Migrating to Shopify: Launch Day Expectations

It’s all been leading up to this. You’ve decided to migrate to Shopify, you’ve partnered with an award-winning agency (that’s us!), and now all that’s left to do is officially launch. Here’s what to expect.

Launch Day: What to Expect

Launch day is when your Shopify store officially replaces your existing website. Your domain switches over, and customers begin interacting with the new Shopify storefront. This milestone is crucial, as any delays during this transition can directly affect orders and revenue. Our process is designed to minimize surprises and ensure a smooth cutover.

What You Need to Have Ready

Access to your domain registrar (preferably as a delegate admin)
DNS login credentials (if delegation isn’t possible)
A phone number or email inbox ready to receive two-factor authentication codes
Shopify Point of Sale (POS) devices powered on and ready for testing

Need help setting up your domain? Check out Shopify’s manual on connecting third-party domains.

What We Handle

DNS Setup and Cutover

We configure roughly 10+ records, including:

A record pointing to Shopify IP (23.227.38.65)
CNAME (www) pointing to shops.myshopify.com
MX, TXT, SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and others as needed
We typically reduce the time-to-live (TTL) for faster propagation.
Occasionally we will need to remove conflicting legacy records

Cloudflare Configuration if Applicable

Shopify does not fully support Cloudflare proxying for custom domains. If you’re using Cloudflare, we will:

Disable the proxy (orange cloud) for your root and www records
Ensure any conflicting page rules, redirects, or cached content are cleared
Adjust SSL settings to “Full” (not Full Strict) to avoid HTTPS issues
Refer to Cloudflare’s official guidance for Shopify for best practices

Shopify Configuration and Payment Testing

Test mode is disabled and live orders are placed with deep discounts to ensure everything flows correctly. Refunds are issued immediately after.

Email Setup and Domain Authentication

We configure essential domain records for email deliverability and set up your transactional templates. If you’re using a third-party email host (e.g., Google Workspace), we ensure MX, SPF, DKIM, and TXT records are in place.

Refer to Shopify’s help doc if you need more help regarding email hosting and forwarding.

Redirect Strategy and SEO Monitoring

We implement 301 redirects from your old URLs and actively monitor for 404s using tools like automated crawlers and redirect apps.

Delta Data Migration

Any new customers, products, or collections added after the initial migration will be pulled in during final prep.

Subdomain for Legacy Store Access

We’ll configure a subdomain (e.g., old.yourdomain.com) for internal use so your team can continue referencing historical order data for 30–90 days.

What to Expect During Cutover

Launch is typically scheduled after business hours, early in the week
DNS propagation usually takes 1–2 hours, though some regions may take longer
You may see both the old and new sites during propagation. This is normal
Once resolved, the Shopify site becomes the live storefront

Backup Access to Your Old Store

We provide internal access to your previous eCommerce platform via a secure subdomain. This ensures your staff can continue to access historical order and customer information as needed.

POS and In‑Store Sales

POS devices should be tested in advance
If POS is not fully configured, staff can create draft orders manually in the Shopify admin
Both legacy systems and the new POS can temporarily run in parallel during the switchover
Post-launch B2B training sessions can be scheduled to support your staff with the new system

After Launch: Final Steps

Internal testing of checkout flows, POS, mobile responsiveness, and transactional emails
Ensure payment gateways and order fulfillment flows are functioning
Optional: Send a launch campaign email to your customer list with a discount (e.g., 5%) to encourage re-engagement
Continue monitoring redirects and fix 404s as needed
Consider setting up a Shopify maintenance and support plan for long-term stability

Common Questions and Contingencies

Question	What We’ll Do
DNS taking too long?	We’ll monitor propagation and update you within two hours.
Something breaks?	We’re ready with fallbacks—legacy site, draft orders, DNS reverts.
Do I need to be on call all day?	Just be reachable for PINs, approvals, or DNS-related tasks.
Can we delay launch?	Yes, if needed. We can reschedule to ensure everything is in place.

Final Notes

We’ll run a go or no-go check-in meeting early in the week to confirm readiness
Time-to-live (TTL) values will be reduced for faster DNS switchover
Post-launch B2B training is available to help your team get up to speed
Margarita celebrations are optional – but encouraged

Looking to Migrate to Shopify?

Fyresite is a Shopify Plus Partner with deep experience in complex eCommerce migrations. Whether you’re transitioning from WooCommerce, Magento, or a legacy CMS, we offer:

Shopify Plus onboarding and theme development
Point of Sale (POS) configuration and staff training
B2B workflows and customer segmentation
SEO migration audits and redirect strategy