You’re sending 3 emails like:
• “Hey, you left something behind…”
• “It’s still here 👀”
• “10% off if you come back!”
But what if they were never planning to buy in the first place?
What if they were just browsing on their lunch break?
Instead of assuming they wanted to buy, try thinking about why they didn’t.
Here’s a better way to handle abandoned carts by looking at what people actually did:
Segment 1: Viewed cart AND spent >60 sec on PDP
→ Send: “You seemed serious. Want help picking the right option?”
Segment 2: Viewed cart for <20 sec, bounced
→ Send: “No worries. Just wondering — was something missing?”
Segment 3: Repeat cart abandoner
→ Send: “Want us to save your favorites for later? Tap here”
Abandoned cart emails shouldn’t feel like a guilt trip.
They should feel like a concierge.
Email cadences in Account Engagement (#Pardot) are great way to introduce a prospect to your company, introduce a new product, and much more.
But there's important to recognize that the "always on" cadence should not be prioritized over a specific campaign launch. You want to avoid over-saturating the recipients with the emails from both the campaign and the "always on" cadence.
In Engagement Studio, if a Prospect is enrolled in a program but stops meeting the enrollment list criteria (without ending the program), their place in the ES is retained. In the future if they meet the criteria again, they will return to the ES at the place where they stopped.
This is valuable when you need to launch an email cadence for a specific campaign, knowing that the prospects on that campaign's list are likely enrolled in the "always on" email cadence as well.
Here's what you can do:
1. Pause the "always on" email cadences.
2. Add the sending list for the campaign as a suppression list in the "always on" Engagement Studio(s)
3. Turn the engagement studios back on.
4. Turn on your campaign-specific email cadence
5. Once the campaign ends, pause the "always on" Engagement Studios again
6. Remove the suppression list from the Engagement Studios
7. Turn the Engagement Studios back on
8. Check to confirm the prospects have returned to the "always on" email cadence.
With this process in place, you are able to ensure your campaign runs, the recipients aren't getting saturated with email, and the prospect returns to the email cadence they were on to begin with.
“Oh no, not another post about abandoned cart flows…”
Hear me out
We changed the way we structure the flow for our 7 and 8-figure DTC clients,
And let me just say, the numbers are looking incredible
Let me break it down for you all
Email#1: Cart Reminder
So your customer went through all the trouble of browsing through your products, selecting one for their cart, and then poof!
They’re gone……
Don’t just assume they didn’t want the product.
Life gets busy, maybe they got a phone call at that exact moment or their laptop died.
Regardless, make sure you’re sending them a reminder that they have something in their cart and that your product is worth buying.
You’ll be surprised at how many people may have forgotten.
Email#2: Social Proof + Reviews
89% of consumers say that they thoroughly look through reviews before buying something. And 49% of consumers consider positive reviews one of their top three influences for purchasing a product.
Add reviews, and showcase influencers vouching for your product. Your customers are much more likely to purchase after they've seen someone they trust recommending and raving about it.
Email#3: Can we help you out or have any questions?: Discount + Cart Reminder
Sometimes, customers abandon carts because they’re straight up confused.
This email is your chance to fix it. Reach out and ask if there’s anything you can help with – maybe they’re unsure about a product feature or have a question about shipping. Offer reassurance and even a discount to showcase how important of a customer they are to you.
Email#4: Plain Text Reminder + Discount Reminder (48 Hours left)
“Hey there, just a quick reminder – your discount is still waiting for you, but only for the next 48 hours!”
No fancy graphics, just a heads-up. Simple and direct is key to creating a sense of urgency with a plain text format. The 48-hour countdown instills a bit of FOMO which everyone responds quickly to.
Email#5: Final Day to utilize your discount + cart reminder (Reviews, FAQs etc... on bottom)
This final email should pull out all the stops. Emphasize the urgency of the last day to use the discount and include additional reviews and FAQs to clear any remaining doubts. It’s the last push to reel your customer back in for that purchase.
We live in a very attention-stealing, over-stimulating world. A lot of the time, a customer is browsing your shop while handling five different things at once. An abandoned cart isn’t the end all be all.
Just use this email sequence and watch your customers run back to their cart for your products.
Every abandoned cart has a story:
🚫 Shipping costs were too high.
🚫 The item they wanted was out of stock.
🚫 Their discount code didn’t work.
🚫 The checkout process is too complicated.
🚫 They weren’t ready to buy (yet).
I’ve seen these same objections across KNO’s 5,000+ brands. And the best way to overcome them? Ask.
Here’s what the brands that are successfully converting abandoned carts are doing:
1. Add a survey to your cart abandonment flow.
The goal is still to convert shoppers back to their cart—but if they’re not biting, add the survey as a secondary CTA.
By the third email, chances are they aren’t ready to buy, so lead with something like: "We’d love your thoughts! Take this short survey, and we’ll treat you to a little thank-you.”
2. Use insights to personalize your follow-ups.
Thanks to integrations with tools like Klaviyo, survey responses automatically feed into segmented campaigns.
- Shipping too high? Offer free or reduced shipping in your next email.
- Item out of stock? Send a notification when it’s back, paired with a discount for waiting.
- Just browsing? Add them to a longer-term nurture flow to re-engage later.
3. Don’t give up too soon.
Not every cart is lost forever. Extend your timeline with future touchpoints—like a friendly monthly email reminding them their original concern is no longer a blocker.
Cart abandonment rates range from 70-80%, depending on your vertical.
That’s much untapped potential to learn from and act on.
I included a few examples below of emails that effectively incorporate abandoned cart surveys to help you get started.
We also created an abandoned cart survey template in KNO to guide you through these three steps seamlessly.
If you have any questions, reach out and we can help you set it up!
How I increased 270% more email revenue without a single extra campaign
One of our clients had very strong organic traffic
But the traffic from e-mail campaigns wasn’t pulling its weight.
• Low open rates
• High cart abandonment
• Generic blasts that didn’t convert
Here’s how we used Klaviyo’s AI stack to change that.
→ Phase 1: Data foundation
• Synced Shopify + Klaviyo. Unified browsing, purchase, and engagement data into clean profiles.
→ Phase 2: Flow buildout with Flows AI
• Used Flows AI to generate behavior-triggered journeys, cart recovery, post-purchase, churn re-engagement.
→ Phase 3: Personalization at scale
• Predictive insights to flag high-LTV and at risk customers
• Dynamic product recommendations tailored to individual behavior
• AI-written subject lines + optimized send times
→Phase 4: Optimization
• Auto monitors flagged dips in CTR → live campaign tweaks
• Segment builder created microlists based on behavior, not guesswork
• Review sentiment AI tracked feedback loops across products
Six months later:
• Email-driven sales ↑ 270%
• Open rates ↑ 58%
• Cart abandonment ↓ 35%
• Repeat orders, retention, and AOV all up
We didn’t just send smarter emails
We built a machine that knows who to reach, when, and with what message
Which of these is blocking your email growth:tech, data, or execution?
If you're not sure, let's audit it
"My abandoned cart flow isn't converting."
I hear this every week during account audits.
Here's how to fix it:
Most brands make the same structural mistakes:
→ Same email sent to first-time visitors and loyal customers
→ No consideration for cart value
→ Missing the abandoned checkout flow entirely
→ Using outdated Klaviyo metrics that don't fire properly
The abandoned cart vs abandoned checkout distinction matters more than most realize.
Abandoned cart = added items, never started checkout
Abandoned checkout = started checkout process, didn't complete
These people are at completely different stages. They need different messaging.
Here's the structure that actually works:
First split: Have they purchased before?
↳ New customers: "Try this" language + incentives
↳ Returning customers: "Come back" language, fewer incentives
Second split: Cart value above/below free shipping threshold
↳ Above: Highlight their free shipping
↳ Below: Different approach entirely
Timing: First email within 1 hour, then 24 hours, then 72 hours
Most brands treat abandonment as a single flow with generic messaging.
But structure beats copy every time.
When you get the technical setup right, even basic emails will outperform beautifully designed ones with poor segmentation.
What's your current abandoned cart flow structure looking like?
#emailmarketing#klaviyo#ecommerce#conversionrate
I love when a case study just screams, "Yeah, this is why you hire the pros."
We recently helped an 8-figure beauty brand that hit a growth plateau despite trying every trick in the book.
They were seeing miserable results and needed a fresh perspective.
Here’s how we turned things around:
1. Funnel Optimization:
We spotted significant drop-offs within their website’s checkout funnel.
Their strategy was a mess—no real integration of email, SMS, or push notifications to recover those abandoned sessions and turn them into purchases.
2. Tailored Abandonment Flows:
We developed six unique abandonment flows, addressing specific customer objections at every stage of the funnel.
Each flow was multi-branched for first-time purchasers, repeat purchasers, and VIP purchasers in order to drive the next behaviour we wanted from each segment.
3. 'Red-Hot' Strategy:
We targeted users who were on the fence—visiting the site multiple times but not converting.
We hit them with a serendipitous flash sale after they left the site on their 3rd visit in 7 days, which converted just under 10% of these prospects.
4. SMS and Push Revamp:
We overhauled their SMS and push notification strategy to keep customers engaged and returning.
And the results from the first quarter of data after implementing our strategies?
- Attributed Revenue: $721,603 (a 68.5% increase YoY)
- Campaign Revenue: $443,472 (a 32.5% increase YoY)
- Flow Revenue: $278K (a 197% increase YoY)
Plus, we saw other wins like a 41.58% increase in Form Submit Rate and a 49.2% jump in Average Order Value.
But hey, how we got those is a story for another day.
The moral of this story: If you’re stuck in a growth rut, it’s time to bring in the experts that can unlock revenue in ways your in-house team cannot.
You’re sending too many emails, and it’s hurting you ⚠
You’ve got your welcome flow.
Your post-purchase flow.
Your abandoned cart.
Your winback.
Your campaigns.
Your promos.
Your launches.
And suddenly…
One subscriber is sitting inside 5 flows + 3 campaigns in the same week...
No wonder they’re ignoring you (or worse, unsubscribing).
Here’s how to clean up the chaos 👇
🧹 Audit all your automations quarterly
✅ Pull up your live flows and map the overlaps.
Where are people getting hit from multiple directions?
Where can you consolidate, suppress, or delay?
🎯 Prioritize based on intent, not activity
✅ Someone who just purchased?
Maybe they don’t need the full winback or generic campaign.
✅ Someone inside a high-intent cart flow?
Suppress non-critical campaigns temporarily.
⚙️ Set smart exclusions
✅ Use flow filters + campaign exclusions to make sure people aren’t getting bombarded.
Example: skip a promo blast if they’re mid-way through a post-purchase experience.
📊 Monitor unsub rates by flow & campaign
✅ High unsub rates aren’t just about bad content.
Sometimes, they’re about overload.
💡 Pro Tip: More touchpoints do not always equal better performance.
The smartest brands send better-timed, more relevant emails.
That’s how you drive retention without burning your list.
#emailmarketing#ecommerce#klaviyoemailmarketing#emailflows#retentionmarketing#conversionstrategy#scalingbrands#EmailsThatPrintMoney#InboxRevenuePlaybook
One of the most common issues we find when auditing e-commerce email accounts:
Overlapping customer journeys.
Imagine an email subscriber who recently signed up for your list, proceeded to checkout, but didn’t buy.
Unless you have a clear flow hierarchy, this subscriber is now receiving both the welcome and checkout abandonment flow simultaneously.
Let’s say you’re offering a 10% welcome discount & 15% checkout abandonment discount.
They’re now receiving misaligned and confusing communication with different offers, one after another.
Now add your weekly newsletters to the equation.
At worst, this subscriber might receive 3 different emails with different offers in one day, making their experience both confusing and frustrating.
So what’s the solution?
1. 𝐌𝐚𝐩 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐲
For instance, you might want to prioritize:
→ flows > newsletters
→ cart abandonment > welcome flow
→ post-purchase flows > everything else
2. 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬
E.g.
→ A profile joins the welcome flow
→ update their profile with WelcomeFlow Active property
→ exclude everyone with that property from lower-priority flows/campaigns.
3. 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬
E.g.
→ Exclude people who added to cart from the browse abandonment flow
→ People who started checkout from cart abandonment flow
→ People who bought from checkout abandonment flow
Etc.
4. 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠
Smart sending allows you to exclude people from getting another email if they have received one in the past x hours (16h by default in Klaviyo).
I recommend only using this in regular newsletters and some lower-priority flows.
When it comes to important flows and big promotions like BFCM, you should turn it off.
Would you do something differently or add something? 💬
DTC and eCom brands:
Here's how to build high-converting Conviction Flows.
The other day we discussed how when someone doesn't buy it's rarely due to a price issue.
And it's more often because their desire for the product and their trust in the brand are not high enough.
In other words:
It's rarely a price issue, it's more often a Conviction issue.
Conviction can be built.
Conviction is the sum of Trust and Desire:
T + D = C
Trust plus Desire equals Conviction.
Now, to get someone to buy from us we have to get them over the Conviction Threshold (see the attached image).
The thing is, the Conviction Threshold is individual for each person.
Some have it higher, some have it lower.
And one of the ways we help our clients' subscribers move past the Threshold is through Conviction Flows.
I haven't shared this publicly, so you're hearing it here first.
Conviction Flows take someone from being a random subscriber who just joined your list, warm them up, and turn them into a customer who's also primed to buy again.
The way Conviction Flows work is by adding one more step to the Trust and Desire ladder, one by one.
Take for example a cart abandonment flow.
What most do is simply appeal to the fact that the person abandoned a cart, and so they send reminder emails:
"Did you forget about this?".
"We're saving your cart!".
"Last chance before your cart expires!".
"Take 10% OFF!"
That's a "reminder" cart abandonment flow.
A Conviction Cart Abandonment Flow, on the other hand, sends emails whose only goal is to build Trust and build Desire.
They don't address the fact that recipients forgot to check out because that's a given.
Instead, they move the reader up the Conviction Ladder.
Step by step until they cross the Conviction Threshold.
Now, don't get me wrong:
"Reminder Flows" get some sales.
They convert maybe 3-8% of recipients.
But a proper Conviction Flow converts 8-14% of recipients into buyers.
I'll be expanding more on this in upcoming emails.