How to create Black Friday campaigns with Shopify and Customer.io

Black Friday is no longer just a day; it’s an event that defines the retail calendar. With consumers eagerly waiting for deals and businesses preparing for a sales frenzy, the competition is fierce. In fact, according to the State of Messaging report, brands sent 268 million emails from Customer.io on Black Friday in 2023. That’s a lot of emails—and a lot of competition for attention.

So, how do you stand out? The answer lies in data-driven messaging. By combining your Shopify data with Customer.io Journeys, you can create hyper-targeted customer experiences. From personalized product recommendations to special offers tailored to their interests, you can make your customers feel like you’re anticipating their needs. That’s how you drive engagement…and stand out on Black Friday.

Customer.io + Shopify: a perfect pairing

Imagine sending targeted follow-up emails or in-app notifications the moment a customer abandons their cart or when an item they’re interested in goes on sale. You can do just that by sending your Shopify data to Customer.io.

There are two ways to go about setting up your Shopify integration:

• Webhooks: You can natively transform every item in Shopify’s webhook catalog into events in Customer.io. Translation: After setting up webhooks for specific actions—like when an order is placed, or a product is back in stock—you can then send that real-time data to Customer.io for your personalized Black Friday campaigns.
• Reverse ETL: If you centralize your Shopify data in a data warehouse, you can use reverse ETL to push this valuable information back into Customer.io Journeys. This process enriches your customer profiles with a comprehensive view of customer behavior, purchase history, and preferences.

No matter which method you choose, the key is to get your Shopify data into Journeys so you can start creating highly personalized campaigns for Black Friday.

3 ways to use your Shopify data in Customer.io Journeys 

Once you connect Shopify with Customer.io, you can power your Journeys campaigns with real-time customer data. This is a game-changer for personalized marketing—and it’s the best way to make your message resonate during the busy Black Friday season.

Here are three ideas for using your Shopify data in Customer.io Journeys:

#1 Trigger campaigns based on cart abandonment

One of the biggest challenges brands face, especially during the rush of Black Friday, is cart abandonment. A timely reminder can make all the difference when a customer adds items to their cart but leaves without completing the purchase.

For example, you can trigger an automated email campaign shortly after the abandonment, reminding customers of the items they left behind. This email could include enticing visuals of the products, a special discount to encourage completion, or even a countdown timer to create a sense of urgency.

💡 Pro tip: Toggle between drag-and-drop and code editing

It’s one thing to plan a super personalized campaign; it’s another to build all the assets needed to get it live. Collaboration across teams is often involved, with marketers, designers, and developers all getting their hands on the campaign. That’s where a combination of drag-and-drop, and code editing within Customer.io Journeys comes into play. Marketers can use the drag-and-drop editor to build messaging across channels, while designers and developers can use the code editor to write HTML.

#2 Send limited-time offers to VIP customers

Recognizing and rewarding your top customers can significantly boost your Black Friday sales. By creating segments in Journeys that leverage real-time data from your store, you can identify frequent buyers and offer them exclusive, limited-time deals.

For instance, consider sending an SMS to VIP customers with a time-sensitive discount on products they’ve shown interest in or previously purchased. This not only enhances the customer experience but also incentivizes timely purchases. You can also dive deep into individual purchasing behaviors, tailoring your offers to reflect their interests. By making your loyal customers feel valued with exclusive access to promotions, you can drive urgency and engagement during one of the busiest shopping periods of the year.

💡 Pro tip: Test, test, test

Adding in A/B testing within your Black Friday campaigns can help you understand which variables resonate best with your audience. From subject lines to imagery and different messaging channels, you can conduct experiments to improve your campaign performance. Need a few tips before you dive right in? Check out these A/B testing tips and tricks.

#3 Personalize product recommendations

One of the most effective ways to engage with customers is to recommend relevant and personalized products. By sending your Shopify data into Customer.io Journeys, you can easily create automated campaigns that recommend products based on a customer’s browsing or purchase history. For example, based on their purchase history, you can curate collections featuring items they will likely love.

Say a customer has previously purchased fitness gear. Create a collection with matching accessories or new arrivals within that category. This approach not only increases the likelihood of conversion but also enhances the customer experience by making their purchasing decision a little easier. And during Black Friday, when customers may be overwhelmed with choices, personalized product recommendations can help them make quicker buying decisions.

💡 Pro tip: Set the right delay 

Timing is absolutely critical when sending personalized messages based on customer behavior. Within Journeys, you can set Wait Until time delays to ensure your message is received at just the right moment to spur another purchase.

Stand out on Black Friday with Customer.io + Shopify

No matter how big or small your business is, your customer data is a powerful tool for creating impactful Black Friday campaigns. By integrating Shopify with Customer.io, you can leverage that data to deliver personalized and relevant messaging to your customers.

To learn more about what you can do with the integration, visit our integrations catalog or watch this helpful overview from our solutions engineer, Jake: