Automating Gift-Related Email Marketing for Shopify

Manual email campaigns for every gifting occasion are exhausting. The solution: automated flows that trigger at the right moment, with the right message, to drive gift purchases without constant attention.

Here are the essential gift-related automations every Shopify store should implement.

Flow 1: Birthday Reminder Sequence

If you collect customer birthdays (or their loved ones' birthdays), use them:

Flow 2: Anniversary Reminder Sequence

Similar to birthdays, but for relationship milestones:

• Trigger: X weeks before stored anniversary date
• Content: Romantic gift suggestions
• Upsell: Personalization, gift wrapping, expedited shipping
• Urgency: Countdown to occasion

Flow 3: Post-Gift Purchase Follow-Up

After someone buys a gift, set up future purchase triggers:

Flow 4: Seasonal Gift Reminders

Automated campaigns for predictable gift seasons:

Mother's Day Flow (Example)

• 4 weeks out: Early bird gift guide
• 2 weeks out: Bestsellers and personalization options
• 1 week out: Standard shipping deadline
• 3 days out: Express shipping last chance
• Day of: Digital gift cards for forgetful shoppers

Replicate this flow for Valentine's, Father's Day, and holidays.

Flow 5: Gift Recipient Nurture

Convert gift recipients into customers:

• Gift notification: Sent when order ships
• Welcome series: Introduce brand after delivery
• First purchase incentive: Special recipient discount
• Gifting loop: Encourage them to gift others

Flow 6: Browse Abandonment (Gift Products)

When someone browses gift collections but doesn't purchase:

Flow 7: Cart Abandonment (Gift-Enhanced)

When someone abandons a cart with gift items:

• Mention the gift messaging/wrapping options available
• Emphasize delivery timing ("Still time to get it there!")
• Offer expedited shipping upgrade
• Show gift-specific social proof

Setting Up Automation Triggers

Date-Based Triggers

• Customer birthday (from account data)
• Recipient birthday (from order data)
• Anniversary dates (from order data)
• Fixed holiday dates (calendar-based)

Behavior-Based Triggers

• Browsed gift collection
• Added gift item to cart
• Selected "This is a gift" option
• Completed gift purchase

Collecting Date Data

You need dates to trigger automations. Collect them through:

• Account creation: "When's your birthday?"
• Post-purchase survey: "Want reminders for future occasions?"
• Gift orders: "When is the recipient's birthday?"
• Preference center: Let customers add important dates
• Pop-up/quiz: "Who do you shop for? Tell us about them."

Email Platform Integration

Popular platforms for gift automations:

• Klaviyo: Deep Shopify integration, excellent flow builder
• Omnisend: Strong for ecommerce automation
• Mailchimp: Good for simpler needs
• Drip: Advanced automation capabilities

Measuring Automation Performance

Track these metrics for each flow:

Getting Started Checklist

1. Choose your email platform and integrate with Shopify
2. Set up date collection in checkout/accounts
3. Build your seasonal flow first (biggest impact)
4. Add birthday/anniversary flows
5. Implement gift-specific abandonment flows
6. Create recipient nurture sequence
7. Monitor and optimize based on performance

Email automation is one of the highest-ROI investments you can make in your gift marketing strategy. Once set up, these flows work 24/7 to drive gift revenue without ongoing effort.