Top Marketing Automation Tools to Elevate Your Strategy

Marketing automation tools help you speed up marketing operations by automating repetitive tasks so you deliver personalised experiences to your customers at scale. 

These platforms consolidate your activities—from email campaigns to social media—into one centralised dashboard, giving you direct access to insights and data.

In the following sections, you’ll learn about the top five e-commerce marketing automation tools required to run and grow a D2C brand with minimum friction.

Key Features to Consider

Image title: E-commerce Marketing Automation Tools Features

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Email Marketing Automation

PwC's analysis shows that Indian consumers are highly value-conscious and want personalised deals, loyalty programs, and referral schemes. 

Email automation helps you fulfil and deliver on these expectations through

Automated Workflows

• Welcome sequences for new subscribers
• Purchase confirmation and shipping updates
• Abandoned cart recovery
• Post-purchase feedback requests

Personalisation Features

• Dynamic content based on user behaviour
• Location-specific offers and messaging
• Product recommendations based on browsing history

The data also highlights that Gen Z and early millennials in tier 2-4 cities respond well to personalised communications. 

Your email automation should support

• Multi-language capabilities for regional preferences
• Time zone-based sending
• Mobile-optimised templates 

Lead Management and Scoring

Lead scoring helps you identify and prioritise high-value prospects based on behavioural differences. 

This is especially true during India's festive season sales when 72% of consumers prefer mobile apps for purchases, and the average basket size varies significantly between urban and non-urban consumers.

Here’s what you get from lead optimisation using marketing automation tools 

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• Behaviour tracking
• Progressive profiling
• Integration with CRM systems
• Personalised communications based on location
• Different payment preferences by location (UPI vs Cash on Delivery)

Customer Segmentation

Customer segmentation through marketing automation helps you understand and serve different customer groups effectively. 

New Relic research shows that Indian shopping behaviours vary significantly—while 59% of consumers use fewer than three mobile apps for daily shopping, 33% use 4-6 apps. 

These differences in app usage patterns point to varied shopping preferences that need different marketing approaches.

Your marketing automation platform should help you group customers based on both demographic and behavioural data. 

• For demographics, consider location differences between metro and tier 2-4 cities, age groups (with special attention to the 25-34 age bracket, who show the highest shopping app usage), and language preferences. 
• On the behavioural side, look at purchase frequency, average order value, category preferences, and payment methods.

The real value of automated segmentation shows up during festive seasons. 

When you know which customer segments prefer specific categories—like apparel and accessories or consumer electronics—you can prepare targeted campaigns well in advance. This knowledge helps you stock appropriate inventory and plan promotions that appeal to each segment.

Analytics and Reporting

Analytics form the backbone of informed decision-making in e-commerce. 

You get a clear view of how your marketing efforts perform across channels through marketing automation tools. 

It matters because Indian consumers face specific challenges—41% dislike excessive notifications, 38% report slow loading times, and 34% mention battery drain issues.

Your analytics should focus on metrics that directly impact sales and customer experience.

• Monitor user engagement patterns to understand when customers are most active. 
• Track payment success rates to identify and fix transaction issues quickly. 
• Look at delivery performance to meet customer expectations—remember that 50% of metro customers value quick delivery.

The reporting capabilities of your marketing automation platform should also help you understand the ROI of different marketing channels. 

Social Media Integration 

Social media has a significant influence on Indian shopping behaviour—62% of consumers try products after seeing them on social platforms, with YouTube being the most trusted platform for product research. 

Marketing automation helps you manage this social presence efficiently.

A good automation platform connects your social media activities with other marketing efforts. 

When you launch a new product or promotion, you can coordinate messages across email, social media, and your website to track how social media engagement translates into actual sales.

The tool should also help you manage customer service through social channels. With 72% of Indian consumers preferring mobile apps for purchases, many will reach out through social media for support. 

Your automation tool should help you monitor these interactions, respond promptly, and track customer satisfaction across platforms.

Top Marketing Automation Tools

Here is a list of five must-have marketing automation tools.

Pragma 

A marketing automation tool built specifically for Indian D2C brands that combines customer communication, order management, and returns handling in a single dashboard.

Consider Pragma if you struggle with challenges such as

1. Communication Gap

• 81% of Indian consumers use smartphones for shopping
• Multiple channels (WhatsApp, SMS, Email) need different handling
• Customer queries need quick responses

2. Order Management Issues

• High RTO (Return to Origin) rates affecting profits
• Manual verification takes too much time
• Delivery coordination across multiple partners

3. Returns & Support

• Complex returns process
• Time-consuming customer support
• Scattered data across platforms

Pragma helps you solve these challenges through…

Results That Matter

• RTO reduction: 60%
• NDR (Non-Delivery Rate) reduction: 35%
• Customer response rate: 65% higher
• Processing time: Reduced by 40%

Who Uses Pragma?

• 800+ D2C brands, including Glamrs, Rare Rabbit, and Emami
• Brands focusing on tier 1-4 cities
• Businesses wanting to scale customer support

Klaviyo 

A comprehensive marketing automation tool built for brands that integrate customer data with personalised email and SMS campaigns.

Why Consider Klaviyo? Online stores face several roadblocks in their growth, such as

• Limited understanding of customer shopping patterns
• Difficulty in sending relevant communications
• Low repeat purchase rates
• Manual campaign management takes up time
• Scattered data across multiple platforms

Insider 

An automation platform helping online brands run custom campaigns across multiple channels with AI-powered recommendations.

Key problems it solves

• Running disjointed marketing campaigns
• Managing multiple marketing tools
• Understanding customer preferences
• Measuring campaign effectiveness

Omnisend 

A tool for e-commerce companies that focuses on email, SMS, and web push notifications, making it simpler to run automated campaigns.

Problems it addresses

• Time spent on repetitive marketing tasks
• Low customer response to marketing messages
• Difficulty in reaching customers at the right time
• Managing different marketing channels separately

Mailchimp

A straightforward marketing tool that helps small and growing online stores send targeted emails and run basic marketing campaigns.

The main challenges it helps fix

• Limited marketing budget
• Basic automation needs
• Simple customer communications
• Starting with email marketing

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Marketing Automation Tool 

Here's what you must evaluate when selecting the right platform for your e-commerce brand.

Start with a Clear Plan

The success of your marketing automation depends heavily on having a well-thought-out strategy before choosing any tool. 

Begin by mapping out your current marketing processes and identifying areas where automation can make a real difference.

Your plan should outline specific tasks you want to automate—from email campaigns and SMS updates to social media posts. 

Understanding your customer's journey from discovery to purchase helps you pick a platform that supports each stage effectively.

Calculate your expected returns based on time saved and potential revenue increase. 

It helps justify the investment and sets clear goals for what you want to achieve through automation.

Technical Requirements and Integration

Your automation solution needs to work smoothly with your existing systems. 

Consider platforms that integrate easily with

• Your e-commerce platform
• Payment systems (especially UPI and COD options)
• CRM system
• Analytics tools
• Social media platforms
• Inventory management systems

The marketing automation tool should offer flexible APIs and pre-built integrations to ensure data flows smoothly between systems.

User-Friendly Features

Remember that marketing automation tools are only valuable if your team can use them effectively. 

The tool should offer….

Interface and Accessibility: A good platform provides visual workflow builders and drag-and-drop editors for creating campaigns. 

Your team should be able to set up basic marketing elements like landing pages and email templates without needing technical help.

Mobile Optimisation: With 81% of Indian consumers shopping via smartphones, your chosen platform must excel at mobile marketing. 

For example, creating mobile-responsive emails, managing SMS campaigns, and integrating with WhatsApp automation for order-related communication.

Communication Capabilities

Your platform should handle multiple communication channels effectively. 

Including email marketing with high deliverability rates, SMS campaigns with regional language support, and social media management.

The ability to personalise communication based on customer behaviour, location, and purchase history is also important. 

Look for platforms that can automatically segment customers and deliver targeted messages.

Cost Considerations

Understand all costs involved beyond the basic subscription

• Additional user license fees
• Transaction charges
• API usage costs
• Support package pricing
• Training expenses

Also, consider how costs will scale as your business grows. 

Will the platform remain affordable as your contact list expands and you need more features?

To Wrap It Up

Marketing automation tools have become a standard part of running successful e-commerce businesses. 

From the basics of email marketing to advanced analytics and personalisation, these platforms help you reach and serve customers better.

Our analysis shows that the top platforms—Pragma, Klaviyo, Insider, Omnisend, and Mailchimp—each offer unique advantages. 

Pragma stands out for Indian brands with its focus on reducing RTO rates and improving delivery success. Klaviyo excels at customer data integration, while Insider brings AI-powered recommendations across channels.

The right marketing automation platform makes the difference between managing endless manual tasks and running smooth, data-driven marketing campaigns that convert better.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions on Marketing Automation Tools)

What is marketing automation in e-commerce?

Marketing automation in e-commerce refers to software that handles repetitive marketing tasks automatically, from sending emails to tracking customer behaviour, helping you deliver personalised experiences as your brand grows.

What is a marketing automation tool?

A marketing automation tool helps you manage multiple marketing activities from one dashboard. It automates repetitive tasks like email campaigns, social media posts, and customer communications.

What is the best e-commerce marketing automation tool?

The most suitable tool depends on your specific needs. For Indian e-commerce brands, platforms like Pragma offer features designed for the local market, while global solutions like Klaviyo and Omnisend provide comprehensive automation capabilities as well.