Glossary
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email-campaign
E-commerce email campaign: definition, types (promotional, newsletter), differences with automation and transactional, Shopify Email, and key points.
Updated on
June 4, 2026
An email campaign (email campaign, broadcast) is a one-off or scheduled sending of a message to a list or segment of contacts: sales promotions, product launches, editorial newsletters, event invitations. Unlike marketing automation (triggered by behavior), a campaign is initiated manually or scheduled for a specific date. It is a major driver of email revenue in e-commerce.
Summary
Email campaign definition
An email campaign includes:
The concept is best understood by distinguishing several elements: Audience: complete list, segment (buyers, VIPs, FR), exclusion (already promo buyers); Subject line and preheader: hook in the inbox; Content: HTML, images, CTA to the store; Send date/time: immediate or scheduled.
Useful distinctions:
The concept is best understood by distinguishing several elements: Email campaign vs automation/flow: the campaign = one shot (BFCM); the flow = recurring scenario (abandoned cart); Marketing campaign vs transactional email: order confirmed, shipping = transactional; sales = campaign; Newsletter vs promo campaign: newsletter = regular content; promo campaign = targeted commercial offer; Email campaign vs SMS campaign: different channel, similar segmentation logic.
Why the email campaign remains important in e-commerce
Email remains a high-ROI channel for DTC brands: consented audience, personalization, and low marginal cost after building the list.
Its effects can be seen at several levels: Direct sales: clicks to product pages, collections, promo codes; Retention: maintaining the connection between two purchases (CLV); Assisted acquisition: welcome offer converts pop-up subscribers; Cost: no Meta CPM; complements paid advertising; Control: you own the list (customer base), unlike social followers; Seasonality: BFCM, sales, launches.
Without segmentation or GDPR consent, massive campaigns degrade deliverability and domain reputation (spam, unsubscribes). Sending the same promotional message to your entire list might work once, but will erode open rates for subsequent mailings.
Structure and objectives of an effective campaign
Common campaigns on Shopify:
The elements to observe are as follows: Promotion: -20%, free shipping, flash sale; Launch: new collection, pre-order; Editorial newsletter: content + featured products; Reactivation: "We miss you" (one-shot, distinct from the win-back flow); Event: live shopping, open house.
In practice, fashion brand, summer sale campaign. Segment: FR customers who purchased over 12 months, excluding last week's sale purchase. Subject: "Sales -30% | 48h only". CTA collection /collections/soldes. Code ETE30. Sent Tuesday 10 a.m. Results: 42% open, 8% click, 2.1% email conversion → order, €18,400 attributed revenue (UTM email_soldes). Unsubscribes 0.12% (acceptable).
KPIs to track: open rate, click-through rate (CTR), conversions, revenue per recipient, unsubscribe rate, spam complaints.
Email campaign on Shopify
Common tools:
In Shopify, this notably translates to: Shopify Email: native, templates, basic segments, Shopify customer sync (Shopify Help Center); Klaviyo, Omnisend, Brevo, Mailchimp: advanced segmentation, A/B testing, flows + campaigns.
Standard workflow:
The process can be understood as follows: first, Build or choose a template (mobile first); then, Select the segment and exclusions; next, Write the subject line + preheader (A/B test if the tool allows); after that, Add UTMs for analytics; finally, Send a test to yourself, check links and promo codes; then, Schedule or send, monitor for 24-48 hours.
GDPR / EU: explicit marketing consent, unsubscribe link, clear sender identity, privacy policy. No purchasing of email lists. Double opt-in recommended for cold lists. Configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC on your sending domain to reduce spam classification.
Points to consider for improving email performance
Points of vigilance include in particular: Segment: relevant message > raw volume; Short and honest subject line: no misleading clickbait; One main CTA per campaign; Mobile: 60%+ of opens are often on smartphones; Controlled frequency: avoid 5 promos/week (list fatigue); Align website: same offer as email (valid discount voucher).
To watch out for:
Points of vigilance include in particular: Sending the entire list for every promo (unsubscribes); Subject line with "RE:" or fake replies (spam filters); Images only without alt text (accessibility + spam score); Forgetting the plain text version; Confusing a campaign with a flow (cart abandonment must be automated); Ignoring deliverability (unconfigured SPF, DKIM, DMARC).
In brief
Key takeaways: Email campaign = one-off or scheduled sending to an audience; Distinct from automation flows and transactional emails; Levers: promo, launch, newsletter, reactivation; Shopify Email or ESP (Klaviyo, etc.); segmentation + GDPR; KPIs: open, click, revenue, unsubscribed; mobile and deliverability.
Associated terms, FAQ, and useful resources
Associated terms
Marketing automation: flows vs one-shot campaigns.
Transactional email: order confirmations.
Cart abandonment: often handled as a flow, not a manual campaign.
Klaviyo: popular ESP on Shopify.
FAQ
Email campaign or automation: which to choose?
Campaigns for dated promotions and announcements. Automation for repetitive behaviors (cart, welcome). Both complement each other.
How often should you send?
Variable: 1 to 4 emails / month is common in DTC outside of intense promo periods. Monitor unsubscribes and open rates; adjust if they drop.
Is Shopify Email enough?
For getting started and simple campaigns, yes. Advanced segmentation, complex flows, and thorough testing push users toward Klaviyo or equivalent.
How to measure a campaign's revenue?
UTM (utm_source=email, utm_campaign=summer_sales), ESP "revenue attributed" reports, cross-referencing Shopify Analytics sales by channel.
Go further
Sources: Shopify Help Center (Shopify Email), GDPR (marketing consent), deliverability watchpoints (SPF/DKIM).
Enzo
June 4, 2026
