Y-Times Publications has worked with Turbify, formerly Yahoo Store / Yahoo Merchant Solutions, since 1999. We specialize in both Turbify and Shopify design, development, and customization, helping merchants move between platforms with an understanding of how their original stores were built.
Discuss Your Turbify to Shopify Migration
Your store represents years of investment in product information, images, customer relationships, design, and business-specific features. Moving to Shopify shouldn't mean starting over. We help you determine what can be transferred, what needs to be rebuilt, and where Shopify may require a different approach.
From initial planning and data migration to custom Shopify development and launch, Y-Times can handle the technical challenges of moving an established Turbify store to Shopify.
Moving an established Turbify store to Shopify involves much more than exporting a product spreadsheet. Many stores contain years of accumulated content, custom product properties, specialized data relationships, and business-specific functionality.
Y-Times can extract, transform, and migrate the information your business needs while adapting it to Shopify's data structures.
We migrate product names, descriptions, SKUs, prices, inventory information, categories, product relationships, and other catalog data. We carefully map Turbify products and sections to Shopify products and collections.
Turbify sections do not always correspond directly to Shopify collections. Product groupings, navigation, and non-product section content may need different structures to retain their purpose.
We transfer product photographs, additional images, and media referenced in descriptions or custom fields, updating file references where necessary.
Custom Turbify properties can be mapped to Shopify metafields, metaobjects, product options, or other suitable structures, preserving important product and administrative data.
Metafields hold additional information on records such as products and variants. Metaobjects can represent structured content shared across products or pages. We choose the appropriate structure for each field and preserve the relationships the storefront needs, rather than simply copying every property into a text field.
We reorganize Turbify product variations into Shopify-compatible structures while preserving SKUs, pricing, images, and option relationships. Personalization inputs are not always best represented as product variants. Depending on the requirement, they may use line item properties, apps, or custom development, subject to Shopify's capabilities.
Informational pages, policies, buying guides, PDFs, downloadable resources, and other static assets can be transferred, with internal links updated to their new locations.
Files that require server-side execution or services outside Shopify's file hosting capabilities need separate evaluation. They may require external hosting or a replacement implementation.
When needed, we can migrate customer information and historical orders, including available addresses, line items, pricing, discounts, and other relevant data. Some information may require transformation or be subject to Shopify's import limitations.
We migrate relevant SEO information and create 301 redirects from existing Turbify URLs to their Shopify equivalents, helping preserve existing links and search visibility.
We evaluate existing RTML, JavaScript, custom scripts, and integrations separately from the data import. RTML code does not transfer to Shopify; required behavior must be rebuilt using Shopify Liquid, metafields, metaobjects, APIs, apps, or custom development where technically feasible.
The goal isn't simply to transfer data. It's to preserve the information and functionality your business depends on while taking advantage of Shopify's capabilities.
Successfully migrating an established Turbify store requires more than familiarity with Shopify. It requires understanding how the original store was built, how its data is organized, and how its custom features support the business.
Y-Times Publications specializes in both Turbify and Shopify website design, development, and customization. We can examine the original store's architecture and plan its Shopify replacement, rather than relying only on what appears in a standard export.
These projects demonstrate both our migration experience and our broader Shopify development capabilities.
Y-Times successfully migrated GreatGolfMemories.com from Turbify to Shopify, handling complex catalog data, product variants, customization options, and specialized functionality.
Y-Times successfully migrated GolfTrophiesAndMore.com from Turbify to Shopify, providing another example of our work moving established stores between these platforms.
Another company performed HiTecPet.com's original migration. Y-Times was subsequently hired to complete the Shopify Plus implementation and later rebuilt the entire storefront from the ground up. This is a Shopify development and rebuilding project, not a Y-Times migration.
We've worked with Yahoo Store and its successors, including Yahoo Merchant Solutions and Turbify, since 1999.
Our experience includes custom RTML development, storefront design, product catalog customization, third-party integrations, and specialized ecommerce functionality.
This background is especially valuable when migrating older or heavily customized stores. We can examine existing RTML templates, custom product properties, and store-specific logic to understand how the original website works before planning its Shopify replacement.
Our Shopify expertise goes well beyond importing product data. We develop and customize Shopify storefronts, implement complex product options, work with metafields and metaobjects, integrate third-party applications, and build custom functionality when standard features aren't sufficient.
We also have experience working with Shopify Plus stores, including substantial redevelopment projects.
Automated migration tools can be useful for transferring standard product and customer data, but they don't necessarily account for custom RTML functionality, unusual product relationships, or specialized business requirements.
We combine migration tools with custom data processing and Shopify development to address requirements that standard imports cannot handle on their own.
A successful migration doesn't end when the new website launches.
Because Y-Times provides ongoing Shopify design, development, and customization services, we can continue helping you improve and extend your store after the transition.
One of the biggest concerns when moving from Turbify to Shopify is losing the design and functionality you've spent years developing.
Storefront design and custom functionality are development work, not items that can simply be imported with your product catalog. Y-Times can use your current store as a reference or develop a new design, while assessing how its important features can be implemented within Shopify's capabilities.
If you're happy with your current Turbify store's appearance, we can use it as the reference for your new Shopify storefront.
This can include recreating your existing layout, branding, colors, typography, navigation, product pages, category pages, and other visual elements.
Our goal is to preserve the shopping experience your customers already know while rebuilding the storefront using Shopify's theme architecture. Some implementation details may differ because the platforms have different capabilities.
If your existing website needs an update, a migration is also an opportunity to introduce a modern, mobile-friendly design while retaining your established branding and important content.
We can customize an existing Shopify theme or develop a tailored storefront based on your business requirements.
Whether you want a familiar design or a complete visual refresh, the migration can be planned around your goals rather than forcing you into a generic storefront template.
Many established Turbify and Yahoo Stores use custom RTML templates and programming to provide features that go beyond the platform's standard capabilities.
These customizations may control product displays, navigation, pricing, product recommendations, personalization options, and other important aspects of the shopping experience.
RTML is Turbify's storefront template and programming language. RTML code cannot run directly on Shopify, but the behavior it provides can often be rebuilt.
Because Y-Times has extensive RTML development experience, we can examine how your existing customizations work and determine how to implement their intended behavior using Shopify Liquid, metafields, metaobjects, apps, APIs, and custom development where feasible.
Every store operates differently. Some rely on complex product options, while others depend on specialized pricing, inventory management, or custom integrations.
Examples of functionality we assess for Shopify implementation include:
Some features can be implemented directly within Shopify, while others may require specialized apps, custom development, or adjustments to accommodate Shopify's platform limitations.
Rather than translating templates line by line, we examine what each existing feature accomplishes, how it interacts with your store's data, and why it's important to your business.
Where Shopify requires a different implementation, we discuss the available options and any changes to the shopping experience or administrative workflow before agreeing on the solution. Not every feature can be recreated identically.
Every Turbify store is different. Some have relatively straightforward product catalogs, while others contain years of custom RTML development, specialized data, and integrations that are essential to daily operations.
We approach each migration as a development project, not simply a data import. Our process is designed to identify potential challenges early, preserve important information, and deliver a Shopify store that meets your business requirements.
We begin by reviewing your existing Turbify store to understand its structure, functionality, and business requirements. This includes evaluating your product catalog, categories, custom fields, RTML templates, storefront design, third-party integrations, and any historical data you want to preserve.
We identify data that can be transferred directly or transformed, the design to recreate or replace, and functionality that needs to be rebuilt for Shopify. We discuss platform limitations and proposed alternatives before agreeing on the project scope.
The result is a migration plan tailored to your store rather than a generic checklist.
We extract the necessary data from Turbify, including products, sections, images, custom properties, content, and other available records.
When customer information or historical orders are required, we evaluate the available export methods and APIs to retrieve the appropriate data.
Because Turbify and Shopify use different data structures, we transform the extracted information into formats suitable for Shopify. This may involve reorganizing product variants, mapping custom fields to metafields or metaobjects, converting sections into collections, and preserving relationships between records.
We build and configure your new Shopify storefront based on the agreed design and functionality.
Depending on your goals, this may involve recreating the appearance of your existing Turbify website, customizing a Shopify theme, or developing a completely new design.
We also implement required product options, custom features, integrations, and other functionality identified during planning.
Once the Shopify data structures are prepared, we import the transformed catalog, images, content, and other required information.
We verify that products, variants, prices, images, collections, custom fields, and related records have been transferred correctly.
Special attention is given to complex products, custom data relationships, and features that depend on information from multiple sources. Where appropriate, we use automated validation and targeted manual reviews to identify discrepancies before launch.
Before launching, we test the new Shopify store to verify that its important features and shopping workflows function as expected.
Testing may include product navigation, search and filtering, product options, pricing, cart functionality, checkout, customer interactions, and integrations.
We also review the storefront across common desktop and mobile screen sizes and verify important SEO elements, including metadata, internal links, and planned URL redirects.
Your existing Turbify store can generally remain operational while the Shopify store is being developed and tested.
Before launch, we plan for changes that occurred during development, such as new products, inventory updates, customer records, and orders. The agreed launch plan determines how these updates are retrieved, checked, and applied to Shopify; this is not necessarily an automatic, continuous synchronization.
This includes configuring the domain, implementing URL redirects, checking critical storefront functionality, and verifying that the new store is ready to accept orders.
Our goal is to minimize disruption and avoid unnecessary downtime during the transition. Some stores may need a brief pause in updates or ordering during cutover; we plan this around the store's requirements.
Our involvement doesn't have to end when your Shopify store goes live. We can provide ongoing Shopify development, troubleshooting, customization, and enhancements as your business evolves.
Because we understand both your original Turbify implementation and your new Shopify storefront, we're well positioned to help with future improvements and requirements.
Considering a move to Shopify? Contact Y-Times to discuss your migration .
Moving from Turbify (formerly Yahoo Store and Yahoo Merchant Solutions) to Shopify raises important questions, especially for established stores with custom features and years of accumulated data.
A comprehensive Turbify-to-Shopify migration can include products, categories, images, custom fields, content pages, files, customer records, and historical orders. The scope depends on the data available from your store and how it can be represented in Shopify.
Data is extracted and imported; storefront design is recreated; custom RTML functionality and other specialized features must be evaluated and rebuilt for Shopify. Some data and features are subject to Shopify's platform limitations.
A complete redesign is not required. Y-Times can use your existing storefront as the reference for a Shopify design, retaining familiar branding, layout, navigation, and product page elements. Some details may differ because the platforms work differently.
You can also use the migration as an opportunity to modernize your website while preserving your established brand identity, by customizing a Shopify theme or developing a new design.
RTML code cannot run directly on Shopify, but its functionality can often be recreated.
Y-Times has extensive experience developing custom RTML solutions for Turbify stores. We can analyze existing templates and business logic, then implement appropriate functionality using Shopify Liquid, metafields, metaobjects, apps, APIs, or custom development. Feasibility depends on Shopify's capabilities; some features require a different approach.
Yes. Custom Turbify product properties can generally be extracted and mapped to Shopify metafields, metaobjects, product options, or other appropriate data structures.
This is particularly important for stores that rely on custom fields for product specifications, personalization, filtering, or specialized storefront functionality.
Customer records and historical orders can be migrated when needed, subject to available source records, access, and Shopify's import limitations. Transferring customer records is different from transferring account credentials.
Available information may include customer names, email addresses, billing and shipping addresses, order dates, purchased products, prices, discounts, and other order details.
Existing customer passwords cannot be transferred as usable Shopify passwords. Customers may need to activate or set up access to their accounts after migration, depending on the Shopify customer account setup chosen for the store.
Yes. Turbify's standard order downloads are limited to batches of 3,000 orders, not necessarily 3,000 orders in total. Y-Times uses the Turbify Order API to retrieve available historical records without relying on those export batches.
Y-Times has experience extracting and transforming historical Turbify order data for import into Shopify with tools such as Matrixify, including handling order line items, customer relationships, and product options as line item attributes.
The amount of recoverable history depends on the records still available in the source system and the applicable API access.
A platform migration can affect search rankings, but careful planning can help minimize unnecessary disruption.
Y-Times can preserve relevant page content, titles, meta descriptions, and other SEO information while creating 301 redirects from existing Turbify URLs to their new Shopify equivalents.
No developer can guarantee unchanged search rankings, but proper URL mapping and technical SEO are important parts of a successful migration.
Yes. In most cases, your existing Turbify store can continue accepting orders while your new Shopify storefront is developed and tested separately.
Before launch, we plan for changes that occurred during development, including new orders, inventory updates, and catalog modifications.
A coordinated final update and launch process helps minimize disruption. A brief cutover pause may be necessary, depending on how the store operates; zero downtime is not guaranteed.
Migration timelines depend on the size and complexity of your store, the amount of data being transferred, and the functionality that must be recreated.
A straightforward catalog migration may require considerably less development than a heavily customized Turbify store with complex product options, custom RTML features, and third-party integrations.
Y-Times evaluates your existing store before providing a project-specific timeline and migration plan.
The cost depends on factors such as catalog size, custom data requirements, storefront design, existing RTML functionality, integrations, and whether customer and order history must be migrated.
Y-Times provides project-specific proposals based on the actual requirements of your store rather than assuming every migration can be handled with a standard import.
Turbify and Shopify use different catalog structures, template systems, and methods for implementing custom functionality.
A developer who understands both platforms can identify important features and data relationships that generic migration tools may overlook.
Y-Times specializes in Turbify and Shopify design, development, and customization. Our experience with both platforms helps us plan migrations that account for the original store's structure and the requirements of its Shopify replacement.
Have questions about your store? Contact Y-Times to discuss your migration .
These practical guides draw on Y-Times' experience developing Turbify and Shopify stores and performing real-world migrations. Our guides explain the technical challenges, available options, and important considerations involved in moving an established store to Shopify.
Understand why merchants consider leaving Turbify, the advantages and trade-offs of Shopify, and whether migration is the right choice for your business.
Explore the data extraction, transformation, and import process, including how migration tools and custom programs work together to transfer store content.
Learn how Turbify products, custom properties, images, pricing, inventory, and product options can be adapted to Shopify's product and variant structures.
Find out how files stored in the Turbify editor can be transferred to Shopify and how existing references to those files can be updated.
Understand the differences between Turbify sections and Shopify collections, including how product groupings and navigation structures can be recreated.
Discover how historical Turbify orders can be extracted, transformed, and imported into Shopify, including using the Turbify Order API instead of 3,000-order export batches and preserving product option information.
Learn why URL redirects are essential during a platform migration and how existing Turbify URLs can be mapped to their new Shopify destinations.
Explore all our Turbify to Shopify migration guides
Every Turbify store is different, and technical articles can only cover so many scenarios. Your store may contain custom RTML templates, specialized data, or business-specific features that require individual attention.
Let us help you plan your move to Shopify. Contact Y-Times to discuss your store .
Whether you're ready to migrate or just beginning to explore your options, Y-Times can help you understand what's involved in moving your Turbify store to Shopify.
We'll discuss the data you want to preserve, whether to retain or update your design, and the custom features that need a Shopify solution.
Include your current store URL, the features important to your business, what you'd like to accomplish with Shopify, and your preferred timing. These details help us discuss an approach that fits your requirements.
Discuss Your Turbify to Shopify Migration
Not ready to migrate yet? We also provide ongoing Turbify design, development, and customization services to help you maintain and improve your existing store.
