Why Shopify Brands Under-Send Email (And What It's Costing You)

The silent revenue killer for Shopify stores isn't bad email marketing—it's not enough email marketing. Here's why most brands under-send and how to fix it.

The Under-Sending Epidemic

Here's a pattern we see constantly: A Shopify store with 50,000 email subscribers sends maybe 4-6 campaigns per month. They have Klaviyo set up. Their flows are working. They know email is important.

But when it comes to campaigns—the proactive, revenue-generating emails that reach their entire list—they're barely scratching the surface.

This is under-sending, and it's costing ecommerce brands millions in collective lost revenue.

Why Under-Sending Happens

Reason 1: Fear of annoying subscribers

The most common objection: "We don't want to spam our list."

This fear is almost always overblown. The data consistently shows that engaged subscribers don't mind frequent emails from brands they like.

Reason 2: The blank page problem

"What should we send?"

This question kills more campaigns than anything else. Without a campaign planning system, every email requires starting from scratch.

Reason 3: Time and bandwidth

Small teams wear many hats. Email marketing competes with everything else—inventory, customer service, ads, product development.

Reason 4: No system

Sporadic sending is the symptom. Lack of a system is the disease.

The Cost of Under-Sending

Let's quantify this. Assume:

  • 50,000 subscribers
  • $800 revenue per campaign
  • Current: 4 campaigns/month = $3,200/month
  • Potential: 12 campaigns/month = $9,600/month

The gap: $6,400/month = $76,800/year

Signs You're Under-Sending

You might be under-sending if:

  • You send fewer than 8 campaigns per month
  • Your email channel is less than 25% of total revenue
  • You only send emails when there's a sale or new product
  • You don't have a campaign calendar
  • Email is something you "get to when you have time"

How to Fix Under-Sending

Step 1: Acknowledge the problem

Look at your send history. Count your campaigns from last month.

Step 2: Build a calendar

Block out campaign slots on your calendar.

Step 3: Create content categories

Know what you'll send before you sit down to write.

Step 4: Use your data

Your Shopify store has campaign ideas built in.

Step 5: Systematize or automate

Build the system yourself or use a tool like Eltie to handle planning and drafting.

What Happens When You Send More

When stores go from under-sending to systematic campaigns, we typically see:

  • Immediate revenue increase: More sends = more revenue
  • Improved engagement: Subscribers get used to hearing from you
  • Better deliverability: Consistent volume helps sender reputation
  • Compounding returns: Better data, better targeting, better results