There are plenty of email marketing tools out there that have the potential to fit your business needs. Finding the right one can sometimes be overwhelming. We’re often asked if there is one that stands out above the rest when it comes to email marketing tools for e-commerce. In the spirit of helping you cut down on your research time, we decided to dissect two strong contenders and lay it all out for you; Klaviyo vs. Mailchimp. Our team of SEO experts knows a thing or two that may help you find the tool that offers the best fit for your e-commerce business.
Personalization at Its Best
MailChimp and Klaviyo both offer many benefits to the e-commerce owner, starting with a free trial period to take them for a test run. E-commerce customers can expect both email marketing tools to offer product recommendations to their viewers.
Personalized to meet the interests and needs of your visitors, product recommendations from both tools allow you to:
- Offer special promotions to target your various audiences
- Identify and categorize your visitors by specific browsing or purchasing behaviors and preferences
- Integrate valuable sales data (Mailchimp will even rank the top ten products to recommend to your customers)
Marketing Campaigns Made Easy
Both tools make e-commerce life easier with their pre-built audience segments. Simply select the attribute you wish to target. Need to run a marketing campaign based on your customer’s birthday, location, or previous shopping patterns? No problem for either platform!
The Powers of Retargeting
MailChimp and Klaviyo both offer you helpful e-commerce product retargeting options. Whether you choose to retarget an abandoned cart or items viewed but not put into their cart, retargeting emails are a must. Both companies offer a variety of revenue-producing options, no matter which marketing client you go with.
A/B Testing with Emails
You’ll also appreciate both platforms offering user-friendly A/B testing features. You’ll never be left guessing what’s working well for your e-commerce. Test and track open rates for subject lines that work and campaign versions that get you the click rates that produce revenue. Easily utilize analytics and reports on either dashboard to keep you in the know.
User-Friendly
Both MailChimp and Klaviyo offer drag and drop capabilities to build your desired look. Enjoy access to plenty of templates with either choice and customize your creations to match your branding.
Weighing Your Budget Needs
Let’s talk price point. We’ve all got a bottom line to consider and choosing your e-commerce marketing tools is no exception. So, what will either option set you back? What’s included in the price? How do they stack up against each other?
MailChimp Account Options
Free Account
MailChimp offers a free account for up to 2,000 contacts. Keep in mind; you are allowed 2,000 email sends a day, with a monthly limit of 10,000 sends. Mailchimp’s free plan includes basic reporting, a handful of their email templates, and single automated email. The free account option will provide you with access to landing pages, Facebook and Instagram ad options, and social media post ability.
Essentials
If you know you’ll be sending more emails than the free plan allows, the Essentials plan may be right for you. Starting at just $9.99 a month, your first 500 contacts are included. You’ll be charged as your contact list increases; up to 50,000 contacts. Their handy contact calculator will give you an idea of your expected plan pricing. Along with the options provided in the free plan, you’ll also have access to:
- Custom branding options
- Full email template library
- A/B testing
- Client support 24/7
Standard
The Standard package is Mailchimp’s recommended option for growing businesses. Starting at $14.99 and up to 100,000 contacts, your e-commerce business will have use of the Essentials features as well as:
- Retargeting ads
- Create custom templates
- Advanced insights
- Access to automation series
- Lookalike Finder
Premium
If your e-commerce needs up to 200,000+ contacts, consider their Premium option. Need an array of customization options, multivariate testing abilities, comparative report, and more? This may be for you, starting at $299.
Klaviyo Account Options
Free and Beyond
Klaviyo will provide your e-commerce with a free account for up to 250 contacts, and a limit of 500 email sends. Yes, a huge difference in comparison to the email marketing offerings of Mailchimp, but they offer their clients the use of all features, regardless of contact list size; no add-on fees to fuss with. They provide real-time, targeted automated email options, simple one-click integrations, newsletter templates, and more.
Klaviyo offers precision audience segmentation. Segmentation is also in real-time, so your audiences are always up to date. They provide an impressive reporting interface, complete with advanced analytics and viewing preferences. The real-time reports and comparison options make their reporting system stand out above the rest.
If you’re still concerned about the difference in price point, consider the number of apps and platforms Klaviyo can integrate with. It may be worth the extra cost if your business requires integrations with tools such as:
- POS software
- Helpdesk software
- Payment gateways
What Others Have Shared
Newer and smaller businesses and even owners who are just getting their feet wet with email marketing tend to prefer starting out with Mailchimp. With a generous free account for up to 2,000 contacts, it’s a budget-friendly way to help get you off the ground. Its reporting and analytics are easy to follow, and it offers PPC ad integrations. Larger companies, those who are looking for a variety of integrations, or require detailed reporting, find Klaviyo more suited to their ever-expanding e-commerce needs.
In the end, the specific needs of your business should ultimately drive your decision. While both tools provide many benefits, consider what is most important on your list of needs and priorities. We encourage you to take both for a spin with their trial period offers if you can. Get a feel for each tool and see what their email marketing features can provide your business. We’ve found both options offer incredible benefits; worthy of making the final cut for our top two contenders. Need a few pointers on getting your email marketing strategy started? We’ve got some helpful advice for you to get you moving in the right direction. Our team here at Moose May would love to help you achieve your e-commerce goals. Contact us today to find out how we can help.