Why Klaviyo?
Klaviyo has become the go-to email and SMS platform for Shopify stores, and for good reason. Its deep Shopify integration means your customer and order data syncs automatically, enabling highly personalised, behaviour-triggered marketing that generic email tools simply cannot match.
Unlike basic email tools, Klaviyo is built specifically for ecommerce. It understands products, orders, customer lifetime value, and purchase behaviour. This means you can create segments like "customers who bought product X but not product Y" or "VIPs who haven't purchased in 60 days" without complex workarounds.
Key Benefits
- •Deep Shopify integration - Syncs orders, products, customers, and browsing behaviour
- •Powerful automation - Build complex flows with conditional logic and branching
- •Advanced segmentation - Target customers based on any behaviour or attribute
- •Revenue attribution - See exactly how much revenue each email generates
- •Email and SMS - Manage both channels from one platform
The platform offers a free tier for stores with fewer than 250 contacts, making it accessible for new businesses while scaling to support enterprise-level operations.
Account Setup
Before connecting to Shopify, you need a Klaviyo account. The setup process is straightforward and takes about 10 minutes.
- 1Create your account
Go to klaviyo.com and click "Sign up". Enter your email, create a password, and verify your email address.
- 2Enter your business details
Add your company name, website URL, and industry. Select "Ecommerce" and "Shopify" when asked about your platform.
- 3Set your sending address
Add your business address. This appears in your email footer and is required by anti-spam laws. Use your registered business address.
- 4Configure your brand settings
Upload your logo, set your brand colours, and choose default fonts. These become defaults for all your email templates.
Domain Authentication (Important)
To ensure your emails reach inboxes rather than spam folders, set up domain authentication. This proves to email providers that you're authorised to send from your domain.
- 1.In Klaviyo, go to Account → Settings → Email → Domains
- 2.Click "Add Domain" and enter your domain name
- 3.Copy the DNS records Klaviyo provides
- 4.Add these records to your domain's DNS settings
- 5.Wait for verification (can take up to 48 hours)
Pro Tip
Complete domain authentication before sending any emails. Without it, your deliverability will suffer and many emails will go to spam. Most domain providers have Klaviyo-specific guides for adding these records.
Shopify Integration
The Shopify integration is where Klaviyo's power comes from. Once connected, it syncs your entire customer database, order history, product catalogue, and real-time browsing behaviour.
Connecting Klaviyo to Shopify
- 1Install from Shopify App Store
In your Shopify admin, go to Apps and search for "Klaviyo". Install the official Klaviyo app and approve the permissions.
- 2Connect your accounts
Log in to your Klaviyo account when prompted. The app will link your Shopify store to your Klaviyo account automatically.
- 3Wait for initial sync
Klaviyo will import your historical data. This includes all customers, orders, and products. For large stores, this can take several hours.
- 4Enable onsite tracking
In Klaviyo, go to Integrations → Shopify → Settings. Ensure "Active on Site" is enabled. This tracks browsing behaviour for triggers like "viewed product" and "added to cart".
Data That Syncs
- ✓Customer profiles - Name, email, address, account creation date
- ✓Order history - All past and future orders with full details
- ✓Products - Your entire catalogue with images and variants
- ✓Browsing events - Viewed product, added to cart, started checkout
- ✓Customer tags - Any tags you've added in Shopify
Pro Tip
After connecting, disable Shopify's built-in marketing emails to avoid sending duplicate communications. Go to Settings → Notifications in Shopify and turn off order confirmations if you want Klaviyo to handle them.
Essential Flows
Flows are automated email sequences triggered by customer behaviour. They run 24/7 without manual intervention and typically generate 30-50% of email revenue for established stores. Here are the flows every Shopify store needs.
Welcome Series
Triggered when someone subscribes to your list. Introduce your brand, share your story, and offer an incentive to make their first purchase.
Recommended structure:
- • Email 1 (immediate): Welcome + discount code
- • Email 2 (day 2): Brand story and values
- • Email 3 (day 4): Best sellers or product education
- • Email 4 (day 7): Social proof and testimonials
Abandoned Cart
Triggered when someone adds items to cart but doesn't complete purchase. This flow typically has the highest revenue per recipient.
Recommended structure:
- • Email 1 (4 hours): Reminder with cart contents
- • Email 2 (24 hours): Address objections, add social proof
- • Email 3 (72 hours): Final chance, possibly with incentive
Browse Abandonment
Triggered when someone views products but doesn't add to cart. More subtle than cart abandonment, but valuable for recapturing interest.
Recommended structure:
- • Email 1 (2 hours): "Still thinking about [product]?"
- • Email 2 (24 hours): Related products or category highlights
Post-Purchase
Triggered after an order is placed. Thank customers, set delivery expectations, and encourage reviews or repeat purchases.
Recommended structure:
- • Email 1 (immediate): Thank you + order details
- • Email 2 (delivery + 3 days): How to get the most from your product
- • Email 3 (delivery + 14 days): Review request
- • Email 4 (delivery + 30 days): Replenishment or cross-sell
Win-Back
Triggered when a customer hasn't purchased in a set period. Re-engage lapsed customers before they forget about you entirely.
Recommended structure:
- • Email 1 (60 days): "We miss you" + what's new
- • Email 2 (75 days): Special offer to come back
- • Email 3 (90 days): Final attempt, stronger incentive
Pro Tip
Klaviyo has pre-built flow templates for all of these. Start with the templates and customise them to match your brand voice and offers. You can find them in Flows → Create Flow → Browse Prebuilt.
List Building
Your email list is your most valuable marketing asset. Unlike social media followers, you own your list and can reach subscribers directly. Here's how to grow it effectively.
Signup Forms
Klaviyo's form builder lets you create popups, flyouts, and embedded forms without coding. Here are the forms that work best:
- •Welcome popup - Appears after 5-10 seconds for new visitors. Offer 10-15% off first order in exchange for email.
- •Exit intent popup - Triggers when cursor moves toward closing the tab. More aggressive offer to capture leaving visitors.
- •Footer form - Permanent signup option for those who prefer not to use popups.
- •Back in stock - Let customers sign up for notifications when sold-out products return.
Form Best Practices
- ✓Only ask for email (and SMS if offering). More fields = fewer signups.
- ✓Make the value proposition clear. "Get 10% off" beats "Subscribe to our newsletter".
- ✓Suppress popups for returning visitors who already signed up.
- ✓Test timing. Some brands see better results with immediate popups, others with delays.
- ×Don't use multiple aggressive popups. One welcome popup is enough.
Segmentation
Segmentation is where Klaviyo shines. Instead of sending the same email to everyone, you can target specific groups with relevant messages. Segmented campaigns consistently outperform broad sends by 2-3x.
Essential Segments to Create
Engaged Subscribers
People who have opened or clicked an email in the last 30-90 days. Your primary audience for regular campaigns.
Criteria: Opened email at least once in last 90 days OR clicked email in last 90 days
VIP Customers
Your highest-value customers. Give them early access, exclusive offers, and special treatment.
Criteria: Total revenue greater than 500 GBP OR order count greater than 3
At-Risk Customers
Customers who used to buy regularly but have gone quiet. Target for win-back campaigns.
Criteria: Placed order previously AND last order more than 60 days ago
First-Time Buyers
Customers who have placed exactly one order. Focus on turning them into repeat customers.
Criteria: Order count equals 1
Pro Tip
Create a "Never Purchased" segment (subscribers with zero orders) and a "Repeat Customers" segment (2+ orders). These two groups have very different needs and should receive different messaging.
SMS Setup
SMS marketing has incredible open rates (98%+) and is perfect for time-sensitive messages like flash sales, back-in-stock alerts, and shipping updates. Klaviyo handles SMS in the same platform as email.
Setting Up SMS in the UK
- 1Enable SMS in Klaviyo
Go to Account → Settings → SMS. Accept the terms and enable SMS for your account.
- 2Choose your sending number
For UK, you'll typically use a shared short code or get a dedicated number. Shared codes are included, dedicated numbers cost extra.
- 3Set up compliance
Configure quiet hours (don't text before 8am or after 9pm), add your company name to messages, and ensure easy opt-out.
- 4Collect SMS consent
Update your signup forms to include an SMS checkbox. You must have explicit consent to send marketing texts.
Best Uses for SMS
- •Flash sales - Time-limited offers where urgency matters
- •Back in stock - Alert customers when their wishlist items return
- •Shipping updates - Dispatch and delivery notifications
- •VIP early access - Give your best customers first look at new products
Best Practices
After setting up Klaviyo, these practices will help you maximise results and maintain a healthy, engaged list.
Email Frequency
- •Start with 1-2 campaigns per week in addition to flows
- •Watch unsubscribe rates. Over 0.5% per email means you're sending too often
- •Engaged segments can handle more emails than cold subscribers
List Hygiene
- •Remove hard bounces immediately (Klaviyo does this automatically)
- •Suppress subscribers who haven't engaged in 120+ days from regular campaigns
- •Run re-engagement campaigns before removing unengaged subscribers entirely
Testing and Optimisation
- •A/B test subject lines on every campaign (Klaviyo makes this easy)
- •Review flow analytics monthly. Look for drop-off points and optimise
- •Track revenue per recipient, not just open rates
