Email marketing for Singapore Shopify stores

Information checked as of 23 October 2026

Email is how most Singapore Shopify stores announce drops, restocks and sales. Shopify Messaging can send the campaigns, but consent and list quality decide whether the mail arrives. This guide covers pricing, how to build a list, Singapore's Spam Control Act and keeping deliverability healthy.

This is general information, not legal advice.

Shopify Messaging email

From Apps > Messaging you can create campaigns with templates or your own HTML, send to all email subscribers or a segment, and schedule sends (Shopify). Pricing, according to Shopify's email pricing page:

• Basic, Grow, Advanced and Plus stores get 10,000 free emails at the start of each calendar month.
• Unused free emails don't carry over.
• After that, extra emails cost from US$1 per 1,000 (with lower rates at higher volumes).
• Marketing automations count toward the free allowance; abandoned checkout automations stay free.

For cart recovery specifically, see our abandoned cart email and SMS guide.

Collecting subscribers

Shopify's subscriber list page says promotional emails go only to people who opted in, for example through:

• a newsletter form on the store;
• the marketing checkbox at checkout;
• opting in from a customer account.

Shopify Messaging filters out anyone who hasn't accepted email marketing. In checkout settings, turn off the preselected marketing checkbox so people don't opt in by accident. Double opt-in, where the customer confirms by email, is recommended for list quality.

Singapore rules: Spam Control Act and PDPA

Two regimes matter, and they cover different channels. The Ministry of Digital Development and Information explains that the PDPA's Do Not Call rules cover marketing by voice, text and fax to Singapore numbers, while the Spam Control Act 2007 covers unsolicited marketing emails.

• Under the Act, a message is unsolicited if the recipient didn't request or consent to it. Publishing an email address alone isn't consent.
• For bulk unsolicited commercial email, the Second Schedule requires, among other things, a clear unsubscribe facility (for email, an unsubscribe email address), honouring unsubscribe requests within 10 business days, keeping that facility working for at least 30 days, and labelling the subject with ADV so the message is identified as an advertisement.
• Emails to people who opted in aren't unsolicited under the Act, but keep a working unsubscribe link in every campaign anyway. Shopify includes one and removes people who unsubscribe, mark mail as spam or bounce.

Collecting and using email addresses also engages the PDPA. Explain marketing use in your privacy policy and keep a record of how someone opted in; see our PDPA guide and store policies guide.

List hygiene and deliverability

Shopify's deliverability guidance and delivery settings page say:

• never buy or rent email lists;
• a permission-based list is required by Shopify's Terms of Service, and sustained spam complaints or high bounce rates can limit Messaging;
• segment out bounced, unengaged or long-dormant addresses;
• send relevant content to the right segment, and don't over-send.

Segment by past purchases or location when you run a sale; see our discounts and sales guide. Clear collection pages help you write better product blocks in emails; see our collections and navigation guide.

A simple weekly routine

1. Check new sign-ups and suppress any obvious role addresses (info@, sales@).
2. Plan one useful send, such as a restock, a how-to or a short sale notice.
3. Review open, click, bounce and unsubscribe rates after each campaign.

Frequently asked questions

How many free emails do I get with Shopify Messaging?

Stores on Basic, Grow, Advanced and Plus get 10,000 free emails at the start of each calendar month. Unused emails don't roll over. Abandoned checkout automations are free and don't count toward the limit.

Do I need consent before emailing customers in Singapore?

Yes for marketing. Shopify only sends promotional emails to customers who opted in. Under the Spam Control Act, a message is unsolicited if the recipient didn't request or consent to it, and publishing an email address alone isn't consent.

Do my emails need an ADV label?

The ADV subject-line label in Schedule 2 of the Spam Control Act applies to unsolicited commercial electronic messages sent in bulk. Emails to people who opted in aren't unsolicited under the Act, but every campaign should still include a working unsubscribe option.

Should I buy an email list?

No. Shopify advises never buying or renting lists, and a permission-based list is required by its Terms of Service. Bought lists usually mean high bounce and spam rates, which can get your sending limited.

Building a subscriber list? A Shopify trial includes Shopify Messaging, so you can set up a newsletter form and send a first campaign before you launch.

Start a Shopify trial →

References

Rules, features and fees change, so check the live page before you act on anything here.

1. Create email marketing campaigns using Shopify Messaging, Shopify Help Center. Accessed 23 October 2026.
2. Shopify Messaging email pricing, Shopify Help Center. Accessed 23 October 2026.
3. Email subscriber list management, Shopify Help Center. Accessed 23 October 2026.
4. Improving your Shopify Messaging email delivery and deliverability, Shopify Help Center. Accessed 23 October 2026.
5. Optimizing your marketing campaign delivery and deliverability, Shopify Help Center. Accessed 23 October 2026.
6. Spam Control Act 2007, Singapore Statutes Online. Accessed 23 October 2026.
7. Spam Control Act 2007, Second Schedule, Singapore Statutes Online. Accessed 23 October 2026.
8. MCI's response on unsolicited marketing communications and the Spam Control Act, Ministry of Digital Development and Information. Accessed 23 October 2026.
9. Data protection obligations, Personal Data Protection Commission. Accessed 23 October 2026.