Help & FAQs

Last Updated: October 21, 2025

Welcome to Ottomate Help! This guide answers the most common questions about using the app. Can't find what you're looking for? Contact us at logan@ottomate.co.

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Table of Contents

1. Getting Started
2. Brand Analysis
3. Email Generation
4. Email Platforms
5. Templates & Flows
6. Billing & Subscriptions
7. Data & Privacy
8. Troubleshooting

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Getting Started

How do I install Ottomate?

1. Visit the Shopify App Store and search for "Ottomate"
2. Click "Add app"
3. Review the permissions and click "Install app"
4. You'll be redirected to the Ottomate dashboard
5. Click "Get Started" to begin your brand analysis

Required Permissions:

• Read products (to analyze your catalog)
• Read content (to analyze blog posts)
• Read themes (to detect brand colors)
• Read store details (to personalize emails)

What do I need to get started?

Minimum Requirements:

• Active Shopify store
• At least 3-5 products in your store
• (Optional) Blog posts or About page for better brand voice analysis
• (Optional) API key for your email platform (Klaviyo, OmniSend, etc.)

First Steps:

1. Install the app
2. Run brand analysis
3. Review recommended flows
4. Generate your first email templates
5. (Optional) Connect your email platform and push templates

How long does setup take?

• App Installation: 1-2 minutes
• Brand Analysis: 30-60 seconds
• First Email Generation: 2-3 minutes for a full flow (3 emails)
• Total Time to First Templates: ~5 minutes

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Brand Analysis

What is brand analysis?

Brand analysis is our AI-powered process that examines your store to understand:

• Business Model: Whether you're a Premium Luxury, E-commerce, Subscription, Consumables, SaaS, or Marketplace business
• Brand Voice: Your tone (professional, playful, elegant, etc.)
• Visual Identity: Your brand colors and design aesthetic
• Product Catalog: What you sell and key product categories
• Target Audience: Who your customers are based on your content

This analysis helps the AI generate emails that match your unique brand.

How does brand analysis work?

Ottomate analyzes:

1. Your Products: Names, descriptions, pricing, categories
2. Your Blog Posts: Writing style, topics, tone
3. Your Theme: Brand colors, fonts, design style
4. Your Store Name: Business type and niche

The AI processes this data using Claude Sonnet 4 to create a comprehensive brand profile.

How accurate is the business model detection?

Our AI is ~85-90% accurate at detecting your business model. If it gets it wrong, you can:

1. Navigate to the Analysis Results page
2. Use the business model dropdown to select the correct type
3. Click "Recalculate Recommended Flows"

This will update your recommended flows without rerunning the full analysis.

Can I refresh my brand analysis?

Yes! If you've made significant changes to your store (new products, rebranded, new blog content), you can refresh the analysis:

1. Go to the Dashboard
2. Click "Refresh Brand Analysis"
3. Confirm the refresh
4. Wait 30-60 seconds for the new analysis

Note: Refreshing will update your brand profile but won't delete existing templates.

Why does brand analysis require products and blog posts?

• Products: Help us understand what you sell and how to personalize product recommendations in emails
• Blog Posts: Reveal your brand voice and writing style so emails sound like you

Don't have blog posts? That's okay! The AI can still analyze your product descriptions and store information. However, emails will be more generic. We recommend writing at least 2-3 blog posts for best results.

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Email Generation

How do I generate email templates?

1. Complete brand analysis
2. Review recommended flows (or select custom flows)
3. Choose your format (Plain Text or HTML)
4. Click "Generate Email Templates with AI"
5. Wait 1-3 minutes while the AI creates your templates
6. Review and use your templates!

How long does email generation take?

• Single Email: ~15-20 seconds
• Full Flow (3 emails): ~45-60 seconds
• Multiple Flows: ~2-3 minutes

The app generates emails in parallel within each flow for faster processing.

What's the difference between Plain Text and HTML emails?

Plain Text:

• Simple, text-only format
• Works with all email platforms
• Faster to generate
• More personal, conversational feel
• Better deliverability (less likely to be marked as spam)

HTML:

• Rich formatting with colors, fonts, images
• Professional, branded appearance
• Requires HTML-compatible email platform
• May have deliverability issues if not optimized

Recommendation: Start with Plain Text for reliability, then experiment with HTML if your platform supports it well.

Can I edit generated templates?

Absolutely! Templates are fully editable:

1. Go to the Templates page
2. Click on any template to view it
3. Copy the content
4. Paste into your email platform
5. Edit as needed

Or: Use the "Push to [Platform]" button to send templates directly to your email platform, then edit there.

Can I regenerate a template if I don't like it?

Yes, with a paid subscription:

1. Go to the Templates page
2. Find the template you want to regenerate
3. Click "Regenerate" (Paid plans only)
4. The AI will create a new version

Free Tier: Cannot regenerate. You get one generation per flow for preview purposes.

What email flows are available?

We offer 18 specialized email flows across 6 business models:

Universal Flows (All Business Types):

• Welcome Series
• Abandoned Cart
• Post-Purchase Thank You
• Review Request
• Cross-Sell/Upsell

Business Model-Specific Flows:

• Premium Luxury: VIP Exclusive Access, Personal Shopping
• E-commerce: Seasonal Promotions, New Arrivals
• Subscription: Subscription Renewal, Usage Tips
• Consumables: Replenishment Reminder, Bulk Discounts
• SaaS: Onboarding Series, Feature Adoption
• Marketplace: Seller Spotlight, Buyer Incentives

How does the AI know what products to mention in emails?

The AI:

1. Analyzes all your products during brand analysis
2. Identifies top products, new arrivals, and bestsellers
3. Matches products to the email flow context
4. Uses Shopify variables like {{ product.title }} so emails dynamically pull your latest products

Example: An abandoned cart email will reference {{ cart.item.name }} to show the exact product the customer left behind.

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Email Platforms

What email platforms does Ottomate support?

Currently Supported (with API push):

• Klaviyo
• Shopify Email

In Development (template export only):

• OmniSend
• ActiveCampaign
• GetResponse
• Customer.io

Universal Export: All platforms support copy/paste template export.

How do I connect my email platform?

1. Get your API key from your email platform (see platform-specific guides below)
2. Go to Ottomate Settings
3. Select your email platform from the dropdown
4. Paste your API key
5. (For some platforms) Enter your account URL
6. Click "Save Settings"
7. Test the connection by pushing a template

Where do I find my Klaviyo API key?

1. Log into Klaviyo
2. Click your account name (bottom left)
3. Select "Settings" → "API Keys"
4. Click "Create Private API Key"
5. Name it "Ottomate Integration"
6. Enable these scopes:
   • ✅ Templates: Read
   • ✅ Templates: Write
7. Copy the API key (starts with pk_)
8. Paste into Ottomate Settings

Important: Copy the key immediately—you won't be able to see it again!

Where do I find my ActiveCampaign API key?

1. Log into ActiveCampaign
2. Go to "Settings" → "Developer"
3. Copy your API URL (e.g., https://youraccountname.api-us1.com)
4. Copy your API Key
5. Paste both into Ottomate Settings

Can I use multiple email platforms?

Not simultaneously. You can:

• Select one platform at a time in Settings
• Export templates manually to multiple platforms (copy/paste)
• Switch platforms by changing the dropdown in Settings (this won't delete existing templates)

What happens when I push a template to my email platform?

When you click "Push to [Platform]":

1. Ottomate sends the template to your platform via API
2. A draft template is created in your platform
3. The template is marked as "Pushed" in Ottomate with a timestamp
4. You'll need to create a flow/campaign in your platform and select the template

We do NOT:

• Automatically create flows/campaigns
• Activate emails (they're created as drafts)
• Send emails on your behalf

Why can't I push templates? (Free Tier)

The free tier is designed for evaluation only. Template pushing is a premium feature available on paid plans. You can:

• Generate 1 flow to see the quality
• View all recommended flows
• Export templates manually (copy/paste)

Upgrade to a paid plan to unlock unlimited generation and platform pushing.

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Templates & Flows

What's the difference between a flow and a template?

• Flow: A series of related emails (e.g., Welcome Series has 3 emails)
• Template: An individual email within a flow (e.g., "Welcome Email #1")

Example: The "Abandoned Cart" flow contains:

1. Cart Abandonment Reminder (1 hour after cart abandonment)
2. Second Reminder with Urgency (24 hours later)
3. Final Offer with Incentive (48 hours later)

How many emails are in each flow?

Most flows contain 3 emails, carefully sequenced to maximize engagement:

1. First Email: Introduces the topic
2. Second Email: Reinforces the message
3. Third Email: Creates urgency or offers an incentive

Some flows may have 1-5 emails depending on the use case.

Can I customize which flows to generate?

Yes! You have two options:

Option 1: Use Recommended Flows

• Based on your detected business model
• Optimized for your store type
• Fastest way to get started

Option 2: Choose Custom Flows

• Select any flows from the full library
• Mix and match across business models
• Customize to your specific needs

What templates do I get with each subscription tier?

Free Tier:

• 1 flow (3 emails) for preview
• Cannot regenerate or push to platforms
• View-only for additional flows

Paid Tiers:

• Unlimited flows and templates
• Regenerate existing templates
• Push to connected email platforms
• Access to all 18 flow types

Can I delete templates I don't want?

Yes:

1. Go to the Templates page
2. Find the template you want to delete
3. Click "Delete"
4. Confirm deletion

Note: Deleting a template in Ottomate does NOT delete it from your email platform if you've already pushed it. You'll need to delete it there separately.

How do I filter templates by flow?

On the Templates page:

1. Use the "Filter by Flow" dropdown
2. Select the flow you want to view
3. Only templates from that flow will be displayed

You can also filter by:

• Email platform
• Date generated
• Push status (pushed vs. not pushed)

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Billing & Subscriptions

What subscription plans are available?

Free Tier:

• Brand analysis (unlimited)
• Generate 1 flow (3 emails)
• View recommended flows
• No template pushing
• No direct support

Paid Tiers:

• Unlimited flow generation
• Push to Klaviyo & other platforms (coming soon)
• Email support
• Regenerate templates
• Priority features

Professional Tier (Coming Soon):

• Everything in Paid Tier
• Automated flow creation in Klaviyo
• Seasonal campaign generator
• Analytics & ROI tracking
• Priority support

How much do paid plans cost?

Pricing details are available:

• In the Shopify App Store listing
• On the Ottomate website at https://ottomate.co
• In the app's Settings → Billing page

How does billing work?

• Billing Platform: All charges are processed through Shopify Billing
• Billing Cycle: Monthly, billed in advance
• Auto-Renewal: Subscriptions renew automatically each month
• Payment Method: Charged to your Shopify account

You'll see Ottomate charges on your regular Shopify invoice.

Can I cancel anytime?

Yes! You can cancel by:

• Uninstalling the app (immediate cancellation)
• Downgrading to Free tier in Settings
• Emailing logan@ottomate.co

Cancellation takes effect at the end of your billing cycle. You'll retain access to paid features until then.

Do you offer refunds?

Refund Policy:

• No refunds for partial months
• You retain access until the end of your billing period
• Exception: Prorated refunds available if the app is unusable for 7+ consecutive days due to a technical issue

See our Terms of Service for full details.

What happens if I downgrade from a paid plan?

When you downgrade to Free:

• You immediately lose access to template pushing
• Existing generated templates remain viewable (but you can't push them)
• You cannot generate new templates (except 1 flow for preview)
• Direct support is no longer available

Existing templates are NOT deleted. You can still view and manually copy them.

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Data & Privacy

What data does Ottomate collect?

We collect shop-level data only:

• Store name and domain
• Products (names, descriptions, prices)
• Blog posts and content
• Theme colors and fonts
• Email platform API keys (encrypted)
• Generated templates and analysis results

We do NOT collect:

• Individual customer data (names, emails, addresses)
• Order details
• Payment information
• Customer behavior or analytics

How is my data used?

Your data is used only for:

• Generating AI-powered email templates
• Brand voice analysis
• Pushing templates to your email platform
• Improving app functionality

We never:

• Sell your data to third parties
• Use it for advertising
• Share it with anyone except necessary service providers (Anthropic for AI, your selected email platform)

Is my email platform API key secure?

Yes! API keys are encrypted at rest using AES-256-GCM authenticated encryption, the same standard used by banks and governments.

Security measures:

• Encrypted in database
• Never logged in plain text
• Transmitted only over HTTPS
• Access restricted to authorized systems only

What happens to my data if I uninstall the app?

Within 48 hours of uninstalling, all your data is permanently deleted:

• Brand analysis results
• Generated email templates
• App settings (including encrypted API keys)
• Generation job history
• OAuth session data

This deletion is irreversible. If you reinstall later, you'll start fresh.

Is Ottomate GDPR compliant?

Yes! We comply with GDPR and offer:

• Right to Access: Request a copy of your data
• Right to Deletion: Delete your data anytime
• Right to Portability: Export your data in JSON format
• Data Retention: Deleted within 48 hours of uninstall
• Secure Storage: AES-256 encryption for sensitive data

Email logan@ottomate.co to exercise your GDPR rights.

Can I export my data?

Yes! To export all your data:

1. Email logan@ottomate.co with "Data Export Request"
2. We'll send you a JSON file within 48 hours containing:
   • Brand analysis results
   • All generated templates
   • App settings (API keys will be redacted for security)

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Troubleshooting

The app isn't loading / I see a blank screen

Try these steps:

1. Hard refresh: Press Cmd+Shift+R (Mac) or Ctrl+Shift+R (Windows)
2. Clear cache: Clear your browser cache and cookies
3. Try another browser: Test in Chrome, Safari, or Firefox
4. Disable extensions: Ad blockers or privacy extensions may interfere
5. Check Shopify status: Visit status.shopify.com to see if Shopify is down

Still not working? Email logan@ottomate.co with your browser and device details.

Brand analysis is stuck / not completing

Common causes:

• Very large product catalog (500+ products)
• Extremely long blog posts (10,000+ words)
• Network connectivity issues

Solutions:

1. Wait 2-3 minutes (analysis can take time for large stores)
2. Refresh the page and try again
3. Check your internet connection
4. If still stuck after 5 minutes, email logan@ottomate.co

Email generation failed / templates are empty

Possible reasons:

• Temporary AI service outage
• Network timeout
• Invalid store data

Solutions:

1. Try generating again (click "Regenerate")
2. Refresh brand analysis (Dashboard → Refresh Brand Analysis)
3. Check that your store has products and content
4. Contact support if the issue persists

I can't push templates to my email platform

Troubleshooting steps:

For All Platforms:

1. Verify your API key is correct (Settings → re-enter API key)
2. Check that your API key has the required permissions (Read + Write for Templates)
3. Ensure you're on a paid plan (Free tier cannot push)
4. Test your API key directly in your platform's API documentation

For Klaviyo:

• API key must start with pk_ (private key, not public key)
• Scopes required: Templates Read + Templates Write
• Regenerate the API key in Klaviyo if needed

For ActiveCampaign:

• Ensure you entered both API key AND account URL
• Account URL format: https://youraccountname.api-us1.com
• Check that API key is active in ActiveCampaign settings

Still not working? Email logan@ottomate.co with:

• Which platform you're trying to connect
• The exact error message you're seeing
• A screenshot of the error

Templates are in a different language / have weird characters

This is rare but can happen if:

• Your store content is in multiple languages
• There are encoding issues with special characters

Solutions:

1. Ensure your store's primary language is set correctly in Shopify
2. Check that product descriptions don't have corrupted characters
3. Regenerate the template
4. If the issue persists, email logan@ottomate.co

The AI-generated content doesn't match my brand voice

Possible causes:

• Limited blog content (AI has less data to learn from)
• Inconsistent writing across your store
• Product descriptions are generic or AI-generated themselves

Solutions:

1. Write more blog posts: Aim for 3-5 posts with your authentic voice
2. Refresh brand analysis: After adding content, run a fresh analysis
3. Update product descriptions: Write unique descriptions that reflect your tone
4. Override business model: Make sure the detected business model is correct
5. Manual editing: Edit generated templates to fine-tune the voice

I'm getting charged but didn't mean to upgrade

If you were charged unexpectedly:

1. Check your email for subscription confirmation from Shopify
2. Review your app settings (Settings → Billing)
3. If it was a mistake, email logan@ottomate.co immediately
4. We'll work with you to resolve billing issues

Note: All billing is processed by Shopify. Refunds for accidental charges are handled case-by-case.

How do I contact support?

Free Tier: Self-service only (this Help/FAQ page)
Paid Tiers: Email logan@ottomate.co

Include in your support email:

• Your Shopify store domain
• Description of the issue
• Steps to reproduce
• Screenshots (if applicable)

Response time: 24 business hours for paid users (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm PST)

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Still Have Questions?

Documentation:

• Privacy Policy: https://ottomate.co/privacy
• Terms of Service: https://ottomate.co/terms
• Support Policy: https://ottomate.co/support

Contact Us:

• Email: logan@ottomate.co
• Website: https://ottomate.co

Paid Users: We aim to respond to all support requests within 24 business hours.

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Ottomate Help & FAQ
Last Updated: October 21, 2025
Version: 1.0