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Sync unsubscribes across Klaviyo, Mailchimp and HubSpot

Unsubscribe sync watches each of your marketing tools for opt-outs and records the same choice in all the others. Someone who unsubscribes from a Mailchimp newsletter, for example, is also marked as unsubscribed in Klaviyo, HubSpot and Shopify, with a log of when and where it happened.

An example of how the studio would build it. No live services are connected.

From one unsubscribe to every tool in agreement.

  1. Step 01

    Opt-out received

    An unsubscribe arrives from Klaviyo, Mailchimp, HubSpot or Shopify, through a webhook or a regular check of each tool’s unsubscribes.

  2. Step 02

    Person matched

    Find the same person in each connected tool by email address or mobile number, depending on the channel.

  3. Step 03

    Status updated

    Set their marketing status to unsubscribed for that channel in every tool, leaving order and service emails untouched.

  4. Step 04

    Choice logged

    Record the date, source and channel of the opt-out in a central log, so you can show what happened and when.

  5. Step 05

    Conflicts flagged

    Send anything unclear to a person, such as a newer opt-in elsewhere or two records that might be the same customer.

The result

People who say no stop hearing from you everywhere, not just in one tool.

An opt-out always wins over an older opt-in, and only a fresh, explicit opt-in by the person can reverse it. The sync never subscribes anyone, so a fault can only mean sending less marketing, never more.

Before we connect it.

Where this is useful

Useful for businesses that have added tools over time, such as a shop on Klaviyo, a newsletter on Mailchimp and trade enquiries in HubSpot, where nobody is sure an opt-out reaches every list. A sensible first version syncs email opt-outs only, then adds text messages once consent for each channel has been mapped.

What we need to connect

  1. 01Access to each tool’s contacts and subscription status, through webhooks where the tool offers them or a scheduled check of recent unsubscribes.
  2. 02A decision on how people are matched across tools, usually by email address for email and by mobile number for text messages.
  3. 03Your consent records and the line between marketing and service messages, agreed with whoever is responsible for data protection.

What needs careful handling

The same person can use different email addresses in different tools, so only exact matches are synced automatically and possible duplicates go to a person. An unsubscribe from email doesn’t automatically mean an opt-out from text messages, so each channel is handled separately unless the person asked to stop everything. Bounced or cleaned addresses are not the same as an opt-out, so they are logged but not treated as a marketing choice.

Questions people ask.

Isn’t this something the law requires anyway?

Under UK data protection and electronic marketing rules, you must stop sending marketing to someone who objects, whichever tool you send it from. This automation is one practical way of making sure that happens across several tools. It doesn’t replace advice on your wider obligations.

Will it stop order confirmations and receipts?

No. Only marketing permissions are changed. Service messages, such as order confirmations, delivery updates and appointment details, carry on as normal, as long as they don’t include marketing content.

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