Magento to Shopware Migration: Complete B2B Guide with AI Strategy

Why Switching from Magento to Shopware Is Inevitable

For many years, Magento (now Adobe Commerce) was the undisputed king of e-commerce, particularly for complex B2B scenarios. However, the landscape has changed dramatically. Many shop operators today face a dilemma: maintenance costs for Magento 2 are exploding, technical complexity requires highly specialized (and expensive) developer teams, and marketing agility often falls by the wayside. According to Zest Logic, these challenges are driving more businesses to seek alternatives.

At the same time, Shopware 6 has evolved into a genuine enterprise alternative that is gaining market share, particularly in the German-speaking region (DACH). For a detailed comparison, check out our Shopware vs Magento analysis. But a Magento to Shopware migration today is no longer just about cutting costs or reducing technical debt.

The New Approach (AI-First): We are at the beginning of an era where Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing e-commerce. A migration is the perfect time not only to change platforms but to digitize the business model. Instead of just pushing data from A to B, you should migrate your sales intelligence. Our comprehensive Shopware AI guide explores how AI is transforming the platform.

In this article, we'll show you how to execute the switch technically cleanly while simultaneously creating an infrastructure that doesn't just list complex B2B products but actively sells them.

Why Shopware 6 Is the Logical Successor for DACH Markets

Before we dive into the technical details of migration, it's important to understand why Shopware 6 represents the best alternative specifically for former Magento users. Analysis from Hosttest of current market leaders in Germany shows that Shopware and Shopify are the dominant forces, while open-source solutions like Magento are losing ground.

GDPR and Legal Compliance Made in Germany

An often underestimated factor with US-based systems like Magento/Adobe Commerce is data protection. Shopware originates from Germany and is developed with "Privacy by Design." Features such as the Consent Manager or legally compliant checkout processes are integrated into the core, which massively reduces the adaptation effort for the German market. As noted by Shopware and Liquid Web, this native compliance is a significant advantage for European businesses.

The Power of Automation: Rule Builder & Flow Builder

The strongest argument for Shopware 6 over Magento is no-code automation. In Magento, adjustments to business logic often require PHP development. Shopware solves this with two core features, as explained by 7thsense:

• Rule Builder: Allows you to create complex rules without code (e.g., 'Customer from Switzerland' AND 'Cart > €1,000' AND 'Product Category = Electronics')
• Flow Builder: This is the 'game changer.' You can trigger actions based on Rule Builder rules

Example: When a B2B customer places an order over €10,000 → Send Slack message to Key Account Manager → Change status to 'Manual Review' → Send email to logistics. According to Brainstreamtechnolabs, these automation capabilities significantly reduce operational overhead.

B2B Functionalities Out of the Box

Magento users often fear losing their B2B features. Shopware has caught up massively here with the B2B Suite and the newer B2B Components. For a comprehensive comparison of B2B capabilities, see our Shopware B2B B2C comparison. Features include:

• Company accounts with roles & permissions
• Budget approval processes
• Quick orders (CSV upload)
• Individual price lists

These are deeply integrated in the commercial editions (Evolve/Beyond), as detailed by Shopware's official documentation.

Closing the Consultation Gap

While Magento is strong in data management, flexibility in the frontend is often lacking. Shopware focuses on "Shopping Experiences" (Experience Worlds) that merge content and commerce. But even here, there's often a gap: How do we advise customers digitally as well as over the phone? This is where our AI strategy comes into play. Learn more about AI product consultation for modern e-commerce.

The Critical Phase: SEO Protection and Data Migration

The biggest fear of every shop operator during a relaunch is the loss of visibility on Google. Since Magento and Shopware use different URL structures, this concern is justified. According to Solution25, a sloppy migration can lead to a traffic drop of 30-50%. For comprehensive SEO guidance, read our Shopware SEO guide.

The SEO Challenge: URL Structures

Magento often uses URLs with the `.html` extension and nested category paths (e.g., `domain.com/category/subcategory/product.html`). Shopware 6, on the other hand, uses flat, speaking URLs without extensions by default (e.g., `domain.com/product-name`), as noted by Dharmasoftware.

1. Step 1: Export all indexed URLs from Magento (via Google Search Console & Sitemap)
2. Step 2: Prioritize 'Money Pages' (products/categories with revenue & backlinks)
3. Step 3: Create a redirect map (Old → New)
4. Step 4: Implement in `.htaccess` or Nginx config to avoid performance losses through PHP redirects

Pro Tip: Use the migration to clean up your URL structure, but be aware that Google needs 2-4 weeks to fully process the changes. As Scandiweb recommends, patience during this transition period is essential.

Data Migration with the Migration Assistant

Shopware offers the Migration Assistant, a powerful plugin that facilitates the transition. According to Shopware's documentation, it connects directly to the Magento database (via API or local access) and transfers:

• Products & Categories
• Customers & Passwords (Yes, customers can often log in with old passwords!)
• Order history
• Manufacturers & Prices

Attention with Attributes: Magento works with 'Attribute Sets.' Shopware uses 'Properties' for variants and 'Custom Fields' for technical data. Manual mapping in the assistant is often necessary here so that technical data sheets are transferred correctly, as detailed by GitHub documentation.

Data Transfer Checklist

The Hidden Challenge: Complex B2B Product Catalogs

Many companies coming from Magento have extremely complex product ranges: machine parts, electronic components, or configurable products with thousands of dependencies.

The Problem: Magento often solved this through massive filter bars ('Layered Navigation'). The customer had to know: 'I need thread M12, length 50mm, galvanized steel.' That works for experts, but what about new customers or buyers who don't have the expertise?

The Shopware Reality: Shopware offers solid filters ('Dynamic Product Groups'), but with 50,000 SKUs, even the best filter logic reaches its limits. The customer feels overwhelmed. This creates the 'Consultation Gap' – the gap between the need for advice and the technical capability of the shop. This is where AI e-commerce consultation becomes essential.

This is exactly where migration offers the opportunity to switch from 'searching' to 'finding' – through the use of AI.

Future-Proofing: The AI-First Migration Strategy

Instead of just swapping the tech stack, you should use the migration to build an AI-powered sales machine. Shopware 6 is predestined for this through its API-first architecture.

Shopware AI Copilot: Backend Efficiency

Shopware already offers native AI features that primarily accelerate your internal processes. According to Talk Commerce and Shopware, these include:

• Content Creation: Generation of product descriptions based on bullet points
• Image Keywords: Automatic analysis of images and setting of Alt tags (important for accessibility from 2025)
• Review Summarization: AI summarizes hundreds of reviews into a conclusion
• Customer Classification: AI analyzes purchasing behavior and tags customers (e.g., 'Bargain Hunter' or 'High-Value B2B'), which in turn can trigger flows in the Flow Builder

The Game-Changer: AI Product Consultation

The true potential, however, lies in customer consultation. Imagine replacing rigid filters with an AI advisor. This is where AI chatbots for e-commerce revolutionize the shopping experience.

Technical Implementation: This can be realized in Shopware 6 via Digital Sales Rooms (for guided video consultation) or via specialized AI plugins (like 'AI Product Advisor') that access product properties via API. Learn how to implement this with our Shopware chatbot guide. According to Shopware's AI Product Advisor documentation, these integrations are becoming increasingly sophisticated.

Digital Sales Rooms for B2B Excellence

Shopware offers Digital Sales Rooms (DSR), a feature that Magento doesn't have in this form. According to Shopware's DSR documentation, it enables sales representatives to create interactive presentations and guide customers live through the shop ('Co-Browsing'):

• Guided Mode: Sales rep and customer are on a video call, the rep controls the shop, adds products to the cart
• Self-Guided Mode: The customer clicks through a personalized presentation

Strategic Advantage: You digitize field sales and save travel costs while increasing conversion rates through personal consultation. If you're comparing options, check out our Shopware vs WooCommerce comparison.

Step-by-Step Roadmap to Migration

A successful migration follows a clear plan. Here's a proven roadmap for B2B projects based on recommendations from Solution25.

Phase 1: Audit & Data Cleaning (Month 1)

• System Audit: Which Magento extensions are actually still being used? (Often 50% are 'dead weight')
• Data Cleanup: Delete old logs, inactive customers (GDPR!) and products that haven't been sold in 3 years. Don't migrate data garbage
• SEO Audit: Crawl of the current site, identification of top URLs for redirects

Phase 2: Infrastructure & Design (Months 2-3)

• Shopware Setup: Installation of the Enterprise/Evolve Edition
• Theme Development: Shopware uses Twig as a template engine. Old Magento themes (PHTML/XML) are not compatible and must be rebuilt. Use this for a UX refresh
• AI Setup: Configuration of the AI Copilot and training of AI agents with product data

For expert assistance during this phase, consider partnering with a Shopware full-service agency that specializes in AI integration.

Phase 3: Data Migration & Integration (Months 3-4)

• Test Migration: First run with the Migration Assistant
• Mapping Correction: Check whether attributes have correctly landed in properties/custom fields
• Interfaces: Connection of ERP (SAP, Microsoft Dynamics), PIM and CRM. Thanks to Shopware's API-first approach, often easier than in Magento

Phase 4: Testing & Training (Month 5)

• Functional Tests: Checkout, B2B logic (prices, roles), forms
• SEO Check: Are all 301 redirects working? Is meta data present?
• Team Training: Show the team how easy the Experience Worlds and Flow Builder are to use

Phase 5: Go-Live & Monitoring (Month 6)

• Delta Migration: Transfer of the last orders/customers that were created in the old shop during the development phase
• DNS Switch: Domain changeover
• Monitoring: Monitoring 404 errors in the Search Console in the first 48 hours

For ongoing assistance post-migration, explore options for Shopware 6 support and Shopware customer support.

Costs and Timeline: A Realistic Assessment

The question 'What does a migration cost?' is difficult to answer generically, but we can provide benchmarks based on current market data (2024/2025) from Qualimero.

License Costs: Shopware Subscription Model

Shopware has switched the licensing model to monthly plans (SaaS or Self-Hosted Subscription). According to Shopware's pricing page and Litextension:

Project Costs: Agency Services

Service costs depend heavily on complexity (design, interfaces, customizing). Based on data from Vierpunkt Commerce:

For companies looking to understand the broader implementation context, our AI implementation guide provides valuable insights into integrating AI solutions effectively.

Comparison: Magento vs Shopware 6 with AI Integration

To truly understand the transformation potential, consider how standard Shopware capabilities compare when enhanced with AI product consultation:

Conclusion: An Upgrade for Your Business Model

The Magento to Shopware migration is far more than a necessary evil due to 'End of Life' scenarios or rising costs. It's the strategic liberation from a technically rigid environment to an agile, sales-oriented platform.

Summary of Benefits

1. Agility: Marketing teams can act without IT help thanks to Experience Worlds and Flow Builder
2. Security: GDPR compliance and modern architecture (Symfony/Vue.js) secure the future
3. Innovation: The integration of AI (Copilot & Consultation) closes the gap between catalog and customer

Our Recommendation: Don't start with the goal of 'data transfer.' Start with the goal of 'better customer experience.' Use the migration to make your product data AI-ready and automate processes that cost years of manual work in Magento.

Frequently Asked Questions