Email marketing delivers the highest ROI of any digital marketing channel — $42 for every $1 spent on average. For Shopify stores, email is your direct line to customers that doesn’t depend on social media algorithms or ad platform changes. This guide covers how to set up Shopify email marketing from scratch, choose the right platform, and build campaigns that generate consistent revenue.
Does Shopify Have Built-In Email Marketing?
Yes. Shopify Email is a native email marketing tool included with every Shopify plan. It allows you to send promotional campaigns, newsletters, and automated emails directly from your Shopify admin. Shopify Email is free for up to 10,000 emails per month (then $1 per 1,000). It’s a solid starting point — but it has limitations in automation depth and analytics compared to dedicated platforms like Klaviyo.
Best Email Marketing Platforms for Shopify
1. Klaviyo — Best for E-commerce Automation
Klaviyo is the industry standard for Shopify email marketing. It captures behavioral data in real time — when someone views a product, adds to cart, or makes a purchase — and uses that data to trigger highly personalized emails. Pre-built flows include: abandoned cart, welcome series, post-purchase, win-back, browse abandonment, and price drop alerts. Free for up to 250 contacts; plans scale with list size starting at $20/month.
Best for: Any store serious about email automation and segmentation. Klaviyo’s data integration with Shopify is unmatched.
2. Omnisend — Best All-in-One Marketing
Omnisend combines email, SMS, and push notifications in one platform, with a visual automation builder that connects all three channels. Strong for multi-channel campaigns — for example: email at 1 hour of cart abandonment, SMS at 6 hours, push notification next day. Generous free plan (500 emails/month). Paid plans from $16/month.
Best for: Stores that want email + SMS + push in one platform at accessible pricing.
3. Shopify Email — Best for Simplicity
If you’re new to email marketing and don’t want the complexity of a full platform, Shopify Email’s built-in tool is genuinely useful. It syncs customer data automatically, offers templates for common campaign types, and covers the basics: newsletters, sale announcements, and post-purchase emails. 10,000 free emails per month makes it cost-effective for small lists.
Best for: New stores building their first email list with simple campaign needs.
4. Drip — Best for Segmentation
Drip positions itself as a CRM + email platform for e-commerce. Its segmentation tools let you slice your audience in granular ways — customers who bought a specific product AND spent over $200 AND haven’t opened an email in 60 days. This depth of segmentation powers highly targeted campaigns that feel personal rather than mass-market. Plans start at $39/month.
Best for: Established stores with large lists who want deep segmentation and CRM features.
How to Set Up Email Marketing on Shopify
Step 1: Choose Your Email Platform
Start with Klaviyo if you’re serious about e-commerce automation. The free tier (250 contacts) is enough to learn the platform before you’re paying. If you want simpler, start with Shopify Email (built-in) and migrate to Klaviyo when your list grows.
Step 2: Install and Connect Your Platform
Install Klaviyo (or your chosen platform) from the Shopify App Store. During setup, grant it access to your Shopify data — products, orders, customers, and events. This integration is what enables behavioral triggers and dynamic product content in emails.
Step 3: Build Your Email List
Before you can email anyone, you need subscribers. Add an email signup popup to your store — offer a 10-15% welcome discount in exchange for an email address. Enable the newsletter signup form in your theme footer. Add a signup link to your checkout page. Set up a “Subscribe for early access to new products” opt-in during product launches. Every new subscriber is a future customer.
Step 4: Set Up Essential Automated Flows
These three automated flows should be configured before your first promotional campaign:
- Welcome series (Days 1, 3, 7): Introduce your brand, share your story, show your best products, include a welcome discount offer
- Abandoned cart (1 hour, 24 hours, 3 days): Recover the 70% of shoppers who add items but don’t buy — see our abandoned cart recovery guide for the full setup
- Post-purchase (Day 3, Day 14): Thank customers, provide care instructions or product tips, request a review, and introduce a complementary product
Step 5: Segment Your List
Don’t send the same email to everyone. At minimum, create these segments: new subscribers (haven’t purchased), one-time buyers, repeat buyers (2+ purchases), VIP customers (top 20% by spending), and inactive subscribers (no open in 90 days). Different messages resonate with each group. Sending a 10% off new customer offer to your most loyal customers who already buy at full price is both wasteful and condescending.
Step 6: Create Your First Campaign
In Klaviyo (or your platform), go to Campaigns → Create Campaign. Choose a template or start from scratch. Add a subject line — the most important element; test 2-3 variants. Write the email body: lead with value (not a sales pitch), show relevant products with images, include a clear CTA button, and keep the email scannable with short paragraphs and visual breaks. Schedule or send immediately.
Step 7: Analyze and Optimize
After each campaign, review: open rate (industry average 20-25%), click-through rate (2-5%), revenue per email, and unsubscribe rate (keep below 0.5%). If open rates are low, focus on subject line testing. If click rates are low, improve your CTAs and email content. If unsubscribes spike, you’re emailing too frequently or with irrelevant content.
Shopify Email Marketing Best Practices
- Email at least twice per month — infrequent emails cause subscribers to forget who you are; frequent emails keep you top of mind
- Personalize using data — “Hey [First Name]” and product recommendations based on purchase history outperform generic emails
- Clean your list regularly — remove subscribers who haven’t opened in 6 months to maintain deliverability
- Include plain-text versions — some email clients block HTML; plain-text fallback ensures delivery
- Use preview text — the 100-character preview after the subject line is wasted space for most stores; use it to extend your subject line’s hook
FAQ: Shopify Email Marketing
What email platform is best for Shopify?
Klaviyo is the top choice for most Shopify stores because of its deep data integration and powerful automation flows. For simplicity and budget, Shopify’s built-in email tool or Omnisend are strong alternatives. The “best” platform depends on your list size, automation needs, and budget.
Is Shopify Email Marketing free?
Shopify Email (the built-in tool) is free for up to 10,000 emails per month on all Shopify plans. Beyond that, it costs $1 per 1,000 emails. Klaviyo is free for up to 250 contacts and 500 email sends per month — then scales with list size. Omnisend offers 500 emails/month free.
How do I collect email addresses on Shopify?
Add a popup with a discount incentive, enable the newsletter form in your theme footer, collect emails at checkout, run social media lead ads, and offer content upgrades (like a style guide or recipe PDF) in exchange for email addresses. The welcome discount popup (10-15% off first order) typically converts 5-15% of store visitors into email subscribers.
How many emails should I send per month to Shopify customers?
A minimum of 2-4 emails per month for list health. Active e-commerce stores typically send 8-12 emails per month (2-3 per week) during peak seasons like Q4. Always monitor unsubscribe rates — if they rise above 0.5% per send, reduce frequency or improve relevance.
What is a good open rate for Shopify email marketing?
Industry benchmarks for e-commerce email: 20-25% open rate, 2-5% click-through rate, 0.1-0.3% unsubscribe rate. Welcome emails typically see 50%+ open rates. Abandoned cart emails average 40-50% open rates. Promotional newsletters average 15-25%. Your rates improve as you segment your list and send more relevant content.
Final Thoughts
Email marketing is the most reliable revenue channel in your Shopify toolkit because you own your list. Social media reach fluctuates, ad costs rise, but an email list is yours. Build it from day one, set up your three core automated flows (welcome, abandoned cart, post-purchase), and maintain consistent communication with your subscribers. The stores generating consistent passive revenue are almost always the ones with mature, well-maintained email programs.
