Email marketing is one of the highest-ROI channels for ecommerce, and Mailchimp has long been a favorite for online stores. But if you’re using Shopify, connecting the two reliably hasn’t always been easy.
In fact, back in 2019, Mailchimp’s official app was pulled from the Shopify App Store entirely. Merchants lost access overnight, and many had to scramble to rebuild their email flows from scratch. Even today, the rebuilt version of the Mailchimp for Shopify integration still leaves a lot to be desired.
If you want real control over when and how customers are synced with your email lists — and a backup plan in case the app ever disappears again — there’s a better way.
Why the native Mailchimp integration falls short
A rocky track record
In March 2019, Mailchimp voluntarily removed its Shopify app after a public data-sharing dispute. That meant tens of thousands of stores could no longer sync customer data to Mailchimp unless they used third-party workarounds.
While the integration eventually returned, the message was clear: depending entirely on a single third-party app, especially one prone to delisting, is risky.
Limited control and visibility
Even with the current Mailchimp app, automation options are limited. Most of what happens between Shopify and Mailchimp is a black box. You can’t:
- Choose when a customer gets subscribed
- Segment based on Shopify tags or customer properties
- Automatically unsubscribe users after key events
- Add or remove contacts from Mailchimp groups based on behavior
If your list needs even basic segmentation like separating wholesale customers or triggering different flows based on products purchased, the default setup won’t cut it.
A more reliable Shopify approach: using Arigato to automate Mailchimp
Arigato provides an alternative that doesn’t rely on the native Mailchimp for Shopify app at all. It connects directly to Mailchimp using their API, ensuring your workflows continue to run even if the official app is removed again.
More importantly, it gives you full control over how and when customers are subscribed, unsubscribed, or grouped. You define the logic using Shopify data. No guesswork, no black box.
Automate new customer subscriptions
You can use Arigato to automatically subscribe new customers to a Mailchimp audience, with proper opt-in tracking. You can also pass along customer tags, source information, or other metadata to power downstream segmentation.
Remove or unsubscribe users when needed
Not every customer should stay on your list forever. With Arigato, you can trigger unsubscribes when someone cancels a subscription, requests a refund, or opts out through your support team, all based on real Shopify events.
Relevant Argiato help doc: Unsubscribe user from Mailchimp
Add or remove users from Mailchimp groups
Groups are one of the most powerful tools in Mailchimp, but the native Shopify integration doesn’t use them. Arigato lets you assign customers to specific Mailchimp groups based on purchase history, tags, spend level, or custom logic.
See how it works: Add/remove user from Mailchimp groups
Full visibility and customization
With Arigato, you can trigger Mailchimp actions based on any Shopify event, not just new orders or sign-ups. That includes:
- Refunds
- Fulfillments
- Tag changes
- Metafield updates
- App installs or removals
You also get access to advanced filtering, conditional logic, and webhook timing, letting you run clean, intentional automations instead of messy bulk updates.
Real-world example: welcome new customers the right way
One of the most common use cases is sending new customers a welcome sequence in Mailchimp. With Arigato, you can do this cleanly and reliably, even if the native Mailchimp app isn’t installed.
Check out the workflow template: New customers → Mailchimp
You can modify it to only subscribe customers who:
- Checked the marketing opt-in box at checkout
- Spent more than a certain amount
- Purchased specific products or SKUs
It’s easy to customize, and you’re never locked into a rigid third-party flow.
Future-proof your Mailchimp Shopify automation
If you rely on Mailchimp for email marketing, don’t put your entire list strategy in the hands of a historically, potentially fragile app. The official Mailchimp for Shopify integration may work today, but as history shows, it can vanish without warning.
With Arigato, you get a more reliable, more customizable way to automate your email flows — directly from the data and events that matter most inside your Shopify store.
To learn more or set up your first workflow, visit the Arigato integration for Mailchimp and Shopify.