Email marketing delivers an impressive $36 ROI for every $1 spent, making it essential for eCommerce success. For Shopify store owners, Klaviyo for Shopify has become the industry-leading email and SMS marketing automation platform. This comprehensive guide shows you exactly how to use Klaviyo for Shopify to transform your marketing efforts and boost revenue.
What is Klaviyo for Shopify?
Klaviyo for Shopify is an advanced email and SMS marketing platform designed specifically for eCommerce businesses. Unlike generic email tools, Klaviyo integrates deeply with your Shopify store to access rich customer data, enabling highly personalized, behavior-driven campaigns that convert browsers into buyers.
The platform tracks every customer interaction—from browsing behavior to purchase history—and uses that data to send precisely targeted messages at exactly the right moment. This sophistication can dramatically increase conversion rates, customer lifetime value, and overall revenue for your Shopify store.
Setting Up Klaviyo for Shopify: Step-by-Step
Creating Your Klaviyo Account
Start by visiting Klaviyo.com and signing up for a free account. Klaviyo offers a generous free tier with up to 250 contacts and 500 email sends, perfect for new stores getting started without upfront costs.
Installing the Klaviyo Shopify Integration
The integration process takes just minutes:
- From your Klaviyo dashboard, navigate to Integrations
- Search for and select Shopify
- Click Add Integration and you’ll redirect to your Shopify admin
- Review the permissions Klaviyo requests (access to customer data, orders, and products)
- Click Install App
The integration typically completes in 5-10 minutes. Klaviyo immediately begins pulling your historical data, including customer profiles, order history (up to 2 years), product catalog, and future browsing behavior.
Configuring Your Sending Domain
To ensure maximum deliverability and professional branding, authenticate your sending domain:
- Go to Settings > Email in Klaviyo
- Click Add a domain
- Enter your domain (e.g., yourbrand.com)
- Klaviyo provides DNS records (DKIM, SPF, and DMARC)
- Add these records to your domain host’s DNS settings
- Return to Klaviyo and verify the domain
DNS propagation typically takes 24-48 hours. Proper domain authentication significantly improves email deliverability rates for your Shopify store.
Essential Klaviyo Flows for Shopify Stores
Flows are automated email sequences triggered by specific customer behaviors. They generate 30-40% of email revenue while running on autopilot, making them crucial for Shopify success with Klaviyo.
Welcome Series Flow
Purpose: Convert new subscribers into first-time customers
Structure (3-4 emails):
Email 1 (Immediate): Deliver your welcome offer with a warm brand introduction, discount code, and product highlights.
Email 2 (Day 2): Showcase best-sellers with customer reviews and social proof to build trust.
Email 3 (Day 4): Share your brand story or educational content to deepen the connection.
Email 4 (Day 7): Create urgency with a discount expiration reminder.
Abandoned Cart Flow for Shopify
Purpose: Recover lost sales from incomplete checkouts
Structure (3-5 emails):
Email 1 (1 hour): Send a gentle reminder displaying cart contents with product images and prices.
Email 2 (24 hours): Address objections with social proof, free shipping reminders, and trust badges.
Email 3 (48 hours): Create urgency with a limited-time discount (10-15% off) or scarcity messaging.
Email 4 (72 hours): Make a final attempt with stronger value propositions and customer testimonials.
Klaviyo’s abandoned cart flow for Shopify can recover 15-30% of abandoned carts, significantly boosting revenue.
Browse Abandonment Flow
Purpose: Re-engage visitors who viewed products but didn’t add to cart
Structure (2-3 emails):
Email 1 (4-6 hours): Showcase the viewed product with benefits and lifestyle images.
Email 2 (2 days): Add social proof with customer reviews and recommend similar products.
Email 3 (5 days): Offer a limited-time discount or helpful content about the product.
Post-Purchase Flow
Purpose: Build loyalty, encourage reviews, and drive repeat purchases
Structure (4-6 emails):
Email 1 (Immediate): Confirm order with tracking information and set delivery expectations.
Email 2 (Product-dependent timing): Provide usage tips, care instructions, and educational content.
Email 3 (After delivery): Request product reviews with easy one-click options.
Email 4 (2 weeks): Cross-sell complementary products using “frequently bought together” data.
Email 5 (30 days): Send replenishment reminders for consumable products.
Email 6 (45-60 days): Introduce referral programs and loyalty points updates.
Segmentation Strategies for Klaviyo Shopify
Segmentation enables you to target specific customer groups with hyper-relevant content, dramatically improving campaign performance.
High-Value Segments to Create
VIP Customers: Placed Order at least 3 times OR Lifetime Value greater than $500
At-Risk Customers: Purchased once in last 180 days but not in last 90 days
Window Shoppers: Viewed Product 3+ times in 30 days but haven’t purchased
Cart Abandoners: Started Checkout in last 7 days but haven’t completed purchase
Engaged Subscribers: Opened or clicked email in last 30 days
Using Klaviyo for Shopify segmentation can increase conversion rates by 50-100% compared to unsegmented campaigns.
Personalization with Klaviyo for Shopify
Personalization goes beyond using first names. Klaviyo enables deep personalization that makes customers feel you’re speaking directly to them.
Dynamic Product Recommendations
Recently Viewed Items: Remind customers of browsed products in follow-up emails.
Complementary Products: Suggest items frequently bought together based on order data.
Similar Items: Recommend related products based on viewing or purchase history.
Replenishment Reminders: Track purchase dates and send automatic restocking reminders for consumables.
Personalization Variables
Leverage customer data in email content:
- First name, location, and email
- Last ordered product and purchase date
- Lifetime value and predicted CLV
- Browsing history and product preferences
Example: “Hi Sarah, we noticed you loved our Organic Face Cream. Here are some items that pair perfectly with it…”
SMS Marketing with Klaviyo for Shopify
Klaviyo seamlessly combines email and SMS for coordinated campaigns. SMS boasts 98% open rates and 36% click-through rates, making it powerful for time-sensitive messages.
Building Your SMS List
- Add SMS checkboxes to email signup forms
- Create SMS-specific popups with exclusive offers
- Collect at Shopify checkout with incentives
- Promote on social media channels
- Use QR codes for in-person signups
Essential SMS Flows
Welcome SMS: Immediate warm welcome with discount code
Abandoned Cart SMS: Brief reminder 4-6 hours after abandonment
Order Updates: Track order status from placement to delivery
Back-in-Stock: Notify waitlisted customers immediately
Flash Sales: VIP-only urgent promotions with time limits
Use SMS sparingly (2-4 messages monthly) to avoid fatigue and maintain high engagement.
Analytics and Optimization
Data-driven optimization continuously improves your Klaviyo for Shopify performance.
Key Metrics to Track
Open Rate: Industry average 15-25%. Improve with better subject lines and send time optimization.
Click Rate: Industry average 1-5%. Boost with stronger CTAs and better segmentation.
Conversion Rate: The ultimate metric showing percentage who purchase after clicking.
Revenue Per Recipient: Total revenue divided by emails sent—more meaningful than open rates alone.
Flow Performance: Track revenue, conversion rates, and average order value per flow.
A/B Testing Strategy
Test continuously to improve results:
- Subject Lines: Length, personalization, emojis, urgency vs. curiosity
- Send Times: Morning vs. afternoon, weekday vs. weekend
- Content: Short vs. long copy, single vs. multiple products
- CTAs: Different button text and placement
- Offers: Percentage off vs. dollar amount discounts
Document findings and apply learnings to future campaigns for consistent improvement.
Advanced Klaviyo for Shopify Tactics
Predictive Analytics
Klaviyo’s AI-powered features anticipate customer behavior:
Predicted CLV: Identifies likely high-value customers for VIP treatment
Churn Risk: Flags customers likely to stop purchasing for proactive retention
Product Affinity: Predicts which products customers are most likely to buy
Multi-Channel Orchestration
Coordinate email, SMS, and push notifications:
- Customer abandons cart → Send email after 1 hour
- Email not opened after 12 hours → Send SMS
- SMS not clicked after 24 hours → Send push notification
- Still no response → Try different approach later
Integration Ecosystem
Extend Klaviyo capabilities with integrations:
- Reviews: Yotpo, Judge.me, Okendo for automated review requests
- Loyalty: Smile.io, LoyaltyLion for points and tier campaigns
- Quiz: Octane AI, Typeform for zero-party data collection
- Help Desk: Gorgias, Zendesk for customer service coordination
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Over-Emailing: Sending too frequently burns out subscribers. Quality over quantity wins.
Poor Segmentation: Blasting entire lists results in low engagement and high unsubscribes.
Ignoring Mobile: 60%+ of emails open on mobile—always test across devices.
Weak CTAs: Vague calls-to-action confuse recipients. Make desired actions crystal clear.
Not Testing: Assuming you know what works misses optimization opportunities.
Neglecting Flows: Set-and-forget mentality loses revenue. Review and optimize quarterly.
Poor List Hygiene: Keeping unengaged subscribers hurts deliverability for everyone.
Getting Started with Klaviyo for Shopify Today
Implementing Klaviyo for Shopify doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Start with these priorities:
- Week 1: Install integration, configure domain authentication, import existing contacts
- Week 2: Set up abandoned cart and welcome series flows
- Week 3: Create essential segments and launch first campaign
- Week 4: Add browse abandonment and post-purchase flows
- Month 2: Implement SMS marketing and advanced segmentation
- Month 3: Focus on optimization, testing, and advanced tactics
At Ancorrd, we specialize in helping Shopify stores maximize their Klaviyo performance. Our team can handle everything from initial setup to advanced optimization, ensuring you get the best possible ROI from your email marketing investment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Klaviyo cost for Shopify stores?
Klaviyo offers a free plan for up to 250 contacts and 500 email sends. Paid plans start at $20/month for 251-500 contacts with unlimited email sends. Pricing scales based on contact count, with SMS charged separately at approximately $0.01 per message. Most Shopify stores with 5,000 contacts pay around $100-150/month.
Can I use Klaviyo with Shopify without coding knowledge?
Yes, Klaviyo for Shopify requires no coding knowledge. The platform offers drag-and-drop email builders, pre-built flow templates, and one-click Shopify integration. You can set up professional email marketing campaigns and automated flows entirely through the visual interface without touching any code.
How long does it take to set up Klaviyo for Shopify?
The initial Klaviyo Shopify integration takes 5-10 minutes to complete. Setting up your first essential flows (welcome series, abandoned cart, browse abandonment) typically takes 2-4 hours. Most stores can have a fully functional Klaviyo setup running within one week, with ongoing optimization continuing thereafter.
What’s the difference between Klaviyo and Shopify Email?
Klaviyo offers advanced segmentation, behavioral triggers, predictive analytics, SMS marketing, and deep data integration that Shopify Email doesn’t provide. While Shopify Email works for basic campaigns, Klaviyo for Shopify delivers sophisticated automation and personalization that typically generates 3-5x higher revenue per recipient.
How do I improve my Klaviyo deliverability rate?
Improve deliverability by authenticating your sending domain (DKIM, SPF, DMARC), maintaining list hygiene by removing unengaged subscribers, avoiding spam trigger words, personalizing content, segmenting audiences, and sending consistently without sudden volume spikes. Regularly clean your list and implement a sunset policy for inactive subscribers.
Can Klaviyo integrate with other Shopify apps?
Yes, Klaviyo integrates with 300+ platforms including popular Shopify apps like Yotpo (reviews), Smile.io (loyalty), Gorgias (customer service), Octane AI (quizzes), ReCharge (subscriptions), and Judge.me (reviews). These integrations enable coordinated multi-channel marketing strategies.
What open rate should I expect with Klaviyo for Shopify?
Well-optimized Klaviyo campaigns typically achieve 20-30% open rates and 2-5% click rates, significantly higher than industry averages. Automated flows often perform even better, with welcome series achieving 40-60% open rates and abandoned cart flows reaching 35-50%. Performance varies by industry and audience engagement.
Is Klaviyo better than Mailchimp for Shopify stores?
Klaviyo is specifically designed for eCommerce and offers superior Shopify integration, behavioral tracking, predictive analytics, and revenue attribution that Mailchimp lacks. While Mailchimp costs less initially, Klaviyo typically delivers 2-3x higher ROI for Shopify stores through better segmentation and automation capabilities.
Ready to transform your Shopify email marketing? Visit Ancorrd to learn how we can help you implement and optimize Klaviyo for maximum revenue growth. Our experts specialize in Klaviyo for Shopify and can handle everything from setup to advanced strategy development.
