Shopify Email Marketing (2026): A Practical Guide for New Stores
How to do email marketing on Shopify: pick a tool, grow your list, set up the three automations that matter first, send campaigns, stay compliant and keep emails out of spam – with real costs.
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Short answer: Start with Shopify Messaging, which is included on paid Shopify plans with 10,000 free emails a month. Add a signup form, switch on a welcome series, abandoned checkout emails and a post-purchase follow-up, then send a regular campaign. Authenticate your sending domain early so emails reach the inbox. Move to a dedicated email tool when automations and segmentation start making real money.
Facts below come from Shopify’s Help Center, Google’s sender guidelines and the vendors’ own pricing pages, checked November 2, 2026.
Step 1: Pick your email tool
| Option | Cost at 1,000 subscribers | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify Messaging | $0 (10,000 free emails/month) | New stores sending campaigns and basic automations |
| Omnisend | $20/month (Standard) | Stores that want ecommerce flows and SMS |
| Klaviyo | $30/month (Email) | Stores that want the deepest data and segmentation |
| GetResponse | $19 Starter; $59 Marketer for abandoned cart | Stores that also run webinars, funnels or landing pages |
| Mailchimp | $26.50/month (Essentials, 1,500-contact tier) | Campaign-focused stores already using Mailchimp |
Swipe to see the full table →
Shopify Messaging needs an active paid plan with the Online Store sales channel and a payment provider; on a free trial you can only send tests to yourself. For the full price list, see Shopify Messaging pricing. Compare tools in more depth: best email marketing for Shopify, Omnisend vs Shopify Email, Shopify Email vs Klaviyo and Shopify Email vs Mailchimp.
Step 2: Grow your list
- Signup form or pop-up on your storefront with a clear reason to join (new products, restock alerts, a first-order offer if you use one).
- Marketing consent at checkout – Shopify lets customers opt in as they buy.
- Only email people who opted in. Bought lists hurt deliverability and break consent rules in many countries – see email marketing laws for online stores.
Step 3: Turn on three automations
Automations do most of the work. Klaviyo reports that flows bring in about 41% of email revenue from just 5.3% of sends (our statistics page has the sources).
- Welcome series – two or three emails introducing your brand and best sellers. Guide: welcome email series for Shopify.
- Abandoned checkout – reminds shoppers who left at checkout. Baymard Institute’s average documented cart abandonment rate is 70.22%, so this is rarely wasted. In Shopify Messaging these emails are always free. Guide: abandoned cart email setup.
- Post-purchase – a thank-you, care tips or a review request a few days after delivery.
Step 4: Send regular campaigns
Pick a pace you can keep – for example, one email every week or two – about new products, restocks, guides or seasonal offers. Watch unsubscribes and spam complaints after each send and adjust. Benchmarks help you judge results: Klaviyo puts a good campaign click rate at 1.69% and a good flow click rate at 5.58%.
Step 5: Stay out of spam
Google’s sender guidelines apply to every store emailing Gmail users:
- All senders: set up SPF or DKIM for your sending domain, and keep the spam rate reported in Postmaster Tools below 0.10% – never 0.30% or higher.
- 5,000+ messages a day: SPF, DKIM and DMARC, plus one-click unsubscribe in marketing emails.
Send from your own domain (not a free Gmail address), and remove contacts who never open.
Step 6: Know when to upgrade
Shopify Messaging is enough while campaigns are most of your email. Consider a dedicated tool when you want more advanced flows, segments based on purchase history, cheaper SMS, or 24/7 support from the email provider. Check the cost at your list size in the email cost calculator and our guide to what email marketing costs a Shopify store.
See GetResponse plansKey takeaways
- Every paid Shopify plan includes Shopify Messaging (formerly Shopify Email) with 10,000 free emails a month – enough to start without another app.
- Set up three automations first: a welcome series, abandoned checkout emails and a post-purchase follow-up.
- Automated flows earn far more per email than campaigns: Klaviyo reports flows bring about 41% of email revenue from 5.3% of sends.
- Gmail requires SPF or DKIM from all senders, and SPF, DKIM, DMARC and one-click unsubscribe from anyone sending 5,000+ messages a day; keep spam rates under 0.1%.
- Upgrade to a dedicated tool such as Omnisend, Klaviyo or GetResponse when automations and segmentation start driving sales.
Frequently asked questions
Does Shopify have built-in email marketing?
Yes. Shopify Messaging, formerly Shopify Email, is Shopify's own app for email, SMS and WhatsApp campaigns and automations. It's available on the Basic, Grow, Advanced and Plus plans with 10,000 free emails a month.
How much does Shopify email marketing cost?
Shopify Messaging is free for the first 10,000 emails each month, then $1 per 1,000 emails. Dedicated apps charge by contacts: for example, Omnisend Standard is $20 and Klaviyo Email $30 a month at 1,000 contacts.
What emails should a new Shopify store send first?
Start with a welcome series for new subscribers, abandoned checkout emails and a post-purchase thank-you or review request. Then add a regular campaign, such as a monthly newsletter or new-product email.
How often should a Shopify store send marketing emails?
There's no single right number. Many small stores start with one campaign every week or two and let automations do the rest, then adjust based on unsubscribes and spam complaints.