Glossary
What is an email campaign? E-commerce definition
June 4, 2026
An email campaign (email campaign, broadcast) is a one-off or scheduled sending of a message to a list or a segment of contacts: sales promotion, product launch, editorial newsletter, event invitation. Unlike marketing automation (triggered by a behavior), the campaign is initiated manually or scheduled for a specific date. It is a major driver of email revenue in e-commerce.
Summary
Definition of an email campaign
An email campaign includes:
The concept is best understood by distinguishing several elements: Audience: complete list, segment (buyers, VIP, FR), exclusion (already promo buyers); Subject and preheader: hook in the inbox; Content: HTML, images, CTA to shop; Date/time of sending: immediate or scheduled.
Useful distinctions:
The concept is best understood by distinguishing several elements: Email campaign vs. automation / flow: the campaign = a single shot (BFCM); the flow = recurring scenario (abandoned cart); Marketing campaign vs. transactional email: confirmed order, 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 once the list is captured.
Its effects can be seen at multiple levels: Direct Revenue: clicks to product pages, collections, promo codes; Retention: keeping the connection between two purchases (CLV); Assisted Acquisition: welcome offers convert pop-up subscribers; Cost: no Meta CPM; complements paid advertising; Control: you own the list (customer database), unlike social followers; Seasonality: BFCM, sales, launches.
Without segmentation or GDPR consent, massive campaigns damage deliverability and domain reputation (spam, unsubscribes). The same promotional message sent to the entire list might work once, but will erode the open rates of subsequent mailings.
Structure and objectives of an effective campaign
Current campaigns on Shopify:
The elements to observe are as follows: Promotion: -20%, free shipping, flash sale; Launch: new collection, pre-order; Editorial Newsletter: content + highlighted products; Reactivation: "We miss you" (one-shot, distinct from the win-back flow); Event: live shopping, open house.
In practice, fashion brand, summer sales campaign. Segment: FR customers who have purchased within 12 months, excluding sales purchases from last week. Subject: "Sales -30% | 48h only". CTA collection /collections/sales. Code ETE30. Sent Tuesday 10:00 AM. Results: 42% open rate, 8% click rate, 2.1% email to order conversion, €18,400 attributed revenue (UTM email_soldes). Unsubscribe rate 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 is notably translated by: Shopify Email: native, templates, basic segments, Shopify customer sync (Shopify Help Center); Klaviyo, Omnisend, Brevo, Mailchimp: advanced segmentation, A/B testing, flows + campaigns.
Typical workflow:
The process can be read as follows: first Build or choose template (mobile first); then Select segment and exclusions; next Write subject line + preheader (A/B test if the tool allows it); after that Add UTMs for analytics; finally Send a test to yourself, check links and promo code; 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 limit spam classification.
Key focus areas to improve email performance
Points of vigilance include: 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 coupon).
To monitor:
Points of vigilance include: Sending to the whole list for every promo (unsubscribes); "RE:" subject lines 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 reminders must be automated); Ignoring deliverability (unconfigured SPF, DKIM, DMARC).
In brief
Key takeaways: Email campaign = one-off or scheduled broadcast 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, unsubscribes; mobile and deliverability.
Related terms, FAQ, and useful resources
Related terms
Marketing automation: flows vs. one-shot campaigns.
Transactional email: order confirmations.
Cart abandonment: often handled in a flow, not a manual campaign.
Klaviyo: popular ESP on Shopify.
FAQ
Email campaign or automation: which one to choose?
Campaigns for dated promotions and announcements. Automation for repetitive behaviors (cart, welcome). The two complement each other.
How often should you send?
Variable: 1 to 4 emails / month is common in DTC outside of intense promotional periods. Monitor unsubscribes and opens; adjust if there is a drop.
Is Shopify Email enough?
To start and for simple campaigns, yes. Advanced segmentation, complex flows, and push testing drive users towards Klaviyo or equivalent.
How to measure the revenue of a campaign?
UTM (utm_source=email, utm_campaign=soldes_ete), ESP "revenue attributed" reports, cross-referencing Shopify Analytics sales by channel.
Go further
Sources: Shopify Help Center (Shopify Email), GDPR (marketing consent), deliverability considerations (SPF/DKIM).
Enzo
13 May 2026
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