Best Way to Customize Shopify Customer Notification Emails (Order, Shipping, etc.)

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Hi everyone,

I’m currently working on improving the customer experience for my Shopify store and would like to customize the notification emails that are sent to clients—such as order confirmation, shipping updates, and delivery notifications.

What would you say is the best and most efficient way to configure and customize these emails?

Specifically, I’d like to know:

  • Is it really necessary to use an app to fully customize these notifications?
  • Can I achieve most of what I need just by editing Shopify’s native email templates (possibly with help from tools like ChatGPT)?
  • What do you recommend based on your experience? What’s worked best for you in terms of design, branding, and flexibility?

Any tips or examples would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

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Hi @Vilcka , here are direct answers to your questions:

Do you need an app to customize Shopify emails?

Not necessarily. Shopify’s built-in templates (HTML + Liquid) let you customize most things, including branding, layout, dynamic order data, etc. If you’re comfortable with light code (or use ChatGPT), you can go pretty far without apps.

However, you need to have a basic knowledge of code and Liquid, as well as understand it and be able to customize it. Otherwise, we don’t recommend using ChatGPT 100%.

When is an app worth it? Use an app if you want:

  • Drag-and-drop design.
  • Better visuals without coding.
  • Analytics (opens/clicks).
  • Advanced upsells or review requests.
  • And more.

Conclusion: You can do 70% of the important stuff natively with a little help from code if you understand HTML, CSS, and Liquid. Consider using an app if you have the needs we mentioned above.

That’s all. If this solved your problem, please like and mark Solved.

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As well, there is no coding required to use this app!

If this solved your problem, we would really appreciate it if you gave a like and mark Solved!

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Hi, I’m Wayne from Akohub. We have been working with many brands to run online stores. I believe our expertise could help.

You can customize your notification emails directly within Shopify by editing the native templates, no app required for most needs. Just head to Settings > Notifications in your admin, where you can tweak the HTML and Liquid code to personalize content, add your logo, and match your brand’s colors.

If you’re not familiar with codes or you’re looking for more advanced features like multi-step workflows, deeper segmentation, or richer email designs, apps like Klaviyo or a combination of Shopify Flow are worth considering. Klaviyo offers powerful automation and a drag-and-drop editor, and Shopify Flow lets you trigger custom notifications based on specific store events. Many merchants find that starting with Shopify’s built-in tools and upgrading to an app as their needs grow strikes the right balance between ease of use and flexibility. No matter which route you choose, always keep your branding consistent, personalize your messages, and test emails before sending to ensure a seamless customer experience.

Best wishes! If you have any more questions or need a free professional consultation, feel free to let us know! Don’t forget to like and mark it as a solution if you find this helpful.

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I’m working on a loyalty + rewards app for Shopify and looking for a designer partner. I can offer free lifetime use of the product in return. Interested?

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Hi Vilcka, George here from ParcelPanel.

The short answer to your question is that you can achieve quite a lot using Shopify’s native customer notification system. However, you need to be technically adept to get it right, and ChatGPT can lead you down the wrong path if you are not familiar with coding.

Moreover, if you happen to be dropshipping, Shopify’s system will display your supplier’s shipping address, which can affect how your customers perceive your brand. You may end up with a lot of customer inquiries about the whereabouts of their orders if they learn that you are not the one shipping to them.

What a third-party app like ParcelPanel does is it streamlines all aspects of the post-purchase phase without requiring you to be an expert in coding. You can set up automatic alerts to keep customers informed about the status of their orders, in addition to providing a tracking page on your store. Also, your supplier’s details will be masked, and customers won’t know you are dropshipping.

By the way, you can customize the tracking page to align with your brand colors and messaging. This app also allows you to recommend other products to your valued customers whenever they follow up on the status of their orders.

Please feel free to ask any follow-up questions or give a thumbs up. Cheers and success.

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Hi @Vilcka ,

Great question, customizing your notification emails is a smart move for creating a consistent and professional brand experience. I’m happy to share some options based on what’s worked for many merchants.

1. Shopify’s Built-In Email Templates
You can customize most core notifications (order confirmation, shipping updates, etc.) directly from your Shopify admin under Settings > Notifications. These use HTML + Liquid, so if you’re comfortable editing code—or using tools like ChatGPT to guide your edits—you can personalize the content, layout, and branding quite a bit.

That said, the built-in editor has some limitations when it comes to:

  • Visual design flexibility (e.g. drag-and-drop editing or mobile previews)

  • Branding consistency (unless you manually code in your styles)

  • A/B testing or performance tracking

2. Using an App (More Control & Time-Saving)
If you’re looking for something more visual or automated, using an app can definitely help. Here are a few options to consider:

  • OrderlyEmails - Great for professionally designed templates you can edit without coding. It auto-syncs with your store and supports all notification types.

  • Klaviyo - Powerful for post-purchase flows and branded transactional emails, especially if you already use it for marketing.

  • Retentionly – AI Email Marketing - Our app helps merchants design smart transactional emails that stay on-brand and even include subtle upsells. It’s ideal if you want more automation and AI-powered content suggestions.

Final Tips:

  • Test on both desktop and mobile views before finalizing

  • Use dynamic Liquid variables for personalization (e.g. {{ customer.first_name }})

  • Keep it simple, on-brand, and include helpful info like tracking links and return policies

Hope this helps you create a more polished customer experience! Feel free to follow up if you’d like feedback on a draft or need help with a specific template.

Cheers,
Retentionly Team

If this helped, please mark it as a solution so others can find it too!

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Hi @Vilcka ,

Here’s what I’d recommend based on working with a lot of Shopify merchants:

1. Shopify’s native email templates go a long way

You can definitely get started by editing Shopify’s built-in notifications. Go to Settings > Notifications, and you’ll find templates for order confirmation, shipping updates, delivery, etc.
They’re written in Liquid, so with a little patience (and yes, even tools like ChatGPT to help with the code), you can adjust the language, add branding, change layout, or include links.

2. Use apps if you want more visual control or dynamic content

If you’re looking for drag-and-drop design or more advanced logic (like showing specific blocks for VIP customers, upsells, etc.), then an app might be helpful. A few email editor apps offer visual customization, but they sometimes charge extra for each notification type.

3. Don’t forget the tracking and return emails

While Shopify covers the basics, many stores also add branded shipping update emails and return confirmation emails using apps like:

These two apps also let you fully align the email experience with your brand, which is often overlooked. If that’s something you’re working on, we’d be happy to offer a 30-day free trial so you can test it with your current setup, just let me know

4. Quick tip from experience:

Always send a test email to yourself before publishing changes, and view it on both desktop and mobile. Small formatting glitches are easier to catch that way.

Hope this helps!