WooCommerce wishlist functionality was commonly provided by the YITH WooCommerce Wishlist plugin or TI WooCommerce Wishlist, both of which stored wishlist data in WordPress database tables. Shopify does not have native wishlist functionality — it requires a third-party app. This is not a significant limitation: Shopify wishlist apps are feature-rich and, in many cases, more capable than the WooCommerce plugins they replace, with built-in sharing, gift registry functionality, and email marketing integrations. This guide covers the app selection and configuration for wishlist functionality after migration.

Why wishlists matter for conversion

Deferred purchase intent: Customers who cannot buy immediately (waiting for payday, considering as a gift, not yet sure) need a way to save products without adding to cart. Without a wishlist, these customers must remember to return or find the product again via search — most do not.
Gift discovery: A shared wishlist is one of the most effective gifting tools — "send your wishlist to friends and family" before a birthday or holiday event drives gifting revenue directly.
Back-in-stock re-engagement: When a wishlisted product comes back into stock, an automated notification email converts a wishlist save into a purchase. This flow has exceptional conversion rates because the customer has already expressed purchase intent.
Wishlist abandonment flow: Similar to abandoned cart emails, a "you have items on your wishlist" email after 30 days of no purchase re-engages customers who were considering a purchase but did not complete it.

Wishlist app comparison

App	Pricing	Strengths	Best for
Wishlist King	From $4.95/mo	Clean UI, social sharing, Klaviyo integration, wishlist sharing for gift registries	Most stores — best balance of features and price
Wishlist Hero	Free tier; from $2.99/mo	Free plan available, guest wishlists, clean design	Budget-conscious stores, simple wishlist needs
Smart Wishlist	From $6.99/mo	Multiple wishlists per customer, email notifications, good analytics	Fashion and lifestyle stores needing multiple lists
Growave	From $9/mo	All-in-one (wishlist + loyalty + reviews + social). Wishlist is one feature in a broader suite.	Stores wanting a single app for multiple social/loyalty features
BFCM Wishlist	Free tier	Basic wishlist, minimal features, good for simple needs	Very small stores needing a no-cost solution

Guest wishlists vs account-required wishlists

Account-required wishlists: Wishlist is saved to the customer's account. Requires login to add to wishlist. Benefit: persists across devices and sessions; allows email-based re-engagement. Limitation: adds friction for customers who have not yet registered.
Guest wishlists (cookie-based): Wishlist saved in browser cookie. No login required. Benefit: zero friction for adding items. Limitation: does not persist if customer clears cookies or switches devices; cannot send emails without an email address.
Best approach: Allow guest wishlist saves (low friction), then prompt registration when the customer attempts to share the wishlist or wants to receive back-in-stock notifications. "Sign up to save your wishlist and get notified when items come back in stock." This conversion moment is more effective than requiring login upfront.

Gift registry wishlist sharing

A shareable wishlist functions as a gift registry — particularly valuable for:
- Baby registries (furniture, clothing, equipment)
- Wedding gift lists (homewares, experiences)
- Birthday wishlists
- Christmas wishlists shared with family
Wishlist sharing: most wishlist apps generate a shareable URL that the customer can send via email, WhatsApp, or social media. The recipient can see the wishlist and click through to purchase directly.
Purchase marking: some wishlist apps mark items as "purchased" when a visitor clicks through and buys — preventing duplicate gift purchases. This is the core gift registry feature. Wishlist King and Smart Wishlist both support this.
Privacy: customers may want to set a wishlist as private (no sharing) or public (shareable). Allow this choice in wishlist settings.
Marketing integration: promote wishlist sharing with a "Share your wishlist" prompt after a customer adds multiple items. "Planning a party or birthday? Share your wishlist and make it easy for friends and family."

Back-in-stock notifications integration

Integration between wishlist and back-in-stock notifications is the highest-value feature combination in the wishlist app ecosystem.
Flow: customer wishlists a sold-out product → product comes back in stock → customer receives automated email: "Your wishlisted item is back in stock" → customer purchases.
This flow has 20–30% click rates and 15–20% purchase conversion in many stores — dramatically higher than standard marketing emails.
Apps that include this: Wishlist King, Smart Wishlist (Back in Stock integration), Klaviyo (if wishlist app sends wishlist data to Klaviyo).
Separate back-in-stock app: if your wishlist app does not include back-in-stock, use a dedicated app (Back in Stock – Restock Alerts, Klaviyo back-in-stock flow). These can be configured to fire for both wishlist saves and explicit "Notify me" button subscriptions.

Wishlist and email marketing (Klaviyo)

Wishlist data in Klaviyo: apps with Klaviyo integration pass wishlist event data (product added, product removed, wishlist shared) to Klaviyo as custom events.
Key Klaviyo flows from wishlist events:
- Wishlist Abandoned flow: Triggered when a customer has had items in their wishlist for 30+ days without purchasing. Send a gentle reminder. Include the wishlisted product images and prices. Best for products customers are considering but hesitating on.
- Back in Stock for Wishlisted Items: When a wishlisted product becomes available, trigger an immediate email. Include product image, price, and CTA. Set up as a Klaviyo back-in-stock flow with a wishlist data filter.
- Price Drop for Wishlisted Items: Some apps support sending wishlist data to Klaviyo when a product price changes. Trigger a flow: "The item on your wishlist is now [X]% off." High conversion rate.

Wishlist migration from WooCommerce

WooCommerce wishlist data (from YITH or TI Wishlist plugins) is stored in WordPress database tables (yith_wcwl_lists and yith_wcwl_items). This data is not automatically importable into Shopify wishlist apps.
Practical approach: most wishlist items are transient — customers will rebuild their wishlists organically over the first few weeks post-migration as they browse the new store. The wishlist data rarely needs explicit migration for most stores.
For stores where wishlist data is significant (e.g., active gift registry users): export wishlist data from WooCommerce (custom SQL query or plugin export) and import manually into the Shopify wishlist app if it supports CSV import. Contact the app developer for import options.

Wishlist migration checklist

Choose wishlist app: Wishlist King (recommended), Wishlist Hero (budget), Smart Wishlist (multiple lists)
Configure: guest wishlist (cookie-based) with account creation prompt for sharing/notifications
Enable wishlist sharing for gift registry use cases (baby, wedding, birthday)
Enable purchase marking on shared wishlists (prevents duplicate gift purchases)
Configure back-in-stock notifications for wishlisted out-of-stock products
Connect wishlist app to Klaviyo (if using Klaviyo for email marketing)
Set up Klaviyo Wishlist Abandoned flow (30-day trigger)
Set up Klaviyo Back in Stock for Wishlisted Items flow
Test: add to wishlist → wishlist saves → shareable link generated
Test: shared wishlist → another customer purchases → item marked as purchased
Test: wishlisted out-of-stock product → item restocked → notification email triggered

The back-in-stock notification for wishlisted items is the most consistently underused flow in Shopify email marketing. Most stores set up abandoned cart and browse abandonment flows — these are well-known and well-documented. But the back-in-stock wishlist flow consistently outperforms both in conversion rate because it reaches the customer at the exact moment they were waiting for: the product they wanted is finally available. The customer who wished for a sold-out cashmere cardigan three months ago and receives an email saying it's back in stock has a dramatically higher purchase intent than a customer who browsed a product page once. Closing this loop — wishlist save when out of stock, automated notification when in stock — is the most direct conversion lever available to any store that regularly runs out of popular products.

Shopify wishlist & save for later setup after WooCommerce (2026)