Set Up Shopify Email Automation With Klaviyo
Your Shopify store sends order confirmations and that's about it. Meanwhile, customers who abandoned carts, browsed without buying, or haven't returned in months are just... gone. Klaviyo connects directly to Shopify's data and sends targeted, automated emails based on exactly what each customer does in your store.
Tools You'll Need
| Tool | What It Does | Cost | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Klaviyo | AI-driven email and SMS marketing for e-commerce with predictive analytics, behavior-based flows, and deep Shopify integration | Free (up to 250 contacts) / From $20/month | Get it → |
The Walkthrough
Step 1: Connect Klaviyo to Shopify
What to do: Sign up at Klaviyo and install the Shopify integration. Klaviyo syncs your entire store — products, customers, orders, browsing behavior, and cart activity. All historical data imports automatically.
Why you’re doing it: Klaviyo is the gold standard for Shopify email marketing because of its deep data integration. It doesn’t just know who bought — it knows what they browsed, what they added to cart, what they viewed repeatedly, and what they bought last time. This data powers every automation.
What to expect: 10 minutes. Historical data syncs immediately. Real-time tracking starts as soon as the integration is active.
Step 2: Activate Core Email Flows
What to do: Klaviyo includes pre-built flow templates. Activate: Welcome Series (new subscribers), Abandoned Cart (3-email sequence), Browse Abandonment (viewed but didn’t add to cart), Post-Purchase Thank You, and Win-Back (inactive customers). Customize each flow’s content, timing, and design.
Use this prompt to write your Klaviyo flow emails: Ask Claude: “Write a 3-email abandoned cart sequence for a [type of store] selling [product category]. Email 1 (1 hour after abandonment): remind them what they left, use a warm tone — under 100 words. Email 2 (24 hours): highlight a key benefit or address a common objection — under 100 words. Email 3 (48 hours): create urgency with a small offer like free shipping or a 10% discount — under 80 words. Subject line suggestions for each.”
Why you’re doing it: These five flows cover the customer lifecycle. They run 24/7 and typically account for 30–50% of total email revenue for e-commerce stores. Activating them is the single highest-ROI action you can take.
What to expect: 2–3 hours to activate and customize all five flows. Klaviyo’s templates give you strong defaults.
Step 3: Build Predictive Segments
What to do: Use Klaviyo’s predictive analytics to create segments: Expected next purchase date, Predicted customer lifetime value, Churn risk score. Target high-value customers with VIP offers and at-risk customers with win-back campaigns.
Why you’re doing it: Predictive analytics tell you who’s about to buy (send them a nudge), who’s worth the most (invest in retaining them), and who’s about to leave (intervene before they’re gone). This is intelligence most brands don’t have.
What to expect: 20 minutes to create segments. Predictions improve as Klaviyo collects more data from your store.
Step 4: Add SMS for Key Moments
What to do: Enable SMS in Klaviyo and add text messages to your abandoned cart flow (quick reminder) and time-sensitive promotions (flash sales, limited inventory). Collect phone numbers through your checkout and pop-up forms.
Why you’re doing it: SMS gets 98% open rates. For time-sensitive e-commerce messages, nothing gets attention faster. Klaviyo manages both email and SMS in one platform so your messaging is coordinated, not duplicated.
What to expect: 15 minutes to enable and add SMS to existing flows.
Confidence Level
This workflow is Beta — Based on Best Available Knowledge. Klaviyo is the dominant email marketing platform for Shopify stores, used by hundreds of thousands of e-commerce brands.
What to Do If It Doesn’t Work
- Low engagement on flows: Check your email timing and content. Abandoned cart emails should be genuinely helpful (not just “come back”), and welcome emails should deliver immediate value.
- Deliverability issues: Authenticate your sending domain with SPF and DKIM. Klaviyo provides setup instructions during onboarding.
- Need more help? Klaviyo Academy or email us at hello@thenewsbakery.com.