Module 05: Shopify email and SMS retention flows
The cheapest order is the one from a customer who already trusts you.
Shopify email and SMS retention flows are how a store stops paying for the same customer twice.
Quick answer
Every Shopify store needs five automated messages: welcome, abandoned checkout, shipping updates, review request and win-back. Shopify Messaging (formerly Shopify Email) includes 10,000 free emails a month on Basic, Grow, Advanced and Plus. Get clear consent for SMS. Measure repeat purchase rate monthly, and move to a dedicated platform when segmentation outgrows the built-in tool.
Lesson 5 of 8 in our free Shopify guide. Read it in about 10 minutes, then work through the checklist at the end.
Most new stores take months to find steady sales, and some never do. Inventory, platform fees, freight and ad spend are paid by you.
Which Shopify email and SMS retention flows should every store automate?
Five. Set them up in this order, because each one either saves a sale or earns the next one.
| Message | Sent when | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome | Someone subscribes | Says who you are, what to expect and why to buy |
| Abandoned checkout | A checkout is started but not finished | Reminds, answers the likely question (shipping, returns, sizing) |
| Shipping updates | Order shipped, delayed, delivered | Prevents "where is my order?" messages |
| Review request | Some days after delivery | Builds the reviews new visitors need |
| Win-back | A customer has not bought for a set period | Invites a return, with a reason, not only a discount |
What to put in each one:
- Welcome.
Send it within minutes of signup. Say what you sell, why it is different and what the subscriber will hear from you. If you offer a first-order incentive, state its terms plainly.
- Abandoned checkout.
Send the first reminder within a few hours. Answer the question that most often stops a purchase in your store, usually shipping cost, delivery time or returns, rather than opening with a discount.
- Shipping updates.
Shipping confirmation with tracking, a delay note the day you know an order is late and a delivery notice. These are service messages, and they prevent the "where is my order?" emails covered in Module 04.
- Review request.
Send it after the customer has had time to use the product, not on the day it ships. One reminder is enough.
- Win-back.
Time it from your own data: if most repeat buyers come back within 60 days, send it around day 75. Give a reason to return, such as a refill, a new product or a useful guide.
What does Shopify include, and when do you need more?
Shopify Messaging ("formerly known as Shopify Email") added SMS marketing on Dec 10, 2025 (changelog). Stores on Basic, Grow, Advanced and Plus have "10,000 free emails to send at the beginning of every month"; beyond that, $1 per 1,000 emails up to 300,000, $0.65 per 1,000 after 300,000 and $0.55 per 1,000 after 750,000 (Shopify Help Center, read Oct 20, 2026). "SMS marketing is available to select regions" (changelog); Shopify does not name them on that page.
Stores often move to a dedicated platform such as Klaviyo or Attentive when they need deeper segments, more channels or reporting across channels. Klaviyo says it unifies customer data and automates email, SMS, RCS, WhatsApp and mobile push (klaviyo.com, read Oct 20, 2026). Compare the cost at your contact count before switching. Ecom Relays is not paid by and not affiliated with any tool listed. We name widely used tools so you know your options.
How much is a returning customer worth to your store?
More than most owners count, because the second order carries no new ad cost. Work it out with your own numbers.
Worked example (illustrative · sample figures): a store's contribution margin is $12 per order before ads, and a first order costs $15 in ads. The first order loses $3, so 100 new customers cost $300 more than they bring in. If 25 of them buy again within a year through email and SMS, at almost no cost per message, those 25 orders add $300 of margin and the group breaks even. Raise the repeat rate to 35 and the same group is $120 ahead ($420 minus $300). This is why retention comes before more traffic in the Scale guide.
Repeat purchase rate = customers with 2 or more orders in a period ÷ all customers in that period. Measure it monthly from the same date range each time.
Consent and the rules
The US CAN-SPAM Act requires your valid physical postal address, a clear way to opt out and that you honor opt-outs within 10 business days (FTC CAN-SPAM compliance guide, read Oct 20, 2026). Sending only to people who agreed to hear from you is good practice and keeps your list healthy. For SMS, get clear consent for marketing texts before you send any; SMS rules are stricter than email. Shopify says "All messages include built-in safeguards to meet regional compliance" (changelog, Dec 10, 2025), but the responsibility stays with you.
Key takeaways
- Five automated messages cover most of the value.
- Shopify Messaging's free monthly allowance covers many new stores.
- Repeat purchase rate is the retention number to watch.
Do this now
- Turn on the five messages above.
- Add a signup form with clear consent wording.
- Check your sender name, reply-to address and postal address.
- Record repeat purchase rate this month as your baseline.
Tool for this lesson: Shopify Messaging; Shopify Flow for review requests; Klaviyo or Attentive for larger lists; Judge.me or Yotpo for reviews.
Talk it through with an ops lead
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Is Shopify Email free?
It is now called Shopify Messaging. Basic, Grow, Advanced and Plus stores get 10,000 free emails a month; after that it is $1 per 1,000 emails up to 300,000 (Shopify Help Center, read Oct 20, 2026). For many new stores the free allowance covers every campaign and automated message for the first months.
What is a good repeat purchase rate?
It depends on what you sell; a consumable product should repeat more than furniture, and a gift product may barely repeat at all. Track your own rate monthly with the formula above and compare with last month. A rising rate means the flows are working; a falling one is a reason to read your customer messages.
Should I discount in every email?
No. Constant discounts teach customers to wait and lower the margin on orders that would have happened anyway. Use content, reviews, refills and new products, and save discounts for clear reasons such as a seasonal sale or clearing old stock.
Can I send SMS from Shopify?
Shopify Messaging supports SMS marketing in select regions (changelog, Dec 10, 2025); Shopify does not list the regions on that page, so check in your admin. Get explicit consent before sending marketing texts. Keep a record of each subscriber's consent.
When should I move to Klaviyo or another platform?
When you need deeper segmentation, more channels or reporting the built-in tool does not offer, and when the cost at your list size makes sense. Before switching, list the flows you run today, check that you can export your subscribers with their consent records and run both tools side by side for a few weeks.
Do shipping notifications count as retention?
Yes. A customer who was told where their order was, and when, is more likely to trust you with the next order than one who had to ask. Service messages also keep your inbox quieter, which leaves time to answer the questions that lead to sales.
Sources8 sources
- 01help.shopify.comchecked Oct 20, 2026Primary
- 02help.shopify.comchecked Oct 20, 2026Primary
- 03changelog.shopify.comchecked Oct 20, 2026Primary
- 04klaviyo.comchecked Oct 20, 2026Primary
- 05attentive.comchecked Oct 20, 2026Primary
- 06judge.mechecked Oct 20, 2026Primary
- 07yotpo.comchecked Oct 20, 2026Primary
- 08ftc.govchecked Oct 20, 2026Primary
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