The verdict in three sentences
A Magento 2 to Shopify migration for a Chicago brand with 2,000 products and 60,000 customers takes 12 to 20 weeks including QA. To go live before a code freeze that starts in early November, ahead of Black Friday, the project must kick off no later than late June. Delays almost always come from data quality, sales tax configuration and redirects, rarely from the theme.
Typical timeline, phase by phase
| Phase | Duration | Deliverable | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery and Magento audit | 1 to 2 weeks | Extension, attribute and integration inventory | Agency + ecommerce director |
| Shopify plan and app stack | 1 week | Approved app list with monthly costs | Agency |
| Theme design and build | 4 to 6 weeks | Approved designs, built theme | Agency + marketing |
| Data migration | 2 to 4 weeks | Products, customers, order history | Agency + catalogue team |
| Sales tax and checkout setup | 1 to 2 weeks, in parallel | Tax app configured for nexus states | Agency + finance |
| Redirect map | 1 to 2 weeks, in parallel | 2,000 to 5,000 tested 301 redirects | Agency + SEO lead |
| QA and UAT | 2 to 3 weeks | Signed test plan | Internal team |
| Launch and hypercare | 1 week + 2 weeks support | Live store, 404 monitoring | Agency |
Backward plan before the holiday freeze
| Milestone | Target date 2026 | Buffer |
|---|---|---|
| Contract signed | June 22 | 0 |
| Discovery complete | July 6 | 1 week |
| Designs approved | August 7 | July 4 week to plan around |
| Data in staging | September 18 | 1 week |
| UAT complete | October 9 | 1 week |
| Go live | October 19 | 2 weeks before freeze |
| Code freeze | November 2 to January 4 | Covers Black Friday to returns season |
Budget and common causes of delay
| Item | 2026 range | Frequent delay |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery | 3,000 to 8,000 USD | Undocumented custom Magento modules |
| Theme | 10,000 to 30,000 USD | Design feedback loops |
| Data migration | 6,000 to 18,000 USD | Inconsistent attributes, duplicate customers |
| Sales tax and payments | 2,000 to 8,000 USD | Nexus review by the accountant |
| Integrations (ERP, 3PL) | 5,000 to 18,000 USD | Third party API access |
| QA and launch | 4,000 to 8,000 USD | Internal testers unavailable |
| Total | 30,000 to 90,000 USD |
US sales tax is the step teams underestimate: if you have economic nexus in several states, your tax app and product tax codes must be validated by your accountant before launch.
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Marcus, ecommerce director of a Chicago specialty coffee brand, books 40 % of online revenue between Black Friday and December 23, about 640,000 USD out of 1.6 million. Launching during that window and losing an estimated 8 % of conversions would cost around 51,000 USD, more than his 48,000 USD migration budget. He signs on June 20 for a 15 week plan, which leaves three weeks of buffer before the freeze.
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FAQ
Can we migrate in under 12 weeks?
For under 500 products and no ERP, 7 to 9 weeks is realistic. With 2,000 products and 60,000 customers, 12 weeks is the floor.
Do customer passwords carry over?
No, Shopify cannot import Magento password hashes, so plan an account activation email campaign to your 60,000 customers.
How many redirects should we expect?
Usually 1 to 2.5 times the product count, so 2,000 to 5,000 for 2,000 SKUs with categories and legacy URLs.
What if we miss the go live date?
Postpone to mid January. Two extra months of Magento hosting, often 1,000 to 3,000 USD, is cheaper than a broken checkout on Black Friday.
Let's scope your project. Share your product count, customer base and integrations and we will send a dated backward plan with a line by line budget. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.