When you sync a Shopify segment to Marketing, a timestamped list is created containing your marketable contacts. This lets you use Shopify's segmentation capabilities within your Marketing campaigns.
Before you start
Things you need to know:
You must have a Shopify store connected to Marketing using our Shopify connector.
You need to have created segments in Shopify before you can sync them to Marketing.
All contacts are synced to Marketing. You must verify they are contacts you can send marketing communications to.
Suppressed or unsubscribed contacts in Marketing are not resubscribed when you create a list from a Shopify segment.
Learn more in Connect your Shopify store to Marketing and the Shopify article Creating customer segments.
Two-way sync can overwrite Shopify data when you create a list from a segment
If you have two-way sync enabled, contacts created from a Shopify segment that don't already exist in Marketing are added with empty values for mapped fields, such as tags. Those blank values can then sync back to Shopify and overwrite the existing data.
To avoid this we recommend only syncing contacts that already exist in Marketing.
Create a list from a Shopify segment
In Shopify, go to Customers > Segments.
Find the segment you want to sync to Marketing.
Select the three dots menu next to the segment name.
Select Use segment.
From the list of available apps, select Marketing.
Review the confirmation message showing the list name and timestamp.
The list is named Shopify segment - [segment name] followed by a date and time.
Select Create list.
The import can take time to complete, but you can continue working in the meantime.When complete, select the link to view the list in Marketing.
This opens the list in a new tab.
If you’re no longer on the import screen, you can find the list in your Marketing account under Audience > Lists.
Only marketable contacts should receive marketing communications
Always send marketing communications only to customers who have opted in and are considered marketable. You must verify synced contacts are contacts you can send marketing communications to.
Understanding contact count differences
The number of contacts in your Shopify segment may differ from the number in your Marketing list. This happens for several reasons:
Suppressed or unsubscribed contacts in Marketing are not added to the list.
Data conflicts prevent some contacts from being imported. For example, if a mobile number in the segment is already assigned to a different contact in Marketing, that contact is not added.
Subscription status determines who is added. Only contacts who are in your Shopify subscribers list and are marketable in Marketing are included.
Find your Shopify subscribers list
1. In Marketing, go to Settings > Shopify.
2. Under Contacts > Sync email subscribers to, you can see your email subscribers list.
This list shows contacts who are subscribed to your marketing communications.
View import history and resolve issues
If contacts are missing from your list, you can check the import history to see what happened during the sync.
In Marketing, go to Settings > Contacts > Import history.
Find the import for your segment.
The import is named after your segment and includes a timestamp.
Select Report to view the report.
Review the details. For example:
Successfully uploaded contacts
Contacts not imported
Conflict emails
Conflict numbers
The report shows you exactly which contacts were added and which were excluded, helping you troubleshoot any issues.
Check import history if contacts are missing
If you expected certain contacts to appear in your list but they're not there, the import history report shows you why they were excluded. Common reasons include subscription status, data conflicts, and suppression settings.