Is your email marketing platform holding back your growth? What if you could boost your sales simply by switching platforms? Sounds tempting, right? So, it’s worth asking – what’s the best email marketing platform for ecommerce?

You might think a tool like Mailchimp is a safe bet, but it lacks a lot of features that ecommerce businesses really need to grow. And, if you’re using one of these generalist platforms, you might be slowing down your growth without even knowing it.

That’s where Klaviyo (pronounced clay-vee-oh) comes in. Built specifically for ecommerce, Klaviyo tools are unmatched in their ecommerce capabilities. 

Klaviyo isn’t just another cookie-cutter email marketing platform. It’s built from the ground up to tackle the unique challenges of ecommerce. 

Whether it’s growing your email list, keeping your customers engaged, or understanding how your customers shop, Klaviyo’s tools are unmatched.

Most importantly – Klaviyo is the best platform for growing your ecommerce sales.

Let’s dive into exactly why Klaviyo is a game-changer. We’ll show you how it can seriously level up your ecommerce strategy, why making the switch might be the smartest move you’ll make this year, and why it’s hands-down the best email marketing platform for ecommerce. 

Why Email Marketing Matters for Ecommerce Businesses

Email marketing is still one of the best tools out there for driving online sales and keeping customers coming back for more. You’ve probably been told that social media and SEO are what’s important. But, when it comes to generating quick, budget-friendly results, email marketing cannot be beaten!

Email Allows for Greater Personalisation

The beauty of email is it gives you a direct line to your customers. You can send out personal offers, hand-picked product suggestions, or even a simple, “Hey, we miss you!”. 

In fact, it’s that personal touch that keeps customers loyal. For example, research from Salesforce found that 52% of consumers will switch brands, if those businesses don’t make an effort to personalise their communications. 

52% of consumers will switch brands, if those businesses don’t make an effort to personalise their communications. 

Salesforce

Email is More Robust than Other Marketing Channels

Unlike other digital marketing channels – email is super reliable. 

Channels like SEO or paid ads rely on the ever-changing algorithms of ‘Big Tech’. Whereas email marketing is highly resilient to tech updates. We’ve heard countless stories of website traffic grinding to a halt, or ad costs skyrocketing, because of new algorithm tweaks. 

But with email, you’re in control. As long as you maintain a good deliverability score, your emails will reliably land in your customers’ inboxes – no surprises or sudden changes.

Email is More Likely to Be Seen

And let’s face it, emails are way more likely to be seen than that latest social media post or your carefully crafted SEO content you spent hours on. They land right in your customer’s inbox.

Consider that the average social media post might be seen by 4% of your followers. Whereas, email open rates average between 20% to 30%. 

In other words, emails are 5 to 7 times more likely to be seen by your followers.

Emails are 5 to 7 times more likely to be seen by followers, compared to social media posts.

Email Has a Greater Return on Investment 

When it comes to return on investment (ROI), email marketing is the clear front-runner. 

Research shows that for ecommerce brands, email can bring in as much as $45 for every $1 spent. That’s WAY more than what you’d get from paid ads or social media. 

There’s really no debate – email marketing provides the highest return on investment than any other marketing channel. 

This makes it an incredibly cost-effective way to boost profits while keeping your marketing budget in check.

What’s even better? As your subscriber list grows, so does your ROI. With paid ads, costs rise the more people you try to reach. And with SEO, it gets tougher as competitors pile on. But email marketing? It keeps giving you more with minimal extra expense.

Why…? Because sending an email to 1,000 people costs about the same as sending it to 100,000. Every new subscriber adds potential profit while the cost to implement is fairly stable. It’s a win-win – more reach, more return, with little extra costs weighing you down.

Email marketing provides the highest return of investment that any other marketing channels, with ecommerce brands generating $45 for every $1 spent.

The Limitations of General Email Marketing Platforms

Not all email platforms are built the same. Take Mailchimp, for example. Sure, it’s popular, but when it comes to important ecommerce tools, it really misses the mark. 

These one-size-fits-all platforms (like Mailchimp) try to cater to everyone. The result – they don’t have the time to build the sophisticated features that ecommerce stores need. 

That’s where Klaviyo comes in and totally changes the game.

Why Klaviyo is the Best Email Marketing Platform for Ecommerce

Klaviyo was made for ecommerce – period. 

From seamless integrations with platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce to advanced automations that works behind the scenes, Klaviyo gives you everything you need to take your email marketing to the next level and drive more sales. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Klaviyo is the best email marketing platform for ecommerce.

Klaviyo’s Focus on Ecommerce

Klaviyo’s entire focus is ecommerce – nothing else. Their team pours its energy into building features that genuinely help ecommerce businesses thrive. Every tool, every update is designed to help online stores like yours grow stronger and faster.

Other platforms? They try to be everything to everyone, spreading themselves across different industries. The result? They become a jack of all trades, but a master of none.

Klaviyo, though, stays laser-focused on what really matters for ecommerce: getting you more subscribers, more engagement, more insights, and more sales.

Klaviyo’s Deep Integration with Ecommerce Platforms

Integrating third-party tools is often a headache for ecommerce businesses. But with Klaviyo, it’s a breeze. In just minutes (without needing a developer) you can connect Klaviyo to platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce and get things rolling.

And while other platforms may offer surface-level integrations, Klaviyo digs much deeper. It pulls in vital data automatically, from product info to customer behaviour and transaction history, without you having to lift a finger.

In fact, it’s these deep integrations that make Klaviyo the best email marketing platform for ecommerce. Klaviyo is so deeply entwined with your ecommerce store, once you try it, it’s hard to imagine business without it.

Key Ecommerce-Specific Features of Klaviyo

By now, it should be clear that Klaviyo offers a wealth of ecommerce-specific tools. In the following sections, we’ll break down how each feature works and show you why they’re absolute game-changers for your online store.

Click the links below if you want to jump down the page.  

• Advanced Customer Segmentation
• Automated Flows
• A/B Testing
• Advanced Analytics and Reports
• Email and SMS Integration

Advanced Segmentation: Unmatched by Any Other Email Marketing Platform

These days, personalised marketing isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s essential. 

Customers expect emails that speak directly to their interests and needs. If your content isn’t relevant, they’re likely to hit “unsubscribe” without a second thought.

Still sending the same email to everyone? Honestly, that’s not doing your subscribers any favours – least of all your business. 

With Klaviyo’s advanced segmentation, personalising your emails is easy. You can tailor messages based on each customer’s behaviour, preferences, and even what they’ve browsed on your site. 

This kind of personalisation doesn’t just boost engagement — it can seriously increase sales.

In fact, McKinsey found that 76% of consumers are more likely to consider purchasing from brands that personalise their comms, and 78% more likely to make repeat purchases.

The Importance of Granular Data in Segmentation

Klaviyo takes data collection to a whole new level. 

Most platforms give you the basics, but Klaviyo goes deeper—way deeper. It tracks everything: what customers browse, what they add to their cart, and even how long it’s been since they last placed an order. You get the full picture.

This kind of detailed data lets you create super-targeted customer profiles, so you can segment your audience based on almost anything they do. And thanks to all that rich data, building highly-targeted segments is a breeze.

Want to target customers who’ve checked out a product twice but haven’t hit “buy”? Easy.

Want to reconnect with shoppers who haven’t bought anything in six months but are still reading your emails? No sweat.

When your emails feel personal and relevant they perform so much better. 

To put it simply… relevant emails = higher open rates = better engagement = more sales.

76% of consumers are more likely to consider purchasing from brands that personalise their comms, and 78% more likely to make repeat purchases.

McKinsey

Klaviyo’s Predictive Analytics Anticipate Customer Needs

Klaviyo’s predictive analytics take things to the next level. 

With all that data Klaviyo collects, it can actually predict customer behaviour — whether someone’s about to make a purchase, is starting to drift away, or even how much they’re likely to spend next. 

This lets you send exactly the right message at just the right time.

Just a heads-up: to tap into Klaviyo’s predictive analytics, you’ll need at least 500 customers who’ve placed an order and 180 days of order history. But once you’re there, the insights are gold.

Automated Email Flows: Growth on Autopilot

One of Klaviyo’s standout features is its automation. 

With automated flows, you can set up emails to go out based on your customers’ actions – whether they’re signing up for your list, making a purchase, or even just leaving items in their cart.

The best part? It all happens on autopilot. You can connect with your audience at the perfect moment, with the perfect message, all without lifting a finger.

The Importance of Automated Flows in Ecommerce

Automated email flows are a must-have for ecommerce businesses. 

They let you stay in touch with customers at key moments – without the hassle of manually sending every email.

Whether it’s a welcome series for new subscribers, a cart reminder for customers who’ve left items behind, or a win-back campaign for those who’ve gone quiet, these flows run effortlessly in the background, driving sales and boosting loyalty.

And, thanks to Klaviyo’s detailed data tracking, your automated flows can be incredibly personalised. 

For example, you could send customers a gift voucher on their birthday, along with product recommendations based on their browsing history. 

The possibilities are endless.

Key Automations Ecommerce Businesses Should Implement

You can get as complex as you want with automated flows, but there are a few key ones that every ecommerce business should have in place. These foundational flows are crucial for driving results and engaging customers effectively.

• First Order Discount Flow: Offer new subscribers a special discount on their first order to encourage that all-important first conversion.
• Welcome Series: Introduce new subscribers to your brand with a series of engaging emails that build loyalty from day one.
• Abandoned Cart Flow: Send a gentle reminder to customers who’ve left items behind in their cart. 
• Browse Abandonment Flows: Nudge customers who’ve viewed a product but didn’t add it to their cart, giving them a little push toward making a purchase.
• Product Review Requests: After customers receive their order, send a friendly request for a review.
• Win-Back Flows: Reconnect with customers who haven’t shopped with you in a while by offering a special promotion or discount to draw them back in.
• Sunset Emails: Automatically remove inactive customers from your list if they haven’t made a purchase in over a year or haven’t opened an email in six months. This keeps your list fresh and boosts deliverability rates..

Advanced A/B Testing: Optimising Campaigns for Max Growth

If you want to squeeze the most out of your email campaigns, A/B testing is your secret weapon. 

Never heard of A/B testing? Here’s the quick rundown: you send two slightly different versions of your email—version A goes to one half of your list, and version B to the other. Whichever version performs better shows you what your audience prefers.

For instance, you might test two subject lines to see which one gets more opens, or experiment with different call-to-action buttons to see which one drives more conversions.

Run enough of these tests, and you’ll start to uncover what really clicks with your audience. Over time, these small changes can add up to huge improvements in engagement – and of course, more sales.

It should come as no surprise that Klaviyo offers some of the most advanced A/B testing tools available – another reason it’s the best email marketing platform for ecommerce. 

Klaviyo’s Superior A/B Testing Capabilities

Klaviyo’s A/B testing is a game-changer because it’s backed by real science—no more guessing which email version works best. 

The platform uses principles from the scientific method, like statistical significance and confidence intervals, to give you real, data-driven insights. So, when you see improvements, you can trust they’re not just random chance.

You can test just about anything — subject lines, content, images, CTAs, the day of the week, or even the time of day you send an email.

Plus, you’re not limited to testing individual emails. With Klaviyo, you can A/B test automated flows too. That means you can fine-tune the automations that are driving your business forward, even while you sleep.

Advanced Analytics, Reporting, and Benchmarks: Data-Driven Decisions

In the world of ecommerce – data is king. Knowing exactly what your customers are doing—how they engage with your emails and move through your sales funnel—gives you the power to make smarter decisions that boost growth.

That’s where Klaviyo’s advanced analytics and reporting tools come in. They give you all the insights you need to make decisions that grow your business.

From open rates to click-through rates and conversion rates, Klaviyo’s dashboard lays out all the key metrics at a glance. You can even track deeper insights like customer lifetime value, churn risk, and engagement trends over time.

What’s even better? You can customise your dashboard so that the metrics that matter most to you are always front and centre, giving you full control over your data.

Using Klaviyo’s Benchmark Data to Compare Performance Against Competitors

One of Klaviyo’s standout features is its benchmark data. Imagine being able to see exactly how your email results compare to others in your industry.

Whether you’re in fashion, beauty, food, or something else — Klaviyo allows you to measure your performance against similar businesses.

You’ll see how your email compares in terms of open rates, click rates, and even unsubscribe rates. You can also compare revenue stats like revenue per recipient and placed order rates. 

In fact, you can even compare benchmarks for your email automations or SMS marketing too.

So, whether you’re setting up custom dashboards, or digging into benchmark data, Klaviyo makes sure you know exactly where you’re crushing it and where there’s room for improvement. 

It’s just another reason that makes Klaviyo the best.

Email & SMS Integration: Creating a Unified Customer Experience

Klaviyo isn’t just about email. It can seamlessly integrate SMS into your marketing strategy. 

An omni-channel approach (i.e. SMS and Email) ensures your customers have a smooth, consistent experience, whether they’re checking emails or receiving texts.

Yes, email is great for in-depth campaigns. But SMS? It’s unbeatable for quick, direct communication. And, with a 98% open rate SMS is perfect for flash sales. 

Plus, customers often respond faster to SMS, so it’s a great way to make sure they don’t miss important updates that might get lost in their inbox.

Klaviyo’s Seamless SMS Integration Features

Klaviyo’s SMS marketing tools are fully integrated into the platform, allowing you to manage both email and SMS campaigns from a single dashboard. 

You can even incorporate SMS into your automated flows. For example, if a customer has been inactive for a while, you can trigger an SMS offering a limited-time discount to re-engage them.

Worried about SMS regulations? Klaviyo got you covered. The platform helps you stay compliant while growing your SMS list ethically. 

Klaviyo vs Mailchimp: Why Klaviyo is the Best Email Marketing Platform for Ecommerce

While Mailchimp is a popular choice for many businesses, it falls short when it comes to serving ecommerce brands. Klaviyo, on the other hand, was built with ecommerce in mind, and it shows. Here’s how Klaviyo outshines Mailchimp for online stores:

1. Mailchimp has Shallow Integrations 

Mailchimp integrates with platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce, but its data sync is limited. It doesn’t pull in key details like browsing behaviour or real-time purchase history, making personalised marketing a challenge.

Klaviyo’s deep integration, however, pulls in all the data you need—product views, cart activity, and purchase frequency—allowing for much more targeted and effective campaigns. 

With Mailchimp, this level of precision simply isn’t possible.

2. Mailchimp has Basic Automations

Mailchimp’s automation is basic at best, offering simple automations like abandoned cart reminders or welcome emails. But for ecommerce brands looking to grow, this isn’t enough. Mailchimp lacks sophisticated workflows tailored to customer behaviour.

Klaviyo, on the other hand, offers advanced automations like browse abandonment, post-purchase flows, and predictive analytics, helping you engage customers at just the right moments – something Mailchimp can’t match.

3. Mailchimp has Weak SMS Tools

Mailchimp recently added SMS, but it’s bare-bones. You can’t fully sync SMS with email, and features like A/B testing for texts are missing.

Klaviyo’s SMS tools, however, are fully integrated with email campaigns, allowing seamless automation across both channels. You can even run A/B tests on your texts for maximum impact — something Mailchimp doesn’t provide.

4. Mailchimp has Limited Reporting

Mailchimp gives you basic reporting—open rates, clicks, and unsubscribes—but misses out on deeper metrics critical to ecommerce, like customer lifetime value or churn risk (i.e. the likelihood a customer will disengage and eventually unsubscribe).

Klaviyo offers advanced reporting, with detailed insights that show you not just who’s clicking, but who’s buying, how often they return, and which customers are at risk of leaving. That way, you can tailor your efforts to increase engagement, loyalty, and ultimately, sales.

Pricing Comparison: Why Klaviyo is Worth the Investment

Yes, Klaviyo is a little pricier than Mailchimp. But for ecommerce businesses, it’s worth every cent. We’ve seen businesses make the switch and get a return on investment within a few weeks. 

At the end of the day, Klaviyo’s features are built to boost your sales, so you can expect more conversions and higher customer lifetime value.

Consider this – email marketing is the only digital marketing channel that gets more cost-effective as you scale. 

So when you consider the enormous potential of email marketing, it just makes sense to invest in the best email marketing platform for ecommerce. 

Klaviyo might cost a few extra dollars each month, but that investment will pay off quickly. 

Conclusion: Klaviyo is the Best Email Marketing Platform for Ecommerce

To put it bluntly, if you’re using a general email platform like Mailchimp, you’re almost certainly leaving money on the table. Klaviyo’s advanced ecommerce tools are in a league of their own.

Yes, Mailchimp might be cheaper at first glance, but it simply doesn’t have the depth or flexibility ecommerce businesses need to thrive. 

If you want to get more subscribers, more engagement, and more conversions, Klaviyo is easily the best email marketing platform to do that.

So, if you’re serious about growing your ecommerce business, switching to Klaviyo is a no-brainer. Now’s the time to make the switch. 

The Best Email Marketing Platform for Ecommerce: Sign Up for Free

Want to take a closer look at Klaviyo? You can sign up for free – you only start paying when you add 250 subscribers or more.

Or, if you’re looking to hit the ground running, and partner with an email marketing agency, let us help. At Noknok, we’ve dedicated over a decade to mastering ecommerce and email marketing.. We know exactly what it takes to make your email strategy a success—and we’re here to help you get there, fast.

TLDR: There’s really no debate… Klaviyo is the best email marketing platform for ecommerce.