Klaviyo + Shopify Email Marketing: 5 Essential Automation Flows
The 5 core email flows that will increase your Klaviyo revenue with Shopify integration: cart abandonment, welcome series, post-purchase, winback, and browse abandonment. Setup and copy guide.
Email is the channel with the highest ROI among e-commerce channels. In DTC (direct-to-consumer) brands, a well-built email program can generate 25-40% of total revenue — without ad spend.
Yet most Shopify stores either haven't set up an email program at all, or have limited it to just sending bulk newsletters.
This guide covers the 5 essential flows to build with Klaviyo, the psychological reasoning behind each, and example email copy.
Why Klaviyo?
Klaviyo stands out as the best email/SMS marketing platform for Shopify stores because:
- Deep Shopify integration: Direct access to behavioral data like order history, product views, cart contents
- Powerful segmentation: Can create complex segments like "Placed 2+ orders in the last 90 days with average cart value over $50"
- Revenue attribution: Directly shows revenue generated by each flow
Klaviyo + Shopify Setup
Integration Steps
- Create an account at Klaviyo.com
- "Integrations" → "Shopify" → Enter your store URL
- Approve the Klaviyo app in Shopify
- Critical: Turn on "Active on Site" tracking — this allows you to match website behavior with email
Conversion Tracking Setup
To understand which email Klaviyo is attributing which sales to, set your attribution window:
- Post-email open purchase window: 5 days
- Post-email click purchase window: 7 days
These windows give realistic attribution — if you set them too long, you'll count sales that email had no effect on.
Flow 1: Welcome Series
Trigger: New newsletter subscriber
Goal: Introduce new subscriber to the brand story, guide toward first purchase
Recommended Structure
| Timing | Subject | Content | |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Immediately | Welcome + first order discount | Brand story, value proposition, 10-15% code |
| #2 | 2 days later | Our bestsellers | 3-5 product showcase, social proof |
| #3 | 4 days later | [Name], we have something special for you | Code reminder + expiry date (scarcity) |
| #4 | 7 days later | Here's what our customers say | Customer reviews + last chance CTA |
Email #1 copy example:
Subject: Great to meet you, [Name] 👋
[Name],
Welcome to [Brand Name].
We [summarize brand identity in 1-2 sentences]. Every product [core value proposition].
A small welcome gift: 10% off your first order.
Code: WELCOME10
(Valid for 7 days)
[Browse bestsellers →]
Giving a discount code in the welcome series isn't mandatory. Some brands achieve higher LTV (lifetime value) with discount-free, story-focused series because they don't create discount expectations. Decide based on your margin and pricing strategy.
Flow 2: Cart Abandonment
Trigger: Product added to cart but no purchase within 1 hour
Goal: Recover buyers who abandoned mid-purchase
Reality: 70% of all carts are abandoned. This flow can recover 5-15% of those who left.
Recommended Structure
| Timing | Approach | |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | 1 hour later | Gentle reminder, product visual |
| #2 | 24 hours later | Social proof + objection handling |
| #3 | 72 hours later | Scarcity/stock alert or discount |
Email #1 copy example (no discount, curiosity-driven):
Subject: You left something behind
[Name],
There's a product in your cart that's been catching your eye.
[Product Name] — [product's main benefit, 1 sentence]
[Product visual]
[Complete Your Order →]
Have a question? Reach out to us and we'll reply in minutes.
Email #3 copy example (scarcity):
Subject: [Name], your cart item is running low
[Product Name] is a bestseller — only [stock count] units left right now.
47 people bought this product this week.
[Secure Yours Now →]
Don't use fake stock numbers. "Only 2 left" is powerful when there really are 2 in stock; but if you write it when you actually have 500 and the customer notices, you permanently lose their trust.
Flow 3: Post-Purchase Flow
Trigger: Order completed
Goal: Customer satisfaction → review → repeat purchase
This is the most neglected flow. Yet acquiring a new customer costs 5-7x more than retaining an existing one.
Recommended Structure
| Timing | Purpose | |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Immediately (order confirmation) | Confirming purchase decision |
| #2 | Shipping day | Shipment tracking + building excitement |
| #3 | Delivery + 3 days | How's the product? Usage tip |
| #4 | Delivery + 7 days | Review request |
| #5 | Delivery + 30 days | Complementary product recommendation (upsell) |
Email #3 copy example (customer success):
Subject: [Name], how to get the most from your product
Your order has been delivered — we hope you love it!
3 tips for getting the best results from [Product Name]:
1. [Tip 1]
2. [Tip 2]
3. [Tip 3]
Have a question? We're here to answer.
Email #4 copy example (review request):
Subject: Do you have 30 seconds?
[Name],
You've been using [Product Name] for a week now.
How was your experience? A 30-second review helps other customers make the right decision.
[Write a Review →]
As a thank you, 10% off your next order.
Flow 4: Win-Back Flow
Trigger: 60-120 days since last order
Goal: Reactivate inactive customers
Inactive customer ≠ lost customer. This person purchased once — their likelihood of purchasing again is much higher than a cold audience.
Recommended Structure
| Timing | Approach | |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Day 60 | "We miss you" + update |
| #2 | Day 70 | "Just for you" discount offer |
| #3 | Day 80 | Last chance message |
| #4 | Day 90 | "Should we stop sending?" (permission reset) |
Email #4 copy example (last chance):
Subject: This might be our last email
[Name],
We haven't been in touch for a while. We'd love to have you back, but we also don't want to bother you unnecessarily.
Do you still want to hear from us?
[Yes, I want to keep receiving emails →]
[No, unsubscribe →]
If you don't respond, we'll remove you from our list. This is to ensure our emails are only for those who are genuinely interested.
Flow 5: Browse Abandonment
Trigger: Visitor viewed a product page but didn't add to cart (and is an email subscriber)
Goal: Bring back users who showed interest but didn't take action
Timing: 24 hours later, a single email is sufficient
Copy example:
Subject: We noticed you were looking at [Product Name]
[Name],
You checked out [Product Name]. Good eye — here's what you should know about this product:
✓ [Key feature 1]
✓ [Key feature 2]
✓ [Social proof: X people bought this month]
Have a question? We're here to answer.
[View Product →]
Segmentation: Getting More from Emails
In addition to flows, send segmented campaigns:
| Segment | Criteria | Campaign Type |
|---|---|---|
| VIP Customers | 3+ orders or $150+ spend | Early access, exclusive offer |
| Single Buyers | 1 order, 60+ days ago | Win-back + complementary product |
| High Cart Value | $50+ cart, abandoned | Special discount |
| Category Buyers | Purchased from X category | Y category recommendation |
Interpreting Email Metrics
| Metric | Good Benchmark | Improvement Action |
|---|---|---|
| Open Rate | 25-40% | Subject line A/B test |
| Click Rate | 2-5% | CTA clarity, visuals |
| Conversion Rate | 1-3% | Landing page alignment |
| Unsubscribe Rate | Below 0.5% | Send frequency and content relevance |
| Spam Complaint | Below 0.1% | List hygiene, permission marketing |
Summary: 5 Steps to Maximize Email Revenue
- Set up Klaviyo + Shopify integration — "Active on Site" tracking is essential
- Build the 5 flows in order — Cart abandonment first, then others
- Add at least 3 emails to each flow — Single-email flows perform poorly
- A/B test subject lines — Open rate comes before everything else
- Clean your list — Remove inactive subscribers every 6 months to protect deliverability
Need support on this topic? Get in touch