How to Set Up Email Marketing for Your Shopify Store

Email marketing is one of the most effective digital marketing channels for e-commerce. This comprehensive guide will show you how to set up a professional email marketing system using Shopify’s built-in tools and understand when you might need additional apps.

Understanding the Email Marketing System Components

A complete email marketing system consists of three essential elements:

1. Forms to capture customer leads – These collect email addresses from your website visitors
2. Automated flows – Email sequences triggered by specific customer behaviors that run on autopilot
3. Campaigns – Regular emails to maintain customer relationships, announce events, promote products, or offer discounts

Let’s explore how to implement each component using Shopify’s tools.

Part 1: Setting Up Email Capture Forms in Shopify

The first step is collecting email addresses through strategically placed forms on your store. Here’s how to set them up:

Planning Your Offer Strategy

Before creating forms, decide what you’ll offer in exchange for email addresses. Simply asking visitors to “sign up for our newsletter” is just fine. There are other CTA that you can consider:

• Discount codes (10-20% off first purchase)
• Free gifts with purchase
• Contest entries
• Exclusive content

Pro Tip: Test different offers over time to see which converts best for your specific audience.

Using Shopify’s Built-in Form Functionality

Shopify includes built-in newsletter signup functionality:

1. From your Shopify admin, go to Online Store → Themes
2. Click Customize on your active theme
3. Add a Newsletter signup section to your desired template
4. Customize the form appearance and messaging to match your brand

For more advanced forms (like popups):

1. Visit the Shopify App Store and search for “popup” or “form”
2. Popular options include Privy, Klaviyo, and Poptin (some offer free plans with limitations)
3. Follow the app’s setup instructions to create your forms

Customizing Your Form Content

For maximum conversion:

• Use a compelling headline (e.g., “Get 10% Off”)
• Add a brief, persuasive description
• Keep form fields minimal – Just email is best; every additional field reduces conversion rates by 10-15%
• Use action-oriented button text (e.g., “Get Your Code” instead of “Submit”)

Setting Success Messages

After someone submits the form, you have two options:

1. Show the discount code immediately in the thank you message
2. Require them to check their email to get the code (this encourages them to open your emails)

The second approach creates more friction but establishes better email-opening habits for future communications.

Mobile Optimization and Legal Compliance

When designing your forms:

• Ensure forms are responsive for mobile users
• Avoid large images in mobile popups as they reduce the available space
• Include clear privacy policy links and consent language to comply with GDPR, CAN-SPAM, and other regulations
• Test your forms on multiple devices to ensure they display properly

Part 2: Creating Automated Email Flows with Shopify Email

Next, set up automated email sequences that trigger based on specific customer actions.

Understanding Shopify Email Availability and Limits

Shopify Email is included with all Shopify plans, with monthly email limits based on your plan tier:

• Basic Shopify: 5,000 emails/month
• Shopify: 20,000 emails/month
• Advanced Shopify: 40,000 emails/month

After exceeding your monthly limit, additional emails cost $3 per 1,000 emails.

Setting Up Basic Automated Flows

From your Shopify admin:

1. Go to Marketing → Automations → Email
2. Click Create automation
3. Choose from available templates based on your Shopify plan

Essential Automated Flows Available in Shopify

1. Welcome Series

• Triggers when someone subscribes through your form
• Send the promised discount code
• Consider adding a second email after 24-48 hours featuring your products

2. Abandoned Cart Recovery

• Automatically reminds customers about products left in their cart
• Typically recovers 10-15% of abandoned carts when implemented effectively

3. Order Confirmation

• Automatically sent after purchase
• Can be customized to include product recommendations and brand messaging

4. Post-Purchase Follow-up

• Sent several days after delivery
• Request reviews, offer complementary products, or provide usage tips

Note: For more advanced automation types (browse abandonment, advanced segmentation, predictive sending), you’ll need third-party apps like Klaviyo, Omnisend, or ActiveCampaign.

Customizing Your Email Templates

For each email in your flows:

1. Edit the subject line and preview text to maximize open rates
2. Use a professional sender email address from your domain (not gmail or hotmail)
3. Modify all template content to match your brand voice and style
4. Add your logo and brand colors
5. Set appropriate conditions and delays between emails
6. Always send test emails to yourself to verify appearance on both desktop and mobile

Part 3: Sending Campaigns with Shopify Email

The final component is regular, consistent communication with your audience.

Types of Campaigns to Send

Mix different content types for better engagement:

• Promotional emails – Announcing sales, new products, or special offers (limit to 20-30% of your emails)
• Educational content – Tips, guides, or resources related to your products
• Engagement emails – Stories, behind-the-scenes, or customer spotlights

Creating a Campaign

1. From your Shopify admin, go to Marketing → Campaigns
2. Click Create campaign
3. Select Email as the campaign type
4. Choose from available templates or start from scratch
5. Customize all content to match your brand
6. Select your audience segment
7. Schedule or send your campaign

Key Tips for Email Marketing Success

1. Maintain consistency – Set a regular schedule for your campaigns (weekly or bi-weekly is often optimal)
2. Segment your audience – Target specific customer groups with relevant content (increases revenue per email by 30-40%)
3. Test different elements – Subject lines, offers, and email designs should be regularly tested
4. Monitor performance metrics – Track open rates (15-25% is average), click rates (2-5% is average), and conversion data
5. Provide value – Don’t just sell; share useful information your customers will appreciate
6. Respect privacy laws – Ensure compliance with GDPR, CAN-SPAM, and other applicable regulations

When to Consider Third-Party Email Marketing Apps

While Shopify Email provides solid basic functionality, consider upgrading to specialized email marketing apps when you need:

• Advanced segmentation capabilities
• More sophisticated automation workflows
• A/B testing functionality
• Browse abandonment recovery
• Advanced analytics and reporting
• Predictive sending or AI-powered optimizations
• SMS marketing integration

Popular options include Klaviyo, Omnisend, ActiveCampaign, and MailChimp, with pricing typically based on subscriber count.

FAQS

Can I use my custom domain email address with Shopify Email?

Yes, you can use your custom domain email address as the sender for Shopify Email. However, you’ll need to verify domain ownership first. Go to Settings → Domains in your Shopify admin and follow the verification process. This increases deliverability and helps prevent your emails from being marked as spam.

Do emails sent through Shopify count against API rate limits?

No, emails sent through Shopify Email don’t count against your store’s API call limits. However, if you’re using a third-party email app that pulls data from your store via API, those data requests may count toward your API call limits depending on your Shopify plan.

Can Shopify Email integrate with my social media advertising?

While Shopify Email doesn’t directly integrate with social ads, you can create custom audiences in platforms like Facebook or Instagram using your email subscribers. Export subscriber segments from Shopify and upload them to your ad platforms to create lookalike audiences or retargeting campaigns.

How do I connect my in-store point-of-sale system with email marketing?

If you use Shopify POS, customer data automatically syncs with your online store database. Create a process for collecting emails at checkout, explaining the benefits clearly. Then create special segments for in-store customers to send targeted campaigns highlighting online exclusives or encouraging them to leave reviews.

Conclusion

Setting up an email marketing system for your Shopify store starts with the built-in tools but may evolve as your business grows. Begin with Shopify’s native email marketing features, then expand your strategy based on results and needs.