From crashed checkouts to six-figure losses in minutes, some of the world’s most recognized brands found themselves stuck in Magento’s growing pains. Their fix? A bold move that redefined their e-commerce future.
In this breakdown, you’ll discover which big brands have moved from Magento to Shopify and the real reasons behind their high-stakes switch.
10 Major Brands That Ditched Magento for Shopify Success
Here are 10 verified case studies of major brands that successfully migrated from Magento to Shopify, complete with the compelling reasons behind their moves and the remarkable outcomes that followed.
1. Gymshark ($1.3+ Billion Valuation)
Gymshark's migration story is perhaps the most famous in ecommerce history. Founded by 19-year-old Ben Francis in a garage, this global fitness empire learned the hard way why platform choice matters.
The Magento Nightmare:
- 8-hour website crash during Black Friday 2015
- £100,000+ in lost sales during their biggest sales event
- Hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent building the Magento site
- Six to eight months just to build the initial site
- Already outgrown the platform by the time it launched
The disaster was caused by a single app bug that crashed their entire Magento site. As Gymshark's Chief Technology Officer, Seb Mills described it: "It was an absolute nightmare. One bug in one app we weren't even using crashed the entire site."
The Shopify Plus Transformation:
- 197% revenue increase during peak sales events post-migration
- Global expansion to 131 countries with 5M+ social media followers
- Complete platform trust for Black Friday events
- £41 million in sales during 2017 alone
Founder Ben Francis summed up the transformation: "The great thing about Shopify is the fact that we fundamentally trust the platform. We can go into Black Friday and don't need to worry about the website crashing."
2. BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation)
The BBC, one of the world's most recognizable media brands, faced mounting challenges with its Magento-powered merchandise store.
Magento Challenges:
- Difficulty updating the store for merchandise sales
- License renewal headaches and maintenance issues
- Complex backend requiring extensive developer support
- Poor performance during traffic spikes
Shopify Plus Success:
- Streamlined merchandise operations across books, jewelry, and apparel
- Global audience reach with improved performance
- Simplified content management for their massive product catalog
- Enhanced mobile experience for international customers
The migration allowed BBC to focus on what they do best, creating content, while Shopify Plus handled the complex e-commerce infrastructure.
3. Rebecca Minkoff ($91 Million Revenue)
This high-end fashion brand with global recognition was among the early adopters of cutting-edge retail technology, making their platform choice critical for innovation.
Why They Left Magento Enterprise:
- Limited future-proofing capabilities
- Complex customization requirements for AR/VR features
- Slow adaptation to emerging technologies
- High development costs for innovative features
Shopify Plus Innovation:
- 3D and augmented reality shopping experiences
- Advanced mobile optimization for fashion retail
- Seamless integration with emerging technologies
- $91 million annual revenue supported by a robust platform
Rebecca Minkoff's migration enabled them to become a technology leader in fashion retail, implementing AR/VR experiences that would have been prohibitively expensive on Magento.
4. Bombas (Multi-Million Dollar Brand)
This socially conscious sock company experienced the same traffic-induced disasters that plagued many Magento stores, particularly during high-profile media appearances.
The Magento Meltdown:
- Site crashes during Shark Tank episodes (both premiere and reruns)
- $15,000 in losses in just minutes during TV appearances
- $150,000 estimated cost to upgrade Magento for traffic handling
- Broken product images and failed checkout processes
Shopify Plus Transformation:
- $17.2 million in sales during the first full year after migration
- 300% year-over-year growth following the platform switch
- $108,000 annual savings in platform costs
- 100+ million items donated through their "buy one, give one" model
Co-founder David Heath reflected: "We were getting major press, and our site couldn't scale on demand like we needed it to." The migration to Shopify Plus solved this critical scalability issue.
5. International Military Antiques (World's Largest Military Collectibles)
As the world's largest retailer of military surplus and collectibles, IMA faced devastating security challenges that forced its hand.
Magento Security Crisis:
- Major security breach leading to credit card theft
- $50,000+ spent on Magento security fixes
- Delayed vulnerability notifications from Magento
- VISA fines due to compromised customer data
- Expensive upgrade requirements for newer Magento versions
Shopify Plus Security Success:
- Enterprise-level security with PCI DSS compliance
- Elimination of security vulnerabilities through managed hosting
- Cost savings from avoiding expensive Magento upgrades
- VP endorsement: "one of the best decisions made in my business career"
The migration allowed IMA to focus on its core business rather than constantly fighting security issues and expensive platform maintenance.
6. Alessi (Italian Design Icon - Nearly 100 Years Old)
This iconic Italian kitchenware brand, founded nearly 100 years ago and featured in museums worldwide, including New York's Museum of Modern Art, faced a critical platform decision when Magento 1 reached end-of-life.
Magento Challenges:
- Magento 1 end-of-life forcing expensive migration
- Heavy reliance on external agencies for design control
- Complex international requirements across multiple markets
- Inability to maintain brand aesthetic without developer support
Shopify Plus Transformation:
- 12-week migration completed during the global lockdown
- 233% increase in page views post-migration
- 109% improvement in conversion rate
- 222% increase in transactions and 210% revenue uptick
- Complete design control without third-party dependency
Alberto Alessi's philosophy that "true design work must move people, convey emotions" was finally achievable online. The brand can now operate the site independently while maintaining strict design standards.
7. Needle & Thread (London Fashion Brand)
This London-born occasionwear label, known for intricate beadwork and sequin embellishment, serves high-end stockists including Harrods, Net-a-Porter, and Zalando.
Magento Frustrations:
- Constant bug fixes are consuming resources on Magento 1
- Time-consuming maintenance preventing growth focus
- Limited flexibility for implementing new features
- Outdated platform is not reflecting the brand's elegance
Shopify Plus Success:
- 66% year-over-year revenue increase post-migration
- 44% increase in transactions in the first six months
- Elegant design refresh reflecting brand femininity
- Resources freed for growth strategy implementation
The migration allowed Needle & Thread to focus on growth rather than platform maintenance, with beautiful landing pages and lifestyle imagery capturing user attention effectively.
8. This Works (Award-Winning Skincare Brand)
This award-winning skincare and wellness brand needed a platform that could support both their main product lines and their separate CBD venture.
Magento Limitations:
- Difficulty managing multiple product lines efficiently
- Complex requirements for a separate CBD micro-site
- Platform inflexibility for wellness product marketing
- High maintenance costs for multi-brand operations
Shopify Plus Benefits:
- Seamless multi-brand management with separate CBD micro-site
- Enhanced wellness product presentation capabilities
- Improved operational efficiency across product lines
- Better customer experience for skincare shoppers
The migration enabled This Works to effectively manage its diverse wellness portfolio while maintaining brand consistency across different product categories.
9. Finisterre (Sustainable Surfwear B-Corp)
This B-Corporation sustainable surfwear brand needed a platform that could match their environmental values with high-performance ecommerce capabilities.
Magento 1 Challenges:
- End-of-life platform requiring expensive upgrade
- Limited sustainability storytelling capabilities
- Technical complexity is overwhelming for a small team
- Poor mobile experience for outdoor enthusiasts
Shopify Plus Transformation:
- Enhanced sustainability messaging throughout the site
- Improved mobile experience for active lifestyle customers
- Better brand storytelling capabilities for B-Corp values
- Reduced technical overhead, allowing focus on the mission
The migration allowed Finisterre to continue "riding the wave" of Shopify Plus while better communicating their sustainable surfwear mission to environmentally conscious customers.
10. Meermin (Spanish Footwear Brand)
This Spanish footwear brand, known for traditional craftsmanship, needed a platform transformation to match their quality products with an exceptional online experience.
Magento 2 Issues:
- Complex platform management requiring extensive developer support
- Poor user experience does not reflect product quality
- Limited customization for luxury footwear presentation
- High maintenance costs are impacting profitability
Shopify Plus Results:
- Transformed ecommerce experience matching product excellence
- Improved luxury presentation for handcrafted footwear
- Enhanced user journey from browsing to purchase
- Reduced operational complexity for better margins
The Magento 2 to Shopify Plus migration created a premium online experience that properly showcased Meermin's commitment to traditional Spanish craftsmanship.
These major brands didn't just migrate, they transformed their entire ecommerce operations and achieved remarkable growth that would have been impossible on their previous platforms.
Is It Time to Move Your Brand from Magento to Shopify? Here’s How to Know
Replatforming is a serious decision, especially for growing brands handling thousands of SKUs, seasonal campaigns, or global audiences. If you're using Magento and wondering whether Shopify (or specifically Shopify Plus) might serve you better, it’s time for a structured evaluation.
This comprehensive evaluation framework will help you make an informed, data-driven decision about whether migrating from Magento to Shopify is the right strategic move for your business.
The 10 Critical Questions Every Decision-Maker Must Ask
Before diving into platform comparisons, honest self-assessment is crucial. These questions will reveal whether your current Magento setup is helping or hindering your growth.
Financial Reality Check
1. Are we spending more on development than growth?
- Track your monthly Magento maintenance costs (developer hours, hosting, security patches)
- Calculate what percentage of your tech budget goes to keeping the lights on vs. building new features
- Red flag: If more than 60% of your tech spend is maintenance, migration may deliver immediate ROI
2. What's our true total cost of ownership?
- Include hidden costs: developer salaries, agency fees, hosting infrastructure, security compliance
- Compare against Shopify Plus all-in pricing ($2,000/month + revenue share)
- Reality check: Many brands discover their "free" Magento setup costs $10,000+ monthly
Performance & Reliability Assessment
3. Can we trust our platform during peak sales events?
- Review your Black Friday/Cyber Monday performance over the past 2 years
- Document any downtime, slow loading, or checkout failures during high-traffic periods
- Truth bomb: If you're nervous about traffic spikes, your platform is holding you back
4. How quickly can we implement new features or campaigns?
- Track your average time-to-market for new product launches or marketing campaigns
- Benchmark: Shopify Plus merchants often deploy changes in days, not weeks
- Question: Are competitor brands moving faster than you online?
Team & Resources Evaluation
5. Is our team spending time on platform management instead of strategy?
- Calculate hours spent on platform maintenance vs. growth initiatives
- Warning sign: If your team spends more time fixing than building, you need a change
- Success metric: Best-performing brands focus 80% of their time on growth, 20% on maintenance
6. Do we have adequate technical expertise in-house?
- Assess your team's Magento expertise honestly
- Consider: The Magento developer talent pool is shrinking while costs increase
- Future-proofing: Shopify has a larger, more accessible developer ecosystem
Growth & Scalability Planning
7. Where do we want to be in 24 months?
- Define your growth targets: revenue, international expansion, new product lines
- Reality check: Can your current Magento setup support 2-3x growth without major investments?
- Growth enabler: Shopify Plus automatically scales with your success
8. Are we planning international expansion?
- Evaluate Magento's multi-store complexity vs. Shopify's streamlined international features
- Consider: Currency management, tax compliance, localized checkout experiences
- Time factor: International setup takes weeks on Shopify vs. months on Magento
Security & Compliance Concerns
9. How confident are we in our security posture?
- Review your security incident history and current vulnerability management
- Assess: Internal security expertise and compliance management capabilities
- Peace of mind: Shopify Plus includes enterprise-level security and PCI compliance
10. What happens if we do nothing?
- Project the trajectory of your current platform over the next 2-3 years
- Consider: End-of-life concerns, increasing maintenance costs, competitive disadvantages
- Risk assessment: Is staying put actually the riskier option?
Migration Readiness Assessment Matrix
Use this scoring system to objectively evaluate your migration readiness. Rate each factor from 1-5 (1 = Poor, 5 = Excellent) to calculate your overall readiness score.
Technical Factors (40% Weight)
Technical Subtotal: ___/50
Business Factors (35% Weight)
Business Subtotal: ___/45
Strategic Factors (25% Weight)
Strategic Subtotal: ___/25
Your Migration Readiness Score
Total Score: ___/120
Scoring Interpretation:
- 90-120: High readiness - Migration likely to deliver significant benefits
- 70-89: Moderate readiness - Migration could be beneficial with proper planning
- 50-69: Low readiness - Address specific pain points before considering migration
- Below 50: Not ready - Focus on optimizing the current setup first
Pros & Cons: Magento vs. Shopify for Growing Brands
Use this table during stakeholder discussions to break down trade-offs:
You don’t have to guess whether a magento to shopify migration is right; you can decide based on logic, cost, and scale readiness. Use this framework to guide that decision confidently.
From Platform Frustration to Performance Acceleration
If there’s one thing these real-world case studies prove, it’s that platform problems aren’t just technical - they’re growth blockers. Brands like Gymshark, BBC, and Bombas didn’t just migrate from Magento to Shopify for convenience; they did it to unlock scalability, speed, and revenue potential.
If your current platform is slowing you down, now’s the time to rethink your foundation. The shift from frustration to acceleration starts with one decision.
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