How to Send Custom Emails for Specific Products in Shopify (Without Paid Apps)

You are releasing a pre-order and want to send an automated email when someone orders it.

But you don’t want them to get Shopify’s default order confirmation email. Instead, you want a custom email specifically for the pre-order product, saying something like “Your Pre-Order is Confirmed.”

This is possible in Shopify, and you don’t need any paid apps to do it. You just need to edit the order confirmation email template. Here’s how.

Step 1: Open Order Confirmation Email

First, go to Settings in your Shopify admin. Then navigate to Notifications. Under the Customer section, find Order Confirmation. Click on it, and you’ll see an option to Edit Code.

This will open the email template, which is written in Liquid, Shopify’s templating language. All the content in the email uses Liquid variables that you can customize.

Step 2: Customize the Email

To customize the subject line for your pre-order product, you need to use an if/else conditional in Liquid. This ensures that only the pre-order product triggers the special subject line, while all other products keep the standard order confirmation.

Here’s an example of how to write it:

{% if line_items contains 'Pre-Order Product Name' %}
  Pre-Order #{{ order.name }} Confirmed
{% else %}
  Order #{{ order.name }} Confirmed
{% endif %}

You can also use a similar conditional inside the email body to show custom text specifically for the pre-order product. This way, all other products still receive the standard message.

Step 3: Save and Test

Once you’ve made your changes, save the template and test it with a sample order. Make sure the email looks correct and the right subject line appears for your pre-order product.

Not Comfortable Editing Liquid Code?

If you’re not comfortable editing Liquid code, don’t worry. The Shopify App Store has plenty of email apps, like Omnisend, that let you send custom emails for specific products.

These apps come with ready-to-use templates and allow you to set conditions, triggers, and product-specific messages without touching any code. They are paid, but they simplify the process and give more control over your emails.