User story
I am running a shopify shop, so If I want to send the newsletter to my customer, should I use shopify directly (is it the best practice) or I should use dedicated newsletter service like mailchimp to get the job done
Answer
Both Shopify’s built-in email marketing tools and dedicated services like Mailchimp have their pros and cons, so it ultimately depends on your specific needs and preferences.
Using Shopify’s built-in email marketing tools:
Pros:
- Integration: Since it’s directly integrated with your Shopify store, it can be convenient to manage everything in one place.
- Ease of Use: If you’re already familiar with Shopify, using its email marketing tools may be more straightforward than learning a new platform.
- Automated Workflows: Shopify’s tools often come with pre-built automation features for common marketing tasks, such as abandoned cart recovery emails.
Cons:
- Limited Features: Shopify’s email marketing tools may not offer as many advanced features and customization options compared to dedicated services like Mailchimp.
- Scalability: If your email marketing needs grow beyond the basic features provided by Shopify, you may find yourself needing to switch to a more robust platform anyway.
- Deliverability: Dedicated email marketing services like Mailchimp may have better deliverability rates and provide more tools for managing your subscriber list and ensuring compliance with regulations like GDPR.
Using dedicated newsletter services like Mailchimp:
Pros:
- Advanced Features: Mailchimp and similar services offer a wide range of features for creating highly customized and targeted email campaigns, including advanced segmentation, A/B testing, and analytics.
- Scalability: Dedicated email marketing services are often more scalable, allowing you to handle larger subscriber lists and more complex marketing strategies.
- Deliverability: These services typically have strong deliverability rates and provide tools for managing your subscriber list and ensuring compliance with email regulations.
Cons:
- Integration: While many dedicated services offer integrations with Shopify, using a separate platform may require additional setup and management.
- Learning Curve: If you’re new to email marketing or the platform itself, there may be a learning curve involved in getting up to speed with a dedicated service like Mailchimp.
- Cost: While both Shopify’s built-in tools and dedicated services like Mailchimp offer free plans, you may need to upgrade to a paid plan to access more advanced features and accommodate larger subscriber lists.
In summary, if you’re just starting out and looking for a simple solution that integrates seamlessly with your Shopify store, using Shopify’s built-in email marketing tools may be sufficient. However, if you anticipate needing more advanced features, customization options, or scalability in the future, you may want to consider using a dedicated service like Mailchimp.