Shopify email marketing and email apps for Toronto stores

Updated November 8, 2026

Turn first-time buyers into repeat customers with email and SMS that sound like your store. Shopify email marketing in Toronto is the setup and management of the email and text messages a Shopify store sends: welcome, abandoned cart and post-purchase flows, campaigns and newsletters, built in Shopify Email or a connected email app. Canada Create has worked with online stores from its Toronto office at 126 Willowdale Ave., Suite #3, since 2008, and is a BBB Accredited Business with an A+ rating. Your team approves audiences, content, offers and sending authority.

The work has six areas, and your proposal names the ones your store needs:

• App selection and migration: Shopify Email or a connected app, chosen for your list and catalogue, with records moved safely.
• Consent and CASL: sign-up forms, opt-in records and unsubscribe handling for email and SMS.
• Automated flows: welcome, browse and cart reminders, post-purchase and win-back messages.
• Campaigns and newsletters: planned sends for launches, seasons and promotions.
• Deliverability: domain authentication, list hygiene and sending practices.
• Segments and reporting: customer segments, and revenue reporting with its limits explained.

This guide is for Shopify store owners and ecommerce managers comparing an agency, a defined setup project or ongoing management. It covers platform fit, Canadian messaging responsibilities, migration, campaign scope, deliverability, costs and the limits of reported returns. To discuss the work your store needs, you can get a proposal.

How Shopify email marketing works

Shopify email marketing uses a supported messaging app to communicate with eligible subscribers and customers. Available customer, product, order and interaction records depend on the integration, permissions and tracking coverage. An order record, email subscription, SMS subscription and suppression status are different things. A connected customer record does not by itself establish permission to send a marketing message.

A useful proposal separates three areas of responsibility. Problems can involve one or several of them, along with product, pricing or service issues outside the messaging program.

The platform layer

The platform defines supported channels, data connections, automations, reporting, permissions and charging limits. Compare those capabilities with the work your team needs and can maintain. A larger list alone does not prove that a different app is necessary.

The data layer

The data scope identifies permitted records, their authoritative source, update behaviour and known gaps. Subscription changes, suppression, deletion and historical activity may not transfer in the same way. For example, Klaviyo documents that its suppression status does not sync back to Shopify as consent status. Those differences need explicit migration and acceptance responsibilities.

The message layer

Scheduled campaigns and automated messages serve different agreed purposes. An automation can respond to a supported event, but its audience, content, exceptions and pause responsibility still need approval. Some stores need a limited campaign service; others need automation or both. A completed send does not prove that a person read it or bought because of it.

Choosing between Shopify email apps

Compare apps against the required channels, permitted data, staff workload, integration coverage and total cost. The table identifies buying questions for several options; it is not a ranking or a promise that every feature is available on every plan.

What is the best email app for Shopify?

The app should fit the required messages, permitted customer records, reporting needs, budget and staff capacity. Shopify Messaging, Klaviyo, Omnisend, Mailchimp and MailerLite offer different plans and supported connections. We compare the requirements before recommending a platform. Existing licences, migration work and continuing fees belong in that decision; no list-size threshold establishes a universal winner.

Does Shopify have its own email platform?

Yes. Shopify Email is now Shopify Messaging, which supports email and eligible SMS and WhatsApp marketing within the Shopify admin. Basic, Grow, Advanced and Plus merchants can use it, with channel-specific requirements and usage charges. Its fit depends on the approved messages, supported automations and reporting the store needs.

When switching apps makes sense

Consider migration when a documented requirement cannot be met, costs no longer fit the scope or staff cannot maintain the current arrangement. Confirm export rights, available subscription and suppression records, historical coverage and destination support. Some history may need to remain in an archive rather than move. A new app does not create fresh permission to contact a customer.

Shopify SMS consent, email opt in and CASL

Canadian commercial messaging requires a review of applicable legal obligations as well as platform and carrier rules. These are general buying considerations, not legal advice. Your advisers confirm what applies to your business, recipients and messages; the proposal states who supplies evidence and approves sending.

What CASL requires

Where CASL applies, commercial electronic messages generally need consent, sender identification and an unsubscribe mechanism, subject to the legislation’s specific exceptions. The CRTC says unsubscribe requests must be honoured within ten business days. Express and implied consent have different conditions and evidentiary requirements. The sender must be able to support the permission it relies on. We scope work around your approved requirements rather than treating every customer purchase as permanent marketing permission.

How Shopify records consent

Shopify records email and SMS marketing subscription status separately. The scope should identify the source and evidence for each permission, how supported apps handle changes and who resolves conflicts. Importing a list or connecting a customer profile does not establish consent. Your team approves which records may be used and retained.

SMS permissions and merchant responsibilities

SMS work requires an approved purpose, appropriate recipient permissions, supported countries and applicable carrier registration. The merchant supplies accurate business information and approves content, policies and contact arrangements with its advisers. Email permission is not automatically SMS permission. A provider’s tools do not certify the merchant’s legal compliance or ensure delivery.

Subscribers outside Canada

Cross-border messaging can involve additional obligations, and other countries’ commercial email and text rules differ from CASL. The message’s purpose, recipients, business circumstances and provider rules matter; a phone country code alone is not a legal assessment. Your advisers confirm applicable privacy and messaging requirements, including any provincial obligations.

How ecommerce email marketing on Shopify has changed

Current Shopify messaging can involve scheduled campaigns, event-based messages and several connected platforms. Older setups may retain obsolete integrations or incomplete permission records. Changes in recipient privacy features and mailbox-provider requirements also affect what a program can measure and deliver.

What open rates can and cannot show

Apple Mail Privacy Protection can download remote content without a person viewing the message, limiting the meaning of recorded opens. Blocking or unrecorded tracking can also leave gaps. Reports should distinguish recorded interaction from a demonstrated commercial effect. Clicks and attributed orders remain subject to bot filtering, reporting definitions and attribution limits; replacing opens with another metric does not remove those limits.

Why sender rules became stricter

Google’s requirements for personal Gmail accounts distinguish all senders from qualifying bulk senders. Bulk requirements include SPF, DKIM and DMARC authentication and one-click unsubscribe for marketing and subscribed messages. Google recommends reported spam rates below 0.1 percent and avoiding 0.3 percent or higher. These are provider guidelines, not a deliverability promise; requirements for other providers and agreed monitoring coverage must also be assessed.

Automated messages and their scope

A flow is an automated message or sequence tied to an approved purpose and supported event. The proposal identifies which messages are needed, the data and permission dependencies, who approves them and who can pause them. There is no fixed build order or required set for every store.

Shopify welcome email series

Welcome messages can explain the subscription and any approved offer. The scope identifies promised content, brand assets, permitted recipients and the staff member responsible for changes. The message should match what the subscriber agreed to receive. The number of messages and any customer distinctions are agreed requirements, not a universal series.

Abandoned checkout and abandoned cart

A checkout or cart reminder requires a supported event and a valid basis for the intended message. Entering an email address during checkout is not automatically marketing permission; the CRTC advises against assuming that an abandoned cart creates implied consent. The scope identifies eligible records, approved wording and handling of unavailable or changed products.

Post-purchase and review requests

Order and shipping notifications have a different purpose from promotional follow-up. The brief distinguishes required service messages, optional marketing and review requests, with appropriate permissions and current platform or professional restrictions. Your team confirms product-care claims and publication rights. A review request does not ensure a positive review, reuse permission or greater search visibility.

Replenishment, back in stock and winback

Requested restock alerts, replenishment messages and re-engagement work can be assessed where the purpose, product information and permissions support them. A restock request does not grant unlimited promotional permission. The proposal defines the supported event, client approval and exceptions without assuming that a customer has used up a product or wants another offer.

Agreeing the automation scope

• Purpose: identify the customer communication required and the content or offer your team approves.
• Dependencies: confirm supported events, appropriate permissions, current product information and the person responsible for exceptions.
• Acceptance: agree message coverage, test conditions, sending authority and continuing maintenance before launch.

Campaign and newsletter requirements

Campaign scope can cover product updates, approved offers, brand news or useful customer information. Your team supplies accurate product details, available stock, commercial terms and usage rights for images or customer stories. The proposal sets the agreed volume, languages, approval workload and reporting; it does not assume every update should be sent to every contact.

Choosing the campaign mix

There is no universal ratio of promotional to informational messages that establishes the right campaign plan. Compare the agreed purpose, available content, customer permissions, production cost and evidence. The plan can change when the business or recipients’ preferences change, with approvals and fees documented.

Message approval and customer experience

The brief should define the offer, important limitations, intended action and destination. Your team approves prices, claims and fulfilment details. Agreed accessibility and email-client checks can assess presentation, but no fixed number of seconds, points or clicks secures attention or a purchase.

Responsibilities in the campaign brief

A proposal should identify who supplies content, approves recipients and offers, authorizes sending, handles replies and maintains records. It should also state which platform charges, translation, photography or development work are outside the current fee. These responsibilities affect workload and price.

How often to send campaigns

The agreed campaign volume should reflect approved content, recipient permissions, operational capacity and the evidence available. Reports can describe delivery, complaints, opt-outs and commercial measures, with gaps stated. A change in frequency is a decision to evaluate, not a promise of more sales or fewer complaints.

Shopify SMS marketing: when texting earns its place

SMS can be considered when the communication purpose and recipient permissions justify its cost and interruption. Supported countries, content restrictions, sender registration and customer-service expectations need assessment before it is included. A suitable email program does not automatically require SMS.

Shopify SMS messaging versus email

Email and SMS have different content, cost and permission constraints. The brief identifies which channel is appropriate for each approved purpose and how overlapping communications will be managed. Coordination needs supported controls and a named owner. It does not ensure that every duplicate or mistimed message can be prevented.

Moving from SMSBump and choosing a current SMS app

Yotpo announced full deprecation of its Email and SMS products for December 31, 2025, and its SMS service now displays a decommissioning notice. Do not assume that an old dashboard or export remains available. A replacement assessment starts with records you can lawfully access, available vendor assistance and the destination’s import limits. Canadian SMS eligibility and registration are checked separately.

What SMS costs to run

Marketing SMS fees depend on the provider, destination, message format and billable segments. A long message can incur several charges even when it appears as one message on a phone; number or carrier charges may also apply. Shopify’s limited transactional order-confirmation SMS is a separate service with different conditions. The proposal distinguishes these costs and message types.

Shopify email sending and deliverability

A provider accepting a message for delivery is not the same as placement in the recipient’s inbox. Domain authorization, provider policies, recipient choices and sending history can affect the outcome. The proposal identifies the assessment, permitted technical work and monitoring included; inbox placement cannot be promised.

What email should I use for Shopify?

The sender identity and reply destination should be approved by your business and supported by the selected provider. A brand-controlled domain can be assessed alongside authentication and the staff inbox responsible for replies. Using a free-address identity through another sending platform can create authentication or delivery limitations; the precise behaviour depends on the provider.

Authenticating your sending domain

Authentication work may involve SPF, DKIM and DMARC, depending on the sending provider and existing arrangement. The scope identifies the domain owner, authorized administrator, required approvals and acceptance evidence. Your registrar or website hosting provider may need to assist. Authentication does not ensure inbox placement or replace permission to contact recipients.

Launch dependencies and sending limits

A new provider, changed sender identity or dormant list can affect launch readiness. The proposal should identify applicable provider limits, available history, expected approvals and conditions that could delay or pause sending. Timing depends on those findings and the approved scope; a fixed warmup period cannot ensure delivery.

Suppression and list maintenance

Suppression records identify contacts who should not receive particular messages for reasons such as an unsubscribe, complaint or delivery problem. Maintenance scope should distinguish suppression from deletion and explain which platform is authoritative. A smaller list is not automatically more profitable or cheaper under every plan, and suppressed records may still be needed to respect a preference.

What is the real Shopify email?

A familiar sender name or an authenticated message alone does not establish that an account request is genuine. Suspicious billing or access requests should be checked through Shopify’s verified support or the merchant’s usual account route. Your team retains control of account access and payment decisions. An email-marketing engagement does not require customers to disclose credentials through a campaign or reply.

Segments, data and tracking

Audience scope depends on permitted records, supported platform features and the purpose approved by your business. Observed browsing or purchase activity is incomplete evidence and should not be treated as a complete picture of a person’s interests or circumstances.

Permitted customer data and groups

The brief can distinguish retail subscribers, customers and trade contacts when the approved purpose and available data support it. Health, financial, identity or other confidential details should not be repurposed into general marketing audiences or reports. Any CS+ or other CRM connection is assessed for supported records, permissions and staff responsibility; it does not automatically prevent missed follow-up.

Why the numbers never quite match

Messaging apps, Shopify and Google Analytics can attribute the same order differently because their definitions, lookback windows, timestamps, permitted data and filtering differ. Errors or missing records can also contribute; a mismatch is not automatically harmless. The report should state the methods and gaps and avoid adding overlapping attributed totals together. Attributed revenue is not proof of revenue caused by the messages.

Metrics we report

• Revenue per recipient with the revenue definition, recipient count, period and attribution rules stated.
• Placed order rate and click rate with their denominators, bot filtering and available tracking coverage identified.
• Unsubscribe and spam complaint rates, watched against mailbox provider limits.
• List growth by source where records are available, distinguishing marketable contacts from total stored profiles.
• Attributed store revenue from email and SMS with overlap, refunds and measurement gaps explained.

What Shopify email marketing costs in Toronto, and how to judge the return

The cost of Shopify email marketing comes from several separate lines, and mixing them up is how store owners end up surprised by a bill. We price setup, monthly management and third-party fees separately so you can see exactly where the money goes.

Are Shopify emails free?

Shopify Messaging includes a monthly email allowance on eligible paid Shopify plans, with further charges according to its current rules. Marketing SMS has separate sending and possible number fees. That differs from Shopify’s limited transactional SMS notifications. Other apps may charge by contacts, sends, features or usage; check the current account terms and budget for the relevant service.

How much does Shopify email marketing cost?

What you spend depends on your list size, the app you choose, how many flows need building, how many campaigns you send and whether SMS is part of the plan. The table below shows the cost lines we separate in every proposal.

We do not publish a flat package price for email because two stores with the same list size can need very different amounts of work. Send us your store and current setup and we will quote setup and management separately, with third-party fees listed so you can see them before you approve anything.

How to judge the return

Compare attributable incremental contribution after discounts, returns and fulfilment costs with agency fees, platform charges and other program costs. Recorded revenue per recipient can be useful context, but platform attribution alone cannot establish additional sales. Further evaluation may be appropriate if the available evidence and cost justify it. The investment decision should reflect commercial value and uncertainty.

How Canada Create runs your program

Canada Create was established in 2008 and currently serves businesses across Canada. We are a BBB Accredited Business with an A+ rating. Your proposal defines the work, dependencies, schedule and approvals for your store.

Audit

The agreed assessment can review the app, available list and permission records, message coverage, delivery evidence and past reporting. The findings distinguish supported facts, gaps and work requiring provider or professional input. It is not a legal certification or a promise to identify every issue.

Build

The build may cover app setup or migration, approved authentication work, sign-up requirements, templates and agreed messages. Acceptance covers specified email clients, devices, accessibility considerations and test conditions. Your team approves content, recipients and sending authority; no universal display or delivery result is assumed.

Manage and report

Monthly management covers the agreed campaign volume, writing, design, approved audience work, evaluation and reporting. Changes beyond that scope are quoted separately. Call (416) 273-9030, Monday to Friday, 9 am to 6 pm, and Saturday, 10 am to 2 pm. After hours, our 24/7 AI agent answers the toll-free line, +1 (800) 808-9235, and we’ll follow up the next business morning. Standard team support targets a response within 24 to 48 hours on business days. Reports explain delivery evidence, recorded outcomes and their limitations.

Our team researches, drafts and reviews the work; you approve final content, claims and commercial decisions before publication.

Email requirements by product type

Product type affects the information, permissions and operational approvals needed. The scope should reflect those differences rather than assuming every store needs the same automated messages.

Fashion and apparel

An apparel brief may need accurate size availability, fit information, release dates and returns terms. Your team approves those facts and any imagery or customer-story rights. Stock alerts and promotional messages have distinct purposes and eligibility requirements.

Beauty and skincare

Beauty and skincare messages need substantiated product information and appropriate claims review. Your responsible professional approves regulated claims where applicable. Avoid using sensitive health inferences to decide who receives general promotional messages; a purchase does not establish a clinical need or expected result.

Food, beverage and consumables

Food, beverage and consumable-product messages require accurate availability, ingredients, delivery windows and any approved subscription terms. Restricted products such as alcohol may be prohibited in a provider’s marketing SMS service even when a sale is lawful. Channel eligibility must be checked for the actual product.

Home, furniture and high-ticket goods

Home and furniture communications may need dimensions, care information, delivery arrangements and a staff contact for product questions. The proposal identifies which enquiries require a person and which supported messages are appropriate, without assuming a longer automated sequence will close a sale.

Wholesale and trade buyers

Retail and trade contacts can have different commercial terms, permissions and information needs. The agreed scope identifies relevant business contacts, approved catalogue or availability information and any staff handoff. A trade account is not blanket permission for consumer promotions or unsolicited messages.

Email inside the rest of your store’s marketing

Related SEO, Google Ads and local SEO work can be scoped alongside messaging. Website visits, subscriptions and repeat orders are separate outcomes, each requiring its own evidence. Acquisition work and advertising spend are not automatically included in email management.

Storefront or checkout issues may require separate work. Canada Create offers ecommerce website development, web design and WordPress development. The proposal distinguishes messaging responsibilities from supported website or integration changes, with approvals, fees and maintenance stated.

Agency, freelancer or in-house: choosing who runs it

There are three common ways to run Shopify email marketing, and each fits a different stage.

• In-house: compare available writing, design, platform and reporting skills with the time and backup coverage the program requires.
• Freelancer: a defined project or ongoing role can fit, subject to agreed skills, availability, continuity and responsibilities.
• Agency: compare the named scope, approval workload, relevant skills, reporting and support against the fee; your team still owns business decisions.

Many stores combine them: an agency builds and manages the system, while an in-house person supplies product news and customer stories. We are happy to work that way.

Is Shopify still worth it in 2026?

Shopify can support email and eligible SMS through its own tool or connected platforms. Fit depends on the required customer communications, available data, supported integrations and continuing costs. If a platform change is under consideration, compare record portability and permission continuity alongside storefront requirements.

How to compare Shopify email marketing agencies in Toronto

Whoever you shortlist, ask the same five questions:

• Who builds and sends the messages? Ask who writes, designs and schedules your flows and campaigns, and who checks them before they go out.
• What is delivered each month? The number of campaigns, flow updates, tests and reports should be written down.
• How is revenue reported? Reports should separate flows from campaigns and explain overlap, discounts and returns.
• Who owns the account and the list? Your email app, sending domain and subscriber records should stay in your store’s name.
• What do real clients say? Read the agency’s Google reviews and ask for examples of Shopify work.

Be careful with any agency that promises a fixed share of revenue from email before it has seen your list, products and consent records.

Related guide: How to do SEO for a Shopify or ecommerce store.

Next step: a Shopify email marketing review of your store and app

Tell us your store address, the messaging app you use and the work you want assessed. Discovery establishes the available evidence, requirements and approvals before a written proposal separates setup, monthly management and third-party fees. Request your custom proposal. Call (416) 273-9030, Monday to Friday, 9 am to 6 pm, and Saturday, 10 am to 2 pm. After hours, our 24/7 AI agent answers the toll-free line, +1 (800) 808-9235, and we’ll follow up the next business morning.