Marketing automation is the difference between a Shopify store that plateaus and one that scales.
Without automation, every marketing action requires manual work. Write the email. Schedule the campaign. Check the results. Repeat. Your marketing output is limited by your hours.
With automation, marketing runs 24/7. New customer? Welcome sequence fires. Cart abandoned? Recovery email triggers. Order placed? Post-purchase flow begins. You build once, then optimize while the system runs.
This guide covers Shopify marketing automation comprehensively—all channels, all touchpoints—with a specific focus on the channel most brands miss entirely: automated physical inserts.
Marketing automation uses software to trigger marketing actions based on customer behavior or attributes—without manual intervention each time.
For Shopify stores, this typically means:
The goal: deliver the right message to the right person at the right time—at scale.
Most Shopify stores use some combination of:
Primary tools: Klaviyo, Mailchimp, Shopify Email, Omnisend
Core automations:
| Flow | Trigger | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome series | Email signup | Convert subscribers to first purchase |
| Abandoned cart | Cart created, no purchase | Recover lost sales |
| Browse abandonment | Viewed product, didn't add to cart | Re-engage interest |
| Post-purchase | Order placed | Thank, educate, encourage repeat |
| Win-back | No purchase in X days | Reactivate lapsed customers |
| Review request | Order delivered | Generate social proof |
| Replenishment | Product due for reorder | Drive repeat purchase |
Pros:
Cons:
Verdict: Essential—but limited by engagement rates.
Primary tools: Postscript, Attentive, Klaviyo SMS, SMSBump
Core automations:
| Flow | Trigger | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome | SMS opt-in | Deliver promised discount |
| Abandoned cart | Cart created, opted in | Higher urgency recovery |
| Shipping updates | Order status change | Reduce "where's my order" |
| Flash sale | Scheduled | Time-sensitive offers |
| Back in stock | Product restocked, waitlist | Immediate notification |
Pros:
Cons:
Verdict: Powerful but narrow reach. Use strategically.
Primary tools: Meta Ads, Google Ads, TikTok Ads, Pinterest Ads (often managed through Shopify Marketing or third-party tools)
Core automations:
| Campaign | Trigger | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Site visitors | Viewed site, didn't purchase | Bring back browsers |
| Add to cart | Added item, didn't purchase | Recover near-conversions |
| Product viewers | Viewed specific product | Show that product |
| Purchasers | Recent purchase | Cross-sell, upsell |
| Lapsed | No purchase in X days | Win-back |
Pros:
Cons:
Verdict: Useful for specific campaigns but expensive for retention.
Primary tool: Insertr
What it does: Automatically adds physical items (thank you cards, samples, discount cards) to orders based on rules—just like email automation but for packages.
Core automations:
| Rule | Trigger | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| First order thank you | Order count = 1 | Welcome, reduce remorse |
| VIP gift | Total spend > $500 | Recognize best customers |
| Cross-sell sample | Product tag = X, hasn't bought Y | Expand consideration |
| Subscription upsell | Has subscription = No | Convert to recurring |
| Reorder reminder | Product tag = "consumable" | Drive replenishment |
| Localized insert | Shipping country = FR | Language-appropriate |
| Subscriber milestone | Subscription count = 6 | Celebrate retention |
Pros:
Cons:
Verdict: The highest-impact touchpoint that most brands don't automate at all.
Here's the gap in most automation stacks:
| Touchpoint | % of Brands Automating |
|---|---|
| Welcome email | 90%+ |
| Abandoned cart email | 85%+ |
| Post-purchase email | 80%+ |
| SMS welcome | 60%+ |
| Package inserts | <10% |
Why the gap? Because until recently, insert automation was impossible.
Manual insert programs don't scale:
Insert automation (via Insertr) solves this:
The result: physical inserts can be as sophisticated as your email automation.
Here's how the channels work together:
Pre-Purchase:
Post-Purchase:
| Moment | SMS | Insert | Retargeting | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Signup | Welcome series | Welcome discount | — | — |
| Browse | Browse abandon | — | — | Product ad |
| Cart abandon | Cart recovery | High urgency | — | Cart ad |
| Purchase | Confirmation | — | — | — |
| Shipping | Updates | Updates | — | — |
| Delivery | — | — | Thank you, discount, sample | — |
| Post-delivery | Tips, review | — | — | — |
| Replenishment | Reminder | Reminder | Insert created urgency | Remarketing |
The insert fills a gap no digital channel can reach: the physical unboxing moment.
If you don't have email automation, start here:
Priority flows:
Recommended setup time: 2-4 hours with Klaviyo or similar.
Add SMS for moments that benefit from immediacy:
Priority flows:
Keep in mind: Only 5-15% of customers typically opt in for SMS. Don't rely on it alone.
This is where most brands have zero automation. Adding it creates significant competitive advantage.
Priority rules:
Rule 1: First Order Thank You
Rule 2: VIP Recognition
Rule 3: Cross-Sell Sample
Rule 4: Subscription Upsell
Rule 5: Reorder Reminder
Create multiple insert rules that run automatically for every qualifying order.
Make sure your channels work together, not against each other:
Example: First-Time Customer Journey
| Day | Channel | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Order confirmation | |
| 0 | Insertr | Adds "First Order Thank You Card + $10 Discount" to order |
| 1 | Shipping notification | |
| 3 | SMS | "Your order is out for delivery!" |
| 3 | Package | Thank you card + $10 discount received |
| 5 | Product tips / how to use | |
| 10 | Review request | |
| 21 | — | Customer uses $10 discount to reorder (conversion!) |
The insert bridges the gap between shipping notification and review request—the moment of peak positive emotion.
Different customers need different treatment:
| Segment | Email Sequence | Insert Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| New customer | Welcome + education | Thank you + first discount |
| Repeat customer | Product recommendations | New product samples |
| VIP ($500+ LTV) | Exclusive previews | Premium gifts, handwritten notes |
| Subscriber | Content, not sales | Milestone celebrations |
| At-risk (90+ days) | Win-back with discount | Stronger discount on next order |
In Insertr: Create separate rules for each segment using order count, total spend, subscription status, and days since last order.
Different products need different follow-up:
| Product Type | Email Content | Insert Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Consumable | Usage tips, recipes | Reorder reminder magnet |
| Technical | Setup guides, tutorials | Quick start card |
| Apparel | Care instructions, styling | Care card, styling tips |
| Beauty | How-to, routine building | Complementary sample |
| Subscription box | What's inside, upcoming | Preview card, referral card |
In Insertr: Use product tag conditions to add product-specific inserts.
Trigger based on behavior patterns:
| Behavior | Email Response | Insert Response |
|---|---|---|
| First purchase | Welcome series | First order thank you |
| Repeat purchase | Loyalty recognition | Loyalty reward |
| High-value order | VIP treatment email | Premium gift |
| Used discount code | Thank them, full-price nudge | No discount insert (don't stack) |
| Referred a friend | Thank you | Referral thank you gift |
In Insertr: Combine conditions (e.g., "Order value > $150 AND order count > 1") for sophisticated targeting.
| Channel | Best Timing | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 10am, 2pm, 8pm | Inbox checking patterns | |
| SMS | 10am-12pm | Start of day, before busy |
| Inserts | N/A (arrives with order) | Unboxing moment |
Physical inserts automatically arrive at the optimal time: when the customer is opening their package.
Email:
SMS:
Inserts:
| Metric | What It Measures | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Repeat purchase rate | % of customers who buy again | 25-40% |
| Time to second purchase | Days between orders | Decreasing |
| Customer lifetime value | Total revenue per customer | Increasing |
| Revenue from automation | $ from automated flows | 20-40% of total |
The reality: customers are touched by multiple channels before converting.
Example: Customer sees email → ignores it → opens package with insert → remembers discount → places order.
Who gets credit?
Last-touch attribution: Insert gets credit (it was last) First-touch attribution: Acquisition channel gets credit Linear attribution: All touchpoints share credit
For inserts specifically, Insertr uses last-touch attribution within an attribution window. If the customer received an insert and placed a follow-up order within 60 days, the insert gets credit.
This is imperfect but actionable. You can see which inserts drive returns.
Let's calculate the business case:
Baseline:
With Insert Automation:
Rule 1: First Order Thank You + Discount
Rule 2: VIP Gift (> $300 spend)
Rule 3: Cross-Sell Sample
Total Insert Program:
Compare to paid acquisition at $25 CAC—you'd spend $3,600 to acquire those same 144 customers. Inserts cost $1,250.
Q: Should I add inserts before email automation? A: No. Get email foundations in place first (it's lower cost to start). Then add inserts as a force multiplier on your retention strategy.
Q: Won't this create too many touchpoints? A: Coordinate your channels. The insert arrives at unboxing (a unique moment). Email arrives in inbox. They don't compete—they complement.
Q: How do I know which channel is working? A: Track metrics per channel. For inserts specifically, use attribution windows and conversion tracking. For email, use flow revenue reporting. Look at stack-level metrics (repeat rate, LTV) to see overall impact.
Q: What's the minimum order volume for insert automation? A: Even at 100 orders/month, automation makes sense. You're not going to manually check customer history for each order. Automation handles it.
Q: Can inserts replace email? A: No. Different timing, different strengths. Email is immediate and free. Inserts are physical and guaranteed to be seen. Use both.
Most Shopify stores automate email and stop there. The best ones automate every touchpoint—including the package itself.
Physical insert automation is the missing piece. It's the one channel with 100% delivery, zero competition, and the perfect timing (the unboxing moment).
Your action plan:
The brands that automate physical touchpoints will outperform those that don't. Make your packages work as hard as your emails.
Last updated: January 2026 | Author: Tom McGee, Founder of Insertr
About the Author: Tom McGee is the founder of Insertr and a former Senior Software Engineer at both Shopify and ShipBob. At ShipBob, he spent nearly 4 years building warehouse management software for packing flows—giving him firsthand experience with how 3PLs handle physical inserts. He also founded Cool Steeper Club, a curated cold brew tea subscription box, where he used package inserts to drive subscriber retention.
