The five automated emails every online store should run first

Short answer: before you plan another campaign, set up five automated flows: welcome, abandoned cart, browse abandonment, post-purchase and win-back. They run every day without you, react to what shoppers actually do, and usually earn more revenue per email than scheduled campaigns.

Who this is for: owners and marketing leads at online stores on Shopify, BigCommerce, Adobe Commerce or similar platforms, using Klaviyo, Customer.io, HubSpot or another email platform.

Why start with automated flows instead of campaigns?

A campaign goes to everyone on a schedule you pick. A flow goes to one person at the moment they show interest: when they sign up, leave a cart or haven't bought in a while. That timing is why flows convert better, and once they're built they keep working while your team focuses on new campaigns.

Which five flows should you build first?

Flow	Starts when	Typical timing	What it does
Welcome	Someone subscribes	Right away, then 2 to 3 emails over a week	Introduces the brand and gets the first purchase
Abandoned cart	A shopper leaves items in the cart	About 1 hour, then 1 day, then 3 days	Recovers sales that were almost made
Browse abandonment	A known shopper views products without adding to cart	Same day or next day	Reminds them what caught their interest
Post-purchase	An order is placed	Order confirmation, then a few days after delivery	Builds trust, asks for reviews, suggests what's next
Win-back	A customer hasn't bought in a while	Based on your normal repeat-purchase cycle	Brings lapsed customers back

What makes each flow work?

Welcome

Lead with who you are and why people buy from you, not only a discount code. Show best sellers, and stop the flow as soon as someone places an order.

Abandoned cart

Show the exact items left behind, with a clear button back to the cart. Hold any discount for the last email, if you use one at all, so you don't train shoppers to wait for a coupon.

Browse abandonment

Keep it light and helpful: the product they viewed, a few similar ones and answers to common questions. This flow only works for shoppers you can identify, so make sure your site tracking links visits to known email addresses.

Post-purchase

Set expectations on shipping, explain how to use the product, then ask for a review once it has arrived. Suggest a related product only after the first one has been delivered.

Win-back

Time it to how often your customers normally reorder. A coffee brand might wait a few weeks, a furniture brand many months. If someone still doesn't engage, stop emailing them to protect your sender reputation.

What should you set up before you build?

• Your store connected to your email platform, with orders, products and site activity syncing.
• Consent captured properly at signup and checkout, with an easy way to unsubscribe.
• Exit rules, so a shopper who buys leaves every recovery flow straight away.
• A simple brand template, so every flow looks consistent.

How do you know the flows are working?

• Revenue per recipient for each flow, compared month over month.
• Conversion rate from email click to order.
• Share of total store revenue that comes from flows.
• Unsubscribe and spam complaint rates, to make sure you aren't sending too much.

Frequently asked questions

Should we add SMS to these flows?

SMS works well for abandoned cart and shipping updates when customers have opted in. Start with email, then add SMS to the one or two moments where speed matters most.

Do these flows work for B2B stores?

Yes, with changes. B2B buyers often need approval or a quote, so replace discounts with help: a saved cart, a quote link or a contact at your company.

How long does it take to set them up?

With store data already connected, a good first version of all five flows usually takes two to three weeks, including copy, design and testing.

Want these flows running in your store? We build e-commerce marketing automation on Klaviyo, Customer.io and HubSpot. Request a call, or start with our free tech stack assessment.