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Commerce Ace · App Guide

Email Agent

Six automated email series powered by Claude AI — personalized copy for every customer, on-brand every time, delivered via your own domain.

⚡ Install on Shopify Jump to setup →
Step 0

Before you start

A few things need to be in place before Email Agent can run. Skim both lists — the second one saves support tickets later.

Requirements
  • ✓An active Shopify plan with Email Agent installed from the Commerce Ace listing.
  • ✓A free Resend.com account — this is the email delivery service that sends emails from your domain.
  • ✓A verified sender domain in Resend — SPF and DKIM DNS records must be added and verified before emails can send.
  • ✓A Commerce Ace Starter, Growth, or Pro plan — each plan unlocks additional email series.
Out of scope
  • ×Email Agent does not create discount codes — create them in Shopify Admin → Discounts first, then paste the code into the Promotion field.
  • ×Transactional emails (order confirmations, shipping notifications) stay with Shopify — Email Agent handles marketing and relationship emails only.
  • ×It does not manage unsubscribes beyond the unsubscribe link included in every email.
  • ×Claude writes copy based on your Store Description and Key Selling Points — keep them accurate to avoid incorrect claims reaching customers.
Setup

Step-by-step setup

Ten steps from install to live automated emails on your store.

01

Install on Shopify

From the Commerce Ace App Store listing, click Install. Email Agent embeds directly inside your Shopify admin under Apps — no separate login required.

Once open, the dashboard shows four key metrics at a glance: Active Series (how many email series are currently live), Total Series (all series available on your plan), Sent (30D) (emails sent in the last 30 days), and Pending (emails queued and waiting to send).

Below the metrics, the Email Series list shows all six series available — Abandoned Cart, Welcome Series, Post-Purchase, Win-Back, VIP & Loyalty, and Review Request. Each has a Configure button that opens its settings. Before configuring series, complete the Settings setup first.

Tip Go to Settings before touching Email Series — you need your Resend API key and Brand Voice configured before any emails can send.
Step 1 — Email Agent Dashboard
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02

Create a Resend Account

Email Agent uses Resend to deliver emails from your own domain. Resend is a developer-grade email delivery service built for high inbox rates — it's what ensures your emails land in the inbox and not the spam folder.

Go to resend.com and create a free account. The free plan allows 100 emails per day and 3,000 per month — more than enough for most stores starting out. Paid plans are available as your send volume grows.

Why Resend and not Shopify's built-in email? Resend sends from your own domain — so customers see emails from hello@yourstore.com, not a Shopify subdomain. This builds brand trust, improves deliverability, and keeps your sending reputation tied to your own domain rather than a shared infrastructure.

Tip Use a business email address to sign up for Resend — keep your personal Gmail separate from your store's sending infrastructure.
Step 2 — Create Resend Account
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03

Verify Your Sending Domain

In your Resend account, go to Domains → Add Domain and enter your store's domain (e.g. yourstore.com). Resend will generate DNS records you need to add to your domain registrar — this is how email providers verify that you own the domain you're sending from.

You'll need to add two types of records:

SPF (Sender Policy Framework) — a TXT record that tells receiving email servers which services are authorized to send email on behalf of your domain. Without it, emails may be flagged as spam or rejected outright.
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) — a TXT record that adds a cryptographic signature to your emails. It proves the email genuinely came from your domain and hasn't been tampered with in transit. This is the most important deliverability record.

Add both records in your domain registrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare, etc.) and return to Resend to verify. DNS propagation usually takes 15 minutes to 1 hour, though it can occasionally take up to 24 hours.

Once verified, go to Resend → API Keys → Create API Key. Copy the key — you'll paste it into Email Agent Settings in the next step. Store it somewhere safe; Resend only shows it once.

Tip If you're not sure where to add DNS records, your domain registrar's support docs will have a guide for adding TXT records. Search "[your registrar] add TXT record" for step-by-step instructions.
Step 3 — Verify Sending Domain
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04

Settings — Email Delivery

In Email Agent, click Settings. The Settings page is divided into three sections — Email Delivery, Brand Voice, and Email Template. Start with Email Delivery (Resend).

Resend API Key — paste your Resend API key here. This authenticates Email Agent with your Resend account and enables email delivery. Without a valid API key, no emails will send. The link "Get your API key at resend.com" takes you directly to the Resend API Keys page if you haven't generated one yet.

From Email — the email address that appears in your customer's inbox as the sender. This must be an address on your verified Resend domain (e.g. hello@yourstore.com or noreply@yourstore.com). Using an unverified domain will cause delivery failures.

From Name — the display name shown alongside the From Email in the customer's inbox. Use your store name so customers immediately recognize who the email is from — not a generic name like "noreply."

Store URL — your store's full URL (e.g. https://yourstore.com). This is used for the CTA buttons in email templates — the "Shop Now" and "Continue Shopping" buttons will link to this URL.

Tip Double-check that From Email exactly matches a verified domain in Resend. Even a subdomain mismatch (mail.yourstore.com vs yourstore.com) can cause delivery failures.
Step 4 — Settings Email Delivery
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05

Settings — Brand Voice

The Brand Voice section is the most important part of Settings — it's what Claude AI reads to write every single email. The quality of your emails is directly tied to the quality of information you provide here.

Store Description — 2–3 sentences describing what your store sells, who your customers are, and what makes you different. This is Claude's primary context for writing on-brand copy. Be specific — "We're a premium snowboard shop specializing in boards, bindings, boots, and outerwear for all skill levels" gives Claude far more to work with than "We sell sports gear."

Brand Tone — the writing voice Claude uses across all emails. Options include Friendly & Warm, Professional, Enthusiastic, and Concise. Choose the one that matches your store's existing copy — Claude will write in that style consistently across every series.

Target Audience — who your customers are. Include age range, interests, experience level, and any relevant demographics. Claude uses this to calibrate language complexity, references, and offers. "Snowboarders aged 16–45, from beginners hitting the slopes for the first time to advanced riders" is the level of specificity that produces great output.

Key Selling Points — what makes your store worth buying from. List your differentiators: brand selection, free shipping threshold, return policy, loyalty program, expert staff, unique products. Claude will weave these into every email naturally — they become the reasons your emails are compelling rather than generic.

Tip Only include real, active offers in Key Selling Points. If you list "free shipping on orders over $150" and that offer expires, Claude will keep telling customers about it. Update this field whenever your policies change.
Step 5 — Settings Brand Voice
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06

Settings — Email Template

The Email Template section controls the visual design of every email sent by Email Agent. These settings apply globally across all six series.

Logo URL (Pro plan) — the URL of your logo image, hosted on Shopify CDN or any public URL. Accepts SVG or PNG. If left blank, your store name displays as text in the header. Recommended: upload your logo to Shopify Admin → Content → Files and paste the CDN URL here.

Header Background — the background color of the email header bar where your logo sits. Use your brand's primary background color. Enter a hex code (e.g. #ffffff for white, #302e33 for dark).

Navigation Background — the background color of the navigation bar below the header. Defaults to dark (#302e33). Set to match your store's nav color.

Navigation Text Color — the color of the navigation link text. Defaults to white (#ffffff). Make sure it contrasts with the Navigation Background.

Accent / Button Color — the background color of all CTA buttons in the email (Shop Now, Continue Shopping, etc.). Set to your store's primary brand color for consistency.

Navigation Links (up to 5) — add links that appear in the email navigation bar. Enter a label (e.g. "New Arrivals") and the full URL for each. These give customers a way to navigate your store directly from the email.

Footer Text — the text that appears at the bottom of every email, below the unsubscribe link. Use this for your copyright notice (e.g. "© 2026 Your Store. All rights reserved.").

Click Save Settings when done — the red button at the bottom of the page. No changes take effect until you save.

Tip After saving, send a test email from one of your series to preview the template with your actual logo, colors, and nav links before going live.
Step 6 — Settings Email Template
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07

Email Series — The Six Series

Click Email Series in the app nav. The Email Series page lists all six automated series available — each targeting a different customer moment in the purchase lifecycle. Here's what each series does and when it fires:

🛒 Abandoned Cart — fires when a customer starts checkout but doesn't complete their purchase. The most revenue-generating series for most stores. Fires after the delay hours you set. Available on Growth and Pro plans.

👋 Welcome Series — fires when a new customer creates an account on your store. The first impression your brand makes via email — sets the tone for the entire customer relationship. Available on all plans (Starter+).

📦 Post-Purchase — fires after an order is placed. Confirms the purchase, thanks the customer, reinforces their decision, and sets up the next purchase. Fires after your configured delay (recommend 24 hours — Shopify's order confirmation already fires immediately). Pro plan only.

💔 Win-Back — fires for customers who haven't purchased in 60–90 days. Re-engages lapsed customers with a personalized comeback offer. Processed by a daily cron at 6AM — emails go out the following morning. Pro plan only.

⭐ VIP & Loyalty — fires for customers with 3 or more orders. Rewards your best customers with exclusive recognition and offers. Also processed daily at 6AM. Pro plan only.

✍️ Review Request — automatically fires 7 days after an order is fulfilled. Asks customers to leave a review while their experience is still fresh. Pro plan only.

Tip Disable Shopify's native welcome and abandoned cart emails before activating those series here — otherwise customers receive duplicate emails. Go to Shopify Admin → Marketing → Automations to disable them.
Step 7 — Email Series Overview
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08

Configure Each Series

Each series has its own configuration panel with three controls. Click Configure on any series to expand its settings.

Status dropdown — set to Active to enable the series or Inactive to disable it. Only Active series will queue and send emails. The Active green badge on the series header confirms it's live. Set to Inactive if you want to pause a series temporarily without losing your configuration.

Delay (hours) — how many hours after the trigger event before the email sends. Set to 0 to send immediately after the trigger. Set to 24 to send the following day. The right delay depends on the series — Welcome can fire at 0 (immediately on account creation), Abandoned Cart works best at 1–2 hours (after the shopper has had time to reconsider), Post-Purchase at 24 hours (after Shopify's own confirmation email).

Promotion (optional) — paste a discount code or offer description here. Claude will incorporate it naturally into the email copy — mentioning the code, the discount amount, and any conditions. Leave blank if you have no active promotion and Claude will write a compelling email without one. Never put a promotion here that doesn't exist in Shopify Admin → Discounts — Claude will tell customers about it regardless.

Click Save after configuring each series. Then enter a test email address and click Send Test to preview the email before it goes live to real customers.

Tip Test emails use sample data — not real customer orders. They're designed to show you the template layout, logo, colors, and Claude's copy style. Always send a test before activating any series.
Step 8 — Configure Email Series
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09

Send Logs — Track Every Email

Click Send Logs in the app nav to see a real-time log of every email sent across all series. The log shows the last 100 email sends and is your primary tool for confirming that emails are actually going out to real customers.

Each log entry shows five columns:

Series — which email series sent this email (welcome, abandoned cart, post purchase, win back, vip loyalty, review request).
Customer — the customer's email address the email was sent to.
Status — a green Sent badge confirms the email was delivered successfully via Resend. If you see errors here, check your Resend API key and domain verification status.
Scheduled — the date and time the email was queued to send based on the trigger event and your configured delay.
Sent — the actual date and time the email was delivered. The gap between Scheduled and Sent is typically under 60 seconds.

Use Send Logs to confirm a specific customer received their welcome email, verify abandoned cart emails are firing, or troubleshoot why a customer says they didn't get an email.

Tip If Send Logs is empty after activating series, check that your Resend API key is saved correctly in Settings and that your sending domain is verified in Resend. Those are the two most common causes of emails not sending.
Step 9 — Send Logs
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10

What Customers See — A Real Email

Every email sent by Email Agent follows the same branded template structure — built from your Settings configuration and written fresh by Claude AI for each send. No two emails are identical.

Here's what a customer sees when they receive a Post-Purchase email:

Header — your logo centered on the Header Background color you set. If no logo URL is provided, your store name appears as text.
Navigation bar — your Navigation Background color with up to 5 nav links. Gives the customer a way to keep shopping directly from the email.
Subject line — written by Claude based on the series type, your brand tone, and the customer's order context. Never generic.
Body copy — personalized to the customer and the specific trigger. A Post-Purchase email references the actual products ordered, the order number, and includes your Key Selling Points naturally woven into the copy.
Promotion block — if you've set a promotion for this series, Claude mentions the code and offer naturally in the body — not bolted on at the end.
Product card — shows the purchased product with image, name, and price (Post-Purchase series).
CTA button — in your Accent/Button Color, linking to your Store URL.
Footer — your Footer Text, the "Powered by Commerce Ace Email Agent" tagline, and an Unsubscribe link.

Tip The Post-Purchase email is the best one to test first — it shows the full template with product card, branded copy, and promotion code all in one preview.
Step 10 — What Customers See
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Settings

Configuration guide

Every setting lives under Email Agent → Settings. Here's what each field controls and what to put in it.

SettingWhat it doesRecommended
Resend API Key Authenticates Email Agent with your Resend account. Required before any email can send. Generated in Resend → API Keys. Copy from Resend immediately after generating — it's only shown once
From Email The sender address customers see in their inbox. Must match your verified Resend domain. hello@yourstore.com or noreply@yourstore.com
From Name The display name shown next to From Email in the inbox. First thing customers read. Your store name — not a person's name or "noreply"
Store URL Used for CTA button links in the email template. All Shop Now / Continue Shopping buttons point here. https://yourstore.com — include https://
Store Description Claude's primary context for writing email copy. The most impactful field in the entire app. 2–3 specific sentences about products, audience, and brand differentiation
Brand Tone The writing voice Claude uses — Friendly & Warm, Professional, Enthusiastic, or Concise. Match your store's existing marketing copy
Target Audience Who your customers are — age, interests, experience level. Claude calibrates language and offers based on this. Be specific: age range, interests, purchase motivation
Key Selling Points Your store's differentiators — brand selection, shipping policy, return policy, loyalty program. Claude weaves these into every email. Only include real, active offers — Claude will repeat them verbatim
Logo URL Your logo image in the email header. Pro plan only. SVG or PNG. Blank = store name as text. Upload to Shopify Files and paste CDN URL
Accent / Button Color CTA button background color across all emails. Your store's primary brand color hex
Navigation Links Up to 5 links in the email nav bar. Label + full URL per link. Your top categories or collections
Series Delay (hours) Hours after the trigger event before the email sends. Set per series. 0 for Welcome, 1–2 for Abandoned Cart, 24 for Post-Purchase
Promotion (per series) Discount code or offer Claude mentions in the email copy. Create in Shopify first. Leave blank for no promotion. Only add if the discount code actively exists in Shopify Admin
Best practices

Merchant recommendations

What we tell every Commerce Ace merchant on their onboarding call.

✦

Disable Shopify's overlapping emails first

Shopify sends its own welcome and abandoned cart automations by default. Disable them in Shopify Admin → Marketing → Automations before activating those series — otherwise customers receive two emails from each trigger.

✦

Fill in Brand Voice thoroughly before activating any series

Claude writes every email from Store Description, Brand Tone, Target Audience, and Key Selling Points. Vague inputs produce generic emails. Specific inputs produce emails that sound like your brand wrote them personally.

✦

Start with Welcome and Post-Purchase

These two series cover the two highest-impact moments — the first impression and the post-sale relationship. Get them right first, then layer in Abandoned Cart, Win-Back, VIP, and Review Request.

✦

Set Post-Purchase delay to 24 hours

Shopify already sends an order confirmation immediately. Your Post-Purchase email should come the next day — after the excitement of the purchase has settled — with a thank you, product tips, and a next-purchase incentive.

✦

Win-Back and VIP run on a daily schedule

These series are processed by a daily cron at 6 AM. They don't fire instantly on the trigger — customers appear in the queue and receive emails the following morning. This is expected behavior, not a bug.

✦

Send a test email for every series before activating

Use the Send Test button on each series with your own email address. Verify the logo, colors, nav links, promo code, and copy all look correct. The test uses sample data — it's the most accurate preview of what customers will see.

FAQ

Frequently asked

Why aren't my emails sending?

The two most common causes: your Resend API key is missing or incorrect in Settings, or your sending domain isn't verified in Resend. Check both first. You can also check Send Logs — if entries appear but show errors, the API key or domain is the issue. If Send Logs is empty, the series may not be set to Active or the trigger hasn't fired yet.

How does Claude write different emails for each customer?

Claude generates each email fresh at send time using your Store Description, Brand Tone, Target Audience, Key Selling Points, and Promotion — plus real customer data from Shopify (name, order details, products purchased). No two emails are identical. A Post-Purchase email for a snowboard order will read differently than one for a ski boot order.

What's the difference between the six series?

Welcome fires on account creation. Abandoned Cart fires when a checkout is started but not completed. Post-Purchase fires after an order. Win-Back targets customers inactive for 60–90 days. VIP & Loyalty targets customers with 3+ orders. Review Request fires 7 days after order fulfillment.

Which plan do I need for each series?

Starter: Welcome Series only. Growth: Welcome + Abandoned Cart. Pro: all six series including Post-Purchase, Win-Back, VIP & Loyalty, and Review Request.

Why does my Win-Back email take until the next morning to send?

Win-Back and VIP & Loyalty are processed by a daily cron job that runs at 6 AM. When a customer meets the criteria (60–90 days inactive for Win-Back, 3+ orders for VIP), they're added to the queue and the email sends the following morning. This is by design — these are relationship emails, not real-time triggers.

Can I preview what an email looks like before it goes to customers?

Yes — use the Send Test button on each series. Enter your own email address and click Send Test. You'll receive the email within a minute showing the full template with your logo, colors, nav links, and Claude-generated copy using sample customer data.

Do I need a Resend account?

Yes — Resend is required for email delivery. It's free to start (100 emails/day, 3,000/month) and handles delivery from your own domain. Without a Resend API key and verified domain, no emails will send regardless of your series configuration.