Not sure how to manage your audience in Omnisend? This FAQ list answers common questions about managing contacts in Omnisend, including importing, exporting, segmentation, list cleaning, and subscription status. For step-by-step setup guides, visit Manage Your Contact List.
Import & Export
How do I import contacts from a CSV file? What data can be imported?
To import contacts:
Go to Audience → Contacts → Add or Update Contacts → File Import → Select File.
Map your columns to Omnisend fields (Email, Phone, First Name, etc.).
Choose whether to import as subscribed contacts.
You can import:
Personal data: Email, Phone, First Name, Last Name, Birthdate, Gender.
Location data: City, State/Region, Country, Postal Code.
Opt-in/ Opt-out status: Email/SMS opt-in and opt-out dates.
Custom properties: Any additional data (e.g., shirt size, loyalty tier).
Why were my imported contacts marked as non-subscribed instead of subscribed?
During contact import, you must check 'Import emails as subscribed to email channel' in the Subscribe step. If you skip this, all contacts import as non-subscribed.
Note: The re-import does not create duplicate contacts; it will only update the contacts' profiles.
How can I export a segment of contacts?
To export a contact segment:
Go to Audience → Segments.
Find your segment → Click the three-dot menu → Select Export.
Go to the Exports tab, click Download, and save the file.
Is there a limit to the number of columns or rows that can be imported at once in a single file?
You can import up to 200 columns per file. There is no row limit.
If you need to add more data, split your import into two files. Include the email or phone number in both files so Omnisend can match and update the same contact.
If a subscribed contact resubscribes with a phone number, will the contact profile update?
Yes. The contact profile will update to include the phone number.
Contact Status & Deletion
Can I delete different types of contacts? If not, why?
Omnisend contacts have three subscription statuses:
Subscribed (green): Opted in to receive Email Campaigns and Automation Workflows.
Non-subscribed (yellow): Placed an order, abandoned a cart, or created an account without opting in.
Unsubscribed (red): Opted out, bounced, or marked your email as spam.
We don't recommend deleting contacts because all purchase history, activity, and segmentation data will be lost permanently.
To delete contacts anyway:
Go to Audience → Contacts.
Create a segment → Check the box near Name → Select All → Actions → Delete.
To reduce plan costs without losing data: Unsubscribe inactive contacts. This removes them from billing but keeps their data.
Can I restore unsubscribed contacts without deleting and re-adding them?
Yes. To resubscribe a contact:
Upload a CSV file with the contact's email.
Import them as subscribed.
How do I change a subscribed contact to non-subscribed status?
The only way to manually add a non-subscribed contact is during import:
Go to Audience → Contacts → File Import.
Upload your file.
Uncheck the "Import as Subscriber" checkbox.
List Hygiene
How do I clean my contact list to reduce plan costs and improve deliverability?
Omnisend offers automated list cleaning to remove invalid, bounced, and risky contacts.
To clean your list:
Go to Reports → Deliverability.
Scroll to Email List Hygiene.
Click Go to Email List Cleaning.
List cleaning improves deliverability, reduces bounces, and lowers costs by removing invalid contacts.
How do I prevent invalid emails from entering my Contact list?
Enable Double Opt-in to ensure only verified contacts are added:
In your Omnisend signup form, go to Behavior Settings → Audience.
Turn on Enable Double Opt-in.
Double opt-in blocks fake emails and spam bots by requiring subscribers to confirm their address.
Omnisend also supports Google reCAPTCHA for Signup Forms to prevent automated abuse without adding friction for real users.
Segmentation
When setting up a campaign, I can only send to a limited number of contacts. How do I send to all of them?
Email Campaigns only send to contacts with a Subscribed status. Omnisend automatically filters out non-subscribed and unsubscribed contacts.
To see your subscribed contact count, create a segment:
Go to Audience → Segments → Create Segment → Create from Scratch.
Add filter → Subscription status is Subscribed to Email.
How do I control AND/OR logic in segments?
Single operator between all filters: Add each filter to the same filter group. The same AND/OR logic will apply to all filters within one filter group.
Multiple operators: If you need both AND and OR logic (e.g., "Contacts who opened Campaign A OR Campaign B AND placed an order"), create separate filter groups.
How do I remove a contact from one segment but keep them in others?
You cannot manually remove contacts from segments. Segments auto-update based on filters.
To remove a contact: Add a filter to your segment "Email address is not [contact's email address]".
Store Sync & Tracking
When I connect my store to Omnisend, will purchase history sync automatically?
Yes. Omnisend syncs all contacts and order history from your store. Sync time varies by platform, but all historical data will be imported.
Why don't I see any orders and products on my customer profile page?
Omnisend tracks live activity using Web Tracking. This data is temporary and refreshes regularly.
Store-synced data (orders, purchases) is stored permanently in the backend and used for segmentation. For example, the "Placed Order in Last X Days" filter pulls from your store's records.
Events tracked vary by platform:
Does Omnisend sync archived contacts from Mailchimp?
No. Archived contacts in Mailchimp are not synced. However, if those contacts exist in your store (Shopify, BigCommerce, etc.), Omnisend will sync them directly from there.
How do I check where my contacts are coming from?
Every contact in Omnisend has a source tag showing where they were added.
Why does Omnisend only show one Address field?
Omnisend merges all address fields (billing, shipping) from your store into a single Address field for simplicity.
GDPR & Consent
Can I transfer GDPR/TCPA consent from Klaviyo or another platform to Omnisend?
No. Consent records in Omnisend only reflect consents collected by Omnisend.
You cannot transfer consent from another email platform. Contacts must resubscribe through your Omnisend Signup Forms or store checkout.
Troubleshooting
How can I see why contacts were removed from my automation?
Contacts exit workflows when:
Subscription status changes – Contact unsubscribed, bounced, or marked your email as spam.
Exit condition is met – Most workflows default to "Order Placed" as an exit trigger.
Workflow is disabled – Due to a plan change or manual deactivation.
You can check if a contact meets any of these conditions in their profile.
What's the difference between "Date Added" and "Opt-in Date" in the contact profile?
Date Added: When the contact was added to Omnisend.
Opt-in Date: When the contact subscribed to receive Email Campaigns.
External Created: When the contact was added to your store (if different from Date Added).
Need more help? Contact our Support Team via in-app chat or at [email protected].