Magento Go shutdown forces 10,000 stores to migrate

Magento Go and ProStores will shut down on February 1, 2015. Merchants must plan migrations, with BigCommerce offering a transition path; Shopify or Magento Community are recommended. Key steps: audit, back up, map data, rebuild features, test, launch, and monitor. TheGenieLab offers free migration consultations.

Written by TheGenieLab

Jul 10, 2014

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Magento Go Closure: Timeline, Impact, and Confident Migration Steps

Note: Originally posted on 2nd July and re-published on our new website for clarity and updates.

The Impact of Magento Go Closure

After last week's unconfirmed reports that eBay might wind down its software-as-a-service (SaaS) ecommerce platform, official word has now reached store owners and the wider tech community.

Magento Go, along with its older counterpart ProStores, will be switched off on February 1st, 2015. This announcement turns speculation into a clear deadline for migration planning.

Rumours had been circulating for months.

Magento Go struggled to gain traction in the SaaS market against strong competitors such as Shopify and BigCommerce, and earlier staff changes hinted that a pivot was likely. Until now, however, it was unclear whether eBay would fully exit this segment.

Marketplace Changes and Ecommerce Platform Alternatives

Magento Go and ProStores served the low- to mid-end market, complementing Magento Community and Enterprise editions for mid and high tiers.

eBay has arranged a deal with BigCommerce to provide a transition package, giving eligible merchants an option as they plan their Magento migration.

For many brands, evaluating ecommerce platform alternatives now becomes an urgent and strategic decision.

Our Perspective: Shopify vs Magento Go

At TheGenieLab, we specialise in ecommerce and have years of hands-on experience across multiple platforms.

We focus on Shopify and Magento Community Edition because they consistently deliver at the low-mid and mid-high ends of the market.

Long ago, we concluded that Magento Go could not match Shopify's performance, features, and user experience.

It appears the broader market reached a similar conclusion.

What factors could have contributed to Magento Go's inability to compete effectively?

Key Terms, Defined

SaaS: Software delivered over the internet, with hosting, security, and updates managed by the provider.
Ecommerce platform: The software used to run your online store, products, payments, and checkout.
Migration: The process of moving data, design, and operations from one platform to another.

Next Steps for Store Owners

With a hard cutoff on February 1st, 2015, timely action is essential. Planning your Magento migration now helps avoid downtime and preserves SEO and customer trust.

Audit your current store: catalog, customers, orders, URLs, themes, and apps.
Back up everything: product data, imagery, theme files, and content pages.
Choose your target platform: compare Shopify vs Magento Go capabilities, and review BigCommerce's transition option.
Map data fields: ensure products, variants, taxes, and shipping rules align cleanly.
Recreate design and functionality: confirm theme features and essential integrations.
Test thoroughly: staging checks for checkout, payments, and redirects.
Plan go-live: schedule DNS changes and communicate with customers.
Monitor post-launch: verify SEO redirects, analytics, and order flow.

How prepared do you feel to start migrating your store?