Without an Amazon merchant account, Shopify is the best way to open a storefront online. Mailchimp is a popular email list management and newsletter app. People often ask how to combine the two.
There are many options for this type of integration. The features you need will determine which one you choose. There is something for everyone. You just need to choose which one. These are the top options that we found and their pros and con.
The Old Mailchimp Shopify App
This option is now option 0 because it’s not accessible…sort of. Mailchimp was once partnered with Shopify, and had an official Shopify App. They ended their partnership with Shopify and the official app at some point in last year. You can learn more about why this happened. Mailchimp did not comply with the Shopify rules regarding what apps collect user data.
Mailchimp for Shopify is no longer available for downloading. It will still work if you’ve previously downloaded and installed the app. This is great news for anyone who has tried to install it previously but couldn’t get it set up properly, or those who are currently using it and want something better. You can continue to use it as long as it isn’t removed.
You should look at other options if you need more features or modern compliance with Shopify private information policies or recent updates.
To avoid data loss, make sure you have the app installed before you move to another provider.
Mailchimp’s Official Widget
This option is ideal if you prefer to use the Mailchimp official code and don’t require any additional automation or features. Mailchimp provides basic opt-in codes that you can copy and paste into your website. This is a significant advantage over other options. It only has a handful of features.
Mailchimp’s basic widget provides basic functionality such as email sending options and mailing list management. You also get pop-up opt-in forms, as well as the ability to send remarketing/retargeting emails, and the ability to link your list to Google Ads for remarketing ads.
This is unfortunately all. This code is the easiest and most straightforward way to integrate Shopify and Mailchimp. It also has a lot of great features. It’s simple, free and lightweight. However, it falls apart if you require additional integrations.
This requires you to edit the code manually on your website. If you don’t feel comfortable with that, you might consider hiring a developer. Here’s how to do it yourself:
- Log in to your Mailchimp account, and navigate to the Integrations page.
- Click “custom website” under the section for custom websites.
- In the URL field, enter your website’s URL.
- Select the audience that you wish to connect with from your Mailchimp audiences.
- Click “Get code”, and then copy the code. It can be pasted anywhere safe, such as a.txt document.
- Log into your Shopify dashboard.
- Click on “Online store” in the left-hand menu and then click on Themes.
- Click on actions and click edit to modify the theme.
- To edit the header, click on /header.liquid
- Copy your Mailchimp code just before the /header> tag. Save the changes.
- Go back to the Mailchimp integrations page, and then click Check Connection.
These steps and what you can do after you have the code installed can be found on this page.
ShopSync
ShopSync.io will be one of the four third-party integration options that we’ll discuss today. It is one of the most recommended options by Shopify and Mailchimp, and it’s likely the option that most people will choose.
This is also one of the strongest options for synchronizing data between Shopify & Mailchimp. Mailchimp claims that it offers a range of extra features that you won’t find on other platforms. These include e-commerce tracking, reporting, content blocks to emails, product recommendations, product content and promotions, tag merging and remarketing ad integrations, and many more. Again, all of this is completely free.
Click on the link to visit ShopSync’s website. The Shopify app link is their main call-to-action button. You can also skip the click and click here to get it directly.
You can install the app by clicking on that link if you are logged in to your Shopify account. After the app has been installed, click on Connect it to your Mailchimp Account. From their authentication window, you will be asked to log in to your Mailchimp account.
After you log in, configure your options. If you wish to merge tags, you can select a list to sync and choose your opt-in settings. After you have chosen your options, click on the button to begin the sync. Although the sync may take a while depending on the amount of data being processed, it is generally very fast.
That’s it! ShopSync can be upgraded to a paid plan. However, it does not provide any additional features. The $5 monthly cost for the paid plan includes access to their email support and live chat support.
Zapier
These are two variations of the same concept. Zapier and IFTTT are other examples.
These engines act as intermediaries between APIs and process data from them. This is a way to link disparate services to automate processes, even if they don’t have the ability.
Zapier one example of such an engine. There are thousands of integrations available, with the option to create your own. It’s extremely advanced and powerful, and even though the average internet user may not know about it, it’s one the greatest marvels of modern internet.
Mailchimp and Shopify don’t require you to create your own zaps. There are ten pre-configured zaps . You can also create your own trigger and action pair.
You can have both triggers and actions on the Mailchimp side or the Zapier side. They represent one action that you wouldn’t otherwise need to manually do. You can choose to trigger “a user places a new order on Shopify” or the action “add subscriber for Mailchimp tag”. There are many triggers and actions that can be used to meet many different needs.
Zapier is not free, as opposed to the other options. There is a free version but you can only do 100 tasks per month and 5 zaps per day. You will need to purchase a plan if you want more zaps or need to complete more than 100 tasks per calendar month (which most people do). Plans start at $20/month for 750 tasks and 20 zaps. You can also set multi-step Zaps. As you might expect pricing scales up from.
Why would anyone use Zapier when ShopSync is available? Good question! ShopSync is a comprehensive package that offers many features, but not all of them. Even if you use only a portion of the app, it is recommended that you install the entire app. Zapier lets you create zaps that perform specific tasks. It can be linked to thousands of apps that you may use in your business, making it extremely customizable. It’s ideal for people who need extreme automation. Others find it too complicated for little return.
Zapier is a great tool for power users and large eCommerce sites. Continue reading if you don’t know what Zapier is.
Automate.io
We’re also referring to Automate.io as another automation engine. Similar to Zapier, they have triggers and actions that can be combined into specific workflows. There are over 100 apps on their list, and there are many triggers and actions. Instead of calling the resulting recipes “zaps,” they refer to them as bots.
Automate.io offers a free plan, similar to Zapier. It has a limited number bots and a limitation on how many monthly actions they can take. The free plan includes up to five bots and up to 500 actions per month.
Paid plans start at $50 per monthly. This is much more than Zapier’s, but paid plans start at 10,000 actions per months and up to 50 Bots. Automate, like Zapier allows multi-step bots in their paid plans.
Shopify is a Premium app on Automate.io’s integrations list. This means that you will need to have the paid plan in order to access it.
Automate.io and Zapier have very little in common. Each requires at least a minimum of a paid plan in order to use Shopify or Mailchimp integration. Both require manual setup for the triggers and actions that you wish to use. Both platforms offer a wide range of actions and triggers, with almost identical functionality. There are only so many things that you can do on either platform.
Budget is the only thing that really matters. Zapier is more suitable for those with a smaller budget who don’t require a lot traffic or actions per month. Automate is comparable if you are upgrading to a mid-tier Zapier plan.
Seguno Mailchimp Shopify App
These DIY options may seem overwhelming, but ShopSync is not for you. You can still use Shopify’s third-party app to connect to Mailchimp, much like the official Mailchimp app did before it was discontinued. Seguno offers one called Mail Connect.
This app does the same thing as the old Mailchimp app. There isn’t much to be said about it. It creates a Mailchimp-connected site, syncs data in both directions and adds the Mailchimp script directly to your website. It costs $10 per Month.
This is it! It is lightweight and simple compared to ShopSync. However, it is faster and easier than either the manual or automated methods. This app is a great middle-of-the-road option or a replacement for ShopSync if you need the same features but with updated functionality.
Which option is right for you?
Remember that email communication is vital when linking Shopify to Mailchimp. This is why integrations and automated email methods require advanced tools and skilled hands. Misconfigurations can lead to all sorts of problems. It is possible to accidentally spam customers or remove them from the lists they should be on. Incorrect or duplicate subscriber numbers can lead to data loss and product recommendations can be lost. Numerous examples exist of novice businesses accidentally exposing all their customers.
This is why you should be cautious and confident about what you are doing. Seguno’s Shopify app is the best option if you aren’t sure and want something simple. ShopSync is a robust solution that offers minimal chance of breaking things. ShopSync allows you to build your own system or integrate Shopify, Mailchimp and other apps such as Salesforce or HubSpot.
If you aren’t comfortable doing it yourself, you can use the manual code to modify it. This is true for all options. If you aren’t sure what you’re doing, get someone who can help you implement it properly.
