Most online stores spend almost all their marketing budget getting new visitors, then let them leave without a second touch. Marketing automation fixes that. You set up a handful of email and SMS flows once, and they keep bringing back sales every day without anyone pressing send.
This guide covers the seven flows that matter most for an ecommerce store, the tools to run them, and the mistakes that stop automation from working.
What ecommerce marketing automation actually is
It’s messages triggered by what a shopper does (or doesn’t do) on your store. Someone signs up, abandons a cart, buys for the first time, or hasn’t ordered in four months, and the right message goes out at the right time.
The difference from a normal newsletter is timing. A newsletter goes to everyone at once. An automated flow goes to one person when they’re most likely to act.
The 7 flows to set up first
1. Welcome series
Someone just joined your list, often for a discount. This is when they’re paying the most attention. Send three or four emails over about a week: deliver the offer, tell your story, show best-sellers and reviews, then remind them the offer is ending.
2. Abandoned cart
Baymard Institute’s research puts the average cart abandonment rate at around 70%, so this flow usually earns more than any other. Send a reminder within an hour or so, a second email the next day answering common objections (shipping, returns, sizing), and optionally a third with a small incentive. Don’t lead with a discount, or customers learn to abandon carts on purpose.
3. Browse abandonment
The shopper viewed a product but didn’t add it to their cart. A gentle “still thinking about it?” email with that product and a few reviews works well. Keep it light, since they showed less intent than a cart abandoner.
4. Post-purchase
Thank them, set expectations for delivery, and show how to get the most out of the product. A week or two after delivery, suggest a related product. This flow turns one-time buyers into repeat customers.
5. Review request
Ask for a review once the product has had time to be used, not the day it ships. Fresh reviews help conversion on product pages, and photo reviews are especially useful in ads.
6. Replenishment
If you sell things that run out, such as coffee, supplements, skincare or pet food, remind customers just before they’re likely to run out. Base the timing on how long the product actually lasts.
7. Win-back
For customers who haven’t ordered in a while (often 90 to 180 days, depending on your products), send a “we miss you” message with new arrivals, then a stronger offer if they don’t respond. Those who still don’t engage should eventually be removed from regular sends to protect your email deliverability.
Email or SMS?
Both, used differently. Email is cheaper and suits longer content like stories, guides and product roundups. SMS is better for urgent, short messages: cart reminders, flash sales, back-in-stock alerts and delivery updates.
Consent rules are strict for text messages. In the US, marketing texts generally need prior express written consent under the TCPA. In Canada, CASL requires consent before sending commercial electronic messages, including emails. Always collect consent clearly at sign-up and include an easy way to unsubscribe.
Tools to run it
- Klaviyo is the most common choice for Shopify stores, with strong segmentation and built-in ecommerce flows.
- Omnisend combines email and SMS and is easy to get started with.
- Mailchimp works for smaller stores that want simple automations.
- Shopify Email and Shopify Flow cover basic automations without another subscription.
- AutomateWoo and MailPoet are popular for WooCommerce stores on WordPress.
We compare these and other software in our guide to ecommerce marketing tools.
Mistakes that stop automation working
- Too many discounts. If every flow offers 15% off, you train customers never to pay full price.
- Generic copy. Flows that sound like a template get ignored. Write like a person, using your brand voice.
- No product data. Abandoned cart emails without the actual product image and name perform far worse.
- Set and forget forever. Check flow performance every few months, and test subject lines and timing.
- Broken tracking. If the store isn’t sending events correctly to your email tool, flows fire late or not at all.
Grow the list first
Automation only works if people join your list. A simple pop-up with a clear reason to sign up (a first-order discount, free shipping, early access or a useful guide) is the starting point. Social media and ads can feed it too. We cover that side in ecommerce and social media marketing.
A simple order to build things in
- Install the email tool and connect it properly to your store.
- Add a sign-up form with a clear offer.
- Build the welcome series and abandoned cart flow first.
- Add post-purchase and review requests.
- Then browse abandonment, replenishment and win-back.
Most stores can get the first two flows live in a week. They often pay for the email tool within the first month.
Need a store that’s set up for this?
Automation depends on a store that tracks properly and loads fast. We build ecommerce websites and run ecommerce advertising for online stores in the USA and Canada. Tell us about your store and we’ll suggest where to start.
Leave a Reply