Magento to Big Cartel
What is Magento to Big Cartel migration? A Magento to Big Cartel migration transfers your store's products, customers, orders, and content from Magento (Adobe Commerce) to Big Cartel—preserving data integrity, SEO rankings, and customer access. This guide covers data mapping, migration tools, cost, and step-by-step execution.
Migrating from Magento to Big Cartel is a strategic move from a complex, self-hosted platform to a simpler solution. In 2025, with Magento's hosting costs, maintenance burden, and PHP expertise requirements, and Big Cartel's streamlined approach, the case for migration has never been stronger.
Magento to Big Cartel Migration: 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 extension
- SEO preservation: 301 redirects required—automated tools create them
Why Migrate from Magento to Big Cartel? Key Benefits
Magento has served its purpose, but complexity and costs hold you back. Moving to Big Cartel opens specific opportunities:
💰 Reduced Complexity
The Magento Pain: Hosting costs. PHP expertise. Server maintenance. Complex architecture.
The Big Cartel Gain: Simplified platform. Lower maintenance. Easier admin. Reduced hosting complexity.
🚀 Faster Deployment
The Magento Pain: Lengthy setup. Extension conflicts. Steep learning curve.
The Big Cartel Gain: Quicker setup. Streamlined admin. Faster time to market.
🛠 Lower Maintenance
The Magento Pain: Security patches. PHP upgrades. Extension compatibility.
The Big Cartel Gain: Managed updates. Less technical overhead. Focus on selling.
⚡ Cost Efficiency
The Magento Pain: Dedicated hosting. Developer costs. Extension licensing.
The Big Cartel Gain: Predictable pricing. Lower total cost of ownership. Built-in features.
Magento to Big Cartel Pre-Migration Checklist
Before migrating from Magento to Big Cartel, audit your Magento data and prepare your Big Cartel environment. Magento and Big Cartel use different data structures—mapping them correctly prevents data loss.
A. Understanding the Platform Disconnect
Magento uses EAV entity structure with REST API. Big Cartel uses its own data model.
- Magento Version: 1.x or 2.x? REST API or database access required.
- Magento Access: REST API or migration tool connection.
- Big Cartel Setup: Create or install target platform.
- Product Structure: Magento configurable products map to target variants.
- Images: Magento pub/media. Upload to target media system.
Magento to Big Cartel Data Mapping: Products, Customers, Orders
Accurate data mapping from Magento to Big Cartel preserves product variants, customer history, and order relationships. Below are the field mappings developers need for products, customers, and orders.
🛍 Product Data Mapping
| Magento Field (Source) | Big Cartel Field (Target) | Notes & Logic |
|---|---|---|
product.entity_id |
product_id / id |
Big Cartel generates new IDs. Use SKU for mapping. |
product.name |
name / title |
Direct string transfer. |
product.sku |
sku / model |
Direct mapping. |
product.price |
price |
Direct price transfer. |
product.description |
description |
HTML content. Images need re-uploading. |
catalog_category_product |
categories |
Magento categories map to target. |
configurable_options |
variants / options |
Magento configurable products map to target variants. |
👥 Customer Data Mapping
| Magento Field | Big Cartel Field | Critical Logic |
|---|---|---|
customer.email |
email |
Unique identifier. |
customer.password_hash |
password |
Password migration supported with extension. |
customer_address |
address |
Magento addresses map to target. |
📦 Order Data Mapping
| Magento Field | Big Cartel Field | Mapping Logic |
|---|---|---|
order.increment_id |
order_id |
Preserve Magento order ID. |
order.state |
status |
Map Magento states to target statuses. |
order.grand_total |
total |
Direct mapping. |
Magento to Big Cartel Migration Tools: Automated vs Manual vs Custom
Choose your Magento to Big Cartel migration method: automated cloud migration (recommended), CSV import, or custom development. Compare Magento migration tools for features and pricing.
Option A: Automated Cloud Migration (Recommended)
Tools: Cart2Cart, LitExtension
Specialized tools that connect via Magento REST API or database and Big Cartel API or migration extension.
- ✅ Pros: Handles structure complexity, preserves relationships, formats data for Big Cartel automatically.
- ❌ Cons: Cost scales with data ($200–$400). May require target platform extension.
Option B: CSV Import
Tools: Magento Export + Big Cartel Admin Import
Export from Magento, format for Big Cartel, and import manually.
- ✅ Pros: Lower cost, direct control.
- ❌ Cons: Manual work required, may lose some data relationships. Limited to products and categories.
Option C: Custom Development
Tools: Magento REST API + Big Cartel API
Build a custom script using Magento REST API and Big Cartel API or database.
- ✅ Pros: Complete control, reusable.
- ❌ Cons: Expensive ($2,500+), time-consuming. Must handle both platform structures.
How to Migrate from Magento to Big Cartel: Step-by-Step Guide
Follow this Magento to Big Cartel migration process using automated cloud migration—the industry standard for zero-downtime cutovers. See the full Magento migration guide for detailed planning.
Phase 1: Environment Preparation
1.1. Prepare Target (Big Cartel):
Create or install Big Cartel store. Do not point your domain there yet. Use subdomain for testing.
Tip: Use maintenance mode or staging to prevent public access during setup.
1.2. Prepare Source (Magento):
Ensure Magento REST API or database access. Keep your Magento store live during migration.
Phase 2: The Connection Setup
2.1. Magento Access:
Provide Magento REST API credentials or database connection. Migration tool connects to Magento data source.
2.2. Big Cartel Access:
Provide Big Cartel API credentials or admin access. Migration tool connects to Big Cartel target.
Phase 3: Migration Execution
Select what to move. Be careful with these specific settings:
- Create 301 Redirects: Check this box if using custom domain. It creates redirects from Magento URLs to Big Cartel URLs. Without this, your SEO dies.
- Migrate Product Options: Big Cartel supports variants/options. Magento configurable products map to Big Cartel variants automatically.
- Migrate Images: Images are downloaded from Magento pub/media and uploaded to Big Cartel's media system automatically.
- Password Migration: Supported with migration extension. Customer passwords are migrated and converted to Big Cartel format.
Phase 4: The Full Migration
Launch the process. The migration tool handles Magento data extraction and Big Cartel import automatically.
Time Estimation: 5,000 products + 10,000 orders usually takes 2–4 hours.
Phase 5: Post-Migration Cleanup
5.1. Customer Communication:
Notify customers about the migration. With password migration support, customers can log in immediately.
5.2. Verify Products:
Check all products migrated correctly. Verify images, prices, and product options.
5.3. Design & Customization:
Choose or customize Big Cartel theme. Magento themes cannot be migrated, but Big Cartel offers themes and templates.
Magento to Big Cartel Migration Cost (2025)
Magento to Big Cartel migration cost depends on method and data volume. For a medium-sized store (2,000 products, 10,000 orders, 5,000 customers), here is the breakdown.
Custom Script
Developer Time
Automated Cloud
Average Cost
Agency Service
Starting Cost
Magento to Big Cartel Migration: Troubleshooting & SEO Preservation
Common Magento to Big Cartel Migration Challenges
- Option Mapping: Magento configurable products map to Big Cartel variants/options. Migration tools handle conversion automatically.
- Database/API Structure: Magento EAV structure differs from Big Cartel. Migration tools handle translation.
- Image Migration: Magento images in pub/media need to be re-uploaded to Big Cartel's media system.
- Password Migration: Supported with migration extension.
- Multi-Store: Big Cartel may have different multi-store handling—verify before migration.
301 Redirects: Preserve SEO During Magento to Big Cartel Migration
Magento URLs differ from Big Cartel URLs. Create 301 redirects from old Magento URLs to new Big Cartel URLs to preserve search rankings. Automated migration tools create redirects automatically—verify before going live.
Magento to Big Cartel Migration: Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about migrating from Magento to Big Cartel—cost, duration, password migration, and SEO preservation.
How long does Magento to Big Cartel migration take?
A typical Magento to Big Cartel migration takes 2–4 hours for automated tools (5,000 products, 10,000 orders). Manual CSV import can take weeks. Automated migration via Cart2Cart or LitExtension runs in the cloud while your store stays live.
How much does Magento to Big Cartel migration cost?
Magento to Big Cartel migration costs $69–$400 for automated tools (Cart2Cart, LitExtension), depending on data volume. Custom development runs $2,500+. CSV import is free but time-consuming and risky for complex data.
Can I migrate Magento customer passwords to Big Cartel?
Yes. Customer password migration from Magento to Big Cartel is supported with migration extensions. Automated tools convert password hashes to Big Cartel format so customers can log in immediately after migration.
Will my SEO rankings survive a Magento to Big Cartel migration?
Yes, if you create 301 redirects from old Magento URLs to new Big Cartel URLs. Automated migration tools offer 301 redirect creation. Submit your new sitemap to Google Search Console and verify redirects before going live.
What data can I migrate from Magento to Big Cartel?
You can migrate products, categories, customers, orders, coupons, reviews, and CMS pages from Magento to Big Cartel. Configurable products map to Big Cartel variants. Images are downloaded from Magento and uploaded to Big Cartel's media system.
Ready to Migrate from Magento to Big Cartel?
A Magento to Big Cartel migration simplifies your stack: less complexity, lower costs, faster deployment. Run a free demo migration to verify your data maps correctly before going live.