How To Send Sku To Mailchimp From Woocommerce

How to Send WooCommerce SKUs to Mailchimp for Enhanced Marketing

Introduction:

WooCommerce and Mailchimp are powerful tools for e-commerce businesses. WooCommerce handles your online store, product management, and order processing, while Mailchimp excels in email marketing, allowing you to nurture leads, promote products, and build customer relationships. A key piece of product information that’s often overlooked in Mailchimp integration is the SKU (Stock Keeping Unit). Sending WooCommerce SKUs to Mailchimp allows for greater personalization and segmentation in your email campaigns. This article will guide you through different methods to achieve this, unlocking the full potential of your marketing efforts. We’ll cover methods ranging from simple solutions to more advanced customizations.

Methods to Send WooCommerce SKUs to Mailchimp

Integrating WooCommerce SKUs into Mailchimp allows you to create highly targeted campaigns. For instance, you can email customers who abandoned their cart containing a specific product with the SKU to remind them about their purchase or upsell related items. Here are common approaches:

1. Using the Official Mailchimp for WooCommerce Plugin (and its Limitations)

The official Mailchimp for WooCommerce plugin is a great starting point. While it provides basic synchronization of customer data and purchase history, it doesn’t natively sync SKU information to Mailchimp merge tags. However, you can leverage custom code or additional plugins to extend its functionality.

Pros:
Easy to install and configure.
Officially supported by Mailchimp.
Basic e-commerce tracking.
Cons:
Doesn’t directly send SKUs to Mailchimp by default.
Limited customization options without code.

2. Custom Code Snippets (The most flexible approach)

This involves using PHP code within your WordPress theme’s `functions.php` file or a custom plugin. We’ll focus on adding the SKU to the order data that’s passed to Mailchimp. This approach gives you complete control over what data is sent.

Step-by-step guide:

1. Access your `functions.php` file: This is usually located in `wp-content/themes/[your-theme-name]/functions.php`. Important: Before making changes to your `functions.php` file, always create a backup. Consider using a child theme to avoid losing your changes during theme updates.

2. Add the following PHP code: This code snippet hooks into the `mailchimp_sync_ecommerce_data` filter provided by the official Mailchimp for WooCommerce plugin. It retrieves the order items and extracts the SKU for each product in the order. Then it add this information to the data sent to Mailchimp.

<?php
/**
Add SKU to Mailchimp Ecommerce Data
* This function adds the product SKU to the Mailchimp ecommerce data for each order item.
* @param array $data The ecommerce data being sent to Mailchimp.
@param WC_Order $order The WooCommerce order object.
* @return array The modified ecommerce data.
*/
function add_sku_to_mailchimp_ecommerce_data( $data, $order ) {
$items = $order->get_items();
$line_items = [];

foreach ( $items as $item_id => $item ) {

$product = $item->get_product();

if ( ! $product ) {

continue; // Skip if product doesn’t exist.

}

$sku = $product->get_sku();

$line_items[] = [

‘product_id’ => (string) $product->get_id(),

‘product_variant_id’ => (string) $item_id,

‘quantity’ => (int) $item->get_quantity(),

‘price’ => (float) $product->get_price(),

‘sku’ => $sku, // Include the SKU here

];

}

$data[‘line_items’] = $line_items;

return $data;

}

add_filter( ‘mailchimp_sync_ecommerce_data’, ‘add_sku_to_mailchimp_ecommerce_data’, 10, 2 );

3. Explaination of the code:

The code hooks into the `mailchimp_sync_ecommerce_data` filter which is triggered when the official Mailchimp for WooCommerce plugin sends order data to Mailchimp.
It retrieves the WooCommerce order object (`$order`) and loops through each item in the order.
It gets the product associated with the order item and retrieves its SKU using `$product->get_sku()`.
The SKU is then added to the `$line_items` array as the `sku` property.
Finally, it updates the `$data` array with the modified `$line_items` data.

4. Create a Merge Tag in Mailchimp: In your Mailchimp audience, create a merge tag to receive the SKU. A suggested merge tag is `SKU`. The best way to display the SKU in Mailchimp is to create a *repeater* merge tag. This allows you to display the SKU for *each* product in the order.

5. Test Your Integration: Place a test order in your WooCommerce store. Then, check your Mailchimp audience to ensure the SKU information is being correctly populated for the customer who placed the order.

Pros:
Highly customizable. You have full control over what data is sent.
Free (after the initial time investment of writing the code).

Cons:
Requires coding knowledge.
Can be more complex to implement.
Potential for conflicts with theme updates if not using a child theme.

3. Using Third-Party Plugins (A quick and easy option)

Several third-party plugins simplify the process of sending custom data, including SKUs, to Mailchimp. Search for plugins that advertise “custom field mapping” or “advanced Mailchimp integration.” These plugins typically offer a user-friendly interface to map WooCommerce fields (like SKU) to Mailchimp merge tags.

Pros:
Easier to implement than custom code.
Often provides additional features beyond SKU syncing.
Cons:
Can be expensive, requiring a paid plugin.
Reliance on a third-party developer for support and updates.
Potential for plugin conflicts.

Conclusion

Sending WooCommerce SKUs to Mailchimp can significantly enhance your email marketing campaigns by enabling personalized product-focused messaging. While the official Mailchimp plugin doesn’t offer this functionality out-of-the-box, you can achieve it through custom code snippets or by utilizing third-party plugins. Choose the method that best aligns with your technical skills and budget. Remember to always back up your website before making changes and test thoroughly to ensure a seamless integration between your WooCommerce store and Mailchimp account. By leveraging SKU data, you can create more targeted, relevant, and effective email campaigns, ultimately driving sales and improving customer engagement.