Overview
Acquiring a new customer costs 5-7x more than retaining an existing one. A win-back campaign targets your best former customers — people who loved you enough to buy once — and reminds them why they should come back. This Klaviyo flow automatically identifies customers at the 90-day mark and sends a 3-email sequence designed to recover 10-15% of lapsed buyers.
Before you start
- Klaviyo account connected to Shopify
- At least 6 months of order history
- A compelling win-back offer ready
Step-by-step guide (5 steps)
Create the win-back segment
In Klaviyo, go to Segments > Create Segment: 'Has placed an order at least once' AND 'Has not placed an order in the last 90 days' AND 'Has not placed an order in the last 180 days.' This catches the 90-180 day window.
Build the Flow
Create a Flow triggered by 'Joined Segment' (your win-back segment). This fires when a customer hits exactly 90 days without a purchase.
Email 1 (Day 90): The check-in
Subject: 'We miss you, [First Name]' — No discount yet. Remind them of your brand story, what's new, and what they loved. Include 3-5 of their most purchased product categories.
Email 2 (Day 94): Social proof
Subject: 'What everyone's loving right now' — Show your best-selling or newest products with customer reviews. Create mild FOMO without being pushy.
Email 3 (Day 98): The offer
Subject: 'A little something just for you ✨' — 15% off, free shipping, or a gift with purchase. Time-limit it: 'This offer expires in 48 hours.' Exclude anyone who purchased in emails 1-2.
Suppress purchasers from the sequence immediately using a 'Has placed order in last 7 days' filter on each email.
What you'll get
Recovers 10-15% of lapsed customers on autopilot
Saves money vs. acquiring new customers
Builds customer lifetime value
Clean list — non-responders indicate true churn
Common mistakes to avoid
Starting with a discount in email 1 — save it for email 3
Not suppressing purchasers from receiving subsequent emails
90-day window too long for high-frequency businesses (use 30 days for consumables)
Frequently asked questions
Do I need coding experience to set up this Klaviyo automation?
No coding is required. This guide walks you through everything using Klaviyo's built-in features and Zapier's visual interface. If you can follow a recipe, you can follow this guide.
How long does this automation take to set up?
Most users complete this setup in 30–60 minutes on their first try. Once set up, it runs completely automatically with zero ongoing effort.
What happens if the automation fails?
Zapier and Make both have error notifications and task history, so you'll know immediately if something goes wrong. We cover troubleshooting steps in the guide above.
Can I customize this automation for my specific business?
Absolutely. The guide includes notes on common customizations. Most automations have multiple variation points — timing, conditions, notification recipients, and more.