For Shopify store owners, the choice of email marketing software can make a significant difference in driving repeat customers, recovering abandoned carts, and boosting revenue. Shopify Email offers a simple, built-in solution, but for growing businesses, third-party providers like Klaviyo, Mailchimp, Attentive, and Customer.io deliver advanced features that optimize and automate customer outreach. In this guide, we’ll break down the features, pricing, pros, and cons of each platform to help you make an informed decision.

Key benefits of email marketing:

1. High ROI: Email generates an average return of $36 for every $1 spent.
2. Customer Retention: Automated campaigns keep customers coming back.
3. Personalization: Advanced tools allow you to send hyper-targeted offers and content.
4. Abandoned Cart Recovery: Automated reminders recover sales you’d otherwise lose.

A well-optimized email strategy integrates directly with your Shopify store data, enabling smarter campaigns and better customer experiences.

Shopify email: The built-in option

Shopify Email is Shopify’s native email solution that lets merchants create, send, and manage email campaigns directly within the platform.

Key Features:

• Ease of Use: Drag-and-drop editor with intuitive features.
• Shopify Integration: Pull product details, images, and store branding automatically.
• Prebuilt Templates: Access professional templates for promotions, new products, and seasonal campaigns.
• Pricing:
  • Free for 10,000 emails/month.
  • $1 per 1,000 additional emails, making it cost-effective for smaller stores.
• Analytics: Basic metrics like open rates, clicks, and unsubscribe rates.

Best For:

Shopify Email is ideal for new or small Shopify stores looking for an affordable, easy-to-use tool to start email marketing.

Third-Party Email Marketing Tools for Shopify

While Shopify Email is simple and budget-friendly, third-party tools offer advanced functionality for scaling businesses. Let’s compare the top contenders:

1. Klaviyo: The Gold Standard for Shopify Merchants

Overview: Klaviyo is the go-to email marketing platform for Shopify users, offering advanced automation, segmentation, and data-driven personalization.

Key Features:

• Shopify Integration: Deep data sync for personalized campaigns.
• Segmentation: Create granular customer segments based on purchase history, behaviors, and demographics.
• Automation: Prebuilt flows for welcome emails, abandoned cart recovery, and post-purchase follow-ups.
• Advanced Analytics: Predictive analytics and reporting on revenue attribution.
• Pricing: Starts at $20/month for 500 contacts.

Best For: Growing and scaling Shopify stores ready to invest in advanced email marketing tools.

2. Mailchimp: A Popular All-Rounder

Overview: Mailchimp is a well-known email marketing platform that caters to small and medium-sized businesses.

Key Features:

• Templates and Campaigns: Drag-and-drop builder with customizable templates.
• Automation: Basic workflows for abandoned cart recovery and welcome emails.
• Multi-Channel: Combine email with social ads and landing pages.
• Pricing: Free for up to 500 contacts, with tiered plans starting at $13/month.

Best For: Shopify stores on a budget looking for simple, easy-to-manage email campaigns.

3. Attentive: SMS-First Marketing With Email Features

Overview: Attentive specializes in SMS marketing but also includes robust email capabilities for merchants.

Key Features:

• Mobile Optimization: SMS-first campaigns paired with email marketing.
• Personalization: Use mobile and email data to drive engagement.
• Automation: Prebuilt SMS and email flows for key touchpoints.
• Pricing: Custom pricing based on SMS/email volume.

Best For: Stores prioritizing mobile-first campaigns and SMS engagement.

4. Customer.io: Customizable Email Automation

Overview: Customer.io is designed for highly personalized, behavior-driven email campaigns.

Key Features:

• Behavioral Targeting: Trigger emails based on user actions.
• API Flexibility: Highly customizable workflows.
• Advanced Segmentation: Use real-time data to create tailored messaging.
• Pricing: Starts at $100/month for up to 5,000 profiles.

Best For: Larger Shopify stores with technical resources to implement advanced automation.

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Shopify Email vs. Third-Party Platforms

When deciding between Shopify Email and third-party platforms, it’s essential to weigh the trade-offs. Shopify Email offers basic email marketing tools built into your Shopify admin, making it beginner-friendly with seamless integration for small stores. However, third-party platforms like Klaviyo, Mailchimp, and Customer.io provide advanced features like segmentation, automation, and detailed analytics, helping growing businesses optimize campaigns for better ROI. These platforms excel at personalizing customer experiences and scaling as your store grows. Below, we compare Shopify Email to leading third-party providers to help you choose the best solution.

Feature	Shopify Email	Klaviyo	Mailchimp	Attentive	Customer.io
Ease of Use	High	Moderate	High	Moderate	Low
Automation	Basic	Advanced	Moderate	Advanced	Advanced
Segmentation	Limited	Advanced	Moderate	Moderate	Advanced
Shopify Integration	Seamless	Deep	Moderate	Strong	Customizable
Pricing	Low	Moderate-High	Moderate	High	High
Best For	Beginners	Scaling Stores	Small Businesses	Mobile-First	Large Stores

Which Email Platform Is Right for You?

• Choose Shopify Email if you’re just starting and need an affordable, simple solution.
• Choose Klaviyo if you want the most advanced, eCommerce-focused email marketing tool.
• Choose Mailchimp if you prefer a user-friendly platform with multi-channel capabilities.
• Choose Attentive if you prioritize SMS marketing alongside email.
• Choose Customer.io if you need complex, behavior-driven automation.

Email Marketing Strategies to Maximize ROI

Each email marketing platform enables unique strategies to help Shopify merchants achieve their goals. Here are key strategies broken down by campaign type and actionable tips for implementation:

1. Abandoned Cart Recovery

Abandoned carts are a goldmine for revenue recovery. Platforms like Klaviyo and Customer.io excel here by automating highly personalized email workflows.

Strategy:

• Timing: Send the first abandoned cart email within 1 hour of abandonment.
• Email Flow:
  1. 1st Email (Reminder): Highlight the abandoned product and include a direct checkout link.
  2. 2nd Email (Incentive): Send a 10-15% discount if the cart remains abandoned for 24 hours.
  3. 3rd Email (Urgency): Use urgency and scarcity with language like “Stock is running low!” (48-72 hours).

Example with Klaviyo:

• Leverage dynamic product blocks to pull abandoned items into the email.
• Include personalized recommendations based on the user’s browsing history.

2. Post-Purchase Email Sequences

A post-purchase sequence improves retention, builds trust, and increases customer lifetime value (LTV).

Strategy:

• Welcome Email: Thank the customer and include care instructions, tracking info, or a loyalty program signup.
• Cross-Sell: Use purchase data to recommend complementary products.
• Follow-Up Review Request: Send a product review or testimonial request 7-10 days after delivery.

Example with Mailchimp:

• Use Mailchimp’s automation builder to create a “thank you” series followed by upsell recommendations.

3. Personalized Campaigns with Segmentation

Sophisticated segmentation can skyrocket engagement by sending relevant emails to the right customers.

Strategy:

• Customer Segments:
  • New subscribers: Send welcome offers.
  • VIPs (frequent buyers): Offer exclusive discounts or early access.
  • Inactive customers: Use re-engagement campaigns like “We miss you!” with a special offer.

Example with Customer.io:

• Use real-time behavior triggers to create segments like “viewed product but didn’t purchase” and send hyper-targeted campaigns.

4. SMS and Email Integration

Platforms like Attentive allow you to combine SMS with email for multi-channel campaigns.

Strategy:

• Abandoned Cart: Send an email first, followed by an SMS with a checkout reminder.
• Exclusive Offers: Promote flash sales via SMS, then reinforce through email.
• Post-Purchase: Use SMS for delivery updates and email for product care guides.

5. A/B Testing for Optimization

Tools like Klaviyo and Mailchimp offer A/B testing to optimize subject lines, CTAs, and content.

Strategy:

• Test Variables:
  • Subject lines: Compare personalized vs. general headlines.
  • Send Times: Test mornings vs. evenings for higher open rates.
  • Content: Compare product-focused vs. discount-focused emails.

Example with Klaviyo:

• Use predictive analytics to understand customer behavior and test messaging at scale.

Key takeaways for Shopify Merchants

1. Start with basic automations using Shopify Email.
2. Upgrade to platforms like Klaviyo for advanced segmentation and revenue attribution.
3. Integrate SMS tools like Attentive for a multi-channel approach.
4. Constantly A/B test to refine your campaigns.

The right strategy paired with the right tools will help you maximize every email sent, driving revenue and strengthening customer relationships.

Align Your Email Marketing with Your Business Goals

Shopify merchants have a wealth of options when it comes to email marketing. Whether you’re starting with Shopify Email or investing in Klaviyo’s advanced features, the right tool will help you build customer relationships, boost retention, and increase sales.

Need help integrating your payment and marketing tools for a seamless customer journey? Bankful helps Shopify merchants streamline payments, build trust, and grow their business.