Email marketing is one of the most underrated sales channels for your store. It’s cost-effective, reliable and actually drives sales. Unlike ads, you don’t need to keep spending to see results. You usually pay once to get a subscriber, but can keep selling to them over time.

It’s also less affected by things like Google algorithm changes or social media reach drops. Email is a major revenue driver for almost every successful online store—and yes, it’s possible for small stores to make 5–6 figures from email alone.

This short guide covers the essentials to help small stores use email properly and make it a steady source of revenue.

Which software to use?

If you choose any of the most popular email platforms, you'll be fine. They all allow you to collect emails via forms, build automations, run A/B tests, track revenue, and offer great email templates. Most of them also have free plans.

We use Klaviyo the most, which is great, but Mailchimp, Omnisend, Brevo, and others work well too. If you have a Shopify store, Shopify's own email tool is also okay.

How to get subscribers for your email list

This is the most important part—and also where many merchants get it wrong. Don’t just slap a popup on your site and hope for the best. Take the time to actually build your list. The key is to offer something people care about. A boring “Get 5% off” won’t cut it. But 15% off or a small free gift? That grabs attention.

Timing matters too. Showing a popup the second someone lands on your site is just annoying. Set it to trigger after they’ve been browsing for a bit or when they’re about to leave. You want to catch them when they’re interested, not when they’re still figuring out where they are.

Collect emails at checkout by adding an email marketing opt-in. Many people will subscribe if your store looks trustworthy. The downside? Not everyone makes it to checkout and completes a purchase, so this method alone won’t grow your list quickly. Here’s an example from our own shoe store (Saapavabrik) checkout:

Popups can work well, but only if they offer real value and are triggered correctly. Don’t hit users with a newsletter popup the second they land on your store—it feels like spam. Instead, set proper triggers, like:

• The user has been on your site for at least 90 seconds.
• They’ve browsed multiple pages and seem engaged.
• They’re about to leave without making a purchase (exit intent popup).

Your popups have to be as on point as possible.

If you’re using a popup to collect emails, make sure it offers something worthwhile. A basic "Subscribe to our newsletter" won’t cut it. Instead, test incentives like:

• A 10-15% discount (or at least €5—full euros often convert better than low-percentage discounts).
• Free shipping.
• A free add-on, like personalization.
• A free product with purchase.

Yes, the initial cost might seem high, but you should factor in the customer lifetime value. You might spend a few dollars to get them to subscribe by offering a discount or a free gift with their order, but if they become a subscriber, they might make multiple purchases in the future.

Or here's one from Db Journey (although it's a bit too much text for my taste) that asks you to become a member.

Along with popups, try using teasers—small elements that open a signup form or popup when clicked. They’re less intrusive than popups but still effective. Most popular email marketing platforms, including Klaviyo, support them. If you’re not sure what they are, this link will help.

Interactive popups, like games, often work extremely well. Some popup tools let you display a wheel of fortune where users enter their email for a chance to win a prize or discount. Who doesn’t like spinning a wheel for a reward? Just make sure the prizes are actually valuable.

Mystery boxes work really well too. Ask for an email in exchange for unlocking a surprise — whether it's a mystery gift, discount, or free shipping. It plays on curiosity and the fear of missing out.

There’s a perfect example of this in Family Guy, where Peter Griffin chooses a mystery box instead of a guaranteed boat, because “the mystery box could be anything — it could even be a boat!” It’s funny, but it also says a lot about how people think. Surprises convert.

Instead of offering a general discount, consider targeting a specific brand or category. For example, if a user spends 2 minutes on the Montessori toys page, display a popup that says, “Get €15 off Montessori toys when you subscribe to our newsletter.” This makes the offer more relevant and appealing.

Product giveaways can work well, but be cautious. If the prize isn’t directly related to your store (e.g., giving away an iPhone), you might attract a lot of subscribers who aren’t actually interested in your products. However, if the prize aligns with your niche, it’s worth a try. Essentially, tell visitors that if they leave their email and opt in, they could win [insert a relevant prize].

If you have a blog in your store with great, useful content that people actually read, ask them to subscribe to your newsletter—promise them content just as good as what they’re reading. Popups or embedded signup forms work well for this (and all email marketing tools offer them).

Multi-step popups are another effective strategy. For example, the first step asks if the visitor wants a discount (yes/no), and the next step collects their details. This creates a small commitment before asking for their email, increasing the likelihood of conversion.

Don’t have multiple popups running at the same time, and no matter what kind of popup you add, always check how it looks on mobile. We often see popups that look great on desktop but are a disaster on mobile.

Subscribe form in the footer – You can have it there, but without a real incentive, no one will sign up. Even in the footer, give people a reason to subscribe, like a discount, free shipping, or something valuable. You can also embed signup forms anywhere on your site, but for them to convert, they need to offer something worthwhile.

Manually asking for email consent – It’s time-consuming, but we’ve seen stores email customers post-purchase, asking if they’re happy with their order and if they can send them emails in the future (while promising not to spam). Basically, getting explicit consent in a personal way.

Back-in-stock notifications – Let visitors sign up to get an email when an out-of-stock item is available again. But make sure to also get their overall consent to use their email for future marketing.

Live chat opt-ins – If you have a live chat, you can ask users to enter their email before starting a conversation. Or, add a newsletter opt-in CTA at the end of the chat.

Account creation — don’t make it mandatory. Offering account creation can help grow your email list, but never force customers to create an account just to buy something. It adds friction and kills conversions. Instead, offer it as an option after checkout. That’s a better moment to build loyalty without scaring people off.

Try Facebook or Google Lead Ads, designed specifically for collecting emails, and experiment with different value propositions. You can target people who have already interacted with your store or social media, or even create a lookalike audience based on these interactions. If you already have an email list, use it to create a lookalike audience and target them with ads.

No matter what methods you use to collect emails, keep your message clear, short, and focused on the value the customer gets. Also, choose your popup triggers wisely—no one wants to be hit with a “subscribe to our newsletter” message the second they land on your site.

What emails to send?

Welcome email

This is an automated email sent when someone subscribes. It should include a discount code and a clear call to action to shop. Add a nice image or feature some products to make it more engaging. Don’t be afraid to include sale items. If you have more to say, the welcome flow can include multiple emails spread over a few days.

Weekly (or bi-weekly) newsletter

One email per week is usually enough for a new store. You can send more during peak or sale seasons, but keep an eye on unsubscribe rates and spam complaints.

Newsletters can feature new arrivals, special offers, useful tips, or promotions. Stick to one clear message per email (I sometimes break this rule myself, but do as I say—not as I do).

That’s enough to get started. Once you’re more comfortable, you can add things like cart reminders, back-in-stock alerts, or review requests. But first, just nail your welcome email and weekly newsletter.

One more thing: Some email tools also let you easily send a follow-up to subscribers who didn’t open the first email. In Klaviyo, for example, it takes less than a minute to set up. And you should do it—people often just miss the initial email.

Subject lines & messages

The general rule: one message per email. If you’re promoting a discount, focus only on that—and include a clear call to action. Keep your emails short. No one has time for long emails, and email platforms like Gmail might cut off the rest if they’re too long.

Test everything: subject lines, email content, and even send times. Most platforms make it easy to run A/B tests. Try including the subscriber’s name, emojis, or questions in the subject line to improve open rates. (30–40% is solid.) Be creative and bold—most inboxes are boring.

Show products directly in your emails. You’re running an online store, so your products should be front and center. Most email tools let you easily add products straight from your store feed.

For example, if you’re sending a “New Arrivals” email, you can just drop in the product blocks with a few clicks—no need to upload images manually. If you're using Shopify and Klaviyo, it’s very straightforward to set up. Here’s a guide that walks you through the steps.

And yes, this is what I mean (see the screenshot).

Lastly, look for inspiration. Check your inbox for emails you actually liked. Or search online—“examples of welcome emails” is a good start. A great resource is Really Good Emails and yes, they’ve got solid welcome email examples too.

And don’t forget to test how your email looks on mobile and in dark mode before sending. Most people will read your email on their phone, even if you’re building it on a laptop.

Conclusion

That’s it for the beginning. Nail these basics: set up your welcome flow and weekly newsletter, keep a steady stream of new subscribers coming in, and start generating revenue. Later, you can add more advanced flows like cart abandonment emails, post-purchase follow-ups, and unsubscribe landing pages. But first—get the essentials right.