Most online stores spend heavily to bring visitors in, then do very little once those people leave. Automated emails fix that. You set them up once, and they keep working every day, reaching the right person at the right moment without anyone pressing send.
1. The welcome series
Someone just signed up, so this is when they are paying the most attention. Send two or three emails over the first week: say thank you, deliver what you promised, tell your story briefly and point them to your best sellers.
2. Abandoned cart
A shopper added something to the cart and left. A reminder within a few hours, showing the exact product, often brings them back. A second email the next day can answer common doubts about delivery, returns or sizing.
3. Browse abandonment
They looked at a product several times but never added it to the cart. A gentle email with that product and a couple of similar ones keeps you in mind, without sounding pushy.
4. Post-purchase
Thank them, confirm what happens next and share tips on using the product. A week or two later, ask for a review, then suggest something that goes well with what they bought.
5. Win-back
A customer hasn't ordered in a few months. Remind them what is new, ask whether anything went wrong, and consider a small incentive for coming back.
A few rules that keep automations effective
- Write like a person, not a system notification.
- Keep each email to one main message and one clear button.
- Stop the flow as soon as someone buys.
- Review open and click rates every month and improve the weakest email.
Timing that tends to work
- Welcome: immediately, then after two days and after five days.
- Abandoned cart: one to four hours after, then the next day.
- Post-purchase review request: after the customer has had time to use the product.
- Win-back: when a customer goes past their usual time between orders.
Should you offer discounts?
Not by default. Many abandoned carts come back with a simple reminder. Save discounts for the second or third email, or for high-value carts, so customers don't learn to wait for a code.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which email platform should I use?
Pick one that connects directly to your store, such as Klaviyo or Mailchimp for Shopify and WooCommerce, so product and order data flow in automatically.
Won't automated emails annoy customers?
Not if they are relevant and well timed. People find a reminder about something they were looking at useful. Irrelevant blasts are what annoy them.
How do I avoid the spam folder?
Set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC for your domain, only email people who opted in, and remove addresses that never open.
Start with the abandoned cart flow. It is usually the quickest to pay for itself.
Want these flows built and written for you? See our email marketing & automation service.
