Mailchimp Shopify Integration: Everything you need to know

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Tony Pham Sep 11 2024

Mailchimp Shopify integration is a crucial step for e-commerce businesses seeking to streamline their marketing efforts and enhance customer engagement. In this guide, NextSky walks you through a quick, efficient, and hassle-free process to integrate Mailchimp with Shopify.

Why integrate Mailchimp with Shopify?

Connecting your Shopify store with Mailchimp's powerful email marketing platform unlocks several benefits:

Effortless customer data sync: Automatically transfer customer information, order history, and behavioural data to create personalized campaigns.
Automated marketing workflows: Send targeted emails like abandoned cart reminders, product recommendations, or welcome sequences without manual effort.
Actionable insights: Track campaign performance and customer behaviour to refine marketing strategies.
Own your audience: Unlike social media platforms, an email list allows you to reach customers directly, without relying on third-party policies.
Boost retention: Deliver personalized messages based on shopping behaviour to increase repeat purchases and loyalty.

This integration suits businesses of all sizes, from startups using Mailchimp's free plan to large stores leveraging advanced automation features.

Step-by-step guide to Mailchimp Shopify integration

Step 1: Install the Mailchimp app

Navigate to your Shopify Admin, select Apps → Shopify App Store. In the Shopify App Store, search for Mailchimp: Email Marketing → Add App → Install App. Review access permissions and privacy policies before finalizing the connection to ensure compliance.

Step 2: Authenticate the connection

After installation, click Get Started or Sign In. Enter your Mailchimp account credentials → Sign In → Allow to grant Shopify access to your contact lists.

Step 3: Configure sync settings

Select audience: Choose the Mailchimp audience to sync with your Shopify store by clicking the Associated Audience dropdown. If none exists, Mailchimp creates a default list.

Sync customer tags: Enable Sync All Tags to transfer Shopify customer tags to Mailchimp for campaign segmentation. Alternatively, select specific tags if preferred.

Map data fields: Customize how Shopify data fields (e.g., email, name, birthday) map to corresponding Mailchimp fields.

Enable SMS sync (optional): If approved for SMS marketing, activate SMS subscriber sync and select a start date for historical data.
Click "Sync Now" to initiate the data transfer.

Step 4: Activate the Mailchimp embed app

During Sync, you’ll see a prompt to enable the Mailchimp Embed App in the dashboard.
Click Enable → Theme Settings to confirm the App is activated. If disabled or grayed out, enable it and click Save to complete the process.

Step 5: Verify Sync

Sync time depends on the volume of data stored in the store. Once complete, check your Mailchimp app to ensure products, customers, and orders have synced.
Promotional codes are updated automatically every few hours, or you can sync them manually as needed.

How to disconnect Mailchimp from Shopify

To disconnect Mailchimp from Shopify, remove the App from your Shopify account and revoke API access in Mailchimp.

Remove the Mailchimp app from Shopify

Log in to your Shopify account.
From the left sidebar, click Apps → Mailchimp: Email Marketing.
Click the three dots in the top-right corner → App Settings.
Scroll to the bottom of the Settings page and click Uninstall App.

Revoke API access in Mailchimp.

In your Mailchimp account, click Integrations → Manage.
Click Other Connections to view additional items (you may need to scroll).
Click the X next to the Mailchimp for Shopify app.
In the pop-up dialogue, type 'DELETE' and then click 'Delete' to confirm.

After successfully disconnecting Mailchimp from Shopify, your data will remain in Mailchimp for 30 days.

Advanced tips to maximize your Mailchimp and Shopify integration

Elevate your Mailchimp strategy on Shopify with these expert tips:

Leverage abandoned cart emails: Create a 2–3 email sequence with compelling calls-to-action to recover lost sales. Include product images and discount offers to entice customers and increase sales.
Use dynamic content: Personalize emails with customer names, purchase history, or location-based offers to boost engagement.
Test send times: Experiment with email send times based on time zones or customer behaviour (e.g., post-purchase emails within 24 hours).
Integrate with Shopify themes: Utilize NextSky's SEO-optimized themes, such as Umino, to ensure fast page loads and support Mailchimp pop-up forms for increased signup rates.
Track ROI: Utilize Mailchimp's revenue tracking to measure the campaign's impact on store profits.

Case study: A NextSky fashion client integrated Mailchimp with Shopify and used segmented campaigns to target high-value customers. Combining Glozin's fast-performing theme with Mailchimp automation, they achieved a 15% increase in repeat purchase rates within three months.

How to import contact list from Mailchimp to Shopify

Step 1: Log in to your Mailchimp account and go to Audience. Select the audience you want to export, then click All Contacts > Export Audience. Mailchimp will generate a CSV file containing your contact list, download it to your computer for the next step.
Step 2: Open the exported CSV file and review the data fields. Make sure they align with Shopify’s required format, including key fields such as First Name, Last Name, Email Address, and Phone Number. Adjust if needed, then save your updated file.
Step 3: Log in to your Shopify admin panel, and from the dashboard, select Customers in the left-hand menu. This is where you’ll manage and import your contact data.
Step 4: Click Import Customers at the top-right corner of the Customers page. Choose the CSV file you prepared earlier, then click Upload and Continue. Shopify will begin importing your Mailchimp contacts and update your customer list automatically.
Step 5: After the import is complete, check the Customers section in Shopify to verify that all contact details have been imported correctly and are displayed accurately. This ensures your customer database is clean, consistent, and ready for marketing activities.

Conclusion

Integrating Mailchimp to Shopify can be the big break that your ecommerce business is looking for. Take your time to explore the app and the benefits it has to offer. If you still have any more questions or conundrums, feel free to contact NextSky for free consulting and solutions for your business.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can you integrate Mailchimp and Shopify?

Yes, you can integrate Mailchimp with Shopify using third-party apps like ShopSync, Automate.io, or Zapier, which allow you to sync data between your Shopify store and Mailchimp.

How do I import Mailchimp contacts to Shopify?

Export your contacts from Mailchimp as a CSV file, then log in to Shopify, go to the Customers section, click on Import Customers, and upload the CSV file to add your Mailchimp contacts to Shopify

Can I integrate Mailchimp with my website?

Yes, you can integrate Mailchimp with your website using embedded sign-up forms, pop-ups, or direct API connections to collect contacts and sync data for email marketing.

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Tony Pham

Hello! I'm Tony Pham, a full-stack Shopify, Magento, and WordPress developer with over 12 years of experience in both front-end and back-end development.

Since 2016, I have been proudly working at Nextsky as the Tech Lead, where I continue to enhance my skills and contribute to exciting projects. One of my proudest works is the Agile theme, which passed Shopify's high standard and is currently available on Shopify Theme Store.

I am passionate about researching new technologies and staying updated with the latest trends in the industry. It not only makes my life more fulfilling and exciting but also allows me to bring better service to clients.