Klaviyo Migration Checklist: How to Move to Klaviyo Without Losing Revenue

Migrating your email platform is a bit like replacing your plane’s engine mid-flight. You’re still trying to fly—just with better tools under the hood. Problem is, most brands do this without a plan… and that’s where the turbulence begins.

Broken flows, cold starts, missing data—these aren’t just annoyances. They cost you revenue. That’s why switching to Klaviyo deserves more than just plugging in your list and hitting “Send.”

As a certified Klaviyo Email Marketing Agency and Platinum Partner, we’ve helped dozens of ecommerce brands migrate without a single revenue dip. Whether you’re coming from Mailchimp, Omnisend, or ActiveCampaign, this checklist walks you through a clean, strategic migration.

Let’s get you moved, optimized, and set up to scale.

👉 Don’t want to DIY it? Our Klaviyo Email Marketing Agency handles everything end-to-end.

Why So Many Brands Are Switching to a Klaviyo Agency

It’s not about jumping platforms just to chase a trend. It’s about switching to a retention engine that works harder—and smarter.

Here’s what Klaviyo unlocks:

• Real-time segmentation powered by onsite and behavioral data
• Personalized email and SMS journeys from a single dashboard
• Predictive analytics that help you time your messaging perfectly

But let’s be honest. Owning a Ferrari won’t make you a better driver. That’s why switching to a Klaviyo agency is where the performance starts.

When you bring in experts through Klaviyo agency services, you’re not just buying hands—you’re getting strategy, systems, and scale.

The Klaviyo Migration Checklist We Use for Every Client

Below is the exact process our team follows during migration. You can follow it yourself—or hand it to an expert team that does this every week.

1. Lock Down Your Brand Framework

Start with consistency. If your emails don’t feel like you, they won’t perform:

• Upload brand assets: logo, colors, fonts
• Create master templates for campaigns and flows
• Set up your preference center and branded unsubscribe footer

✅ Pro Tip: Mobile-first design isn’t optional. Most customers check emails on their phones—build with that in mind.

2. Integrate Your Tech Stack

Here’s where Klaviyo shines—when it’s connected to the tools that power your store:

• Shopify, BigCommerce, or WooCommerce
• Reviews: Okendo, Junip, Yotpo
• Loyalty: Smile.io, LoyaltyLion
• Ad channels: GA4, TikTok, Meta with CAPI
• SMS: Klaviyo SMS or tools like Postscript

✅ Pro Insight: Integrations power behavior-based automation. More data = more revenue.

3. Set Up Deliverability Infrastructure

Deliverability is everything. Don’t get flagged as spam on day one:

• Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records
• Use a custom sending subdomain (with DNS authentication)
• Warm your domain: start with small, engaged segments
• Suppress cold, bounced, or invalid contacts

✅ Agency Reminder: Most deliverability issues happen because this step is rushed—or skipped.

4. Turn on Smart Tracking and Attribution

You need to track every dollar:

• Enable Klaviyo onsite pixel for behavior tracking
• Use consistent UTMs in every campaign and flow link
• Connect Meta’s Conversion API for server-side attribution

✅ Strategic Move: Add hidden fields to signup forms (like signup source or campaign ID). That data pays off later.

5. Rebuild Your High-Impact Flows

Your flows are your passive revenue machine. Don’t just copy old ones—rebuild them smart:

• Welcome Series
• Abandoned Cart Flow
• Browse Abandonment
• Post-Purchase Flow
• Winback or Replenishment Flows

✅ Human Tip: Write for the reader, not the algorithm. Make these emails feel like they’re from a person, not a system.

6. Clean and Import Your Lists

Don’t drag dead weight into your new setup:

• Export full contact history from your old ESP
• Remove unsubscribed, bounced, and cold contacts
• Tag key fields: purchase history, signup source, VIP status
• Map custom fields accurately during import

✅ Migration Mistake to Avoid: Don’t import unqualified leads just to boost list size. They’ll tank your sender score.

7. Build Out Your Performance Dashboards

Once you start sending, you need to monitor like a hawk:

• Revenue by flow vs campaign
• Flow conversion rate by step
• Deliverability metrics (opens, clicks, bounces)
• SMS opt-ins and unsubscribes

✅ Growth Hack: Use Klaviyo’s benchmarks to compare your performance against similar brands.

8. Begin Warm-Up Campaigns

This part makes or breaks your inbox placement:

• Start with high-intent segments (recent buyers, recent openers)
• Focus on education, story, or content—not promotions
• Avoid sending to full list in week one

✅ Agency Insight: We start clients with a founder email or product origin story. It re-engages while warming the domain.

9. Deactivate Your Old ESP (Cleanly)

Wrap it up right:

• Turn off automations, sign-up forms, and popups
• Export historical performance reports and high-performing templates
• Keep access for at least 30 days for backups
• Cancel billing when fully migrated

✅ Pro Process: Use your top-performing legacy emails as a starting point for new A/B tests in Klaviyo.

Post-Migration Mistakes We See Every Week

Here’s what causes unnecessary chaos:

1. Skipping the warm-up

Even if your list is solid, your sending domain needs time to build trust with inbox providers.

2. Reusing old flows without testing

What worked in Mailchimp won’t always translate. Klaviyo has different triggers, logic, and filters.

3. Importing cold or purchased lists

Deliverability death sentence. Only bring people who want to hear from you.

4. No mobile-first design

If your emails look off on mobile, expect your click rates to drop fast.

5. Ignoring compliance

Klaviyo doesn’t automatically handle GDPR, CCPA, or TCPA. Review every form and flow.

✅ Fix It Fast: Catch these early. The longer they linger, the more revenue you lose.

What You Get From Klaviyo Agency Services

A platform switch is one thing. Performance is another.

Here’s what top-performing brands get when they work with a seasoned Klaviyo Email Marketing Agency:

• End-to-end strategy, setup, and execution
• Migration without a single dip in revenue
• Clean segmentation and behavioral flows built to convert
• Real-time reporting that shows exactly where revenue is coming from
• Access to Platinum Partner support and beta features

And the intangibles? Faster growth. Fewer headaches. Better decisions.

After You Launch: Your First 30 Days

The migration is done—but optimization is just beginning:

• A/B test your top 2 flows weekly
• Check list growth and unsubscribes twice a week
• Watch bounce rates closely (they can signal bad segments)
• Segment by RFM and product category
• Send 2–3 targeted campaigns per week to keep engagement up

✅ Pro Mindset: Klaviyo is not set-and-forget. The brands that win are always iterating.

Don’t Just Migrate—Upgrade

Switching to Klaviyo is a strategic move, not just a software change. If you follow the right process, this migration won’t just preserve revenue—it’ll unlock more of it.

Want it done with zero guesswork? Our Email Marketing Services are designed to help ecommerce brands migrate cleanly, launch fast, and scale consistently.

No stress. No deliverability dips. No missed opportunities.

👉 Book your strategy call today and let’s launch something revenue-worthy.