Use this checklist before switching from one Shopify review app to another.
Ecommerce guide
Review App Migration Checklist
Before migrating review apps, export review data, map product IDs and variants, preserve media, confirm Google ratings support, rebuild widgets, test schema, pause duplicate requests, and verify reviews appear on priority product pages.
Quick answer
Before migrating review apps, export review data, map product IDs and variants, preserve media, confirm Google ratings support, rebuild widgets, test schema, pause duplicate requests, and verify reviews appear on priority product pages.
Topic, affected product or campaign, current issue, and the decision the team needs to make
A buying decision frame, vendor-fit notes, demo questions, rollout cautions, and related GrowthOps tools to diagnose the workflow before purchase.
Why this matters in a real store
Review App Migration Checklist matters because ecommerce growth work usually breaks down in the handoff between a number, a platform warning, a campaign idea, and the person who has to make the next decision. A store team may know something is wrong, but still lose time because the issue is not written in a way that connects the symptom to a next action.
Use this page as a practical translation layer. The goal is to slow down the first reaction, name the business risk, and give the team enough context to decide whether the next move is a calculation, a feed change, a campaign QA step, or a page update. The tables and checklists are there to make the work repeatable, but the judgment comes from understanding why the issue appears in the first place.
Start with the buying decision
Review migration can damage trust if reviews disappear, product matching breaks, media is lost, review request emails duplicate, or product ratings stop flowing. The store is moving proof, not just app data.
A review migration should be treated as a proof-preservation project. The team needs exports, mapping, testing, widget QA, product page checks, and a rollback plan before removing the old app.
Decision matrix
| Situation | Best fit | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews must be preserved | Export and import test | Check star counts and review text. |
| Photo/video media matters | Media migration QA | Some exports may not preserve every asset. |
| Google ratings matter | Confirm ratings feed path | Stars may pause after migration. |
| Theme widgets change | Product page QA | Proof placement can disappear. |
Vendor fit notes
Migration questions matter for every provider: Okendo, Yotpo, Judge.me, Loox, Stamped, Junip, or a custom review stack. Ask both the old and new provider what exports, imports, media, and syndication paths are supported.
The strongest buying process uses the same messy scenario across every demo. Bring one product family, one exception, one reporting question, and one handoff problem. A tool that looks polished with clean sample data may still fail if it cannot explain what changed, who owns the change, and how the team reviews the result.
| Tool | Best fit | Caution | Question to ask |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current review app | Exporting data and media | Exports may omit fields | Can we export reviews, replies, media, dates, ratings, and product IDs? |
| New review app | Importing and displaying proof | Mapping can break | Can we test import on a small product set? |
| Theme and storefront | Widget placement and schema | Proof may move below decision point | Does schema validate after widget changes? |
| Merchant Center | Product ratings continuity | Eligibility can change | Will product ratings pause or need resubmission? |
Questions to ask before choosing
- Can all review fields and media be exported from the current app?
- How will product IDs, handles, variants, and URLs be mapped?
- Can the team test import on a small product group first?
- How will Google product ratings and review schema be verified?
- When should old review requests be paused?
Buying guardrail
Do not uninstall the old review app until the new app proves reviews, media, widgets, and product matching on priority pages.
Research sources
Methodology and limits
This guide compares public vendor positioning, official product pages, Shopify App Store listings where relevant, and the operational decisions a store team needs to make before buying.
Product features, pricing, plan limits, and integrations can change. Confirm the current plan, contract terms, implementation scope, data exports, support model, and exact Shopify or channel behavior before purchase.
Reusable download
Use the related CSV as a working file for the calculation, checklist, or planning step covered on this page.
Common questions
Can review migrations lose reviews?
They can lose or misplace reviews if exports, imports, media files, product IDs, or variant mapping are incomplete.
What should be tested first?
Test one high-traffic product, one variant-heavy product, one media-heavy product, and one product with Google ratings value before full migration.
What should I verify before buying?
Verify current pricing, required plan tier, setup work, data ownership, export options, support response expectations, and whether the tool handles your exact Shopify theme, catalog structure, markets, and channels.