders:
- Set up order fulfillment.
- Add your store policies.
- Edit your checkout’s customer information settings.
Arrange your shipping options
Set your shipping prices and options before you start selling. This helps avoid having to refund money if you charged too much or ask customers for more if you charged too little.
- Make sure your store address is right to get correct shipping rates. Add any other places you ship from.
- Pick where you'll ship to, such as which countries or states.
- If you use shipping companies to figure out rates, add your packages’ sizes. They often need the height, width, and depth to calculate costs.
- Set your shipping prices for each area you'll ship to.
- Consider how you’ll handle shipping for your business. Look at different choices to find what works best.
- Decide if you'll pack and ship orders yourself or use a fulfillment service that does it for you.
Set up taxes
Tax rules are different depending on where you are. Look into how to set up taxes in Shopify before you start selling. Shopify can automatically add the right tax based on where your customers live, and you can change rates manually if needed.
👉 Make tax time easier with Shopify Tax. It automatically calculates, tracks, and files taxes, all from your dashboard. Use Shopify Tax to save time, follow tax rules, and focus more on growing your business.
Create staff accounts and permissions
Create separate login accounts for your store staff to use your POS and online store. You can control which parts of your store each person can access, which keeps important store information (like revenue reports and performance metrics) safe.
Redirect old domains
Disconnect any existing domains you want to transfer from Square’s settings.
Follow these steps to add your domain to Shopify. Note the following:
- You can use your old web address, but page links will be different in Shopify. For example, if your shipping policy was at "example.com/policies/shipping-policy", in Shopify it might be "example.com/pages/shipping-policy".
- Before moving, set up redirects for your old page links. This way, when customers use old bookmarks or links, they'll go to the right page instead of seeing an error.
Point of sales (POS) migration
Using a slow or old POS system can harm your business. If your POS doesn't work well with your other business tools, it's creating more problems than it solves.
With careful planning and by avoiding common mistakes, you can switch from Square to Shopify POS without causing problems for your business.
Here's a quick look at the important things to think about when planning your switch.
Add Shopify POS as a sales channel
If you sell in person at a store or events, use Shopify POS. Here’s how to add it in your Shopify Admin:
- From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Apps and sales channels.
- Click Shopify App Store.
- Search in the Shopify app store for "Point of Sale".
- Click Point of Sale.
- Click Install.
- In your Shopify admin, to accept the data access, click Install.
Choose a plan and download the Shopify POS app
Shopify offers two plans:
- POS Lite (free with Shopify plans): Perfect for markets and pop-ups
- POS Pro (monthly fee): Best for retail stores, includes advanced features like staff management and detailed reporting
After, download the Shopify POS app from App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android). Log in with your Shopify credentials.
Understand your hardware requirements
Some of your current equipment might still work with Shopify POS when migrating from Square. Check the "Supported POS hardware" list to see which equipment you can keep using.
If you are buying new POS hardware, what you need depends on where you sell:
- If you run pop-up shops or events, you'll need a device and card reader.
- If you have a store, you'll need a device, card reader, and receipt printer.
- If you have multiple stores or a warehouse, you'll need all of the above, plus a barcode scanner and cash drawer.
After you receive your hardware, you can connect it to your Shopify POS app.
- From Shopify POS, tap ☰ > Connectivity.
- Tap Set up hardware.
- On the Set up hardware page, tap the type of hardware that you're adding. For example, if you're adding a card reader, then tap Card reader.
- Follow the prompts to connect your hardware.
Set up payment methods
If you’ve already set up Shopify Payments earlier, activate it in your Shopify POS app.
- From Shopify POS, tap ≡ > Settings > Payment types.
- In the Default payment types section, verify that the Credit/Debit option displays Accepted.
Process contactless payments on your iPhone or Android device with Shopify Tap to Pay. Learn more about how to:
Add POS staff
Add staff to your Shopify POS system in two ways.
- Admin: These are for employees who need POS access but also might need access to other Shopify features. Think of store managers or full-time employees who might need to do more than just run the register.
- POS-only: Available if you have Shopify POS Pro. This option is for employees who only need to use the point-of-sale system, like cashiers or sales floor staff.
👉 Learn how to add POS staff to your new device.
Sync inventory
Download Stocky by Shopify to manage your inventory. You’ll get access to the following features:
- Make stock adjustments
- Manage low stock products
- Print labels with Dymo Label Printing software
- Receive stock transfers in POS with a barcode scanner
- Create and manage purchase orders
- Demand forecasting
- Conduct stocktakes
- Stock transfers
Setup fulfillment options
Shopify gives you different ways to get orders to customers. You can let them pick up items in your store or have their purchases delivered to their homes, whatever works best for them.
Pickup in store
Let customers pick up their online orders at any location with in-store or curbside pickup. Set the pickup in-store location by following these steps:
- From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Shipping and delivery.
- In the Pickup in store section, click Set up or the › icon.
- In the Your locations section, select a location that you want to set up in-store pickup for.
- Select This location offers in-store pickup.
- In the Expected pickup date section, select a processing time for in-store pickup from the dropdown menu. This information is displayed to your customers.
- In the Order ready for pickup notification section, enter pickup instructions for your customers. This field replaces any customizations that you have in the email_body variable in the Ready for pickup notification template.
- Click Save.
Shipping from store
With Shopify POS Pro, you can send items from your store to customers. When a customer wants something delivered instead of taking it home from your store, you can add their items to the cart, put in their shipping address, and pick from the shipping options based on your settings.
Become a more efficient retailer with Shopify
Moving to Shopify transforms your retail operation from separate pieces into one unified system. By bringing all your sales channels, inventory, and customer data together on a single platform, you'll gain the flexibility to grow without technical limitations.
While migrating from Square requires some upfront effort, the benefits of a truly connected system will transform how you operate. Make the switch to Shopify and join the retailers who are already delivering the seamless shopping experiences customers expect.
