Learn to set up, segment, and automate email campaigns in Shopify. Build customer lists, create targeted campaigns, and track ROI without leaving your store.
Learn to set up, segment, and automate email campaigns in Shopify. Build customer lists, create targeted campaigns, and track ROI without leaving your store.
Shopify stores sit on one of the most underused revenue levers in ecommerce: their own customer email lists. Email marketing delivers the highest ROI for Shopify stores, with every $1 invested returning an average of $42 in revenue. Yet most merchants set up a store, drive paid traffic, and leave their email channel either empty or treated as an afterthought. This guide walks through exactly how to do email marketing with Shopify, from choosing your tools and building your list to running automations that generate revenue around the clock.
Key Takeaways
87% of marketing leaders say email marketing is critical to the success of their company.
All Shopify stores on Basic, Grow, Advanced, and Shopify Plus plans get 10,000 free emails to send at the beginning of every month.
In 2024, automated emails accounted for 37% of all email-generated sales, despite comprising only 2% of email volume.
Cart abandonment flows recover 5 to 12% of abandoned carts, averaging $5.81 per recovered order.
Segmentation, welcome sequences, and consistent sending cadence are the three highest-leverage actions for Shopify merchants starting out.
What Is Shopify Email (and Shopify Messaging)?
Shopify Messaging, formerly known as Shopify Email, helps you grow your business, drive sales, and stay connected with customers. You can create and send email and SMS marketing campaigns directly from your Shopify admin to share new products, promotions, and updates with your subscribers.
All merchants on Basic, Grow, Advanced, and Shopify Plus plans can use Shopify Messaging. The pricing model is volume-based rather than a flat monthly fee, which makes it cost-effective for smaller stores. After you reach 10,000 free emails, the cost is calculated based on volume.
For merchants just getting started, Shopify's native tool is a solid entry point. It requires no integration setup, pulls your store branding automatically, and lives inside the same dashboard you already use every day. Shopify Email has a feature set built for ease of use with one-click automations, a simple template builder, and basic segmentation.
Step 1: Choose the Right Email Marketing Tool for Your Store
The tool you choose shapes everything from your automation depth to your deliverability. Shopify Email offers ease and affordability for beginners or small businesses that want to launch email campaigns. In contrast, Klaviyo is a more advanced email marketing platform that delivers data-driven tools for merchants ready to scale.
Shopify stores sit on one of the most underused revenue levers in ecommerce: their own customer email lists. Email marketing delivers the highest ROI for Shopify stores, with every $1 invested returning an average of $42 in revenue. Yet most merchants set up a store, drive paid traffic, and leave their email channel either empty or treated as an afterthought. This guide walks through exactly how to do email marketing with Shopify, from choosing your tools and building your list to running automations that generate revenue around the clock.
Key Takeaways
87% of marketing leaders say email marketing is critical to the success of their company.
All Shopify stores on Basic, Grow, Advanced, and Shopify Plus plans get 10,000 free emails to send at the beginning of every month.
In 2024, automated emails accounted for 37% of all email-generated sales, despite comprising only 2% of email volume.
Cart abandonment flows recover 5 to 12% of abandoned carts, averaging $5.81 per recovered order.
Segmentation, welcome sequences, and consistent sending cadence are the three highest-leverage actions for Shopify merchants starting out.
What Is Shopify Email (and Shopify Messaging)?
Shopify Messaging, formerly known as Shopify Email, helps you grow your business, drive sales, and stay connected with customers. You can create and send email and SMS marketing campaigns directly from your Shopify admin to share new products, promotions, and updates with your subscribers.
All merchants on Basic, Grow, Advanced, and Shopify Plus plans can use Shopify Messaging. The pricing model is volume-based rather than a flat monthly fee, which makes it cost-effective for smaller stores. After you reach 10,000 free emails, the cost is calculated based on volume.
For merchants just getting started, Shopify's native tool is a solid entry point. It requires no integration setup, pulls your store branding automatically, and lives inside the same dashboard you already use every day. Shopify Email has a feature set built for ease of use with one-click automations, a simple template builder, and basic segmentation.
Step 1: Choose the Right Email Marketing Tool for Your Store
The tool you choose shapes everything from your automation depth to your deliverability. Shopify Email offers ease and affordability for beginners or small businesses that want to launch email campaigns. In contrast, Klaviyo is a more advanced email marketing platform that delivers data-driven tools for merchants ready to scale.
Here is a practical breakdown of the main options:
Shopify Messaging (built-in)
Best for: New stores and merchants who want to get started without extra cost or setup.
10,000 free emails per month
Auto-applies store branding to templates
Basic automation (welcome, abandoned cart)
Limited segmentation and no advanced flows
Klaviyo
Best for: Growing or scaling stores that need deep behavioral segmentation and analytics.
Automations in Klaviyo let you trigger personalized messages for cart and browse abandonment, anniversaries, price drops, back-in-stock requests, low inventory alerts, and more.
Free for sending 500 emails per month to up to 250 contacts. Paid plans start at $20 per month.
Steeper learning curve, but powerful for data-driven teams
Omnisend
Best for: Stores that want email, SMS, and push notifications in one platform without Klaviyo's complexity or price.
For most small to mid-sized Shopify stores, Omnisend is the better fit, offering better value, ease of use, and powerful ecommerce automations out of the box.
Pre-built automation workflows for welcome, cart abandonment, and post-purchase flows
Omnisend's email builder includes ecommerce-specific blocks: product grids, discount code generators, countdown timers, and scratch cards for gamification.
The short rule: start with Shopify Messaging, migrate to Omnisend or Klaviyo once you hit 500 to 1,000 subscribers or need flows beyond what the native tool supports.
Step 2: Build Your Email List
No list, no revenue. Before sending a single campaign, you need a structured system to capture emails at every point where visitors show interest. The most effective list-building strategy for Shopify stores combines multiple touchpoints: a well-timed popup offer for new visitors, embedded signup forms on key pages, a spin wheel for gamified engagement, exit-intent triggers for departing visitors, and post-purchase opt-ins for customers who check out as guests.
Signup Popups
Studies estimate that the average conversion rate of an email signup popup form is 4.01%, though the top campaigns can capture as much as 21% of their target visitors.
Timing matters significantly. Welcome popups appear shortly after a visitor lands on your website, usually after 5 to 7 seconds. This timing gives them a moment to scan the page before considering your offer.
Incentives drive sign-ups. Discounts drive 123% more signups according to Wisepop's study, so offering 10 to 15% off a first order is a proven mechanism. If discounts don't fit your margins or brand, exclusive content, early access, or free shipping all perform well as alternatives.
For gamified list growth, gamified popups achieve 8 to 12% opt-in rates compared to 2 to 4% for standard modal popups, according to data from merchants using spin wheel apps.
Checkout Opt-In
Here is a practical breakdown of the main options:
Shopify Messaging (built-in)
Best for: New stores and merchants who want to get started without extra cost or setup.
10,000 free emails per month
Auto-applies store branding to templates
Basic automation (welcome, abandoned cart)
Limited segmentation and no advanced flows
Klaviyo
Best for: Growing or scaling stores that need deep behavioral segmentation and analytics.
Automations in Klaviyo let you trigger personalized messages for cart and browse abandonment, anniversaries, price drops, back-in-stock requests, low inventory alerts, and more.
Free for sending 500 emails per month to up to 250 contacts. Paid plans start at $20 per month.
Steeper learning curve, but powerful for data-driven teams
Omnisend
Best for: Stores that want email, SMS, and push notifications in one platform without Klaviyo's complexity or price.
For most small to mid-sized Shopify stores, Omnisend is the better fit, offering better value, ease of use, and powerful ecommerce automations out of the box.
Pre-built automation workflows for welcome, cart abandonment, and post-purchase flows
Omnisend's email builder includes ecommerce-specific blocks: product grids, discount code generators, countdown timers, and scratch cards for gamification.
The short rule: start with Shopify Messaging, migrate to Omnisend or Klaviyo once you hit 500 to 1,000 subscribers or need flows beyond what the native tool supports.
Step 2: Build Your Email List
No list, no revenue. Before sending a single campaign, you need a structured system to capture emails at every point where visitors show interest. The most effective list-building strategy for Shopify stores combines multiple touchpoints: a well-timed popup offer for new visitors, embedded signup forms on key pages, a spin wheel for gamified engagement, exit-intent triggers for departing visitors, and post-purchase opt-ins for customers who check out as guests.
Signup Popups
Studies estimate that the average conversion rate of an email signup popup form is 4.01%, though the top campaigns can capture as much as 21% of their target visitors.
Timing matters significantly. Welcome popups appear shortly after a visitor lands on your website, usually after 5 to 7 seconds. This timing gives them a moment to scan the page before considering your offer.
Incentives drive sign-ups. Discounts drive 123% more signups according to Wisepop's study, so offering 10 to 15% off a first order is a proven mechanism. If discounts don't fit your margins or brand, exclusive content, early access, or free shipping all perform well as alternatives.
For gamified list growth, gamified popups achieve 8 to 12% opt-in rates compared to 2 to 4% for standard modal popups, according to data from merchants using spin wheel apps.
Checkout Opt-In
When new customers give you their email address at checkout, that's not the same as signing up for your mailing list since it can only be used for transactional messages. But you can add a dedicated checkbox to tick to sign up for your newsletter as well.
Shopify makes this easy natively. Enabling the marketing consent checkbox at checkout captures high-intent buyers who are already spending money with you.
Embedded Forms
Place inline email signup forms in your footer, on your blog sidebar, after blog post content, and on your about page. These persistent capture points complement popups and catch visitors who dismiss popup offers.
Automations are the engine of email ROI on Shopify. They run without manual intervention and consistently outperform broadcast campaigns on revenue per send. Automated email revenue accounts for 29 to 38% of total email revenue from just 2 to 5% of sends, according to Omnisend 2025 data.
Every Shopify store should have these four flows live before sending any broadcast campaigns:
Welcome Series
Shopify's welcome email sequence is the first interaction you have with your customer. Send welcome emails after a customer makes their first purchase or signs up for your emails. Welcome email open rates reach 52.4%, which is 2.4 times higher than campaign emails, and a three-email welcome series generates 90% more revenue than a single welcome email.
For tactical guidance on structuring this sequence, read our detailed breakdown on welcome email sequence best practices.
Abandoned Cart Emails
According to 2025 data, Shopify abandoned cart emails outperform other cart recovery methods, boasting an open rate of 45%, with 11% leading to abandoned cart recovery. Set your first cart recovery email to send 1 hour after abandonment, a second at 24 hours, and a third at 72 hours with a discount if your margins support it.
Post-Purchase Flows
A Shopify post-purchase email is any email you send after a customer purchases a product. Its purpose is to nurture and retain customers through constant communication using store marketing automation. Use this sequence to request reviews, cross-sell complementary products, and introduce loyalty programs.
Browse Abandonment
Only 21% of stores use browse abandonment flows, despite a $0.73 revenue per email sent figure. This is one of the most underutilized automations in Shopify email marketing. It triggers when a subscriber views a product page but does not add it to their cart.
Step 4: Segment Your List
When new customers give you their email address at checkout, that's not the same as signing up for your mailing list since it can only be used for transactional messages. But you can add a dedicated checkbox to tick to sign up for your newsletter as well.
Shopify makes this easy natively. Enabling the marketing consent checkbox at checkout captures high-intent buyers who are already spending money with you.
Embedded Forms
Place inline email signup forms in your footer, on your blog sidebar, after blog post content, and on your about page. These persistent capture points complement popups and catch visitors who dismiss popup offers.
Automations are the engine of email ROI on Shopify. They run without manual intervention and consistently outperform broadcast campaigns on revenue per send. Automated email revenue accounts for 29 to 38% of total email revenue from just 2 to 5% of sends, according to Omnisend 2025 data.
Every Shopify store should have these four flows live before sending any broadcast campaigns:
Welcome Series
Shopify's welcome email sequence is the first interaction you have with your customer. Send welcome emails after a customer makes their first purchase or signs up for your emails. Welcome email open rates reach 52.4%, which is 2.4 times higher than campaign emails, and a three-email welcome series generates 90% more revenue than a single welcome email.
For tactical guidance on structuring this sequence, read our detailed breakdown on welcome email sequence best practices.
Abandoned Cart Emails
According to 2025 data, Shopify abandoned cart emails outperform other cart recovery methods, boasting an open rate of 45%, with 11% leading to abandoned cart recovery. Set your first cart recovery email to send 1 hour after abandonment, a second at 24 hours, and a third at 72 hours with a discount if your margins support it.
Post-Purchase Flows
A Shopify post-purchase email is any email you send after a customer purchases a product. Its purpose is to nurture and retain customers through constant communication using store marketing automation. Use this sequence to request reviews, cross-sell complementary products, and introduce loyalty programs.
Browse Abandonment
Only 21% of stores use browse abandonment flows, despite a $0.73 revenue per email sent figure. This is one of the most underutilized automations in Shopify email marketing. It triggers when a subscriber views a product page but does not add it to their cart.
Step 4: Segment Your List
Sending the same email to every subscriber is one of the most common mistakes Shopify merchants make. Segmentation lets you send relevant messages to the right people, which directly affects open rates, click rates, and revenue. Campaigns that use audience segmentation see an average revenue increase of 760%.
Practical segments to create in Shopify or your chosen email app:
Purchase history: First-time buyers vs. repeat customers vs. VIPs (3+ purchases)
Engagement level: Active openers (last 90 days) vs. at-risk subscribers (no open in 90+ days)
Product category interest: Based on what pages they browsed or what they bought
Geographic location: For region-specific promotions or shipping thresholds
Acquisition source: Subscribers who joined via popup discount vs. organic checkout opt-in
Increase email engagement by targeting specific customer segments with relevant, personalized content. For example, send product recommendations based on past purchases or location-specific promotions.
With automations live and your list segmented, broadcast campaigns layer on top to drive revenue from seasonal promotions, product launches, and content.
How to Create a Campaign in Shopify Messaging
From your Shopify admin, go to Marketing, then select Campaigns
Click Create campaign and choose Email
Select a template or choose Code your own for a custom design
Personalize the subject line, preview text, or body text using the Personalize icon in the appropriate section, then choose the value you want to personalize and enter a default value if the customer's information is unavailable.
In the To field, select your segment or choose all email subscribers
Choose a recommended send time, powered by Sidekick, to drive higher click-through rates automatically.
Send a test email, review, and schedule or send
Some templates automatically include assets from your store, such as your logo, products, and colors. This saves significant design time for merchants without a dedicated creative team.
Subject Lines Matter More Than You Think
47% of people will open an email based on the subject line, and email subject lines with fewer than 70 characters have the highest open rates. Keep subject lines specific and avoid generic copy like "Check out our sale." For deeper guidance, review these email subject line best practices that boost open rates.
Sending the same email to every subscriber is one of the most common mistakes Shopify merchants make. Segmentation lets you send relevant messages to the right people, which directly affects open rates, click rates, and revenue. Campaigns that use audience segmentation see an average revenue increase of 760%.
Practical segments to create in Shopify or your chosen email app:
Purchase history: First-time buyers vs. repeat customers vs. VIPs (3+ purchases)
Engagement level: Active openers (last 90 days) vs. at-risk subscribers (no open in 90+ days)
Product category interest: Based on what pages they browsed or what they bought
Geographic location: For region-specific promotions or shipping thresholds
Acquisition source: Subscribers who joined via popup discount vs. organic checkout opt-in
Increase email engagement by targeting specific customer segments with relevant, personalized content. For example, send product recommendations based on past purchases or location-specific promotions.
With automations live and your list segmented, broadcast campaigns layer on top to drive revenue from seasonal promotions, product launches, and content.
How to Create a Campaign in Shopify Messaging
From your Shopify admin, go to Marketing, then select Campaigns
Click Create campaign and choose Email
Select a template or choose Code your own for a custom design
Personalize the subject line, preview text, or body text using the Personalize icon in the appropriate section, then choose the value you want to personalize and enter a default value if the customer's information is unavailable.
In the To field, select your segment or choose all email subscribers
Choose a recommended send time, powered by Sidekick, to drive higher click-through rates automatically.
Send a test email, review, and schedule or send
Some templates automatically include assets from your store, such as your logo, products, and colors. This saves significant design time for merchants without a dedicated creative team.
Subject Lines Matter More Than You Think
47% of people will open an email based on the subject line, and email subject lines with fewer than 70 characters have the highest open rates. Keep subject lines specific and avoid generic copy like "Check out our sale." For deeper guidance, review these email subject line best practices that boost open rates.
Sending Frequency
For most Shopify stores, 1 to 3 emails per week works well. Weekly is the minimum for maintaining engagement; more than 4 per week risks increased unsubscribes unless your content is exceptional.
Step 6: Track Performance and Improve
With every campaign sent, Shopify provides detailed analytics on performance, including open rates, click-through rates, and sales generated. These insights are invaluable for understanding what works and what doesn't, allowing you to continuously refine your email marketing efforts.
The metrics that matter most for Shopify email marketing:
Revenue per email (RPE): The clearest signal of campaign quality
Open rate: Benchmark against your industry; ecommerce email open rates rose for the fifth consecutive year, reaching 30.7% in 2025.
Click-through rate: The average marketing email click-through rate was 2.62% in 2024.
Unsubscribe rate: The average ecommerce unsubscribe rate is 0.19%, so aim below that to stay ahead of competitors.
List growth rate: Email lists churn at 22 to 30% annually through unsubscribes and bounces, so you need to capture 2 to 3% new subscribers per month just to maintain net growth.
Use A/B testing systematically. Test one variable at a time: subject lines, send times, CTA copy, or email design. You can improve ROI by implementing conversion optimization strategies, A/B testing subject lines and content elements, experimenting with CTAs, and adding an incentive to your email sign-ups.
Shopify Email Marketing: Native vs. Third-Party Apps
Sending Frequency
For most Shopify stores, 1 to 3 emails per week works well. Weekly is the minimum for maintaining engagement; more than 4 per week risks increased unsubscribes unless your content is exceptional.
Step 6: Track Performance and Improve
With every campaign sent, Shopify provides detailed analytics on performance, including open rates, click-through rates, and sales generated. These insights are invaluable for understanding what works and what doesn't, allowing you to continuously refine your email marketing efforts.
The metrics that matter most for Shopify email marketing:
Revenue per email (RPE): The clearest signal of campaign quality
Open rate: Benchmark against your industry; ecommerce email open rates rose for the fifth consecutive year, reaching 30.7% in 2025.
Click-through rate: The average marketing email click-through rate was 2.62% in 2024.
Unsubscribe rate: The average ecommerce unsubscribe rate is 0.19%, so aim below that to stay ahead of competitors.
List growth rate: Email lists churn at 22 to 30% annually through unsubscribes and bounces, so you need to capture 2 to 3% new subscribers per month just to maintain net growth.
Use A/B testing systematically. Test one variable at a time: subject lines, send times, CTA copy, or email design. You can improve ROI by implementing conversion optimization strategies, A/B testing subject lines and content elements, experimenting with CTAs, and adding an incentive to your email sign-ups.
Shopify Email Marketing: Native vs. Third-Party Apps
Feature
Shopify Messaging
Klaviyo
Omnisend
Free tier
10,000 emails/month
500 emails, 250 contacts
500 emails, 250 contacts
Paid from
Volume-based
$20/month
~$16/month
Advanced automation
Limited
Yes
Yes
Deep segmentation
Basic
Advanced
Moderate
SMS included
No
Add-on
Yes (all plans)
Setup complexity
Low
Medium-High
Low-Medium
Feature
Shopify Messaging
Klaviyo
Omnisend
Free tier
10,000 emails/month
500 emails, 250 contacts
500 emails, 250 contacts
Paid from
Volume-based
$20/month
~$16/month
Advanced automation
Limited
Yes
Yes
Deep segmentation
Basic
Advanced
Moderate
SMS included
No
Add-on
Yes (all plans)
Setup complexity
Low
Medium-High
Low-Medium
The right tool depends on your store's revenue stage. Under $5K per month, start with Shopify Messaging. Between $5K and $50K per month, Omnisend offers the best value. Above $50K or with complex segmentation needs, Klaviyo's depth justifies the cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I do email marketing directly in Shopify without a third-party app?
Yes. You can create and send email marketing campaigns directly from your Shopify admin using Shopify Messaging, and you can also create email marketing automations within it. It is capable enough for most new stores, though it has limited automation depth and segmentation compared to dedicated tools like Klaviyo or Omnisend.
How much does Shopify email marketing cost?
All stores on Basic, Grow, Advanced, and Shopify Plus plans have 10,000 free emails to send at the beginning of every month. After you reach 10,000 free emails, the cost is calculated based on volume. Third-party apps like Klaviyo start at $20 per month and Omnisend at around $16 per month, with both offering free tiers for very small lists.
What email automations should every Shopify store have?
The four non-negotiable automations are: a welcome series for new subscribers, an abandoned cart sequence, a post-purchase flow, and a win-back campaign for lapsed customers. 87% of automated orders stem from abandoned carts, welcome messages, and browse-abandonment emails, making these the highest-priority flows to build first.
How do I grow my Shopify email list fast?
Discounts drive 123% more signups, so a well-timed popup offering 10 to 15% off is the fastest way to grow your list. Combine this with a checkout opt-in checkbox, embedded forms in your footer and blog, and exit-intent triggers for visitors who are about to leave. Stores with email capture popups grow their list 3 to 5 times faster than those relying only on organic opt-ins.
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The right tool depends on your store's revenue stage. Under $5K per month, start with Shopify Messaging. Between $5K and $50K per month, Omnisend offers the best value. Above $50K or with complex segmentation needs, Klaviyo's depth justifies the cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I do email marketing directly in Shopify without a third-party app?
Yes. You can create and send email marketing campaigns directly from your Shopify admin using Shopify Messaging, and you can also create email marketing automations within it. It is capable enough for most new stores, though it has limited automation depth and segmentation compared to dedicated tools like Klaviyo or Omnisend.
How much does Shopify email marketing cost?
All stores on Basic, Grow, Advanced, and Shopify Plus plans have 10,000 free emails to send at the beginning of every month. After you reach 10,000 free emails, the cost is calculated based on volume. Third-party apps like Klaviyo start at $20 per month and Omnisend at around $16 per month, with both offering free tiers for very small lists.
What email automations should every Shopify store have?
The four non-negotiable automations are: a welcome series for new subscribers, an abandoned cart sequence, a post-purchase flow, and a win-back campaign for lapsed customers. 87% of automated orders stem from abandoned carts, welcome messages, and browse-abandonment emails, making these the highest-priority flows to build first.
How do I grow my Shopify email list fast?
Discounts drive 123% more signups, so a well-timed popup offering 10 to 15% off is the fastest way to grow your list. Combine this with a checkout opt-in checkbox, embedded forms in your footer and blog, and exit-intent triggers for visitors who are about to leave. Stores with email capture popups grow their list 3 to 5 times faster than those relying only on organic opt-ins.
