Email marketing remains one of the highest ROI channels for Shopify stores. I have seen brands generate $36 for every $1 spent on email marketing, and that kind of return is hard to ignore . This guide will walk you through exactly how to do email marketing with Shopify, from setting up your first campaign to building advanced automations that drive consistent revenue.
In this guide, I will cover list building, segmentation, automation, campaign creation, and the best apps to use in 2026. Let me show you how to turn email into your store’s most profitable channel.
What Is Shopify Email Marketing
Shopify email marketing is the practice of sending promotional and transactional messages to customers and subscribers through email, using Shopify’s native tools or third-party apps . It allows store owners to reach customers with relevant, personalized messages at the right time without relying on social media algorithms or paid advertising.
The system works by collecting customer data from your store, including purchase history, browsing behavior, and email signups. You can then use this data to send targeted campaigns, automated workflows, and transactional emails that drive sales and build customer loyalty .
Every Shopify store should use email marketing because it is a channel you fully control. Unlike social media platforms where algorithm changes can kill your reach, email gives you direct access to your customers.
Why Email Marketing Matters for Shopify Stores
Email marketing delivers higher ROI than most other marketing channels. Industry data shows that personalized emails generate 29% higher open rates and 41% higher click-through rates compared to non-personalized emails .
Here are the key benefits I have found most valuable for Shopify stores:
Higher ROI: Email consistently outperforms paid advertising in terms of return on investment. You are reaching people who have already shown interest in your brand.
Repeat purchases: Email helps turn one-time buyers into repeat customers. The first purchase often does not generate profit, but the second, third, and fourth orders do.
Customer retention: Keeping existing customers is cheaper than acquiring new ones. Email keeps your brand top of mind.
Product launches: When you drop a new product, email subscribers are the first to know and buy.
Personalized shopping experience: You can tailor messages based on purchase history, browsing behavior, and customer preferences.
Lower acquisition cost: Email marketing reduces your overall customer acquisition cost by maximizing the value of customers you already have .
How Shopify Email Marketing Works
The complete workflow for Shopify email marketing follows a simple process that I recommend every store owner understand.
First, a visitor joins your email list through a signup form, popup, or checkout opt-in. The subscriber is stored in your Shopify customer database. From there, you can segment customers based on their behavior, purchase history, and preferences.
Next, automated workflows trigger based on customer actions. A welcome series starts when someone subscribes. An abandoned cart email triggers when someone leaves items behind. Post-purchase emails send after an order is placed.
You also send promotional campaigns to your segmented lists. Each campaign gets tracked through analytics, and you optimize based on performance data. This creates a cycle of continuous improvement.
Step 1: Set Up Shopify Email
Getting started with Shopify Email is straightforward. The app comes built into Shopify, so you do not need to install anything separately.
To set it up, go to your Shopify admin and navigate to Marketing, then select Create Campaign. Choose Shopify Email as your channel. The initial configuration involves verifying your sender email address and setting up your branding.
Sender email verification is important for deliverability. You need to verify the email address you will be sending from. Your store email is the best option.
Domain authentication helps improve deliverability and prevents your emails from landing in spam. I recommend setting up SPF and DKIM records for your domain. This tells email providers that your messages are legitimate.
Branding setup involves adding your logo, choosing brand colors, and setting your store name. These elements appear in every email template.
Step 2: Build Your Email List
You cannot do email marketing without subscribers. Building a quality email list is the foundation of everything else.
Add Signup Forms
Your homepage needs a popup or embedded form. I recommend using an exit-intent popup that appears when someone moves to leave your site. This catches visitors right before they bounce.
Footer forms are standard and should be on every page. They are low friction and catch visitors who scroll to the bottom.
Checkout opt-in is essential. Add a checkbox at checkout that asks customers if they want to receive marketing emails. This captures high-intent buyers.
Blog subscription forms work well if you publish content. Readers who subscribe are already interested in what you share.
Landing pages dedicated to email signups can be promoted through social media and paid ads.
Offer Lead Magnets
People rarely give away their email for nothing. You need an incentive.
Discount codes are the most effective lead magnet for ecommerce stores. Offering 10% or 15% off the first purchase works exceptionally well.
Free shipping is another strong incentive. Many shoppers abandon carts over shipping costs, so free shipping can be a powerful draw.
Ebooks and buying guides work well for educational content. If you sell products that require knowledge, a guide adds real value.
Early access and VIP membership create exclusivity. Subscribers get first dibs on new products or sales.
Step 3: Segment Your Customers
Segmentation is what separates professional email marketing from blasting the same message to everyone. Treating all subscribers the same lowers conversion and increases unsubscribes .
New customers need trust-building and product education. They are learning about your brand and need reassurance they made the right choice.
Returning customers are more likely to buy again. They benefit from loyalty offers, early access, and product discovery emails.
High-value customers deserve VIP treatment. Send them exclusive drops, higher-touch messaging, and fewer generic discounts.
Location matters for shipping announcements, local events, and weather-related product recommendations.
Purchase history lets you recommend complementary products. Someone who bought running shoes should get emails about socks and apparel, not formalwear.
Products viewed indicates interest. If someone spends time on a product page without buying, they are a prime candidate for browse abandonment emails.
Cart abandonment is the strongest buying signal. These customers were close to purchasing and need a nudge.
Email engagement helps you tailor frequency. Active openers can receive more emails, while disengaged subscribers should get fewer.
Step 4: Create Your First Email Campaign
Creating your first email campaign with Shopify Email is simple. Here is the step-by-step process I recommend.
Choose a template from the Shopify Email library. These are pre-designed and customizable with your branding. Pick one that matches your campaign goal, whether that is a sale announcement, product launch, or newsletter.
Write a compelling subject line. Your subject line determines whether anyone opens the email. Keep it under 60 characters and create curiosity. Personalize it when possible using {{customer.first_name}}.
Craft your email content. Lead with value, not just sales. Explain why the customer should care. Keep paragraphs short and scannable.
Add a clear CTA button. Your call to action should be obvious and tell people exactly what to do. Use action-oriented text like “Shop Now” or “Claim Your Discount.”
Include product recommendations. Show products relevant to the recipient based on their browsing or purchase history. Personalized product recommendations drive higher click-through rates.
Optimize for mobile. Over half of all emails are opened on mobile devices . Use single-column layouts, large fonts, and responsive templates .
Preview and test. Send yourself a test email to check how it looks on desktop and mobile. Check that all links work and the formatting is correct.
Schedule your campaign. Choose the best time based on your audience data. Many platforms, including Shopify Email, provide recommendations on optimal send times.
Step 5: Set Up Email Automation
Automated emails generate consistent revenue without manual effort. Once set up, they run 24/7 and respond to customer behavior in real time .
Welcome Series
A welcome series introduces new subscribers to your brand and converts them into customers. This is the highest ROI automation for most stores.
Sequence example:
- Email 1: Welcome and thank you, deliver lead magnet (discount code)
- Email 2: Brand story and best-selling products (send 1 day later)
- Email 3: Social proof and customer reviews (send 3 days later)
- Email 4: Limited-time offer reminder (send 5 days later)
Abandoned Cart Emails
Abandoned cart emails recover lost revenue by reminding shoppers what they left behind. This is the most effective revenue-generating automation.
Timing matters. Send the first email 1 hour after abandonment. Send a second email 24 hours later, and a third after 72 hours with a discount offer .
Best practices include showing the abandoned products with images, highlighting free shipping or returns, and including a direct link back to the cart.
Post-Purchase Emails
Post-purchase emails build loyalty and drive repeat sales . Key emails include:
Thank you and order confirmation: Basic transactional email that builds trust. Add a bounce-back offer like a discount on the next purchase.
Product education: Help customers get the most from their purchase. Include care instructions, usage tips, or tutorials.
Upsell and cross-sell: Suggest complementary products after delivery. This works best when based on what the customer actually bought.
Review request: Ask for a review 7 to 14 days after delivery. Reviews build social proof for future customers.
Referral program: Encourage customers to refer friends. Offer incentives for both parties.
Win-Back Campaign
Win-back campaigns re-engage customers who have not purchased in 60 to 90 days. These are important because acquiring new customers costs more than reactivating old ones.
The sequence should start with a simple “we miss you” email, followed by a product recommendation based on past purchases, and finally a special offer to bring them back.
Birthday Emails
Birthday emails are highly personal and generate strong engagement. Send a birthday discount code one week before the customer’s birthday. These emails have open rates that exceed standard promotional emails.
Best Shopify Email Campaign Ideas
Here are specific campaign types that work well for Shopify stores.
Product launch: Build excitement before the release, announce availability on launch day, and follow up with customer testimonials.
Flash sale: Limited-time offers create urgency. Send a teaser, then the announcement, and a final reminder before the sale ends.
Holiday offers: Seasonal promotions for Black Friday, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and other holidays. Start early and send multiple reminders.
Restock alerts: Notify customers when sold-out items return to inventory. These are high-intent messages because the customer already wanted the product.
New arrivals: Showcase the latest products in your catalog. Segment based on category preferences to send relevant products.
Weekly newsletter: Share new arrivals, blog content, and upcoming events. Keep it educational and valuable, not just promotional.
Educational content: Teach your customers something related to your products. This builds authority and trust.
Customer stories: Feature real customers and their experiences with your products. Social proof drives conversions.
Loyalty rewards: Recognize your best customers with exclusive discounts or early access. Make them feel valued.
Referral campaigns: Encourage customers to share your brand with friends. Offer rewards for successful referrals.
Best Email Marketing Apps for Shopify
Choosing the right email app matters for your store’s success . Here is my breakdown of the top options.
Klaviyo leads the market with over 359,000 active Shopify installs . It offers advanced segmentation, predictive analytics, and real-time data syncing with your store. Best for growing brands with revenue over $50,000 per month. Klaviyo’s biggest strength is its customer data platform that treats every interaction as part of a unified customer profile .
Omnisend is built specifically for ecommerce and offers comparable features to Klaviyo at lower pricing . It includes AI-powered segmentation, product recommendations, and unified email and SMS workflows. Omnisend is ideal for midsize brands that want powerful automation without complexity.
Shopify Email is the native option included with your store. It is free for the first 10,000 emails per month and directly integrates with your admin. The templates are basic, and automation is limited to abandoned cart and welcome series. Shopify Email works well for smaller stores with simple needs.
Mailchimp remains popular with over 201,000 Shopify installs . It is user-friendly and has strong design tools. However, it charges based on total contacts rather than active subscribers, which gets expensive as your list grows. Advanced ecommerce automation is limited compared to Klaviyo or Omnisend .
ActiveCampaign excels at complex customer journeys and B2B use cases. It includes CRM features and advanced branching logic. If you have a long sales cycle or need deep automation, ActiveCampaign is a strong choice.
Brevo offers affordable pricing based on send volume rather than contact count. It is a good option for high-volume senders who want to control costs.
Here is a comparison summary:
| App | Best For | Starting Price | Free Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify Email | Small stores, simple needs | Free for 10k emails/month | Yes |
| Klaviyo | Growing and established brands | Free for 250 contacts | Yes |
| Omnisend | Midsize ecommerce brands | $16/month | Yes |
| Mailchimp | Beginners, design-focused | $13/month | Yes |
| ActiveCampaign | Complex journeys, B2B | $29/month | No |
| Brevo | High-volume senders | Pay-as-you-go | Limited |
Email Marketing Best Practices
Write compelling subject lines that create curiosity without being misleading. Keep them under 60 characters for mobile display. Personalize subject lines with the recipient’s name when appropriate .
Personalize beyond just the name. Use purchase history and browsing behavior to tailor product recommendations. Personalized emails have 41% higher click-through rates than generic messages .
Optimize for mobile by using single-column layouts, large tap targets for CTAs, and responsive templates that adjust to different screen sizes .
Use clear CTAs that tell people exactly what to do. Action-oriented button text like “Shop Now,” “Get the Deal,” or “Claim Your Discount” works better than generic “Click Here.”
Keep branding consistent across all emails. Use your brand colors, logo, and voice. Consistent branding builds recognition and trust over time.
Maintain a reasonable sending frequency. Once or twice a week works for most stores. Monitor your unsubscribe rate to gauge whether you are sending too much.
A/B test campaigns to improve performance. Test subject lines, CTAs, send times, and offers. Use the winning version for future campaigns.
Clean your email list regularly. Remove inactive subscribers who have not opened emails in 6 months. This improves deliverability and reduces costs.
Avoid spam triggers like all caps, excessive exclamation points, and misleading subject lines. Use authentication records like SPF and DKIM to prove your legitimacy.
Follow GDPR and CAN-SPAM requirements. Include your business address in every email and provide a clear unsubscribe link.
Common Shopify Email Marketing Mistakes
Buying email lists is the fastest way to damage your deliverability. These addresses are often spam traps or people who never consented. You will get flagged as spam and your legitimate emails will stop reaching inboxes.
Sending too many emails drives unsubscribes and complaints. Quality matters more than quantity. Send fewer, more relevant emails instead of blasting your entire list daily.
Ignoring segmentation means sending the same message to everyone. New customers need different messages than loyal buyers. Segmentation improves open rates and conversions.
Weak CTAs confuse readers. Every email should have one primary action you want people to take. Make it obvious and compelling.
No automation means leaving money on the table. Abandoned cart emails and welcome series generate revenue while you sleep. Set them up and watch the results.
No testing prevents you from improving. A/B test subject lines, content, and offers to find what resonates with your audience.
Poor design hurts your brand perception. Unprofessional-looking emails undermine trust. Use clean, branded templates that work on mobile.
Not tracking analytics means you have no idea what is working. Review your open rates, click-through rates, and conversions regularly.
How to Measure Shopify Email Marketing Success
Open rate tells you what percentage of recipients opened your email. Average open rates for ecommerce are around 37% . Low open rates indicate poor subject lines or deliverability issues.
Click-through rate measures how many people clicked a link in your email. This shows engagement and interest in your content. Low CTR suggests weak CTAs or irrelevant content.
Conversion rate tracks purchases from email clicks. This is the most important metric because it directly affects revenue.
Revenue per email calculates total revenue generated divided by emails sent. This helps you understand the financial impact of your campaigns.
Unsubscribe rate shows the percentage of people who opt out. High unsubscribe rates indicate irrelevant content or too much frequency. Keep this below 1%.
Bounce rate tracks emails that could not be delivered. High bounce rates indicate poor list quality. Remove invalid addresses regularly.
Spam complaints occur when recipients mark your email as spam. This damages your sender reputation and hurts deliverability.
ROI measures the return from your email marketing investment. Industry data shows $36 returned for every $1 spent on email marketing .
Shopify Email Marketing Checklist
- Domain verification complete (SPF and DKIM set up)
- Email marketing app installed and configured
- Signup forms added to homepage, footer, and checkout
- Lead magnet created and promoted
- Welcome series automation enabled
- Abandoned cart automation enabled
- Customer segments created (new, returning, high-value)
- Branded templates designed and tested
- Analytics configured and tracking active
- Test emails sent and verified on mobile
- Monthly review schedule in place for optimization
Conclusion
Email marketing for Shopify stores comes down to a simple process that anyone can follow. Build your email list with signup forms and lead magnets. Set up Shopify Email or a third-party app like Klaviyo or Omnisend. Create automated workflows starting with a welcome series and abandoned cart emails. Send valuable campaigns consistently to your segmented lists. Track analytics and optimize over time.
I recommend starting with your welcome email and abandoned cart automation before expanding to advanced campaigns. These two automations generate revenue while you focus on other aspects of your business.
Take action today. Install an email app, create your first signup form, and set up your welcome sequence. The sooner you start, the sooner you will see results from email marketing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Shopify Email free?
Shopify Email is free for the first 10,000 emails sent per month. After that, it costs $1 per 1,000 additional emails. This makes it very affordable for small to medium stores.
Is Shopify Email better than Klaviyo?
It depends on your needs. Shopify Email works well for stores with simple requirements and smaller budgets. Klaviyo offers advanced features like predictive analytics, deeper segmentation, and more sophisticated automation. Growing stores typically outgrow Shopify Email and move to Klaviyo or Omnisend.
How often should I send marketing emails?
Once or twice weekly is a good starting point. Monitor your unsubscribe rate to gauge if you are sending too frequently. Some stores send daily to engaged subscribers, but you need to test what works for your audience.
Can Shopify automate email marketing?
Yes. Shopify Email includes automation for abandoned cart recovery, welcome series, and order confirmation emails. Third-party apps like Klaviyo and Omnisend provide more advanced automation capabilities.
What is the best email marketing app for Shopify?
Klaviyo is the most popular with 39% market share, followed by Mailchimp at 22% . Omnisend is the best alternative for midsize brands seeking powerful features at lower cost. Choose based on your list size, budget, and required features.
How do I increase email subscribers on Shopify?
Use popups with exit-intent, add checkout opt-in, create valuable lead magnets, promote your newsletter on social media, and use landing pages specifically for email capture.
How many emails should a Shopify store send?
Send as many as your audience will tolerate while maintaining engagement. Watch your open rates and unsubscribe rates. If opens drop below 20% or unsubscribes increase, reduce frequency.
Does Shopify have abandoned cart emails?
Yes. Shopify Email includes abandoned cart automation as part of the built-in features. It sends a reminder email to customers who reached checkout but did not complete their order.
