URL mapping and 301s for a Shopify migration

A URL map connects old addresses to suitable new pages. Prepare it before switching platforms. After importing the rules, check the HTTP responses too: a tidy spreadsheet does not establish that a redirect works.

Collect more than the sitemap

Use the old sitemap, a crawl of the site and important Search Console pages. Add known URLs from adverts, external links and previous campaigns where they still need to work. Record where each entry came from. This helps you spot a missing group rather than merely compare totals.

The working sheet can have more columns than the import file: old URL, new URL, page type, reason for the match, priority and check result. Prepare a separate import file in Shopify’s required format.

Choose the destination by content

An existing product should lead to the same product. A category should lead to its corresponding collection when it serves the same need. For a removed product, consider whether a useful replacement exists. Sending every missing page to the home page just to reduce the 404 count can mislead visitors.

If there is no suitable replacement, document that decision. Google recommends a 404 or 410 response for removed content without a suitable replacement. Do not choose unrelated content just to fill a cell.

Example format

These are invented structural examples, not URLs from BMWParts.bg.

Redirect from,Redirect to
/product/example-part,/products/example-part
/category/accessories,/collections/accessories

Use the URL map validator to find missing destinations, repeated sources, conflicting rows, loops and chains. It runs in your browser and does not open the URLs. Its report is for review and should not be imported as a finished redirect map.

What the findings mean

• Duplicate: the same old URL appears again. Keep one agreed rule.
• Conflict: one source has two different destinations. Resolve that decision before import.
• Chain: A leads to B and B to C. Where appropriate, point A straight to the final URL C.
• Loop: A leads to B and B back to A. There is no final page for the visitor to reach.
• Several sources with one destination: this may be valid, but the content match needs review.

Shopify restrictions

A redirect from a page that still works will not behave like a rule for a missing URL. Shopify also reserves certain paths. Query parameters and language variants require separate checks. One working rule does not establish the behaviour of every variation of that address.

Checks after import

Request the old URL and record its first HTTP response, intermediate steps and final page. Check the permanent redirect, destination content, canonical URL and indexing availability. Update internal links to use the new addresses directly. Repeat the checks once the domain points to Shopify.

Does the validator confirm a 200 response?

No. It reviews the table. Website responses, existing active pages and indexing settings need separate testing.

Sources

Shopify URL redirects. Google guidance on URL changes. Checked on 18 October 2026.

Check your URL map