Most UK Shopify stores that switch from Mailchimp do so for one of three reasons: the Shopify integration removal in 2019, rising prices since the Intuit acquisition, or a need for EU data residency that Mailchimp does not offer. If any of those apply to you, this guide covers the migration process step by step.

Step 1: Choose your new tool

Before exporting anything, decide where you are going. The migration process is the same regardless of destination, but make sure your chosen tool is set up correctly before you import contacts.

Switching because of Shopify integration: Omnisend (4.8 app rating, native integration) or Klaviyo (deepest Shopify data access). Compare them here →

Switching because of price: GetResponse (free up to 500 contacts, unlimited sends) or Brevo (per-email pricing, affordable for large lists with infrequent sends).

Switching because of GDPR: Omnisend, GetResponse, or Brevo — all store data in the EU by default. If you choose Klaviyo, you must select EU data region at account creation.

Step 2: Export your Mailchimp audience

1. In Mailchimp, go to Audience → All contacts
2. Click Export audience (button in the top right)
3. Select Export as CSV
4. Download the file — it contains email addresses, names, tags, and engagement data

The exported CSV includes:

• Email address
• First name, last name
• Subscription status (subscribed / unsubscribed / cleaned)
• Tags you have applied
• Engagement data (if Mailchimp has it)

Unsubscribed and cleaned contacts export separately. Do not import unsubscribed contacts into your new tool — this would override their opt-out.

Step 3: Note your active automations

Automations cannot be migrated automatically between platforms. Before you switch, document each active automation you have:

• Welcome series: how many emails, what delays, what content
• Abandoned cart: how many emails, time intervals
• Post-purchase sequences: confirmation email, review request, cross-sell timing
• Any other flows (win-back, birthday, browse abandonment)

You will rebuild these using the pre-built templates in your new tool. Having them documented makes the rebuild faster.

Step 4: Set up your new account

If choosing Klaviyo: Select EU data region at account creation. This is in the account setup flow but not prominently featured — look for the data storage location option before completing signup. This cannot be changed afterwards.

If choosing Omnisend, GetResponse, or Brevo: No special steps needed for data residency — EU storage is the default.

Get the DPA in place before importing contacts. Under UK GDPR, your email marketing tool is a data processor and you need a written DPA. For most tools this is in account settings or available in one click. Do this before you import any data.

Step 5: Connect Shopify

Install the Shopify app for your new tool before importing contacts. The Shopify integration will bring in existing orders and customer data, which is more complete than importing from a CSV.

• Omnisend: Shopify App Store → search “Omnisend”
• Klaviyo: Shopify App Store → search “Klaviyo”
• GetResponse: Shopify App Store → search “GetResponse”

After connecting, verify that orders and customer data are syncing. This typically takes a few minutes for a small store.

Step 6: Import your contacts

Import your Mailchimp CSV into the new tool. Each platform has a contact import screen that maps Mailchimp’s standard column headers automatically.

Important: Only import subscribed contacts. Unsubscribed contacts from Mailchimp should either not be imported, or imported as suppressed — check your new tool’s documentation for the correct approach.

After importing, check:

• Total contact count matches your expected number
• Tags have been correctly mapped
• Unsubscribed contacts are not included in your active lists

Step 7: Rebuild your automations

Use the pre-built templates in your new tool as a starting point. Rebuilding standard e-commerce flows typically takes 1–2 hours.

Abandoned cart (priority one — this is usually the highest-revenue automation):

• Email 1: 1 hour after abandonment
• Email 2: 24 hours after abandonment
• Email 3: 72 hours after abandonment

Welcome series:

• Email 1: Immediately after signup
• Email 2: 2–3 days later (brand story, bestsellers)
• Email 3: 7 days later (social proof, review)

Post-purchase:

• Order confirmation: Immediate (may also be handled by Shopify — avoid duplicates)
• Review request: 7–14 days after delivery
• Cross-sell: 21–30 days after purchase

Step 8: Run both tools in parallel for 30 days

Keep your Mailchimp account active but pause your Mailchimp automations to avoid duplicate sends to the same subscribers. Do not cancel Mailchimp yet.

During the 30-day parallel period:

• Send one broadcast from your new tool and check deliverability (no spam complaints, delivery rate above 98%)
• Verify your automation triggers are working correctly
• Check that Shopify data is syncing in real time

Step 9: Cancel Mailchimp

Once you have confirmed deliverability and automations are running correctly in your new tool, cancel your Mailchimp billing. Keep the account open (free tier) for 90 days in case you need to reference historical data, then close it.

Common migration problems

Problem: Abandoned cart flows not triggering in the new tool. Cause: The Shopify integration was not fully connected before automations were activated, or the flow is set to trigger on future events only. Solution: Check integration connection status, and verify the flow trigger settings include events from the import date.

Problem: Subscribers receiving both Mailchimp and new tool emails. Cause: Mailchimp automations were not paused during the parallel period. Solution: Pause all Mailchimp automations immediately. Verify each flow is paused, not just the welcome series.

Problem: Open rate appears lower in the new tool. Cause: Apple Mail Privacy Protection (AMPP) inflates open rates in Mailchimp. Your new tool may report more accurately. Solution: This is normal. Focus on click rates and revenue attribution rather than open rates for performance measurement.

What you will gain from switching

Stores that migrate from Mailchimp to Omnisend or Klaviyo typically see improvements in two areas within the first 60 days:

Shopify automation reliability. Native integration means abandoned cart flows trigger consistently from Shopify data without the ShopSync intermediary. For stores that have experienced missing or delayed triggers with ShopSync, this is immediately noticeable.

Segmentation capability. Both Omnisend and Klaviyo give you access to Shopify purchase data in your segmentation that Mailchimp via ShopSync does not surface reliably. Win-back campaigns, post-purchase sequences based on specific products, and VIP customer flows all become easier to build.

The migration itself is the main friction point. Once it is done, there is no going back.