When migrating to a new e-commerce provider, it’s common for menu or storefront URLs to change. To avoid broken links and help preserve SEO rankings, you should set up redirects from the old URLs to the new ones.
This guide walks through how to create redirects in Cloudflare using Redirect Rules.
Example Scenario
Old URL
https://example.com/shop/?location_id=12345&menu_type=pickup
New URL
https://example.com/menu/shop/?store=downtownstore
Goal:
Automatically send users visiting the old URL to the new URL
Preserve traffic and search engine indexing during migration
Option 1: Create a Simple Redirect Rule
This method works best when:
You only have a small number of redirects
Each old URL maps to one specific new URL
Step 1: Log Into Cloudflare
Go to:
Select your website/domain.
Step 2: Navigate to Redirect Rules
In the left navigation:
Rules → Redirect Rules
Click:
Create Rule
Step 3: Configure the Match Conditions
Set the incoming request conditions.
Example:
Hostname equals example.com
AND
URI Path equals /shop/
You can optionally match query parameters if needed.
Step 4: Configure the Redirect
Choose:
Static Redirect
Enter your destination URL:
https://example.com/menu/shop/?store=downtownstore
Select:
301 Permanent Redirect
A 301 redirect tells search engines the page has permanently moved.
Step 5: Save and Deploy
Click:
Save and Deploy
Your redirect should now be active.
Testing the Redirect
After deployment:
Open the old URL in a browser
Confirm it automatically forwards to the new URL
Verify the final URL loads correctly
You can also test with online redirect checkers or browser developer tools.
When to Use Dynamic Redirects Instead
If your old platform uses unique IDs for many locations or stores, manually creating redirects may not scale well.
Example:
Old Parameter | New Store Slug |
|
|
|
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In this case, consider using:
Cloudflare Workers
Bulk Redirects
Dynamic mapping logic
This allows one redirect system to handle many store mappings automatically.
SEO Best Practices During Migration
To reduce traffic loss during an e-commerce migration:
Recommended
Use 301 redirects
Keep redirects active for at least 12 months
Avoid redirect chains
Update internal links
Update XML sitemaps
Resubmit sitemaps in Google Search Console
Preserve page titles and metadata where possible
Avoid
Redirecting all pages to the homepage
Using temporary (302) redirects
Changing URL structure multiple times during migration
Additional Notes
Cloudflare Redirect Rules are ideal for:
Lightweight redirect management
Reverse proxy migrations
E-commerce platform transitions
Store URL restructuring
For more advanced routing or parameter handling, Cloudflare Workers provide additional flexibility.