By Cristian Daron
Email is the highest-ROI channel in eCommerce, yet most Shopify stores have either no email automation or a single abandoned cart flow. Klaviyo's 2026 benchmarks show why flows matter: they average a 5.58% click rate against 1.69% for campaigns. Here are the 12 flows I set up.
Flow 1: Welcome Series (3–5 emails)
Triggered when someone subscribes but hasn't purchased. Email 1: brand story + welcome discount (10–15% off). Email 2 (day 2): social proof, best reviews and UGC. Email 3 (day 4): bestsellers showcase. Email 4 (day 7): discount reminder with urgency.
Flow 2: Abandoned Cart Recovery (3 emails)
The classic. Email 1 (1 hour): 'You left something behind' with cart contents. Email 2 (24 hours): social proof for the abandoned product. Email 3 (48 hours): incentive (free shipping or small discount).
Flow 3: Browse Abandonment (2 emails)
For visitors who viewed a product page but didn't add to cart. Email 1 (4 hours): 'Still interested in [Product]?' Email 2 (24 hours): similar product recommendations. This flow captures intent that abandoned cart emails miss entirely.
Flow 4: Post-Purchase Thank You (1 email)
Immediate confirmation with cross-sell suggestions based on what they bought. Include tracking info, return policy link, and a personal touch. This builds loyalty and drives repeat purchases within the first 48 hours.
Flow 5: Review Request (1–2 emails)
Sent 7–14 days after delivery (adjust based on product type). Ask for a review with a direct link. Follow up once if no response. Reviews are critical social proof that lifts conversion across the entire store.
Flow 6: Cross-Sell / Upsell (2 emails)
Triggered 14–21 days post-purchase based on what they bought. Recommend complementary products. For example: bought a face serum → recommend the matching moisturizer. Include a loyalty discount for repeat customers.
Flow 7: Win-Back Campaign (3 emails)
For customers who haven't purchased in 60–90 days. Email 1: 'We miss you' with new arrivals. Email 2: exclusive returning-customer offer. Email 3: final incentive with urgency.
Flows 8–12: Advanced Sequences
Replenishment reminders for consumable products, VIP/loyalty tier notifications for high-value customers, birthday/anniversary offers using collected zero-party data, back-in-stock automated notifications, and price drop alerts for wishlisted items.
Setting It Up
The setup takes two to three weeks, and then the flows run on their own. Judge each one by its placed-order rate and revenue per recipient, flow by flow, rather than by opens.