Census: Customer Surveys vs Happy Birthday Emails by UWfor Shopify (2026)
Census: Customer Surveys and Happy Birthday Emails by UW are both 5-star rated Shopify apps, but they cater to vastly different needs. Census focuses on gathering customer feedback through surveys, offering insights into customer preferences and pain points. Happy Birthday Emails by UW, on the other hand, concentrates on building customer loyalty and driving repeat purchases by automating personalized birthday emails with discounts. While both apps contribute to a better understanding of customers and use analytics, their approaches are fundamentally different: one is about active feedback collection, the other about passive relationship building through a targeted marketing campaign. Happy Birthday Emails by UW's strength lies in its automated, hands-off approach to loyalty programs. Merchants can set it up once and let it run, generating potential sales and valuable age-related data. Census requires more active participation from the merchant in designing, deploying, and analyzing surveys. Therefore, Census is geared towards merchants actively seeking actionable insights through direct customer feedback. The significant difference in the number of reviews also suggests that Happy Birthday Emails by UW enjoys a broader user base, possibly due to its ease of use and readily apparent benefits.
At a Glance
Census: Customer Surveys
23 reviews
Happy Birthday Emails by UW
141 reviews
Detailed Overview
Happy Birthday Emails by UW
Send a birthday email with a discount to build loyalty and repeat purchases
Key Features
- Send birthday emails with personalised messages and discounts
- Run a birthday loyalty campaign with zero ongoing effort
- Collect birthdays and age data at checkout, POS, or landing pages
- Works with your email platform or sends happy birthday emails for you
- Populates Shopify’s customer birthday metafield
Feature Comparison
| Rating | 5/5 | 5/5 |
Rating Census: Customer Surveys5/5 Happy Birthday Emails by UW5/5 | ||
| Reviews | 23 | 141 |
Reviews Census: Customer Surveys23 Happy Birthday Emails by UW141 | ||
| Primary Function | Customer Feedback via Surveys | Automated Birthday Email Marketing |
Primary Function Census: Customer SurveysCustomer Feedback via Surveys Happy Birthday Emails by UWAutomated Birthday Email Marketing | ||
| Key Feature | Collects customer survey data | Sends personalized birthday emails with discounts |
Key Feature Census: Customer SurveysCollects customer survey data Happy Birthday Emails by UWSends personalized birthday emails with discounts | ||
| Target Merchant | Merchants actively seeking customer insights | Merchants seeking to boost loyalty and drive repeat sales |
Target Merchant Census: Customer SurveysMerchants actively seeking customer insights Happy Birthday Emails by UWMerchants seeking to boost loyalty and drive repeat sales | ||
| Ease of Use | Likely requires active management of surveys | Designed for automated, set-and-forget operation |
Ease of Use Census: Customer SurveysLikely requires active management of surveys Happy Birthday Emails by UWDesigned for automated, set-and-forget operation | ||
| Value Proposition | Data-driven customer understanding | Increased customer loyalty and sales via birthday campaigns |
Value Proposition Census: Customer SurveysData-driven customer understanding Happy Birthday Emails by UWIncreased customer loyalty and sales via birthday campaigns | ||
| Data Collected | Specific feedback based on survey questions | Customer birthday and age data |
Data Collected Census: Customer SurveysSpecific feedback based on survey questions Happy Birthday Emails by UWCustomer birthday and age data | ||
Our Verdict
For Shopify merchants looking to actively understand customer pain points and preferences through targeted questions, Census: Customer Surveys is the better choice. It allows for gathering specific insights that can inform product development, marketing strategies, and customer service improvements. However, for merchants prioritizing building customer loyalty and driving repeat sales with minimal ongoing effort, Happy Birthday Emails by UW is the clear winner. Its automated birthday email campaigns offer a passive yet effective way to engage customers and incentivize purchases.
Given the larger number of reviews and focus on automation, Happy Birthday Emails by UW may be more approachable for smaller businesses or those with limited marketing resources. Census, while potentially more powerful for deep customer understanding, likely requires more time and expertise to manage effectively. If a merchant wants a hands-off loyalty solution, Happy Birthday Emails by UW should be the pick.
Common Questions
Which app is easier to use?
Happy Birthday Emails by UW appears to be easier to use due to its automated nature. You set up the emails and discounts once, and it runs passively. Census requires active creation, deployment, and analysis of surveys.
Which app provides more valuable data?
It depends on your goals. Census provides specific, question-driven feedback. Happy Birthday Emails by UW provides customer birthdates and age, which can be used for segmentation and targeted marketing.
Can I integrate both apps into my store?
Yes, both apps offer unique functionalities. Using both would provide customer insights via surveys *and* automated birthday marketing campaigns.
Which app is better for a small business with limited marketing resources?
Happy Birthday Emails by UW is likely better for small businesses with limited resources due to its set-and-forget nature and lower barrier to entry.
Does Census send emails automatically?
It's not explicitly stated, but the nature of surveys suggests that Census would facilitate sending survey invitations/emails to customers, but the setup and content would require manual creation and adjustment.
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