Foundation · 2 min
What you need to know
What redirects are needed during ecommerce migration?
Use permanent server-side redirects for changed public URLs that have a relevant destination. Include product, category, content, account-entry and asset paths that customers or external sites may still request.
What is a 301 redirect?
A 301 is an HTTP response indicating that a resource has moved permanently to another URL. Browsers and search systems use the destination to replace the old location over time.
Should every old URL redirect to the homepage?
No. Redirect each old URL to the closest relevant replacement; sending everything to the homepage confuses visitors and may be treated as a soft 404.
How do I avoid redirect chains?
Point each old URL directly to its final destination instead of another redirected URL. Crawl the complete redirect set and update owned links to remove inherited hops.
How do I find redirect loops?
Run an automated redirect crawl that follows every mapped URL and flags repeated destinations. A loop exists when a redirect eventually returns to a URL already visited in the same path.
How long should migration redirects remain in place?
Keep permanent migration redirects long enough for customers, links, and search systems to adopt the new URLs. Preserve them indefinitely when practical, especially for URLs with traffic or external links.
How do I test redirects before launch?
Test every rule against the full URL map in a production-like environment. Verify status code, final destination, absence of loops or chains, query behavior, and the destination page’s availability.
A quick store check
Run the complete redirect map and flag non-301 responses, irrelevant targets, chains, loops and unavailable destinations.
Foundation · 2 min
Frequently asked questions
Can redirects be added after launch?
They can, but missing launch redirects can immediately harm customers and search transition. Test them before cutover.
Should redirect logs be monitored?
Yes. Unmatched old requests reveal omissions, external links, and patterns that need investigation.