How to Export Shopify Customer Data by Segment Using CSV and Apps
To export Shopify customers, go to Customers in your Shopify admin, click Export, choose which customers to include and click Export customers. Shopify creates a CSV file with names, emails, phone numbers, default addresses, marketing consent, total spent and total orders, plus tags and metafields if you choose to include them.
A customer export is useful for backups, email marketing, reporting and moving to another platform. Knowing what the file contains, and what it leaves out, helps you pick the right export method before you start.
How to Export Shopify Customers
Shopify’s built-in export covers most needs without an app. Follow these steps in your Shopify admin:
- Go to Customers.
- Optional: filter the list, open a segment or check the boxes next to specific customers.
- Click Export.
- Choose which customers to export: Current page, All customers, Selected customers or the customers matching your filters.
- Under Fields included, check Customer tags and Customer metafields if you need them.
- Choose the CSV option for spreadsheet programs, or Plain CSV file.
- Click Export customers.
Exports of up to 50 customers download straight to your browser. Larger exports are emailed to you, and to the store owner if you aren’t the owner, and export files are limited to 15 MB.
Export a specific group of customers
You don’t have to export your whole customer list every time. Filtering first lets you export only the group you need, such as customers subscribed to email marketing, customers with a certain tag or customers from one location.
Saved segments make repeat exports easier. Build the segment once, open it whenever you need fresh data and export the customers matching your filters, which also keeps large stores under the 15 MB file limit.
What’s Included in a Shopify Customer Export
The customer CSV uses the same columns as Shopify’s customer import template, plus two summary fields that only appear in exports. This table shows what each column contains:
| Column | What it contains |
|---|---|
| First Name, Last Name | The customer’s name |
| The customer’s email address | |
| Accepts Email Marketing | Whether the customer subscribes to email marketing |
| Default Address fields | Company, address lines, city, province code, country code, ZIP and phone for the default address |
| Phone | The customer’s phone number |
| Accepts SMS Marketing, Accepts WhatsApp Marketing | Whether the customer subscribes to SMS or WhatsApp marketing |
| Total Spent | The total amount the customer has spent in your store |
| Total Orders | The number of orders the customer has placed |
| Note | Notes saved on the customer profile |
| Tax Exempt | Whether the customer is tax exempt |
| Tags | The customer’s tags, as a comma-separated list, if you chose to include them |
Total Spent and Total Orders are export-only, so they’re ignored if you import the file elsewhere in Shopify. Metafields appear as columns named customer.metafields.namespace.key, such as customer.metafields.facts.birth_date, when you include them.
What the export doesn’t include
The native file is a customer list rather than a complete account history. Plan for these gaps, especially if you’re migrating:
- Passwords. Customer passwords are never exported, so customers need to set up access again on a new platform.
- Full order history. Only total spent and total orders are included, so export orders separately for purchase details.
- Additional addresses. The file includes the default address only.
- Custom fields without metafields. Data stored only in apps stays in those apps unless they offer their own export.
Export Customers for Email Marketing
Many merchants export customers to load them into an email or SMS platform. The marketing columns show who has agreed to receive messages, so filter on them before you upload anything.
Filter or segment your list to customers who accept email marketing, then export only that group. Sending to customers who haven’t subscribed can break marketing rules and harm your sender reputation, so treat the consent columns as the source of truth.
If your marketing platform connects directly to Shopify, its integration may sync customers and consent automatically. A CSV export still works as a one-time upload or a backup of your list.
Export Shopify Customers With Apps or the API
Apps and integration tools help when you need more fields, scheduled exports or files delivered to another system. They also suit stores that export customers regularly rather than once.
Import and export apps such as StoreRobo let you choose customer columns, add filters and save the setup as a preset for later. You can run an export straight away or schedule it, and send the file to an FTP or SFTP server once it completes.
Integration tools such as Zynk export customers into other formats, such as XML, for accounting or ERP systems. These exports can pick up only new or modified customers since the last run and include metafields, order counts, total spent and email marketing consent.
Developers can also pull customer data through Shopify’s Admin API with the read_customers permission. Shopify’s REST API is now legacy, so new integrations generally use the GraphQL Admin API instead.
Choose the Right Export Method
The best method depends on how often you export and where the data is going. This comparison helps you decide:
| Method | Best for | Strengths | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify admin export | Backups, one-time lists and email uploads | Free, built in and works with filters and segments | Manual, 15 MB file limit and default address only |
| Import and export apps | Regular exports with custom columns | Column selection, presets, scheduling and FTP or SFTP delivery | Paid plans for larger volumes |
| Integration tools | Syncing customers to accounting or ERP systems | Incremental exports and other file formats | Setup and ongoing subscription |
| Admin API | Custom systems and automated pipelines | Full control over fields and timing | Requires development work |
Tips for Working With Your Customer File
A few habits keep your exported data accurate and secure. Keep these in mind once the file arrives:
- Open the file as UTF-8. This keeps accented names and special characters readable.
- Protect leading zeros. Spreadsheet programs can strip leading zeros from ZIP codes and phone numbers, so format those columns as text before editing.
- Check for duplicates. Duplicate emails or phone numbers cause problems if you import the file into Shopify or another platform.
- Store it securely. The file contains personal data, so share it only with people and tools that need it and delete old copies you no longer use.
- Date your backups. Add the export date to the file name so you can tell versions apart.
Common Customer Export Problems
Many export issues have simple causes. Adjusting a setting and exporting again usually fixes them, so watch for these:
- The export email didn’t arrive. Check spam folders and confirm which address receives store owner emails, since large exports are sent by email.
- The file is too large. Split the export with filters or segments so each file stays under 15 MB.
- Tags or metafields are missing. The options under fields included weren’t checked before exporting.
- Some metafields don’t appear. Only supported metafield types, such as text, numbers, dates and true or false values, are included in the CSV.
- Only some customers were exported. The current page option was selected instead of all customers or your filtered list.
- Characters look garbled. The file was opened with the wrong encoding instead of UTF-8.
Conclusion
Being able to export Shopify customers gives you a dependable backup and a flexible way to use your customer data in marketing, reporting and other tools. Choosing the right export method and handling the file carefully keeps that data accurate and secure. We hope this guide helps you export Shopify customers with confidence.
