Winback Flow
An automated sequence targeting customers who haven't purchased in a defined period.
1 min readLast updated Apr 2026
Quick Reference
CategoryEmail Marketing & Klaviyo
Related Terms1
An automated sequence targeting customers who haven't purchased in a defined period.
Why It Matters
Acquiring a new customer costs 5-7x more than retaining an existing one. Winback flows re-activate lapsed customers before they churn permanently. Even modest winback success (5-10% reactivation) is highly profitable because these customers already know and trust your brand.
Practical Example
Scenario
A wellness brand triggers winback at 90 days since last purchase (average reorder is 60 days). 3-email sequence: reminder, incentive, final chance.
Calculation
8,000 annual lapsed customers × 8% winback rate × $95 AOVResult
Winback flow recovers $60,800 annually from customers who would otherwise have churned completely.
Pro Tips
- 1Set trigger timing based on your typical reorder cycle (slightly beyond normal)
- 2Use escalating incentives: no discount first, then small, then bigger if needed
- 3Include 'We miss you' messaging but focus on product value and what's new
- 4Offer easy returns to remove risk for customers re-trying your brand
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Triggering winback too late when customers have truly moved on (180+ days for most categories)
Leading with discounts instead of reminding customers why they loved you
Not following up—single winback emails underperform sequences