At The Twisted Hippo, you usually see the creative side — custom school spirit wear, engraved gifts, seasonal launches, and community givebacks. But behind every product drop is a lot of not-so-pretty admin work. Recently, I tackled one of the most overlooked (and important) parts of running a business: cleaning up our customer database and email list.
The Not-So-Glamorous Truth About Email Lists
Over time, customer records pile up. Some email addresses go bad. Some customers sign up but never order. Some accounts are duplicated. And some just quietly lose interest.
We recently did a deep dive into our Shopify customer data and removed:
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Archived inactive customer profiles with no orders or engagement since early 2023 — this helps me prioritize the people who want to hear from me.
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Subscribers with bounced or invalid email addresses
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Spam reporters (yes, we saw you)
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Duplicate and anonymous accounts with no engagement
After deleting over 1,700 outdated records, we’re down to a stronger, cleaner list of 1,600 active subscribers.
Why This Matters (Even If You’re Not Buying Today)
Email marketing isn’t just about sales. When you open or click on an email, you’re helping a small business in a big way.
Even if you don’t make a purchase, here’s what opening our emails does:
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Improves our email “reputation” so messages land in inboxes (not spam folders)
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Helps us understand what content customers care about
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Supports our visibility in platforms like Shopify, Facebook, and Google
Think of it like waving back at a neighbor — it lets us know you're still here.
How to Manage Your Subscription
We believe in being upfront. If you no longer want to hear from us, that’s totally fine — but we want it to be your choice.
Here’s how to stay in control:
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Every newsletter includes a quick unsubscribe link at the bottom
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Want back in? You can resubscribe anytime through our homepage
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Need help updating your email address? Just send us a message and we’ll take care of it.
- Want to unsubscribe or subscribe before the next newsletter drop, chat with me online and I'll get it all worked out for you.
This Cleanup Is Just the Beginning
I'm constantly improving the way I run The Twisted Hippo — not just the fun stuff like new designs, but also the backend systems that make your shopping experience smoother. I do this so the people who want to stay connected actually get our updates, and I'm not wasting energy sending emails that never reach their destination.
Thanks for sticking with us through the creative, the technical, and everything in between.