Oracle Commerce Cloud (formerly known as Oracle ATG Web Commerce) is a cloud-based ecommerce platform offered by Oracle. In mid-2022, Oracle announced the end-of-life for Oracle Commerce Cloud, which is a legacy on-premises ecommerce platform for the tech giant. While Oracle has not provided a specific end-of-life date for Oracle ATG Web Commerce, they have stated that support for the platform will be discontinued at some point in the future.
If you are currently using Oracle Commerce Cloud, now is the time to consider migrating to a different ecommerce platform like Shopify Plus to avoid any major deprecation that will lead to bugs (more investment) and potential system downtime, which could leave your ecommerce business vulnerable. It is important to carefully evaluate your options and consider factors such as costs, features, and ease of use before making a decision, so we put a comprehensive guide for making the migration as smooth as possible.
Why move to Shopify Plus?
Shopify (SHOP) is a cloud-based ecommerce platform that offers a range of features and tools for building and managing an online store. Shopify Plus is the more enterprise offering from Shopify that is well-suited for larger, high-volume brands with multichannel or omnichannel needs like more customizable features and API integrations, dedicated support, and multiple storefronts.
Shopify is well-known for its ease of use and intuitive interface, which can make it easier for non-technical users to build and manage an online store which can help reduce overhead in website maintenance, upkeep, and new feature or page building.
Shopify offers a range of affordable pricing plans for small to enterprise-level businesses, making it the most cost-effective option for ecommerce businesses of all sizes. In comparison, Oracle Commerce Cloud is more expensive not only as a platform but also in maintenance and upkeep costs.
As with Oracle Commerce Cloud, Shopify also offers a wide range of features and tools for building and managing an online store, but Shopify also includes built-in payment processing, wholesale/B2B channel, Point-Of-Sale (POS), shipping and fulfillment integrations, marketing tools, and the largest app ecosystem in the industry which allows for quicker-to-market solutions saving time and money.
What to know for your migration to Shopify Plus
Migrating ecommerce platforms can be daunting, but there are three key areas of focus as your Oracle Commerce Cloud to Shopify Plus migration: Data Migration, Middleware Integration(s), and End User Experience.
Data Migration
When migrating from Oracle Commerce Cloud to Shopify, you will need to export your relevant product, customer, order, and discount code data and import it into Shopify. This process can be highly complex, and it is important to ensure that all data is properly migrated to avoid any disruptions to your business. It is essential to carefully plan and execute the migration process to ensure a smooth transition for your business. This will involve strategic decisions around what data and how much, data field mapping, and timing coordination to ensure there isn’t a lapse in data when you officially turn on your new Shopify website. It is also a good idea to test your migrated store thoroughly before going live to ensure that everything is working as expected and that all of your data has been appropriately migrated.
Middleware Integration(s)
You will also need to consider how to handle integrations that you have connected to your Oracle Commerce Cloud platform like ERP, PIM, CRM, DAM, or accounting software. Shopify has a large ecosystem of apps with plentiful pre-built connectors with many notable middleware platforms, so you may be able to find similar solutions for your needs. However, there may be the need to rebuild some customizations to make sure your operations aren’t disrupted—we recommend you contact the platform(s) to see if they offer support with these integrations or find a trusted Shopify partner like Third and Grove that is familiar with these types of integrations.
End User Experience
Arguably the most important point to consider for your migration to Shopify is the end user (consumer) experience and ensuring the customer’s journey is seamless and delightful. Shopify offers three different solutions for delivering a feature-rich user experience: affordable and thoughtfully pre-designed themes in the Shopify Theme Store, building a custom theme from scratch, or composable commerce via Hydrogen (Shopify’s newly released headless framework). All are highly customizable options that should be carefully determined by end user stories, the size of your business, and industry standards. Shopify’s best-in-class checkout experience and Shop Pay features also deliver some of the highest-converting purchase journeys.
Migrating from Oracle Commerce Cloud to Shopify Plus can be a complex process, but it is also an excellent opportunity to streamline your ecommerce operations and take advantage of the many enterprise features and tools that Shopify Plus has to offer large merchants.