Migrating a miniature painting supplies store from WooCommerce to Shopify (2026)

Miniature painting supplies retail serves tabletop wargamers, roleplaying game players, and miniature hobbyists. The market is dominated by Games Workshop (Citadel paints), Vallejo, Army Painter, and Reaper Miniatures. Customers are brand-specific and knowledgeable — they search by paint type classification (base, shade, layer, contrast) and look for cross-brand colour equivalents. Migrating to Shopify suits this category, particularly for independent hobby stores carrying multiple brands.

Product categories

• Acrylic paints: Base, layer, shade, dry, contrast, technical. Multiple brands.
• Primers: Spray and brush-on primers. White, grey, black, bone, coloured.
• Varnishes: Gloss, satin, matte spray and brush-on finishes.
• Brushes: Detail, drybrush, base, wash brushes. Size by number (000 to 10).
• Tools: Clippers, files, sculpting tools, wet palettes, brush cleaner.
• Basing materials: Static grass, tufts, rocks, texture paste, basing paint.
• Contrast and speed paints: Single-coat high-pigment paints (Citadel Contrast, Army Painter Speedpaint).
• Miniatures: Plastic and metal miniatures for painting — Warhammer, D&D, historical.

Paint type classification

Paint classification is the primary filter for miniature painters — each paint type has a specific function:

• Base paints: High pigment for first coat coverage — opaque
• Layer paints: Smooth consistency for building up colour — semi-opaque
• Shade paints: Thin, ink-like washes that flow into recesses — transparent
• Dry paints: Thick, crumbly consistency for drybrushing highlights
• Contrast / Speedpaint: Single-coat paints that base, shade, and highlight simultaneously
• Technical paints: Texture effects (sand, water, blood, slime effects)

product.metafields.paint.paint_type = "Base / Layer / Shade / Dry / Contrast / Technical / Air"
product.metafields.paint.brand = "Citadel / Vallejo / Army Painter / Reaper / Scale75"
product.metafields.paint.colour_name = "Mephiston Red"
product.metafields.paint.colour_code = "99189950010"           // manufacturer SKU
product.metafields.paint.finish = "Matte / Gloss / Metallic / Fluorescent"
product.metafields.paint.volume_ml = "12"
product.metafields.paint.thinner_required = "false"            // for air paints

Cross-brand colour matching

Cross-brand colour equivalents are valuable content for customers switching brands or substituting:

• Citadel to Vallejo: Vallejo publishes official Citadel conversion charts — use as content page and link from product
• Citadel to Army Painter: Army Painter publishes colour match guides for their Warpaints range
• Metafield for equivalent: note closest equivalent colour in other major brands on product page
• Cross-reference pages: create collection pages or guides showing equivalent colours across brands — high SEO value for "Citadel [colour] equivalent" searches

Primer and varnish compatibility

Compatibility between products is critical — incompatible primers and varnishes damage painted miniatures:

• Spray primer compatibility: Citadel sprays are not recommended over all paint brands — note compatible paint ranges
• Brush-on vs spray application: note whether primer or varnish is spray or brush-on — different application notes
• Varnish reactions: some gloss varnishes react with water-based matte varnishes ("frosting") — note application advice
• Temperature sensitivity: spray primers and varnishes should not be used below 10°C or in humidity above 70% — note on product

product.metafields.paint.application = "Brush / Spray / Airbrush"
product.metafields.paint.compatible_brands = "All / Citadel / Vallejo"
product.metafields.paint.min_temp_celsius = "10"
product.metafields.paint.aerosol = "true"                      // for spray restrictions

Digital tutorials and painting guides

Digital content is a strong revenue stream for miniature painting retailers:

• Painting tutorials: PDF or video guides for specific colour schemes — link to free tutorials to drive traffic; sell premium step-by-step guides
• Colour recipe cards: downloadable cards listing paints used for specific effects — popular with Patreon-style audiences
• Digital Downloads app: delivers PDFs automatically; no shipping required
• Community: many miniature painting retailers build Discord or Facebook Group communities — note on website footer and about page

Aerosol shipping restrictions

Spray primers and varnishes are aerosols and subject to shipping restrictions:

• Flammable aerosols: classified as flammable aerosol under CLP — restricted from air freight
• Courier restrictions: some couriers restrict aerosol quantities per shipment — check carrier terms
• Note air freight restriction on all aerosol products; configure shipping zones accordingly

Post-migration checklist for miniature painting stores

• Paint type: base/layer/shade/dry/contrast/technical on all paint products
• Brand and colour name: as metafields for filtering and cross-reference
• Volume: ml per pot stated on all paints
• Aerosol restrictions: spray products restricted to road delivery; air freight restriction noted
• Brush sizes: number size on all brushes; bristle material noted (synthetic/sable/hog)
• Digital tutorials: Digital Downloads app configured; no shipping on digital-only guides