How to Set Up Email Marketing on Shopify (Beginner Guide)

Email marketing returns $36 for every $1 spent.

That figure comes from Litmus's 2023 State of Email report, and it has only grown since. No social media platform, no paid ad channel, no influencer partnership comes close to the ROI that email delivers for e-commerce brands. And for Shopify merchants specifically, email marketing is not just a nice-to-have — it is the infrastructure that turns one-time buyers into repeat customers and window shoppers into paying ones.

Yet many Shopify store owners either never set up email marketing or stop at the most basic level: collecting emails and sending occasional blast campaigns. That barely scratches the surface. The real revenue from email comes from automated sequences — welcome flows, abandoned cart recovery, post-purchase follow-ups — that work around the clock without your involvement.

This guide walks you through everything: choosing the right email platform, building your subscriber list, creating automated sequences, and measuring what works. If you have never sent a marketing email from your Shopify store, you will have a fully functional email system by the end of this article.

What Is Shopify Email Marketing and How Does It Drive Revenue?

Shopify email marketing is the practice of using email automation and campaigns to engage customers and drive sales through your Shopify store. It encompasses subscriber capture, automated sequences (welcome, abandoned cart, post-purchase), and broadcast campaigns — all integrated directly with your Shopify product catalog and customer data.

Email marketing works for Shopify stores because of one fundamental advantage: you own the list. Unlike social media followers (who are subject to algorithm changes) or paid ad audiences (who disappear when you stop paying), your email list is a durable asset that grows in value over time.

Here is why email is particularly powerful for e-commerce:

• Direct access to buyers — Your emails land in the inbox of people who have already shown interest in your products
• Behavior-triggered automation — Send the right message at the right time based on what a customer did (or did not do) on your store
• Product integration — Pull products, images, and prices directly from your Shopify catalog into emails
• Measurable revenue — Track exactly how much revenue each email and automation generates

According to Shopify's own data, merchants using email marketing automation see an average 30% increase in repeat purchase rates compared to those who rely solely on one-time campaigns.

Which Email Marketing Platform Should You Choose for Shopify?

Choosing the right platform is your first decision, and it determines what you can do with email marketing going forward. Here are the three most popular options for Shopify merchants, compared across the factors that matter most.

Shopify Email vs Klaviyo vs Mailchimp

When to choose Shopify Email

Choose Shopify Email if you are just starting out, have fewer than 5,000 subscribers, and want the simplest possible setup. It is free for the first 10,000 emails per month, integrates natively with your store, and requires no third-party app installation. The trade-off is limited automation and segmentation compared to dedicated platforms.

When to choose Klaviyo

Choose Klaviyo if you are serious about email as a revenue channel, plan to build complex automated flows, or want advanced segmentation based on customer behavior. Klaviyo is the gold standard for Shopify email marketing — used by thousands of high-revenue stores — and its Shopify integration is the deepest of any platform. It is more expensive and has a steeper learning curve, but the revenue it generates typically far exceeds the cost.

When to choose Mailchimp

Choose Mailchimp if you sell across multiple platforms (not just Shopify) and need a general-purpose email tool. Its Shopify integration is functional but not as deep as Klaviyo's. For Shopify-only stores, Mailchimp is rarely the best choice. For a detailed head-to-head comparison, read our Klaviyo vs Mailchimp for Shopify analysis.

How Do You Build Your Email Subscriber List on Shopify?

Your email marketing is only as effective as the list behind it. Before you can send a single automated email, you need subscribers — and the method you use to capture them directly affects the quality and engagement of your list.

Popup forms for email capture

Exit-intent and timed popups remain the most effective method for capturing email subscribers on Shopify. A well-designed popup can convert 3-5% of site visitors into subscribers.

Popup best practices:

• Trigger timing — Show after 5-10 seconds or on exit intent, not immediately on page load
• Offer an incentive — "10% off your first order" converts 2-3x better than "Subscribe to our newsletter"
• Keep fields minimal — Email address only for maximum conversion; you can collect name and preferences later
• Mobile-friendly design — Use a bottom sheet or small banner instead of a full-screen overlay on mobile (Google penalizes intrusive interstitials)
• Frequency capping — Do not show the popup again for 7-14 days after a visitor dismisses it

For a complete walkthrough on building effective popups, see our guide to adding popups on Shopify.

Embedded signup forms

Place newsletter signup forms in these high-visibility locations:

• Footer — The standard location that visitors expect; keep it simple
• Blog sidebar or end-of-post — Capture readers who are already engaged with your content
• Account creation page — Add an opt-in checkbox during account registration
• Cart page — Offer email receipt or order updates as a capture mechanism

Landing pages for list building

Create dedicated landing pages for specific campaigns — giveaways, product launches, seasonal events — with email capture as the primary action. These pages work particularly well when promoted through social media or paid ads. Check out our Shopify landing page guide for layout and conversion tips.

List health maintenance

Growing your list is important, but maintaining its health is essential:

• Remove bounced emails — Hard bounces hurt your sender reputation
• Re-engage or remove inactive subscribers — Send a "We miss you" sequence after 90 days of inactivity; remove non-responders after 180 days
• Use double opt-in for non-incentive signups — Reduces fake and mistyped email addresses
• Never buy email lists — Purchased lists violate CAN-SPAM/GDPR and destroy deliverability

How Do You Create a Welcome Email Sequence?

The welcome sequence is your most important automation. It runs immediately after someone subscribes and sets the tone for your entire email relationship. Welcome emails have the highest open rates of any email type — averaging 50-60% according to Campaign Monitor.

The 5-email welcome sequence

Email 1: Immediate welcome + discount delivery (sent instantly)

• Subject: "Welcome! Here's your [X]% off code"
• Deliver the promised incentive
• Brief brand introduction (who you are, what you stand for)
• One clear CTA: shop with your discount

Email 2: Brand story (sent day 2)

• Subject: "How [Brand Name] started"
• Share your origin story or mission
• Build emotional connection
• Include lifestyle imagery, not just products

Email 3: Social proof (sent day 4)

• Subject: "What our customers are saying"
• Feature 3-5 customer reviews with photos
• Include star ratings and specific product mentions
• CTA: explore bestsellers

Email 4: Education (sent day 6)

• Subject: "How to [get the most from your product category]"
• Provide genuinely useful information related to your products
• Position your brand as an expert
• Soft product recommendations woven into the content

Email 5: Urgency (sent day 8)

• Subject: "Your [X]% off expires tomorrow"
• Remind them of the discount
• Show bestselling products
• Create gentle urgency without being pushy

Building your Shopify store's conversion toolkit? LiquidBoost offers ready-to-install code snippets for popups, announcement bars, trust badges, and more — all designed to work alongside your email marketing strategy. Explore the snippet library and see what fits your store.

How Do You Set Up Abandoned Cart Email Recovery?

Abandoned cart emails are the highest-revenue automation for most Shopify stores. They target shoppers who added products to their cart but left before completing checkout — a group that has already demonstrated purchase intent.

The 3-email abandoned cart sequence

Email 1: Gentle reminder (sent 1 hour after abandonment)

• Subject: "Did you forget something?"
• Show the exact products left in the cart with images and prices
• Include a direct link back to the cart
• No discount — many shoppers simply got distracted and will complete the purchase with just a reminder

Email 2: Address objections (sent 24 hours after abandonment)

• Subject: "Still thinking it over?"
• Include the cart contents again
• Add trust signals: shipping policy, return policy, customer reviews
• If you offer free shipping, mention the threshold
• Consider a small incentive (free shipping, 5% off) only if your margins support it

Email 3: Final nudge (sent 48-72 hours after abandonment)

• Subject: "Last chance — your cart is about to expire"
• Create urgency (limited stock, cart expiration)
• Include your strongest discount if you are going to offer one
• Add a customer review relevant to the carted product

Abandoned cart performance benchmarks

For a comprehensive look at cart abandonment strategies beyond email, including on-site tactics like exit-intent popups and trust signals, read our Shopify abandoned cart recovery guide.

How Do You Create Post-Purchase Email Sequences?

Post-purchase emails strengthen the customer relationship and drive repeat purchases. The period immediately after a purchase is when customers are most engaged with your brand — capitalize on it.

Post-purchase sequence structure

Email 1: Order confirmation (sent immediately)

• Shopify handles this automatically, but customize the template to match your brand
• Add product care tips or usage instructions
• Include a "What to expect next" section with shipping timeline

Email 2: Shipping confirmation (sent when fulfilled)

• Again, Shopify sends this automatically
• Customize to include tracking information and estimated delivery date
• Suggest complementary products for their next order

Email 3: Product education (sent 3 days after delivery)

• Subject: "Getting the most from your [product]"
• Tips, tutorials, or care instructions specific to what they bought
• This email builds brand loyalty and reduces returns

Email 4: Review request (sent 7 days after delivery)

• Subject: "How's your [product]? We'd love to hear"
• Direct link to leave a review on the product page
• Consider offering a small incentive (loyalty points, discount on next order) for reviews

Email 5: Cross-sell (sent 14 days after delivery)

• Subject: "Customers who bought [product] also loved these"
• Recommend genuinely complementary products
• Personalize based on their purchase history

For guidance on integrating review collection into your store experience, check out our guide to adding reviews on Shopify.

What Metrics Should You Track for Shopify Email Marketing?

Tracking the right metrics ensures you are optimizing for revenue, not vanity numbers. Here are the metrics that actually matter:

Primary metrics (revenue-focused)

• Revenue per email sent — Total email revenue divided by total emails sent; this is your single most important metric
• Revenue per subscriber — Total email revenue divided by list size; measures list quality
• Conversion rate — Percentage of email clicks that result in a purchase
• Automation revenue share — Percentage of total email revenue from automated flows vs. campaigns; aim for 50%+ from automations

Secondary metrics (engagement-focused)

• Open rate — Percentage of recipients who open the email; good benchmark is 25-35% for campaigns, 40-50% for automations
• Click-through rate — Percentage of openers who click a link; good benchmark is 2-5% for campaigns, 5-10% for automations
• Unsubscribe rate — Should stay below 0.3% per campaign; higher indicates content or frequency issues
• List growth rate — Net new subscribers per month after accounting for unsubscribes and bounces

Tracking setup

For a broader look at analytics setup on your Shopify store, read our Shopify analytics guide.

What Are the Biggest Email Marketing Mistakes Shopify Merchants Make?

Mistake 1: Sending only discount emails. If every email contains a discount, you train customers to never buy at full price. Mix educational content, brand stories, and new product announcements with promotional emails. A good ratio is 60% value-driven content, 40% promotional.

Mistake 2: No segmentation. Sending the same email to your entire list ignores the fact that a first-time visitor, a one-time buyer, and a VIP customer have very different needs. At minimum, segment by purchase history (non-buyers, first-time buyers, repeat buyers) and engagement (active, at-risk, inactive).

Mistake 3: Skipping automations in favor of campaigns. Manual campaigns require constant work and produce less revenue per email than automations. Set up your core automations (welcome, abandoned cart, post-purchase) before spending time on campaigns.

Mistake 4: Ignoring mobile email design. Over 60% of emails are opened on mobile devices. Every email must be readable and tappable on a phone screen. Use single-column layouts, large buttons (minimum 44px height), and concise copy.

Mistake 5: Not cleaning your list. Dead subscribers tank your deliverability. Email providers like Gmail use engagement metrics to decide whether your emails land in the inbox or spam folder. A smaller, engaged list outperforms a large, unresponsive one every time.

Seeds of curiosity: The interplay between email segmentation and on-site personalization is an area where most Shopify merchants have barely scratched the surface. When your email platform knows what a customer browsed last week and your store adapts in real-time to reflect that behavior, the conversion lift compounds in ways that linear thinking does not predict.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does email marketing cost on Shopify?

Shopify Email is free for the first 10,000 emails per month, then $1 per 1,000 additional emails. Klaviyo offers a free tier for up to 250 contacts, with paid plans starting at $20/month for 251-500 contacts. Mailchimp's free tier covers up to 500 contacts. For most stores under $50K/month in revenue, email marketing costs between $0-50/month, making it by far the highest-ROI marketing channel.

How often should I send marketing emails to my Shopify customers?

Send 1-3 campaign emails per week, in addition to your automated sequences. Consistency matters more than frequency — a predictable weekly email builds anticipation, while sporadic sending confuses subscribers. Monitor your unsubscribe rate after each campaign: if it exceeds 0.3%, you are likely sending too often or your content is not relevant enough.

Can I use Shopify Email and Klaviyo at the same time?

Technically yes, but it is not recommended. Running two email platforms simultaneously creates confusion around subscriber management, deliverability, and revenue attribution. Choose one platform and commit to it. If you start with Shopify Email and outgrow it, most platforms offer easy migration tools to transfer your subscriber list and historical data.

What is a good email list size before starting automations?

Start building automations as soon as you have your first subscriber. Automations (welcome sequence, abandoned cart, post-purchase) are triggered by individual actions, so list size is irrelevant — they will fire for your first subscriber just as they will for your ten-thousandth. The common mistake is waiting until you have a "big enough" list, which means months of lost automated revenue.

How do I avoid email marketing going to spam on Shopify?

Authenticate your sending domain with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records (your email platform will guide you through this). Send only to opted-in subscribers. Maintain list hygiene by removing bounces and inactive contacts. Avoid spam trigger words in subject lines ("FREE!!!," "Act Now," "Limited Time"). And most importantly, send content your subscribers actually want to open — high engagement signals to email providers that your messages belong in the inbox.

Keep Reading

• Klaviyo vs Mailchimp for Shopify
• Shopify Abandoned Cart Recovery Guide
• How to Add a Popup on Shopify