Klaviyo Technology Intelligence

What is Klaviyo?

Klaviyo is a marketing automation platform built specifically for e-commerce businesses. Founded in 2012 by Andrew Bialecki and Ed Hallen, Klaviyo specializes in personalized email and SMS marketing powered by customer data.

Klaviyo integrates deeply with e-commerce platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce. The platform tracks customer behavior to enable sophisticated segmentation and automation. Features include email campaigns, SMS marketing, predictive analytics, and detailed revenue attribution. Over 100,000 brands use Klaviyo to drive sales through personalized marketing.

Key Features

Email Marketing

• Campaigns: Branded email broadcasts
• Templates: Drag-and-drop builder
• A/B Testing: Subject lines and content
• Dynamic Content: Personalized products

Automation Flows

• Welcome Series: New subscriber journeys
• Abandoned Cart: Recovery sequences
• Post-Purchase: Follow-up and reviews
• Win-Back: Re-engage lapsed customers

Segmentation

• Behavioral: Based on actions
• Predictive: Expected lifetime value
• RFM: Recency, frequency, monetary
• Custom Properties: Any data point

SMS Marketing

• Campaigns: Promotional texts
• Flows: Automated text sequences
• Compliance: Built-in consent management
• Two-Way: Conversational messaging

Use Cases

Abandoned Cart Recovery

E-commerce stores recover lost sales with automated emails. Trigger within an hour of cart abandonment. Show exact products left behind. Offer incentives based on cart value.

Customer Lifecycle Marketing

Brands guide customers through their journey. Welcome series introduces the brand. Post-purchase emails encourage reviews and repeat purchases. Win-back campaigns re-engage inactive customers.

Product Recommendations

Retailers send personalized product recommendations. Machine learning identifies likely purchases. Cross-sell and upsell based on past behavior. Browsing history influences suggestions.

SMS + Email Coordination

Brands combine channels for maximum impact. SMS for time-sensitive offers. Email for detailed content. Flows coordinate messaging across channels to avoid overwhelming customers.

VIP Customer Programs

Stores identify and reward best customers. Segments based on spending and engagement. Early access to sales and new products. Personalized offers for high-value customers.

Review and UGC Collection

Brands collect reviews through automated flows. Timed emails after delivery. Integration with review platforms. Incentivize photo reviews for social proof.

Code Examples

JavaScript SDK

<script async type="text/javascript"
    src="https://static.klaviyo.com/onsite/js/klaviyo.js?company_id=YOUR_PUBLIC_KEY">
</script>

<script>
// Identify user
klaviyo.push(['identify', {
    '$email': '[email protected]',
    '$first_name': 'John',
    '$last_name': 'Doe',
    'Custom Property': 'value'
}]);

// Track event
klaviyo.push(['track', 'Viewed Product', {
    'ProductName': 'Blue T-Shirt',
    'ProductID': '123',
    'Price': 29.99,
    'Categories': ['Clothing', 'T-Shirts']
}]);
</script>

API Integration (Python)

import requests

api_key = 'your-private-api-key'
headers = {
    'Authorization': f'Klaviyo-API-Key {api_key}',
    'revision': '2024-02-15'
}

# Create profile
profile_data = {
    'data': {
        'type': 'profile',
        'attributes': {
            'email': '[email protected]',
            'first_name': 'Jane',
            'properties': {'loyalty_points': 500}
        }
    }
}

response = requests.post(
    'https://a.klaviyo.com/api/profiles/',
    headers=headers,
    json=profile_data
)

Webhook Handler

// Handle Klaviyo webhook events
app.post('/klaviyo-webhook', (req, res) => {
    const { event, profile, properties } = req.body;

    switch(event) {
        case 'Placed Order':
            // Trigger fulfillment
            break;
        case 'Subscribed to List':
            // Send welcome gift
            break;
    }

    res.status(200).send('OK');
});

Platform Comparison

Klaviyo vs Mailchimp

• E-commerce: Klaviyo deeper integration
• Pricing: Mailchimp cheaper at low volume
• Segmentation: Klaviyo more sophisticated
• Ease: Mailchimp simpler to start

Klaviyo vs Omnisend

• SMS: Both offer SMS marketing
• Analytics: Klaviyo stronger reporting
• Pricing: Omnisend more affordable
• Push: Omnisend includes web push

Strengths

• Built for e-commerce
• Deep platform integrations
• Powerful segmentation
• Predictive analytics
• Revenue attribution

Considerations

• Expensive at scale
• E-commerce focused only
• Learning curve for flows
• SMS adds significant cost
• Email deliverability varies