Why E-commerce Brands Look Beyond Klaviyo

Klaviyo is the gold standard for e-commerce email marketing. With deep Shopify integration and powerful segmentation, it's earned its reputation. But two things make e-commerce brands explore alternatives:

The Gap
Email Alone Isn't Enough for Cart Recovery

Abandoned cart emails average 45% open rates. WhatsApp abandoned cart messages hit 98%. When 70% of carts are abandoned, that difference means real revenue. Klaviyo focuses on email and SMS—HiMail.ai adds WhatsApp.

Two Key Reasons to Consider Alternatives

💰

Klaviyo Pricing Scales Fast

Klaviyo starts affordable but gets expensive as your list grows. At 10,000 contacts, you're looking at $150+/month for email alone.

Save 30-40% with HiMail
📱

No Native WhatsApp

Klaviyo offers SMS but not WhatsApp. If you sell internationally, your customers prefer WhatsApp—and it's cheaper too.

98% WhatsApp open rates

HiMail.ai vs Klaviyo for E-commerce

Here's how HiMail.ai compares to Klaviyo for e-commerce marketing needs.

E-commerce Feature HiMail.ai Klaviyo
Monthly Price
At 10,000 contacts
 $149/month ~$175/month
WhatsApp Marketing
Cart recovery, order updates
 5,000/month included Not available
SMS Marketing
Text message campaigns
 Available Available (costs extra)
Abandoned Cart Flows
Multi-channel recovery
 Email + WhatsApp Email + SMS
Shopify Integration
Native connection
 Supported Best-in-class
WooCommerce
WordPress e-commerce
 Supported Supported
Predictive Analytics
AI-powered insights
 Available Advanced
Team Members
Users included
 Unlimited Varies by plan

E-commerce Use Cases: Email + WhatsApp

Here's how combining email and WhatsApp boosts your e-commerce results:

🛒

Abandoned Cart Recovery

Send email first, then follow up with WhatsApp for non-openers. WhatsApp abandoned cart messages see 98% open rates vs email's 45%.

2-3x higher recovery rate
📦

Order Updates

Shipping confirmations and delivery updates via WhatsApp. Customers see them immediately—no checking spam folders.

98% delivery rate
⭐

Review Requests

Ask for reviews via WhatsApp after delivery. Higher response rates mean more social proof for your products.

45% response rate
🔄

Win-Back Campaigns

Re-engage lapsed customers with personalized WhatsApp offers. More personal than email, better conversion rates.

3x email conversions

International E-commerce Advantage

If you sell to customers outside North America, WhatsApp is essential. While SMS dominates in the US, WhatsApp is the primary messaging channel in:

  • India (500M+ users)
  • Brazil (120M+ users)
  • Indonesia (100M+ users)
  • Mexico (80M+ users)
  • UK (40M+ users)
  • Germany (60M+ users)

Pricing Comparison for E-commerce

E-commerce lists tend to grow fast. Here's how pricing scales:

Contact List Size HiMail.ai Klaviyo
2,500 contacts $49/month ~$60/month
5,000 contacts $149/month ~$100/month
10,000 contacts $149/month ~$175/month
25,000 contacts Contact sales ~$400/month

HiMail.ai pricing includes WhatsApp messages (5,000/month). With Klaviyo, you'd need to add SMS credits separately, and WhatsApp isn't available at all.

When to Choose Each Platform

Choose HiMail.ai When
  • You sell internationally
  • You want WhatsApp for cart recovery
  • Price matters as you scale
  • You need unlimited team access
  • You want one platform for all channels
Klaviyo Might Be Better When
  • You need the deepest Shopify integration
  • You rely heavily on predictive analytics
  • Your customers are US/Canada only (SMS)
  • You need specific Klaviyo integrations
  • You're already heavily invested in Klaviyo

Frequently Asked Questions

Does HiMail.ai integrate with Shopify?

Yes! HiMail.ai integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce, and other major e-commerce platforms. You can sync customer data, trigger automations based on purchase behavior, and send abandoned cart sequences via email and WhatsApp.

How does WhatsApp abandoned cart recovery work?

When a customer abandons their cart, HiMail.ai can send an email first, then follow up with a WhatsApp message if they don't open the email. WhatsApp messages achieve 98% open rates, making them incredibly effective for cart recovery. You can include product images, personalized messages, and direct links to checkout.

Can I migrate my Klaviyo flows to HiMail.ai?

Yes. HiMail.ai offers migration assistance for e-commerce brands switching from Klaviyo. We'll help recreate your key automations (abandoned cart, welcome series, post-purchase, win-back) and import your contact list with all segmentation data.

Is HiMail.ai as powerful as Klaviyo for segmentation?

HiMail.ai offers robust segmentation including purchase history, browse behavior, email engagement, and custom properties. While Klaviyo has some of the most advanced predictive analytics in the market, HiMail.ai covers all the essential segmentation needs for most e-commerce brands—plus WhatsApp targeting.

Is there a free trial for e-commerce?

Yes! HiMail.ai offers a 14-day free trial with full access to all e-commerce features including WhatsApp. You can connect your store, set up abandoned cart flows, and test everything before committing. No credit card required.