Complete Ecommerce Email Marketing Flows Tutorial

Hey it’s Max from The Inbox Newsletter.

This completely AUTOMATED email flow setup brought in $471,000 in 30 days for one brand.

If you're not running this exact structure or close to it, you're likely leaving six figures on the table every month.

The Full Breakdown: Email Flows That Actually Work

Email flows are automated sequences triggered by customer behavior.

Once they're built correctly, they’ll operate 24/7 without any manual effort.

But the majority of ecommerce brands either set up too few flows, set them up incorrectly, or let them go stale.

This system is designed to fix that.

Section 1: Pre-Purchase Flows

Pre-purchase flows are the highest leverage. They trigger before a customer places an order and guide them to convert.

1. Welcome Flow (4-5 Emails Minimum)

Triggered when someone signs up through a pop-up.
Each email should push toward a first purchase while building trust.

Structure:

• Email 1: Deliver discount, show best sellers

• Email 2: Brand story / mission

• Email 3: Unique selling points

• Email 4: Social proof

• Email 5: Final reminder with urgency

Every email should restate the discount and contain a CTA.

Use a mix of graphic and text-based formats to maximize deliverability and engagement.

2. Site Abandonment

Triggered when someone visits the homepage or a non-product page and leaves.
Goal: Get them to view a product.

Send 1-2 emails showing best sellers or common product FAQs. Keep messaging simple and value-focused.

3. Browse Abandonment

Triggered when someone views a product page and leaves without adding to cart.

Structure:

• Email 1: “Did you see this?” – reminder + product info

• Email 2: Add testimonials or reviews

• Email 3: Final reminder with urgency. Optional discount.

4. Cart Abandonment

Triggered when someone adds to cart but does not reach checkout.

This flow is often missing because brands confuse it with checkout abandonment. Make sure the trigger is “Added to Cart,” not “Checkout Started.”

Structure:

• Email 1: Cart reminder with product details

• Email 2: Objection handling (shipping info, guarantees)

• Email 3: Introduce discount

• Email 4: Final CTA with stronger urgency

5. Checkout Abandonment

Triggered when someone enters checkout but doesn’t complete purchase.
Structure can mirror cart abandonment but should reference the checkout experience (shipping, payment, etc.).

Optional Split:
Use conditional logic to segment first-time visitors. For new customers, restate the welcome discount in each email. For returning customers, skip the offer or save it for the last email.

Section 2: Post-Purchase Flows

These flows focus on retention, increasing LTV, and improving the customer experience.

1. Post-Purchase Thank You

Triggered immediately after purchase.

• Send a text-based thank-you from the founder.

• Include a “P.S.” with a link to shop again.

• Optional: cross-sell or invite to follow on social media.

This removes buyer's remorse and encourages a second purchase early.

2. Replenishment Flow

Triggered based on estimated product usage.
Example: If one unit typically lasts 30 days, trigger the reminder around day 28-32.

• Email 1: “Running low?” – offer easy reorder

• Email 2: Cross-sell other products (wait 7-10 days after)

Use Klaviyo’s conditional splits to adjust timing based on product quantity or SKU.

3. Winback Flow

Triggered when a customer hasn’t purchased in 90-180 days.

• Email 1: “We miss you” – feature best sellers or new arrivals

• Email 2: Discount offer

• Email 3: Final CTA with urgency

Target only those who haven’t converted via campaigns or flows during that period.

4. Sunset Flow

Triggered when a subscriber hasn’t opened or clicked any emails for 90+ days.

• Email 1: “Still want emails from us?”

• If unopened, automatically suppress from sending.

This keeps your Klaviyo bill down and protects sender reputation.

Final Notes on Optimization

• Test discount types: % vs. $ off vs. “mystery offer”

• Use pop-up forms to increase flow entry (aim for 8-10% CTR)

• Mix HTML design with 1-2 plain text emails per flow

• Personalize by using conditional splits (e.g., has purchased before)

• Set up a consistent A/B testing schedule across all flows

If you don’t have these built out, you’re leaving money on the table. Set them up properly once, keep them optimized, and let them run in the background while you focus on acquisition.

If you want more explanation, watch this video of mine where I go into depth on all of these flows.

Video Tutorial »

Email Inspiration Of The Day

Brand:
Tushy

Email Design:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SeAD3mZ0NtxEIwgRXXmmX1_n97yFGjI9/view?usp=sharing 

Notes:
Great clean and short educational email here.

• Button at top of email

• Clean background through whole email

• Clear copy and design

Reply to this email if you have any questions or further content you want covered.

Cheers,

Max

PS - If you run a 7-9 figure ecommerce brand and you want to have a free email strategy consultation, book a call here »

PPS - I have a few different products you can buy. If you purchase any one of these products you get access to my private community of 850+ members with daily posts from me, access to me for support 24/7, and private calls.

• Ecommerce Email Mastery: A 60 lesson course breaking down everything you need to know about ecommerce email marketing in the most concise and organized manner. learn more »

• Mix and Match Email Design Templates: 134 email section templates that can make 5,000+ unique email designs with, learn more »

• QuickFlow Templates: All core 7 core email marketing flows fully templatized with examples, learn more »