A merchant selling an online course needs to send essential post-purchase instructions to all customers, but Shopify Flow only sends emails to those opted into marketing communications.
Core Issue:
Critical course access instructions cannot reach customers who haven’t opted into marketing emails when using Flow’s standard email actions.
Recommended Solutions:
Key Distinction:
Transactional emails (order confirmations, access instructions) are legally exempt from marketing opt-in requirements under regulations like CAN-SPAM, unlike promotional marketing emails.
The merchant confirmed that editing the general order confirmation isn’t viable since it would affect all products, making product-specific transactional email flows the preferred solution.
Hello,
I sell an online course that requires additional instructions for customers after they complete their purchase. However, I’ve run into an issue—Flow only sends follow-up emails to those who have opted into marketing emails.
Since these instructions are essential for accessing the course, how can I ensure all customers receive them, regardless of their marketing preferences?
Any ideas or workarounds? I’d really appreciate your help!
@Patk ,
@Patk ,
You can bypass the marketing opt-in restriction by using Shopify Order Confirmation Emails or a third-party app like Klaviyo or Omnisend that allows transactional emails.
Edit Order Confirmation Email (Settings > Notifications) – Add course instructions directly.
Use a Third-Party Email App – These can send follow-ups to all buyers, not just those opted into marketing.
Automate with Flow & Customer Tags – Tag customers who purchase the course and trigger a follow-up via a private app or third-party integration.
If it resolves your issue, please mark my answer as a solution, I can configure this for you, reach me if you find it hard
Hey there! I totally understand your concern, ensuring all customers get those essential post-purchase instructions for your online course is critical, even if they haven’t opted into marketing emails. Unfortunately, Shopify Flow’s “Send marketing email” action is restricted to customers who have agreed to receive marketing, due to legal regulations like CAN-SPAM, so it won’t send to everyone automatically. A great workaround is to use a transactional email instead, which doesn’t require marketing opt-in — go to Settings > Notifications in your Shopify admin, find the “Order confirmation” or “Order fulfilled” email, and customize it to include your course instructions, like a link or step-by-step guide. If you need more flexibility, you can install a third-party app like FlowMail or Klaviyo, which can handle transactional emails triggered by specific product purchases, ensuring every customer gets the info they need
Hello,
Thank you for your reply, editing the confirmation email isn’t really an option as it will apply to all the other items in my shop.
Can Klaviyo send an email as “transactional” instead of a marketing one? Do you know if I’m able to choose in Klaviyo which emails will be transactional?
Hello,
Thank you for your reply, editing the confirmation email isn’t really an option as it will apply to all the other items in my shop.
Can Klaviyo send an email as “transactional” instead of a marketing one? Do you know if I can choose in Klaviyo which emails will be transactional?
Klaviyo does allow you to send transactional emails separately from marketing emails. You can set this up by marking an email as “Transactional” in Klaviyo’s email settings, ensuring it gets delivered to all customers, even if they haven’t opted into marketing.
To do this, go to Flows in Klaviyo, create a new flow triggered by a specific product purchase, and under the email settings, check the box that marks the email as “Transactional” (you’ll see this option under “Message Type”)
Hi @Patk ,
That’s a really thoughtful question, and an important one, especially when the post-purchase email contains essential access instructions.
You’re absolutely right that Shopify Flow only sends emails to customers who have opted in to marketing, which makes it tricky for delivering critical non-promotional content like course access steps.
Here are a few workarounds to consider:
Looking for an Easier Way to Manage These Follow-Ups?
Retentionly – AI Email Marketing app might be a helpful solution here. It is beginner friendly with AI integration, and designed to handle both automated marketing and essential transactional emails. You only pay for the emails you send, not for your full subscriber base. Plus, the Retentionly team sets up your automation for free, so you can make sure every customer receives what they need after purchase.
Need a hand? Just reach out via our live chat, we’re happy to help!
Cheers,
Retentionly Team
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