Must-Have D2C CRM Flows That Convert

The difference between a D2C brand that plateaus and one that scales isn’t just about acquiring more customers. It’s about what happens after someone lands on your site, after they add to cart, after they make that first purchase. The brands that stand out in today’s digital landscape have mastered something fundamental: automated CRM workflows that guide customers through every stage of their journey without requiring constant manual intervention.

Yet, most D2C brands are leaving money on the table. They’re either running basic, templated flows that blend into the noise, or they’re over-complicating their automation strategy with dozens of disconnected workflows. The reality is that effective CRM automation requires a strategic approach rooted in understanding customer behaviour, timing, and psychology at each touchpoint.

When we work with Shopify clients who use Klaviyo, we’re building a comprehensive ecosystem of automated workflows that maximise customer lifetime value, reduce acquisition costs through retention, and create predictable revenue streams. These flows become the silent sales team working around the clock, responding to customer actions in real-time with relevant, timely messaging that drives action.

Welcome Series That Set Expectations

Your welcome series is perhaps the most critical automated flow you’ll ever build. Engagement rates in welcome emails are typically three to five times higher than standard promotional campaigns, yet most brands squander this opportunity with generic discount codes and bland brand storytelling.

A high-performing welcome series does several things simultaneously. It introduces your brand’s value proposition in a way that resonates with the specific reason someone subscribed. It sets expectations about communication frequency. It builds credibility through social proof or unique differentiators. And yes, it drives that crucial first purchase, but in a way that doesn’t cheapen your brand or train customers to wait for discounts.

We typically find the sweet spot is three to four emails sent over seven to ten days. The first email should land within minutes of signup, acknowledging their action and delivering whatever they were promised. The second email deepens the relationship by addressing common questions or objections: what makes your products different, why someone should trust you, what problem you’re solving. The third creates urgency around that first purchase through scarcity, time-limited offers, or compelling social proof.

Where brands often stumble is in the transition from welcome series to regular campaigns. The final welcome email should set expectations about what comes next and give subscribers control over their preferences, reducing unsubscribes down the line.

Abandoned Cart Recovery

Everyone knows they need abandoned cart emails, but few brands are maximising this revenue opportunity. Price is only one reason for cart abandonment. Customers also abandon due to unexpected shipping costs, complicated checkout processes, distraction, comparison shopping, concerns about product fit, or simply not being ready to buy yet. Your abandoned cart flow needs to address these varied objections systematically.

The timing starts with an initial reminder about one hour after abandonment, catching people who were genuinely distracted. The message should be simple – a clear image of what they left behind and a direct link back to their cart.

The second email around 24 hours later is where you address deeper objections. Include customer reviews for the specific products in their cart, answer common questions about sizing or quality, showcase your return policy, or highlight trust signals. You’re building confidence and addressing unspoken hesitations.

The third email at 48 to 72 hours is your last shot. This is where incentives can play a role if they align with your brand strategy, but they don’t have to be discounts. Free shipping, a bonus gift, or extended payment options can be equally compelling.

In Klaviyo, we segment based on cart value, customer type, or specific products abandoned. A high-value cart from a repeat customer deserves different treatment than a first-time visitor abandoning a single low-ticket item.

Browse Abandonment: Capturing Interest Before Intent

Browse abandonment flows target people who’ve viewed specific products but never added anything to cart. They’re showing interest but haven’t crossed the threshold into purchase intent yet, and they need more education and persuasion.

We typically trigger browse abandonment emails around four to six hours after someone leaves the site. The first email should feature the specific products they viewed with compelling details they might not have caught: key benefits, unique features, or customer testimonials specific to those products.

A second email sent one to two days later can expand the conversation by suggesting complementary products or providing educational content that helps them understand why they need what you’re selling. The goal is to move them from casual interest to serious consideration.

What makes browse abandonment particularly powerful is personalisation based on browsing behaviour. Someone who spent five minutes reading reviews is showing different intent than someone who quickly scrolled through a category. In Klaviyo, we capture these nuances and adjust messaging accordingly.

Why You Need a Post-Purchase Flow

The days and weeks immediately following a first purchase are when customer expectations are highest, engagement is most likely, and the foundation for retention is laid. A comprehensive post-purchase flow starts with order confirmation and shipping updates – emails with some of the highest open rates you’ll see, making them prime real estate for cross-selling or encouraging social media follows.

Once the product arrives, a well-timed email asking how they’re enjoying it serves multiple purposes. It positions you as caring about their experience, creates an opportunity for feedback before problems fester, and opens the door to reviews and user-generated content.

The post-purchase flow should also educate customers on getting maximum value from their purchase. How-to guides, styling tips, usage best practices – this content reduces buyer’s remorse, decreases returns, and increases the likelihood of satisfaction that leads to repurchase.

Finally, strategically time the next purchase invitation. For consumable products, this might be just before they’re likely to run out. For fashion or accessories, this might be seasonally or when you’re launching products that pair with what they bought.

Replenishment: Predictable Revenue from Consumables

If you’re selling consumable products, replenishment flows are the closest thing to guaranteed revenue you can create in ecommerce. The foundation is understanding your product usage rate, e.g. how long does a typical bottle or bag last for the average customer?

The first replenishment email should land with perfect timing, early enough that they can reorder without running out, but late enough that they’re actually near depletion. Frame the message around convenience and continuity rather than urgency or discounting.

Where replenishment flows get sophisticated is in handling variations in usage. Your timing should adjust based on actual behaviour, and Klaviyo allows for dynamic timing based on days since last purchase. Replenishment flows also create the perfect opportunity to introduce subscription models to customers who’ve already bought the same product two or three times. They’ve proven they need regular replenishment, you’re just offering a more convenient way.

Reviving Dormant Customers through a Winback Flow

Acquiring a new customer could cost five to seven times more than retaining an existing one, yet most brands allocate far more resources to acquisition than to reactivation. Win-back flows target customers who haven’t purchased in longer than expected based on your typical purchase cycle.

The trigger point should be based on your specific customer behaviour patterns, typically set at one and a half to two times your average purchase interval. The first win-back email should be curiosity-driven and value-focused. What’s new since they last purchased, have you launched products they’d be interested in based on past behaviour?

If that doesn’t generate engagement, a second email can introduce a time-limited incentive. This is one of the few places where discounts can be strategically deployed without degrading your brand. A third email can take a different approach: asking for feedback about why they haven’t returned, positioning you as genuinely interested in their experience.

Turning Customers into Advocates with Review Requests

Social proof is one of the most powerful conversion drivers in ecommerce, yet most brands leave reviews to chance. A well-designed review request flow creates a feedback loop that improves products, builds community, and converts shoppers on the fence. For most physical products, the sweet spot is between seven and fourteen days after delivery. The review request should be simple and frictionless.

Where review flows get strategic is in segmentation. Your happiest customers, i.e. those who’ve made repeat purchases or engaged positively, are more likely to leave positive reviews. You can also create separate flows for potentially dissatisfied customers, requesting private feedback that gives you a chance to address issues before they become public complaints.

Treating Your Best Customers Differently

VIP flows target your highest-value customers with exclusive experiences that reinforce their status and encourage continued high-value engagement. In Klaviyo, you can create dynamic segments that filter VIP status based on total spend, purchase frequency, average order value, and engagement.

VIP campaigns can include early access to new product launches, exclusive discounts or gifts, and personalised product recommendations. The communication style should feel more personal, more exclusive, more insider – like they’re going out to dozens rather than thousands.

Beyond dedicated VIP flows, segmentation should inform all your automation. Someone who’s never purchased should receive different messaging than a ten-time buyer. Someone who only buys during sales should be treated differently than someone who regularly pays full price. All of these data points should create experiences that feel tailored rather than templated.

Making Flows Work Together

The real sophistication in CRM automation is in how those flows work together as a system. Flow suppression rules are critical to maintaining a coherent customer experience. If someone just made a purchase, they shouldn’t immediately receive abandoned cart emails. In Klaviyo, smart sending rules and flow filters prevent these conflicts.

Message frequency across all flows and campaigns also requires careful orchestration. Testing is how you evolve from good flows to exceptional ones, and it requires discipline: clear hypotheses, sufficient sample sizes, and patience to reach statistical significance.

The Expertise Required

Building automated CRM flows that genuinely drive revenue requires deep platform expertise, strategic thinking about customer psychology, copywriting that converts, and ongoing optimisation based on performance data. The difference between a flow that converts at two percent and one that converts at eight percent is worth thousands or millions in annual revenue.

The brands we work with on Shopify and Klaviyo understand that while best practices provide a framework, exceptional performance comes from customisation based on their specific customers, products, and business model. Your CRM flows are working around the clock, reaching customers at critical decision moments and creating personalised experiences that build loyalty and drive lifetime value.

When they’re built with expertise and strategic intent, they become one of the highest-ROI investments you can make in your ecommerce business. When they’re neglected or poorly executed, they’re leaving money on the table with every site visitor, every abandoned cart, and every customer who doesn’t return for a second purchase.

Your customers are moving through these journeys whether you’re guiding them or not. The only question is whether you’re leaving their experience to chance, or engineering it with the precision and expertise that transforms browsers into buyers and buyers into advocates.