Migrating from Shopify to Big Cartel represents a strategic move from a comprehensive eCommerce platform to a simple, artist-focused solution. In 2025, with Shopify's complexity and costs, and Big Cartel's simplicity and low-cost model, some merchants are making the switch for a more streamlined, budget-friendly approach.

This comprehensive technical blueprint covers Shopify's REST Admin API structure, field mappings to Big Cartel's API, and step-by-step migration execution.

1. The Strategic Pivot: Why Leave Shopify?

💰 Simplicity & Cost

The Shopify Pain: Shopify can be overwhelming with many features you may not need. Monthly fees ($29-$299) plus transaction fees add up. Complex setup for simple stores.

The Big Cartel Gain: Big Cartel is designed for simplicity. Free plan available, paid plans start at $9.99/month. Perfect for artists and small stores with under 500 products.

🚀 Artist-Focused Features

The Shopify Pain: Shopify is built for all types of businesses. May have features you don't need for a simple art store.

The Big Cartel Gain: Big Cartel is specifically designed for artists and makers. Simple product management, portfolio-style layouts, and artist-friendly features.

🛠 Ease of Use

The Shopify Pain: Shopify has a learning curve. Many features and settings can be confusing for simple stores.

The Big Cartel Gain: Big Cartel is extremely easy to use. Minimal setup, straightforward product management, and simple design options.

⚡ Lower Overhead

The Shopify Pain: Shopify's pricing and transaction fees can be expensive for low-volume stores. Many apps require subscriptions.

The Big Cartel Gain: Big Cartel's pricing is straightforward and affordable. No transaction fees on paid plans. Lower overall costs for small stores.

2. The Pre-Migration Architecture Audit

Shopify is a hosted SaaS platform with REST Admin API, while Big Cartel is a hosted platform with API access.

Shopify Plan: Are you on Basic, Shopify, Advanced, or Plus? API rate limits differ by plan.
API Access: Shopify provides REST Admin API. Generate API credentials in Shopify admin.
Big Cartel Setup: Ensure Big Cartel store is created. Big Cartel provides REST API for data access.
Product Limits: Big Cartel free plan allows 5 products. Paid plans allow up to 500 products. Verify your product count.
Images: Shopify images are on Shopify CDN. Need to be downloaded and re-uploaded to Big Cartel.

3. Exact Data Mapping: The Blueprint

Shopify's REST Admin API structure maps to Big Cartel's API structure.

🛍 Product Data Mapping

Shopify Field (Source)	Big Cartel Field (Target)	Notes & Logic
`Product.id`	`product.id`	Big Cartel generates new IDs. Use SKU for mapping.
`Product.title`	`product.name`	Direct string transfer.
`ProductVariant.sku`	`product.permalink` or custom field	Shopify SKU is at variant level, Big Cartel uses permalink for identification.
`ProductVariant.price`	`product.price`	Price per product in Big Cartel.
`Product.body_html`	`product.description`	HTML content. Images need re-uploading to Big Cartel.
`Collection`	`category`	Shopify collections become Big Cartel categories.
`Product.options` and `ProductVariant`	`product.options`	Shopify variants map to Big Cartel product options (limited variant support).

👥 Customer Data Mapping

Shopify Field	Big Cartel Field	Critical Logic
`Customer.email`	`customer.email`	Unique identifier.
`Customer.password`	`customer.password` (on create)	Requires password reset. Shopify and Big Cartel use different hashing. Customers must reset passwords.
`CustomerAddress`	`customer.address`	Shopify addresses map to Big Cartel customer addresses.

📦 Order Data Mapping

Shopify Field	Big Cartel Field	Mapping Logic
`Order.name` (order number)	`order.id`	Preserve Shopify order number in Big Cartel order ID or custom field.
`Order.financial_status`, `Order.fulfillment_status`	`order.status`	Map Shopify's dual status system to Big Cartel order statuses.
`Order.total_price`	`order.total`	Direct mapping with currency conversion if needed.

4. The Toolkit: Selecting Your Vehicle

Option A: Automated Cloud Migration (Recommended)

Tools: Migration Shop, LitExtension, Cart2Cart

Specialized tools that connect via Shopify Admin API and Big Cartel API.

✅ Pros: Handles API complexity, preserves relationships, creates redirects.
❌ Cons: Cost scales with data ($150 - $300).

Option B: Custom Script

Tools: Shopify Admin API + Big Cartel API

✅ Pros: Full control, can customize mapping.
❌ Cons: Requires developer ($100-$200/hr), 20+ hours.

5. Execution Protocol: Step-by-Step

Phase 1: Environment Preparation

1.1. Prepare Target (Big Cartel):
Create Big Cartel store. Ensure you have a plan that supports your product count (free: 5 products, paid: up to 500).

1.2. Prepare Source (Shopify):
Generate API credentials in Shopify admin. Create private app with read permissions for products, customers, and orders.

Phase 2: The Connection Setup

2.1. Big Cartel API Access:
Generate API credentials in Big Cartel admin settings.

2.2. Shopify API:
Use Admin API access token from Shopify. Migration tool authenticates via Shopify REST Admin API.

Phase 3: Migration Execution

Use Automated Tool: Recommended for handling Shopify API and Big Cartel API mapping.
Verify Product Limits: Ensure your product count doesn't exceed Big Cartel's limits (500 products max on paid plans).

Phase 4: Post-Migration

4.1. Customer Communication:
Notify customers about the migration. They'll need to reset passwords.

4.2. Verify Products:
Check all products migrated correctly. Verify images, prices, and variants (note: Big Cartel has limited variant support).

6. Financial Breakdown: Cost of Migration (2025)

Custom Script

$2,000+

Developer Time

Automated Cloud

$199

Average Cost

Agency Service