Yes — Shopify has a built-in email newsletter feature called Shopify Email. It lets a store design and send newsletters to its subscribers directly from the Shopify admin, using templates that pull in the store's branding and products, without a separate email platform. This guide covers how to set one up, the main types of newsletter, what makes them effective, and how newsletters differ from automated email.

What Shopify Email is

Shopify Email is the platform's native tool for creating and sending marketing emails. It is built into the admin, so it uses the store's existing customer list, brand assets, and product catalog. Newsletters are one of the main things it is used for: regular, broadcast emails that keep customers informed about new products, sales, and store news. Because email reaches customers a store already has permission to contact, it is one of the more cost-effective marketing channels available.

How to set up a Shopify Email newsletter

Creating a newsletter is a short process in the admin:

Open Shopify Email. From the Shopify admin, go to Marketing and create a new email campaign with Shopify Email.
Choose a template. Pick from the available newsletter templates and add the store's logo, colors, and imagery so it matches the brand.
Add the content. Use the drag-and-drop editor to include product images, descriptions, text, and any promotional offers.
Choose the audience. Send to the full subscriber list or a segment of it, so the message fits who receives it.
Test, then schedule or send. Send a test to yourself to check how it looks, then schedule the newsletter for a chosen time or send it immediately.

Types of newsletter

Different newsletter formats serve different goals, and most stores mix them over time:

Informational. Educates subscribers — product guides, how-to tips, and industry updates that add value beyond selling.
Curated. Positions the brand as a useful source by rounding up relevant content, trends, or recommendations, not all of it the store's own.
Promotional. Drives sales directly with exclusive offers, new-product announcements, and limited-time deals.

A steady newsletter program usually blends value and promotion, since sending only discounts trains subscribers to wait for them and tune out everything else.

What makes a newsletter effective

A few fundamentals separate newsletters that get read from ones that get ignored:

A clean list. Removing inactive subscribers keeps open rates honest and helps messages land in the inbox rather than the spam folder.
A strong subject line. Short and specific, it is the first and often only thing that decides whether the email gets opened.
Personalization. Using a subscriber's name or purchase history makes the email feel relevant rather than mass-sent.
Consistent branding. Recognizable colors, fonts, and logo build trust and make the sender instantly identifiable.
A clear call to action. One obvious next step — shop, read, or claim an offer — guides the reader rather than leaving them to guess.
Segmentation. Sending different content to different groups (new vs. loyal customers, by location or interest) makes each email more relevant and more likely to convert.

Newsletters vs. automated email

Newsletters are broadcast emails a store sends on a schedule to a chosen audience. They are distinct from automated flows — welcome series, abandoned-cart reminders, post-purchase follow-ups — which trigger automatically based on what an individual customer does. Both run through Shopify Email, and most stores use them together: newsletters for regular outreach, automations for behavior-triggered messages. The guide to Shopify email marketing automation covers the automated side, and for more advanced segmentation and flows, many stores add a dedicated platform, as the guide to email marketing with Klaviyo explains.

Frequently asked questions

How do you activate a newsletter signup on Shopify?

Add a newsletter signup section through the theme editor in the online store settings, which collects email addresses from visitors. An email marketing app from the Shopify App Store can add more signup options and customization if needed.

How do you create an email campaign in Shopify?

In the Shopify admin, go to Marketing, create a campaign, choose a template, customize the content, and select the audience — segmenting the list where it helps. Always send a test to yourself first, then schedule or send the campaign.

What is the best format for an email newsletter?

A clean, responsive layout that reads well on mobile and desktop, with a balance of images and text, concise sections broken up by headings or bullets, and a clear call to action. Keeping it scannable matters more than length.

Does Shopify Email cost extra?

Shopify Email is included with Shopify plans and comes with a monthly free allowance of emails, after which additional sends are billed at a small per-email rate. For most growing stores the included allowance covers regular newsletters.

The bottom line

Shopify does have a newsletter feature — Shopify Email — and it is capable enough for most stores to design, send, and track newsletters without a separate tool. The results come less from the tool than from the fundamentals: a clean list, relevant content, consistent branding, and segmentation. Pairing regular newsletters with automated flows covers both scheduled outreach and behavior-triggered messages.

First Pier is an ecommerce agency in Portland, Maine that builds and optimizes Shopify and Shopify Plus storefronts. For help setting up email that works, get in touch.