The Klaviyo Shopify integration connects a Shopify store to Klaviyo's email and SMS marketing platform, so customer, order, and browsing data flows between the two automatically. That connection is what makes behavior-based marketing possible — abandoned-cart reminders, post-purchase follow-ups, and segmented campaigns all depend on Klaviyo having accurate, current store data. Klaviyo is a Shopify Premier Partner and the preferred email platform for Shopify Plus, and its Shopify integration is the most developed in the market.

This guide covers what the integration does, how to set it up step by step, exactly what data syncs in each direction, and how to fix the issues that come up most often.

What the integration does

Connecting Klaviyo to Shopify creates a two-way data sync. Shopify sends Klaviyo the raw material for marketing — who the customers are, what they have bought, and what they are doing on the site — and Klaviyo sends profile and consent data back to keep both systems consistent. Once connected, that data powers segmentation (grouping customers by behavior and purchase history) and automated flows (sequences triggered by actions like starting a checkout or viewing a product). For a fuller picture of the platform itself, see what Klaviyo is; this page focuses on the integration.

How to set up the integration

Setup is done through the Klaviyo app and takes most stores under an hour. Before starting, disconnect any other email service provider connected to Shopify, so customer data flows cleanly into one platform and shoppers do not receive duplicate opt-in messages.

1. Connect the accounts

Install Klaviyo from the Shopify App Store, or start from Klaviyo's integrations page and search for Shopify. Enter the store's mystore.myshopify.com URL, then authorize the connection from the Shopify admin by reviewing and accepting the permissions Klaviyo requests. If Klaviyo is already installed, the step is to update rather than reinstall the app.

2. Configure subscriber syncing

During setup, Klaviyo offers to sync the store's email and SMS subscribers. Select which Klaviyo lists those subscribers should join — typically a main email list and a separate SMS list. This brings in customers who opt in at checkout or through Shopify forms, along with existing subscribers. Leaving the marketing opt-in box unchecked by default at checkout is the safer choice: it produces a list of genuinely interested subscribers, which protects sender reputation and deliverability.

3. Enable two-way data sync

Turn on the option to sync profiles and profile data from Klaviyo back to Shopify. Syncing fields like name, email, and subscription status in both directions keeps customer records consistent across the two platforms rather than drifting apart over time.

4. Turn on onsite tracking

Onsite tracking captures customer behavior on the storefront, and it is required for browse-abandonment and abandoned-cart flows to work. In Klaviyo's Shopify settings, enable behavioral-event tracking. Then, in the Shopify admin, go to Online Store, then Themes, then Customize, find the Klaviyo app embed under App embeds, toggle it on, and save. To confirm it is working, browse the store while signed in with an email that exists in Klaviyo, add an item to the cart, and check that "Viewed Product" and "Added to Cart" events appear on the profile. The app embed has to be re-enabled after any theme change, or tracking silently stops.

What data syncs from Shopify to Klaviyo

When the integration is first connected, Klaviyo imports the last 90 days of data, then completes a full historical sync, after which new data flows in real time. The data that syncs falls into three groups:

Order events — Placed Order, Ordered Product, Checkout Started, plus order-status events like Fulfilled, Cancelled, and Refunded. These drive post-purchase, abandoned-cart, and order-status messaging.
Onsite events — Active on Site, Viewed Product, Viewed Collection, and Added to Cart, captured by the app embed. These power browse-based segmentation and flows.
Customer data — name, email, location, phone, email and SMS marketing consent, and any Shopify customer tags.

One detail worth knowing for reporting: Klaviyo calculates order revenue as subtotal plus shipping minus discounts, and does not subtract later refunds or cancellations. For value-based segmentation, use Klaviyo's lifetime Revenue metric rather than the value attached to an individual event.

What data syncs from Klaviyo to Shopify

The reverse sync keeps Shopify's records current with what Klaviyo knows:

Profile information — first and last name, email, and phone number.
Subscription status — email and SMS marketing consent, so opt-in and opt-out states stay accurate in both systems.
Custom properties — selected Klaviyo profile properties can be written to Shopify as customer metafields, useful for storing something like a predicted value or preference alongside the Shopify record.

Which of these sync back is configurable in the integration settings, so a store can keep the reverse sync as narrow or as complete as it wants.

What the integration makes possible

The point of all this syncing is what it enables. With store data in Klaviyo, a brand can segment customers precisely — first-time versus repeat buyers, high spenders, or people who viewed a product but did not buy — and build the automated flows that drive most email revenue: welcome series, abandoned cart, browse abandonment, post-purchase, and win-back. Setting those up well is its own topic, covered in the guide to using Klaviyo for email marketing.

Troubleshooting common issues

Most integration problems trace back to a handful of causes:

Data is not syncing. Check that the integration is active in Klaviyo's settings, the store URL is correct, and the app is installed in Shopify. Re-authorizing the connection resolves many sync issues.
Historical data looks incomplete. The initial sync pulls 90 days first, then backfills the rest; a full history can take from minutes to a day or more to finish.
Onsite events are not appearing. Confirm the Klaviyo app embed is enabled and saved in the current theme. It must be re-enabled after a theme change.
Tracking respects consent. Privacy settings and visitor consent choices, for example in the EU, can limit what onsite tracking records, which is expected behavior rather than a fault.

Frequently asked questions

How do I connect Klaviyo to Shopify?

Install the Klaviyo app from the Shopify App Store (or start from Klaviyo's integrations page), enter the store's myshopify.com URL, and authorize the connection from the Shopify admin. Then configure subscriber syncing, enable two-way data sync, and turn on the Klaviyo app embed in the theme for onsite tracking. Most stores complete this in under an hour.

What data does Klaviyo sync from Shopify?

Order events (Placed Order, Ordered Product, Checkout Started, and order-status updates), onsite behavior (Viewed Product, Added to Cart, Active on Site), and customer data (name, email, location, consent, and Shopify tags). The initial sync covers the last 90 days, followed by a full historical sync, then real-time updates.

Is the Klaviyo Shopify integration free?

The integration itself is free to install; the cost is Klaviyo's subscription, which is based on the number of active profiles and SMS volume. Klaviyo has a free tier for small lists, with paid plans scaling up as the list grows. Pricing is separate from the Shopify subscription.

Why isn't Klaviyo tracking onsite activity?

The most common cause is the Klaviyo app embed being turned off — it has to be enabled in the current Shopify theme and re-enabled after any theme change. Confirm behavioral-event tracking is on in Klaviyo's settings, then test by browsing the store signed in with a known email and checking for Viewed Product and Added to Cart events on the profile.

Do I need to disconnect my old email provider first?

Yes. Disconnecting any other email service provider from Shopify before connecting Klaviyo prevents data conflicts and duplicate opt-in emails, and ensures customer data flows into a single platform.

First Pier is an ecommerce agency in Portland, Maine that builds and optimizes Shopify and Shopify Plus storefronts. For help connecting and configuring Klaviyo on a Shopify store, get in touch.