Mailchimp boosts eCommerce tools with wider SMS rollout

Intuit Mailchimp has announced a set of eCommerce-focused product updates, expanding its data connections, automation tools, and measurement features, alongside a wider rollout of SMS in parts of Europe.

The launch follows research highlighting gaps in how small businesses capture and use customer permission data at sign-up. Mailchimp found that fewer than one-third of marketers rate their email and SMS lists as "very high quality", and only 8% report opt-in conversion rates above 20%.

The findings also point to a mismatch between what many businesses request at sign-up and what consumers say they will share. Mailchimp reports that 65% of businesses ask for a phone number at sign-up, while 28% of consumers are willing to provide one. It frames this gap as a potential drag on list growth and future engagement.

Sign-up friction

The research also highlights a measurement challenge before a customer formally opts in. Only 33% of marketers said their pre-opt-in messaging is highly aligned. Mailchimp links this to difficulty understanding which messages and channels lead to orders, as well as uncertainty around attribution and return on investment when data sits across different systems.

Email remains central for many teams, with 69% of marketers viewing it as a core revenue driver. Mailchimp says its latest updates focus on unifying eCommerce data and using automation to make campaigns more relevant across channels.

A key theme across the research and product update is automation across email and SMS. Mailchimp says the best-performing businesses are three times more likely to use automation across both channels, presenting it as a way to turn opt-in data into structured welcome messages and ongoing communications.

Data connections

The update includes a proprietary Site Tracking Pixel and expanded data connections designed to bring eCommerce activity and customer feedback into Mailchimp. New integrations include reviews platforms such as Yotpo and Judge.me, alongside an enhanced Shopify integration.

The updates also emphasise building audience segments from consented data, including high-value buyers, at-risk customers, or shoppers likely to purchase next. These segments can then feed automation flows inside the product.

Measurement tools

Another part of the launch is a revamped omnichannel marketing dashboard, bringing email, SMS, automation performance, and eCommerce events into a single view. Mailchimp says marketers can use it to identify which messages and journeys generate revenue and where customers drop off.

The release also includes migration tools for businesses moving to Mailchimp, covering contacts, segments, templates, and pre-built flows. Mailchimp also references eCommerce-specific support for customers switching platforms.

AI features

Mailchimp is expanding predictive analytics and AI-based content tools, including features that identify high-value and at-risk customers and tools that generate on-brand content and templates. It also references an integration with ChatGPT for creating and launching campaigns across email, SMS, and automations.

"Ecommerce marketers are under pressure to show every campaign's impact on revenue," said Diana Williams, VP of Product, Intuit Mailchimp. "With this release, Mailchimp customers will reap the benefits of 26% more eCommerce triggers-bringing advanced data, automation, and analytics into a single platform helping businesses execute quickly, run sophisticated campaigns, and see exactly how their marketing drives ROI."

Customer results

Mailchimp included examples of performance metrics from customers using its eCommerce automations. It cited Gruppo Terroni, a hospitality group based in Toronto and Los Angeles, which used eCommerce automations with a Shopify-connected store to target lapsed wine club members. Mailchimp says a segmented campaign delivered a 77% open rate and a 28% click-through rate, driving USD $8,000 in monthly recurring revenue.

It also referenced Kaylin + Kaylin Pickles, which switched from Klaviyo in 2025. "I was so blown away," said Ali Mann of Kaylin + Kaylin Pickles, a Mailchimp customer that switched from Klaviyo in 2025 to reduce costs and access more strategic support.

Mailchimp says eCommerce customers reported an average of 16 hours saved per week after implementing Mailchimp. It also says Mailchimp SMS eCommerce users saw up to 22x ROI after launching their first SMS marketing campaign, and that customers connecting Mailchimp with Shopify are seeing up to a $41 return for every dollar spent with Mailchimp.

"We're a global business available in nearly every country across the world, and we're delivering incredible eCommerce innovation that delivers real ROI," said Ciarán Quilty, Senior Vice-President for International, Intuit. "We're giving small and mid-size businesses connected data, automation and AI that simply work together, so switching to Intuit Mailchimp isn't just the easy choice today, it's essential for their growth tomorrow."

The eCommerce-focused updates-covering the Site Tracking Pixel, expanded SMS and transactional messaging, the omnichannel dashboard, and migration tools-are expected to begin rolling out globally for eligible plans.