Shopify Marketing Automation 101: Because You’ve Got Better Things to Do

Let’s be honest, no one starts an online store because they’re excited to manually send welcome emails or copy-paste discount codes for every new customer.

That’s where Shopify marketing automation steps in: to help you run a smoother, smarter business without chaining yourself to your laptop 24/7.

Here’s what we’ll cover in this guide:

• What Shopify automation actually is and how it works
• Must-have workflows, with real examples from different industries
• The best tools to simplify and streamline your marketing
• Step-by-step setup tips to help you launch quickly — without the tech headaches

By the end, you’ll know exactly where to start and how to make automation work for you.

So let’s dive in.

How Does Shopify Marketing Automation Work?

Shopify marketing automation helps you streamline repetitive marketing tasks by setting up systems that run based on customer behavior or store activity. Instead of manually sending emails or segmenting users one by one, automation allows you to create predefined workflows that do the work for you.

Here’s how it works at a basic level:

• Trigger — This is the event that kicks things off. It could be someone subscribing to your newsletter, abandoning a cart, placing an order, or even viewing a product multiple times.
• Condition — These act like filters. For example, you might only want the workflow to continue if the customer hasn’t purchased before, or if their order value is over $50. Conditions help tailor the experience to different customer segments.
• Action — This is what your store does in response. Actions can include sending an email, applying a tag to the customer profile, showing a specific message, or offering a discount.

Good thing: you don’t need to be a developer to make it work. Shopify’s ecosystem includes built-in tools and third-party apps that make setting up workflows surprisingly accessible, whether you’re running a one-product store or a fast-scaling catalog.

Most tools integrate with Shopify in just a few clicks, and they sync your store data automatically, so you can start building powerful automations without worrying about code or setup complexity.

Must-Have Automated Workflows for Shopify Stores

Implementing automated workflows in your Shopify store can significantly enhance efficiency, improve customer engagement, and boost sales.

Here are 13 essential Shopify automations to consider:

1. Abandoned Cart Recovery

Automatically send reminders to customers who add products to their cart but don’t complete the purchase. These reminders can include incentives like discounts or free shipping to encourage conversion.

Use Shopify’s built-in abandoned cart email feature or integrate with apps like Klaviyo for more advanced sequences.

2. Welcome Series for New Subscribers

Engage new email subscribers with a series of welcome emails introducing your brand, highlighting bestsellers, and possibly offering a first-time purchase discount.

Set up this sequence using Shopify Email or a third-party email marketing platform.

3. Post-Purchase Follow-Up

After a customer makes a purchase, automatically send follow-up emails to thank them, provide product care instructions, suggest related products, or request a review. This enhances customer experience and encourages repeat business.

Use Shopify Flow to trigger emails based on order completion.

4. Customer Re-Engagement Campaigns

Identify customers who haven’t made a purchase in a specified period and automatically send them personalized emails with special offers or updates to re-engage them.

Create a workflow that detects inactive customers and triggers a re-engagement email.

5. Birthday or Anniversary Offers

Celebrate customer birthdays or the anniversary of their first purchase by sending personalized messages with special discounts or gifts.

Collect birth dates during sign-up and use Shopify Flow to trigger celebratory emails.

6. Product Review Requests

After a customer receives their order, automatically send an email requesting a product review. This helps build social proof and provides valuable feedback.

Integrate with apps like Yotpo or Judge.me to automate review request emails.

7. Back-in-Stock Notifications

Notify customers who have shown interest in out-of-stock products when they become available again, helping to recapture potential sales.

Use apps like Back in Stock or integrate with Shopify Flow to automate these alerts.

8. Low Stock Alerts

Receive notifications when product inventory falls below a specified threshold, allowing you to restock promptly and avoid stockouts.

Set up this workflow using Shopify Flow to monitor inventory levels and trigger alerts.

9. Hide and Republish Products Based on Inventory Level

Automatically hide products from your store when they go out of stock and republish them when they are restocked, ensuring customers only see available products.

Create a workflow in Shopify Flow that monitors inventory levels and adjusts product visibility accordingly.

10. Order Risk Assessment

Automatically flag or cancel high-risk orders to prevent potential fraud. This workflow assesses orders based on predefined risk criteria and takes appropriate action.

Utilize Shopify’s fraud analysis tools in conjunction with Shopify Flow to automate this process.

11. Customer Loyalty and VIP Recognition

Identify, tag, and segment customers based on their purchase behavior, such as total spend or order frequency, to facilitate personalized marketing and reward programs. Recognize high-spending customers as VIPs and offer them exclusive deals or early access to new products.

Use Shopify Flow to add tags to customers who reach specific spending thresholds, enabling targeted loyalty initiatives.

12. Product Upsell and Cross-Sell

After a purchase, automatically recommend related or complementary products to encourage additional sales.

Use email marketing platforms integrated with Shopify to send personalized product recommendations.

13. Customer Segmentation for Targeted Marketing

Automatically segment customers based on criteria like purchase history, location, or behavior, enabling more targeted and effective marketing campaigns.

Use Shopify Flow to apply tags based on customer actions, then tailor your marketing efforts accordingly.

These workflows don’t just save time — they become a key part of your marketing strategy, helping you engage, convert, and retain customers automatically.

How to Set Up Marketing Automation on Shopify

Getting started with marketing automation is easier than it sounds. Whether you’re using Shopify’s native tools or a third-party platform, setup usually takes just a few steps.

Using Shopify’s Built-In Tools

Shopify Email

1. From your Shopify admin, go to Marketing > Campaigns
2. Click Create campaign > Email
3. Use pre-built templates or create your own
4. Schedule emails or add them to an automated flow

Shopify Flow

1. In your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Apps and sales channels
2. Select Shopify Flow and click Open app
3. Click Create workflow
4. Choose a trigger, add any conditions, then define the action
5. Click Turn on workflow to activate

Using Third-Party Automation Tools

For third-Party automation tools:

1. Go to the Shopify App Store and install the app of your choice
2. Open the app and follow the onboarding prompts
3. Connect your Shopify store during setup — this usually takes one click
4. Sync your customer and order data
5. Start building your flows using the app’s visual builder or pre-built templates

Once connected, these tools continuously pull data from your Shopify store, so your workflows stay up to date automatically.

Best Shopify Marketing Automation Tools

There are hundreds of apps out there claiming to automate your marketing. But when it comes to actually syncing with Shopify, supporting ecommerce-specific workflows, and being easy to use, these ten rise to the top.

Let’s walk through the top picks — then compare them side by side.

1. Klaviyo

Best for data-driven scaling brands

Klaviyo combines advanced email and SMS automation with deep Shopify data syncing. It’s perfect for brands that want control, customization, and performance.

• Syncs with customer, order, and product data
• Pre-built flows for abandoned cart, welcome series, and more
• Predictive analytics and lifetime value scoring
• Seamless integration with Flow, Yotpo, and Judge.me

2. Omnisend

Best for beginner to mid-sized brands

Omnisend offers an intuitive interface for launching email, SMS, and push campaigns — all in one place.

• Easy drag-and-drop automation builder
• Built-in product pickers and discount code tools
• Quick-start templates for ecommerce-specific flows
• A/B testing and pre-built segments

3. Postscript

Best for SMS-first strategies

Postscript is built exclusively for Shopify SMS marketing, offering powerful automation and compliance tools.

• Sends texts based on Shopify events (cart, order, browse)
• TCPA-compliant opt-in management
• SMS-only flows with reply handling
• Great for mobile-first campaigns

4. Shopify Flow

Best for internal store automation

Shopify Flow helps you automate backend tasks without code. Available on Advanced and Plus plans.

• Triggers actions based on store events
• Automates tagging, fulfillment logic, and fraud checks
• Connects with apps like Klaviyo, Gorgias, and Yotpo
• Visual builder with “if-this-then-that” logic

5. Marsello

Best for retention and loyalty programs

Marsello combines loyalty rewards with customer behavior-based marketing.

• Automates points, tiers, and rewards
• Sends emails based on spend or order history
• Connects with Shopify POS and online store
• Easy loyalty + automation combo

6. Yotpo

Best for all-in-one customer engagement

Yotpo rolls reviews, loyalty, SMS, and subscriptions into a single platform.

• Collects and displays reviews automatically
• Runs loyalty campaigns with VIP tiers
• Sends personalized SMS based on customer behavior
• Integrates across marketing and support tools

7. Judge.me

Best for lightweight review automation

Judge.me helps you collect and showcase product reviews with minimal effort.

• Sends post-purchase review requests
• Triggers actions based on review score
• Offers rewards via coupons or integrations
• Pairs well with Klaviyo and Flow

8. Back in Stock

Best for recapturing missed sales

This tool brings customers back when items are restocked — no effort required.

• Adds “notify me” buttons to sold-out products
• Sends alerts via email or SMS
• Recovers lost revenue passively
• Integrates with major ESPs

9. ReConvert

Best for post-purchase upsells and conversion

Turn your thank-you page into a revenue driver with ReConvert.

• Adds upsells, reorders, and birthday capture
• Customizes order confirmation experience
• Works with Shopify Email and SMS tools
• Boosts AOV after checkout

10. Gorgias

Best for automating customer support

Gorgias links support tickets with customer and order data — so reps can move faster.

• Automates replies based on ticket type or tags
• Flags VIPs, repeat buyers, or unhappy customers
• Pulls Shopify data into every interaction
• Works well with review and loyalty apps

Conclusion

Shopify automation gives you something most store owners desperately need: time. Time to focus on strategy instead of sending the same email for the hundredth time. Time to improve the customer experience instead of fixing things manually behind the scenes.

With the right workflows in place, you can recover lost sales, retain more customers, and run your store more efficiently—without hiring more help or adding to your workload.

Start small. Automate one thing that drains your time. Then build from there.

Work smarter not harder! Live laugh love!