TASK • Migration checklist (safe + measurable)

Migrate Mailchimp to Omnisend

Migrate Mailchimp to Omnisend in a clean, repeatable way: export audiences, clean consent + fields, import to Omnisend, then rebuild only the automations that actually drive revenue. You’ll be done when your new system is sending correctly (and old Mailchimp sends are disabled).

✓ Time: 45–75 min ✓ Export + cleanup ✓ Import + mapping ✓ Rebuild + verify

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Need a quick tool overview? See email automation tools.

Migrate Mailchimp to Omnisend checklist (what matters)

The goal is not “move everything.” The goal is move consent + segmentation + revenue flows without breaking deliverability. Your best migration is the one that’s live and measurable.

Keep consent clean: only import contacts who can legally receive marketing.
Bring your segmentation logic: tags, customer type, lifecycle stage.
Rebuild the core: welcome, abandoned cart, post-purchase, winback.
Warm up properly: start with engaged segments first.

i Quality bar: publish the essentials first. Add “nice-to-have” automation later.

Before you start Migrate Mailchimp to Omnisend

Prep these so you don’t hit a “no access” wall mid-migration:

Mailchimp admin access (audience exports + tags/segments).
Omnisend admin access (import + workflows).
Your sending domain info (from-name, from-email, website domain).
List of “must keep” fields: phone, country, lifecycle stage, VIP flag.
Decide if you’ll keep the same sender domain (recommended).

Start clean. Create your Omnisend account first so you can import right after export.

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Common pitfalls (that waste hours) when Migrate Mailchimp to Omnisend

Importing unsubscribed contacts → you raise complaints and hurt deliverability.
Forgetting tag mapping → your campaigns can’t target properly.
Two systems sending → duplicate emails, angry customers.
Skipping warm-up → sending to cold contacts first can tank inbox placement.
Rebuilding every automation → you delay launch (ship essentials first).

! If you’re unsure about consent, do not import it. Start with engaged, opted-in contacts only.

Step-by-step: migration GPS

1 Audit 2 Export 3 Clean 4 Map 5 Import 6 Verify 7 Rebuild 8 Warm-up

Step 1/8 — Audit what you actually need to migrate

Goal: scope

You’re moving the revenue engine, not every historical artifact.

Must move (v1)

Opted-in contacts (email + optional phone)
Tags / segments you use for targeting
Suppression: unsubscribed / bounced where possible
Core flows: welcome, abandoned cart, post-purchase, winback

i Success check: you can describe your “v1” in one sentence. If not, you’re over-scoping.

Skip for now

Old one-off campaigns
Dozens of micro-segments you never use
Deep template design polish

Step 2/8 — Export contacts from Mailchimp (separate lists)

Goal: data

Export in a way that preserves targeting: keep opted-in contacts separate from unsubscribed/suppressed.

Export sets (recommended)

Export A: Subscribed / marketing-permission contacts
Export B: Unsubscribed (keep for suppression reference)
Export C: Cleaned / bounced (avoid importing)

i If you can only export one file, you’ll split it in the cleanup step.

Naming convention (copy)

mc_subscribed.csv
mc_unsubscribed.csv
mc_bounced_cleaned.csv

Step 3/8 — Clean the file (fields + consent sanity)

Goal: import-ready

This step prevents 90% of migration pain: wrong fields, wrong consent, junk data.

Minimum cleanup checklist

Keep one row per contact (no duplicates).
Ensure Email column exists and is valid format.
Normalize phones to E.164 if you use SMS later.
Remove columns you will never use (noise).
Keep a column for tags (comma-separated).

! Do not import unsubscribed/bounced contacts into marketing lists.

Core columns (copy)

email
first_name
last_name
phone (optional)
country (optional)
tags (comma-separated)
lifecycle_stage (optional)
vip (optional)

Next is the make-or-break step: correct mapping in Omnisend, then import.

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Step 4/8 — Decide mapping (Mailchimp fields → Omnisend)

Goal: targeting

Mapping is how you keep your segmentation. If tags disappear, your campaigns become generic.

Mapping rules (simple)

Mailchimp email → email (required)
Name fields → first/last name
Tags column → tags (or a custom property, then build segments)
VIP / lifecycle → custom properties

i Tip: keep tags “clean” (no duplicates like “VIP” and “vip”).

Tag hygiene (copy)

Use Title Case tags: VIP, Repeat Buyer, Newsletter, Wholesale
Avoid: vip, VIP_, VIP!!, multiple synonyms

Step 5/8 — Import to Omnisend (and verify counts)

Goal: correct import

Import only the subscribed/permission set first. You can add other data later.

Import checklist

Import mc_subscribed.csv first.
Confirm columns map correctly (especially tags).
Import as “subscribed” only if they truly have marketing permission.
After import, check contact count + a few random profiles.

i Success check: random contacts show expected tags/properties and can be targeted by a segment.

FOLLOW reference (official docs)

Use official Omnisend guidance while importing (event names and import behavior can differ by integration):

Omnisend: Importing contacts

Step 6/8 — Stop duplicate sending (disable Mailchimp automations)

Goal: no double emails

Before you publish in Omnisend, make sure Mailchimp is not still sending the same lifecycle emails.

Quick “no duplicates” rules

Turn off Mailchimp abandoned cart / welcome / post-purchase automations.
Pause Mailchimp campaign scheduling while you validate.
Keep transactional emails in your store platform (Shopify/WooCommerce), not in marketing tools.

! Duplicate abandoned cart is the fastest way to trigger complaints.

Copy/paste “migration note” (internal)

Migration rule: Mailchimp lifecycle automations OFF before Omnisend workflows go ON.
Transactional order emails remain handled by the ecommerce platform.

Step 7/8 — Rebuild only the 4 revenue flows (v1)

Goal: revenue

Don’t recreate 20 flows. Build the money engine first, then iterate.

Revenue flows (priority order)

Welcome series
Abandoned cart
Post-purchase cross-sell
Winback

i If you’re unsure what to pick, start with abandoned cart + welcome.

Need help choosing?

Compare behavior and ecommerce features: Omnisend vs Mailchimp for ecommerce

You’ll migrate faster when you focus on flows that move revenue first.

Step 8/8 — Warm up: start with engaged segments

Goal: inbox

Even if you keep the same domain, you should reintroduce sending gradually. Start with people who opened/clicked recently.

Warm-up plan (simple)

Day 1–2: send to “engaged last 30 days”
Day 3–5: expand to “engaged last 60–90 days”
Then: full list (only opted-in)

i Success check: low complaint rate and stable opens/clicks as you expand.

If it fails (fast fixes)

Reduce volume (send to smaller engaged segment)
Remove cold contacts from the first sends
Simplify content (one CTA, fewer images)

! Don’t “blast the entire list” on day one. That’s the classic migration mistake.

Migrate Mailchimp to Omnisend Flow diagram (migration + warm-up)

Use this visual to keep the order right: data first, then sending, then optimization.

i Want to check plan limits before switching? See Omnisend pricing .

Done checklist (you’re finished when…)

Subscribed contacts are imported and show correct tags/properties.
Unsubscribed/bounced contacts are not being mailed (suppressed).
Mailchimp lifecycle automations are OFF (no duplicate sends).
Your v1 flows are built (welcome, abandoned cart, post-purchase, winback).
You tested a real inbox and verified all links/CTAs.
Warm-up is planned (engaged first → expand gradually).
You’ll optimize after 7 days (one variable at a time).

i Ship v1 today. The real improvements come from data, not from endless rebuilding.

Switch with confidence

You now have a migration path that avoids duplicates, preserves targeting, and protects deliverability. Open Omnisend, import clean data, publish v1 flows, then optimize with real results.

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No credit card required • Cancel anytime • Clean data first, send second

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