How to Send Push Notifications from a Shopify Store

If you run a Shopify store, you may have heard that push notifications can recover abandoned carts, drive repeat purchases, and bring customers back without the cost of SMS or the deliverability challenges of email.

Pound-for-pound, push notifications might be your most powerful direct marketing channel.

But few Shopify stores have push on their radar - many don’t even have the capability to send push notifications right now (at least not the kind that matter the most).

Keep reading and we’ll explain all you need to know to unlock this key engagement and retention channel for your brand.

What Push Notifications Do for Shopify Brands

Push notifications give you a direct line to your customers' screens, outside of their email inbox and without per-message costs like SMS. 

For Shopify brands focused on customer retention and lifetime value, push is one of the few channels where you own the relationship entirely.

The numbers back this up. According to the MobiLoud Benchmark Report, ecommerce brands using native app push notifications see:

• 4x higher revenue per user compared to email
• ~3x higher click-through rates than email campaigns
• 22% conversion rate on abandoned cart push notifications (compared to roughly 1-5% for abandoned cart emails)

These aren't marginal improvements. For a Shopify brand doing $1M+ in annual revenue, a well-run push notification program, particularly for cart recovery, can generate five to six figures in additional monthly revenue, from largely automated campaigns.

"We've seen huge success with SMS, and push notifications are a free version of SMS."
-- Adam Taylor, Founder and CEO of PetShop.co.uk

Unlike SMS, there's no per-message cost. Unlike email, there's no spam folder. 

That’s not to say that these channels are bad, or not worth doing. But push gives you something that they don’t. A cost-free notification that lands directly on your customer's lock screen or notification center. 

(For a full breakdown of how these channels compare, see our guide to push notifications vs email vs SMS.)

What Is the Difference Between Web Push and Native App Push?

Here’s a crucial distinction to understand for any Shopify brand evaluating push notifications. 

“Push notifications” doesn’t always mean the same thing. There are push notifications sent from a website, through the browser. And push notifications sent through a native mobile app.

They’re not two sides of the same coin - they’re fundamentally different channels.

How Web Push Notifications Work

Web push notifications are delivered through a customer's web browser. 

When someone visits your Shopify store, a browser prompt asks if they'd like to receive notifications. If they opt in, you can send them messages that appear on their desktop or mobile device, even when they're not actively on your site (though they need the browser running).

The technology relies on service workers, which run in the background of supported browsers. Chrome, Firefox, and Edge on desktop and Android all support web push well. 

The important caveat is iOS.

Apple added web push support to Safari on iOS in March 2023 (iOS 16.4), but with a significant limitation: notifications only work reliably when the user has added your website to their Home Screen as a Progressive Web App.

In practice, almost no one does this. That means your web push notifications will not reach most of your iPhone users, a serious gap for US-focused Shopify brands where iPhone accounts for over 60% of mobile traffic as of early 2026.

Yet even without this, the limitations of being sent through the browser, and needing the browser open to send, makes web push a lot less effective than the alternative.

How Native App Push Notifications Work

Native app push notifications are delivered through Apple's Push Notification service (APNs) on iOS and Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) on Android. They require a mobile app installed on the customer's device, and land on the customer's lock screen.

The difference in capability is significant:

• Full iOS and Android support. Notifications reach every device with the app installed, regardless of browser or settings.
• Lock screen and notification center delivery. Messages appear on the lock screen, in the notification center, and as banner alerts. They persist until the user interacts with them.
• Rich media. Images, action buttons, sounds, badge counts on the app icon.
• Background delivery. Notifications arrive whether the app is open, closed, or the phone is locked.
• Deep linking. Tap a notification to go directly to a specific product page, cart, or category inside the app.

The tradeoff is that native push requires your customers to have your app installed. And, of course, you need an app in the first place. That’s a much higher barrier of entry compared to web push, where you can just install an app from the Shopify App Store (sometimes for free).

But it’s worth it.

How Web Push and App Push Compare

How to Set Up Web Push Notifications on Your Shopify Store

Web push is the fastest way to start using push notifications. You can be collecting subscribers and sending your first campaigns within an hour.

All you need is a subscription to a Shopify App or SaaS tool, a small amount of setup work and you’re good to go.

Choosing a Web Push Notification App

Several Shopify apps handle web push well. The right choice depends on your existing marketing stack and how much you want push integrated with your other channels.

• PushOwl (Brevo): The most popular Shopify web push app. Strong automation features, good Shopify integration, generous free tier. Best for brands that want a dedicated push tool with minimal setup.
• PushEngage: Advanced segmentation and A/B testing. Supports both web push and app push (via SDK). Best for brands that want granular control over targeting.
• OneSignal: Developer-friendly with strong APIs and cross-platform support for web and app push in a single dashboard. Best for brands with technical resources or a development team.
• Omnisend: Combines web push with email and SMS in one platform. Best for brands that want all messaging channels unified.

For a detailed breakdown of features and pricing across these and other options, see our guide to Shopify push notification apps.

Setup Basics

The process to set up web push notifications is similar across most tools:

1. Install the app from the Shopify App Store and connect it to your store.
2. Configure your opt-in prompt. Decide when and how the browser permission request appears. A delayed prompt (after 10-30 seconds, or after the visitor views 2+ pages) performs better than an immediate one.
3. Set up automated campaigns. Start with abandoned cart recovery, welcome notifications, and back-in-stock alerts. These run on autopilot once configured.
4. Test across browsers. Verify that notifications display correctly on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari (desktop). Check mobile Android behavior as well.

Most Shopify web push apps handle the technical integration automatically. You don't need to edit your theme code or manage service workers manually.

Web Push Limitations

Web push notifications are super easy to set up. But there are some notable constraints to be aware of.

• iOS reach is minimal. Most iPhone users won't receive your web push notifications. Unless they've added your site to their Home Screen (which very few do), Safari on iOS won't deliver them.
• Browser dependency. On desktop, some browsers need to be running for notifications to appear. On mobile Android, delivery is more reliable, but still depends on the browser's background processes.
• No badge counts or app icons. Web push can't add a notification badge to a home screen icon because there's no icon. Your notification competes with everything else in the system tray.
• Subscriber churn. When a user clears their browser data, your push subscription is lost. There's no way to recover it. Over time, this erodes your subscriber list.
• Limited rich media. Most web push implementations are limited to a title, short body text, and a small icon. You can't include product images, multiple action buttons, or interactive elements the way you can with rich push notifications through a native app.

Think about the fourth point.

You’re a cookie clear away from losing your subscriber. That’s a key thing to be aware of, and it means that web push can’t really be considered any kind of real “audience building.”

Your web push subscribers are far less permanent, compared to email, SMS or native app push, where someone needs to take an active step to remove themselves from your list.

Web push subscribers can disappear just because they’re trying to speed up their browser.

How to Set Up Native App Push Notifications for Your Shopify Store

Native app push notifications give you the full capability of the push channel: reliable delivery on every device, rich media, deep personalization, and the engagement rates that make push one of the highest-ROI marketing channels in ecommerce.

The prerequisite is straightforward: you need a mobile app.

Step One: Build a Mobile App

Native push notifications are delivered through Apple's APNs and Google's FCM, which require a published app registered with each platform. There's no way around this; it's how the technology works.

The good news is that building a Shopify mobile app is more accessible than most brands assume. In general, there are three ways to do this:

1. Custom development. A development team builds your app from scratch. Full control, but typically costs $150,000-$500,000+ and takes 6-12 months. Makes sense for brands with highly unique app requirements.
2. Template-based app builders. The App Store features dozens of Shopify mobile app builders, which let you build an app from templates, without coding or hiring developers.
3. Website-to-app platforms. MobiLoud and similar platforms turn your existing Shopify store into native iOS and Android apps. Your app mirrors your website, so every feature, integration, and checkout flow carries over without a rebuild.

Each approach has tradeoffs in cost, customization, and time to launch. We break down the best way to build a mobile app for your Shopify store here.

In short: MobiLoud is the most seamless way to unlock push notifications for your Shopify store. We help you turn your existing site into a mobile app, with minimal operational lift, and no separate management from your website.

It’s the closest thing there is to just being able to send native push notifications directly from your website.

But regardless, the important point is that "we need to build an app" is no longer a six-figure, year-long project for most Shopify brands.

Integrating Push Notification Tools

When you build your app, you’ll connect it to push notification services that give you the same segmentation and automation capabilities you use for email or SMS:

• OneSignal is one of the most widely used push platforms, with strong Shopify integration and support for both web and app push in a single dashboard.
• Klaviyo now supports mobile app push notifications, which means brands already using Klaviyo for email and SMS can manage all three channels from one platform.
• Built-in solutions. Some app platforms include push notification tools as part of their offering.

The key capabilities to look for:

• Behavioral segmentation. Target customers based on purchase history, browse behavior, cart status, and last visit.
• Automated triggers. Cart abandonment, price drops, back-in-stock alerts, and shipping updates should fire automatically based on Shopify data.
• A/B testing. Test different copy, timing, and offers to improve performance over time.
• Revenue attribution. Track how much revenue each push campaign generates directly in your analytics.

For Shopify brands, who are often already paying Klaviyo thousands of dollars for email, adding push to your existing stack is the most straightforward way to go.

What Native App Push Delivers in Practice

The performance gap between web push and native app push is substantial. According to our Mobile App Benchmark Report, ecommerce brands using native app push see:

• 6.43% push notification conversion rate
• Up to 22% conversion rate on abandoned cart push notifications
• $10,000 to $200,000+ in additional monthly revenue from cart abandonment campaigns alone
• 4x higher revenue per user from push compared to email

For many brands, the revenue from a single automated abandoned cart push campaign more than covers the cost of building and maintaining the app.

“The power of push notifications is so strong. In a world where people open email less and less each day, everyone is jumping into SMS which is crazy expensive, and people are starting to tune these out too, being able to do push notifications is the reason you do an app.”
- David Cost, VP of Ecommerce at Rainbow Shops

Push Notification Campaigns Every Shopify Brand Should Run

Whether you're using web push, app push, or both, certain campaign types consistently deliver results for Shopify stores. Start with these and expand from there.

Abandoned Cart Recovery

Abandoned cart push is the highest-ROI push notification campaign for most ecommerce brands. When a customer adds items to their cart and leaves without purchasing, an automated push notification brings them back.

A typical sequence:

1. 30 minutes after abandonment: A gentle reminder. "You left something in your cart." Include the product name or image if your platform supports rich push.
2. 2-4 hours later: Add urgency or a small incentive. "Your cart is waiting. Complete your order before items sell out."
3. 24 hours later: Final reminder, potentially with a discount code for high-value carts.

The key is restraint. Three messages per abandoned cart is plenty. More than that risks opt-outs.

For a deeper look at this specific campaign type, see our guide to recovering abandoned carts with push notifications.

Back-in-Stock and Price Drop Alerts

These are high-intent notifications. The customer has already shown interest in a specific product; you're telling them it's available again or cheaper than before.

Most Shopify push apps can sync with your inventory data to trigger these automatically. The conversion rates on back-in-stock alerts tend to be among the highest of any push campaign because the intent is already established.

Flash Sales and Limited-Time Offers

Push notifications are uniquely suited to time-sensitive promotions. Unlike email (which might sit unread for hours) or social media (which relies on algorithmic timing), a push notification reaches your subscriber's screen within seconds.

Send the notification 15-30 minutes before the sale starts to build anticipation. For app push, include an image of the featured product and a direct deep link to the sale page.

Welcome Series

The first push notification a new subscriber receives sets the tone for the entire relationship. A welcome notification sent within minutes of opt-in typically sees higher engagement than any subsequent message.

Keep it simple: thank them for subscribing, highlight one clear benefit (a first-purchase discount, early access to sales, exclusive content), and link to a relevant page. Don't try to sell in the welcome message; build the habit of opening your notifications first.

Order and Shipping Updates

Transactional push notifications, such as order confirmations, shipping updates, and delivery alerts, aren't marketing campaigns in the traditional sense. But they serve a critical purpose: they train your customers to pay attention to notifications from your brand.

Every time a customer taps a shipping update, they're reinforcing the habit of engaging with your push messages. When your next promotional notification arrives, they're more likely to open it.

Push Notification Best Practices for Shopify Stores

Push is really a hard channel to get wrong. It doesn’t take any kind of high-level copywriting or creative, or targeting, or anything like this.

It just comes down to making sure you get the timing and relevance right - and maximizing the number of people you can reach with push.

Opt-In Strategy

The biggest lever for success with push is how many people you can contact.

For apps, the initial push prompt is a crucial moment. You want to make sure you’re communicating the value of saying “yes” to push; otherwise, it’s going to take a lot of work to get the customer to re-enable them at a later time.

For web push, don't show the browser permission prompt the moment someone lands on your site. A visitor who hasn't had time to see your products has no reason to say yes, and once they decline a web push prompt, you typically can't ask again.

Instead, delay the prompt until the visitor has shown engagement:

• After they've browsed 2-3 pages
• After 30-60 seconds on site
• After they've added an item to their cart
• On a dedicated landing page that explains the value of subscribing

For app push, the dynamic is different. The opt-in prompt appears during app onboarding. Since the user has already chosen to install your app, opt-in rates are naturally higher. But it still helps to explain what they'll receive ("order updates, exclusive deals, and back-in-stock alerts") before the system prompt appears.

Learn more about average push opt-in rates, as well as tips on getting your strategy right.

Frequency and Timing

There's no universal "right" frequency. It depends on your product, your audience, and how much genuinely useful content you have to share.

Here’s some general guidance:

• Automated/transactional (cart recovery, order updates, back-in-stock): Send as triggered. These are expected and relevant.
• Promotional campaigns: 2-5 per week for active segments. More than that risks fatigue and opt-outs.
• Inactive segments: Reduce frequency or pause. Sending promotions to customers who haven't opened a notification in 30+ days erodes your sender reputation and opt-in base.

Timing varies by audience, but late morning (10-11am) and early evening (6-8pm) in the customer's local time zone tend to perform well for ecommerce.

Segmentation and Personalization

Generic blast notifications underperform targeted ones by a significant margin. The more relevant a push notification is to the recipient, the higher the CTR and conversion rate.

Segment by:

• Purchase history: Different messaging for first-time buyers vs repeat customers vs VIPs.
• Browse behavior: Notify customers about price drops or back-in-stock on products they've viewed.
• Cart status: Active cart holders get recovery messages; everyone else gets promotional content.
• Recency: Adjust tone and offers based on how recently the customer last visited or purchased.

Native app push tends to offer deeper segmentation than web push because apps collect richer behavioral data (session frequency, in-app browsing patterns, wishlist activity).

Measuring Push Notification Performance

Track these metrics to understand whether your push program is working:

• Opt-in rate: The percentage of visitors or app users who accept push notifications. Note that web push and app push opt-in rates aren't directly comparable; web push measures against all visitors, while app push measures against users who already installed your app.
• Click-through rate (CTR): The percentage of delivered notifications that get tapped. Benchmark: 1-3% for web push, 5-15% for app push.
• Conversion rate: The percentage of notification clicks that result in a purchase. This varies widely by campaign type.
• Revenue per send: Total revenue attributed to push divided by number of notifications sent. This is the metric that matters most for ROI.
• Unsubscribe rate: The percentage of subscribers who opt out after receiving a notification. A rising unsubscribe rate signals over-sending or poor targeting.

Most push platforms integrate with Shopify analytics, so you can track revenue attribution directly. For a broader look at the data, see our push notification statistics roundup.

Getting Started with Push Notifications on Shopify

Push notifications give Shopify brands something rare in ecommerce marketing: a direct line to your customers' screens with no per-message cost, no algorithmic filtering, and no inbox competition. 

Web push is quick and easy. But native app push is where the serious engagement and revenue gains live.

MobiLoud turns your existing Shopify store into a native iOS and Android app with full push notification capability built in, including automated abandoned cart recovery. 

No rebuild, no separate platform to manage. Get a free consultation to see what push notifications could do for your revenue.