Klaviyo Email + SMS for Shopify: 12 Essential Automation Flows

If you sell on Shopify and you are not driving most lifecycle revenue with automation, you are leaving money on the table. The 2024 Klaviyo benchmarks show average email campaigns generate about 0.11 dollars in revenue per recipient while targeted automations like abandoned cart can reach 3.65 dollars per recipient, which is up to 30x higher according to Klaviyo’s benchmark report analysis. At the same time, the average cart abandonment rate still hovers around 70 percent based on the Baymard Institute’s aggregated research, which makes recovery flows non negotiable. On channel performance, Klaviyo’s 2024 email benchmarks report an average open rate around 40 percent and the SMS benchmarks show average click rates around 11 percent with slightly higher revenue per recipient than email, underscoring how well Klaviyo Email and SMS work together.

According to Klaviyo’s 2024 industry benchmarks, automation is the conversion driven marketer’s secret weapon, and SMS can match or exceed email on revenue per recipient in many verticals. This guide lays out 12 must have Klaviyo flows for Shopify with setups, triggers, proven templates, and performance targets so you can implement confidently.

Before you build: Shopify and Klaviyo setup that prevents headaches

• Turn on Shopify onsite tracking. Klaviyo’s Shopify app embed tracks key behavioral events like Viewed Product, Submitted Search, Viewed Collection, and Added to Cart. The Klaviyo help article on enabling onsite tracking for Shopify explains how to toggle on Track behavioral events and activate the app embed so these events sync to your account.

• Enable Added to Cart for cart recovery. Klaviyo’s abandoned cart guide confirms that Shopify users can trigger flows off Started Checkout or Added to Cart when the Track behavioral events setting is enabled.

• Turn off platform duplicates. Klaviyo’s abandoned cart documentation advises turning off Shopify’s native abandoned checkout emails so you do not double message.

• Get SMS consent right. The Klaviyo SMS compliance guide explains that the TCPA restricts marketing texts before 8 am and after 9 pm recipient time, requires clear opt in language, and notes penalties ranging from 500 to 1500 dollars per violation. The same resource recommends double opt in for SMS where appropriate and reminds you to include automated opt out via STOP.

If you are still standing up your storefront, use our Ultimate Shopify Set Up Guide for a smooth build and then layer these flows in phases. If you need a platform, you can launch quickly with Shopify using this link.

What good looks like: quick benchmarks to track

• Email campaigns: roughly 40 percent average open rate and 1 to 2 percent click rate per Klaviyo’s 2024 email benchmarks.

• SMS campaigns: around 11 percent average click rate and slightly higher revenue per recipient than email as Klaviyo’s 2024 SMS benchmarks show.

• Automations vs campaigns: up to 30x revenue per recipient lift for key flows like cart recovery in Klaviyo’s benchmark analysis.

• Cart recovery opportunity: around 70 percent of carts are abandoned on average according to Baymard’s synthesis of 50 studies.

Use these baselines to sanity check performance as you roll out each automation.

The 12 essential Klaviyo flows for Shopify

1) Email Welcome Series

• Trigger and setup: Use Added to list as the trigger. Klaviyo’s welcome series guide recommends a three message cadence such as immediate, day 3, and day 4. Keep your email welcome separate from your SMS welcome so subscribers can receive both at the right time.

• Template ideas: Email 1 delivers the promised incentive if offered and sets expectations. Email 2 builds brand affinity with story and social. Email 3 showcases best sellers or top collections. For creative direction, see our playbook on building email campaigns that convert.

• Benchmarks to watch: Aim to outperform email campaign averages on click and placed order rate given this audience just opted in. Klaviyo’s 2024 email benchmarks provide the campaign baselines to beat.

2) SMS Welcome Series

• Trigger and setup: Trigger on SMS consent for your primary list. Per Klaviyo’s compliance guidance, the opt in checkbox must be explicit and the program should honor quiet hours and provide STOP to opt out. Keep Smart Sending on for SMS unless the message is time critical.

• Template ideas: Keep copy concise, add a vCard for brand contact info, and deliver a one time code or early access. Avoid stacking multiple texts on day 1.

• Benchmarks to watch: Klaviyo’s SMS benchmarks show average click rates around 11 percent and unsubscribe rates near 1 to 2 percent. Monitor click rate, placed order rate, and opt outs by message.

3) Browse Abandonment

• Trigger and setup: Trigger on Viewed Product. Klaviyo’s browse abandonment guide notes this is a lighter touch than cart recovery and requires onsite tracking to be enabled. Add flow filters to exclude anyone who Started Checkout, Added to Cart, or Placed Order since starting the flow, and set a one hour delay.

• Template ideas: Use a static block with dynamic variables like event.ImageURL, event.Name, and event.URL to show the exact product viewed as Klaviyo’s how to steps outline.

• Benchmarks to watch: Given the intent level is lower than cart, track click rate and revenue per recipient and benchmark against your campaign averages. Expect lower placed order rate than cart but higher than newsletter.

4) Abandoned Cart or Checkout

• Trigger and setup: Trigger on Started Checkout or on Added to Cart for brands that capture that event. Klaviyo’s cart flow guide recommends a first delay of 2 to 4 hours, then a second 20 to 48 hours later. Add the flow filter Person has Placed Order zero times since starting this flow and consider Has not been in this flow in the last X days to avoid over messaging.

• Template ideas: Lead with the cart items using the default dynamic block and include the return to cart link such as event.extra.checkout_url for Shopify. Offer support and social proof in email 1, and test a limited incentive only in the last message to avoid training abandon for discounts.

• Benchmarks to watch: Baymard’s 70 percent abandonment stat sets the opportunity size. Klaviyo’s 2024 data shows abandoned cart flows can reach 3.65 dollars revenue per recipient vs 0.11 dollars for campaigns, so set RPR targets accordingly.

5) Post Purchase Thank You

• Trigger and setup: Trigger on Placed Order with no delay. Keep transactional confirmations in a separate transactional flow following Klaviyo’s transactional email guidelines, and use this message for gratitude and next steps.

• Template ideas: Thank them, explain what happens next, link to order tracking, and invite account creation or a loyalty program. Split messaging for first time vs returning buyers as Klaviyo’s post purchase guide demonstrates.

• Benchmarks to watch: Klaviyo reports post purchase messaging sees a 217 percent higher open rate, over 500 percent higher click rate, and 90 percent higher revenue per recipient than average campaigns. Use those multiples as a sanity check.

6) Review Request

• Trigger and setup: If you use Klaviyo Reviews, trigger on Delivered and time precisely to arrival. Klaviyo’s third party review flow guide suggests triggering on Fulfilled Order if you use an external reviews app and delaying long enough for delivery. Link directly to the reviews section with an anchor like #reviews to reduce friction.

• Template ideas: One clear CTA to Review your purchase, remind what they bought, and set expectations that honest feedback is valued.

• Benchmarks to watch: Track review submission rate and page click through. Expect higher click rates than campaigns since this is a service oriented prompt.

7) Cross Sell and Upsell

• Trigger and setup: Trigger on Placed Order with a delay after shipping so recommendations arrive at a natural time. Klaviyo’s post purchase article shows how to split by first time vs repeat and by order value so VIPs receive higher touch offers.

• Template ideas: Use product feeds for frequently bought together items or curated static picks for higher ticket orders. Test a small incentive for first time buyers only.

• Benchmarks to watch: Monitor revenue per recipient and placed order rate by segment, especially VIPs versus first timers.

8) Replenishment Reminder

• Trigger and setup: Klaviyo’s replenishment guide recommends triggering on Placed Order and filtering to a specific SKU, then timing the first reminder just before the product likely runs out. Example: day 25 for a 30 day supply.

• Template ideas: Show the exact item with a Buy again button and offer subscription options if available.

• Benchmarks to watch: Measure repeat purchase rate and time to repurchase lift for replenishable SKUs.

9) Winback Reactivation

• Trigger and setup: Trigger on Placed Order with a time delay that is a bit longer than your median repurchase cycle. Klaviyo’s winback guide suggests a three email series and cites the classic retention insight that acquisition can cost roughly five times more than retention, referencing Invesp research.

• Template ideas: Email 1 is a gentle check in with new arrivals or best sellers. Email 2 adds light urgency and reminds of benefits. Email 3 is a last chance with preference center and unsubscribe prominence.

• Benchmarks to watch: Track reactivation rate and net revenue per recipient. Keep complaint rates low by including clear opt outs.

10) Back in Stock Alerts

• Trigger and setup: Use Subscribed to Back in Stock as the trigger and insert a Back in stock delay, per Klaviyo’s back in stock documentation. Configure minimum inventory rules and batching so you do not notify more subscribers than you have units. Turn Smart Sending off so alerts never get throttled.

• Template ideas: One message via email and possibly SMS with You asked to be notified and a clear Buy now CTA. Consider adding size or variant in the copy.

• Benchmarks to watch: This is a high intent message. Expect very high click rates and strong revenue per recipient when items are truly scarce.

11) Order and Shipping Updates

• Trigger and setup: Send order confirmations and shipping updates via transactional emails in Klaviyo. Klaviyo’s transactional guidance explains how to request transactional status and why these messages should not contain marketing content. If you send shipping updates via SMS, follow the SMS sending rules and quiet hours from Klaviyo’s compliance page.

• Template ideas: Clean confirmation with order summary, shipping method, tracking link, and support contact. Keep marketing out of transactional messages.

• Benchmarks to watch: Delivery and engagement are more important than conversion here. Track deliverability and time to first open to ensure customers get what they expect.

12) Sunset and List Hygiene

• Trigger and setup: Build a segment of unengaged subscribers based on your cadence, then run a short re engagement series followed by suppression. The Klaviyo sunsetting explainer outlines how to define unengaged cohorts and automate this cleanup with flows.

• Template ideas: A candid We miss you message with an option to stay subscribed for specific content or to opt out. Offer a final incentive only if it aligns with your brand and margins.

• Benchmarks to watch: Track re engagement rate and the health of your list post cleanup. Expect higher open and click rates after removing persistently inactive profiles.

Implementation tips that keep performance climbing

• Respect Smart Sending. Klaviyo’s Smart Sending documentation explains default windows of 16 hours for email and 24 hours for SMS. Keep Smart Sending on across non critical messages so a subscriber is not hit by multiple flows and a campaign in the same day.

• Use on site events for smarter splits. Viewed Product, Added to Cart, and Submitted Search give you rich branching. The Klaviyo guide to enabling onsite tracking for Shopify shows exactly how to turn these on.

• Keep transactional separate. Klaviyo’s transactional email documentation clarifies approval requirements and content rules. Make sure order confirmations and shipping updates are not throttled by Smart Sending.

• Time SMS inside quiet hours. Klaviyo’s US SMS compliance article highlights time of day restrictions and best practices like STOP to opt out and HELP for assistance.

• Test and iterate. Klaviyo’s winback and post purchase articles show good starting cadences. A B test subject lines, time delays, and whether an incentive is necessary in the final touch, then scale winners.

For broader growth systems, see our guide on workflow automation for ecommerce and our email campaign fundamentals. If logistics are slowing your delivery promises, use our fulfillment partner selection checklist to protect post purchase experience. Finally, acquisition fuels these automations, so revisit your social ad creative and your ecommerce SEO foundations as you tune lifecycle performance.

A 30 day rollout checklist

• Week 1: Integrate Klaviyo, enable Shopify onsite tracking, set up email and SMS welcome, and transactional order confirmations. Turn off duplicate platform automations.

• Week 2: Launch abandoned cart, browse abandonment, and post purchase thank you. Add review request timing to match your delivery.

• Week 3: Add cross sell, replenishment for top consumables, and back in stock. Configure batching and minimum inventory.

• Week 4: Launch winback and a basic sunset flow. Review early metrics against Klaviyo’s 2024 benchmarks for email and SMS to find quick wins.

When you are ready to implement, follow our Ultimate Shopify Set Up Guide to get your stack dialed in, then use this page as your build map. If you are starting from scratch, set up your store on Shopify to move fast with best in class integrations.