The short answer: Good win-back email examples remind a past customer what they bought, show what's new since then, and give one clear reason to come back, such as new stock, a restock reminder or a modest offer. Send the first when a customer is overdue for their next order, follow with one or two more, then stop.
A past customer already knows your products and your delivery, so they only need a reason to come back. Below are eight win-back email examples written out in full, a three-email campaign you can copy, and how to set one up on Shopify.
What is a win-back email?
A win-back email is an automated email sent to a customer who bought from you before but hasn't ordered for longer than usual. It goes out when the gap since their last order passes a limit you set, and it gives them a reason to return.
Don't confuse two groups:
- Lapsed customers have ordered at least once but not recently. This post is about them.
- Inactive subscribers joined your list but stopped opening your emails, and may never have bought. They need a re-engagement or list-cleaning email, which is a different job.
When should you send a win-back email?
Send it when a customer is overdue for their next order, not on a fixed date. Klaviyo suggests customers can generally be treated as dormant after 3 to 6 months without activity, adjusted to your products and sales cycle (Klaviyo). Omnisend treats 30 to 90 days without opens, clicks or purchases as inactive (Omnisend).
A simple way to set your window:
- Find your usual reorder gap: roughly how many days pass between first and second orders.
- Wait a bit longer than that. If most repeat customers come back within 60 days, a customer at 90 days with no order is overdue.
- Adjust for your products. Furniture or bikes might need 6 to 12 months; coffee or skincare, 6 to 8 weeks.
In Shopify you can build this group as a customer segment. The filter last_order_date takes date offsets such as -90d, so a query like last_order_date < -90d lists customers whose last order is more than 90 days old (Shopify segment filters).
Win-back email template: what every one needs
- A subject line that sounds like you, not a system alert.
- Preview text that gives the reason to open, such as "New colours since your last order" or "Your [product] is probably running low".
- A link to their past: the product they bought, or the category it came from.
- Something new: new arrivals, a restock, an improved product, or your current bestsellers.
- One clear button, labelled with where it goes: "See what's new", "Reorder", "Shop bestsellers".
- An offer only if you need one. Many lapsed customers just forgot; save discounts for the later emails.
- A footer with your address and a working unsubscribe link. A win-back email is a marketing email, so the usual rules apply.
8 win-back email examples to adapt
Each example gives a subject line, preview text, body and button. Replace anything in [brackets] with your own details and rewrite the words in your brand's voice.
1. The "what's new" email
Use it for: the first email, for most stores.
Subject: A few things have changed since you last visited
Preview text: New arrivals, picked for people who liked [product].
Body: Hi [first name], it's been a little while since your last order, so here's what's new at [store]. [Three new products, or a new collection, with images and prices]
Button: See what's new
Why it works: it gives a reason to look that isn't a discount.
2. The restock reminder
Use it for: consumables that run out: coffee, skincare, supplements, pet food, candles.
Subject: Running low on [product]?
Preview text: Reorder in one click, same as last time.
Body: Your [product] from [month] usually lasts about [number] weeks, so you might be close to the end. Here it is again, with your last size and scent saved. [Product they bought, with image and price]
Button: Reorder
Why it works: it's useful, not salesy. Time it to how long the product really lasts.
3. The "since you bought" recommendations
Use it for: stores with products that go together: a jacket and boots, a camera and lenses, a plant and pots.
Subject: Goes well with your [product]
Preview text: A few picks that customers often add next.
Body: Hi [first name], you picked up the [product] a while ago. Here are a few things that pair well with it. [Three related products]
Button: See the picks
Why it works: it builds on a choice the customer already made.
4. The bestsellers email
Use it for: stores without much new stock, or customers whose last order was a long time ago.
Subject: What everyone's buying right now
Preview text: Our most popular pieces this month.
Body: Not sure what to try next? These are the products our customers are reordering most. [Four bestsellers, with images and prices]
Button: Shop bestsellers
Why it works: popularity is a quick, honest signal. Only use real sales data.
5. The feedback question
Use it for: small and founder-led stores, or after a delivery or quality problem.
Subject: Can I ask you something?
Preview text: One quick question from [your name].
Body: Hi [first name], I'm [your name] from [store]. You ordered from us a while back and we haven't seen you since, which is fine, but I'd like to know if anything put you off. Just hit reply. Every answer comes to me. Thanks, [your name]
Button: none, just the reply
Why it works: it reads like a person, invites a reply and can surface problems your analytics can't, such as sizing or delivery.
6. The seasonal return
Use it for: customers who buy once a year: gifts, holidays, garden or ski season.
Subject: Back for [season] again?
Preview text: This year's [collection] has landed.
Body: Last [season] you picked up [product]. This year's [collection] is here, with [new thing]. Order by [date] for delivery before [event]. [New seasonal products]
Button: Shop [collection]
Why it works: for seasonal buyers a year-long gap is normal, not a lost customer.
7. The "we'd love you back" offer
Use it for: the second or third email, for customers who ignored the first.
Subject: A little something to welcome you back
Preview text: [Offer] on your next order, until [day].
Body: We'd love to see you again, so here's [offer] on your next order. Use code [CODE] at checkout before [day]. [Two or three products they're likely to want]
Button: Use my code
Why it works: holding the offer back means you only give it to people who needed it. Free delivery or a small gift with the order is an alternative that protects your prices. If you use a code, Shopify's discount settings include Limit to one per customer and an end date.
8. The last check-in
Use it for: the final email, before you send less often to this customer.
Subject: Should we keep in touch?
Preview text: No pressure either way. Here's how to choose.
Body: We haven't seen you in a while and we don't want to fill your inbox with things you don't need. If you'd still like to hear about [new products / sales], you don't need to do anything. If not, you can unsubscribe below at any time.
Button: Keep me posted
Why it works: it respects the customer's inbox. Klaviyo calls this the step towards a sunset email, and warns that you can only promise a "last email" so many times.
A 3-email win-back campaign you can copy
Omnisend notes that some campaigns perform best with two to four messages, starting with a gentle reminder and moving to value or an incentive if there's no response. A simple version built from the examples above:
| When | Example to use | Offer? | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | When the customer passes your reorder window | 1, 2 or 3 | No |
| 2 | About a week later, if no order | 4 or 5 | No, or free delivery |
| 3 | About two weeks after email 2, if no order | 7, then 8 later | Yes, with an end date |
Check for a new order before every email, so nobody gets "we miss you" the day after they bought. Afterwards, email non-responders less often rather than sending them every campaign.
How to set up a win-back flow on Shopify
You have two common routes:
- Shopify Messaging. Its Win back customers automation sends a marketing message when a set amount of time has passed since a customer's last order, using the Customer joined segment trigger (Shopify Help Center). You write the email yourself; emails from automations other than abandoned checkout count towards Shopify Messaging's monthly free allowance.
- An email app with a ready-made win-back flow and segments.
Where tinyAlbert fits
tinyAlbert is a Shopify app that writes your email marketing for you. Its Win Back Flow is one of the automations it prepares during setup, written in the tone of voice and layout you choose, to bring lapsed customers back with what's new. Like every tinyAlbert automation, you can preview it on desktop and mobile, edit it, send yourself a test or ask for an AI rewrite with Regenerate, and nothing sends until you switch on its Activate toggle.
Two ready-made segments match the groups in this post: Dormant customers (no order in the last 30 days) and Inactive customers (no order in the last 180 days). If you want your own timing, the visual workflow builder can start a journey when someone is assigned to an audience, wait with a time delay, branch with a conditional split, and send an email or add a tag. tinyAlbert counts an order towards an email when it's placed within 10 days of the customer's latest open or click, so you can see what the flow brings back. See all three post-purchase automations on the win-back and post-purchase emails page, and the segments on segments and workflows.
Mistakes that make win-back emails backfire
- Leading with a discount. Customers who learn that going quiet earns a code will go quiet on purpose.
- Using one window for every product. A 30-day trigger is too early for a sofa and too late for coffee.
- Emailing recent buyers because the flow doesn't check for new orders.
- Never stopping. Sending every campaign to people who haven't opened in months can hurt how inbox providers treat all your mail. See deliverability for how tinyAlbert handles inbox recovery.
Win-back is one part of your customer journey. The emails right after an order matter too: see our guide to post-purchase and review request emails, and the Shopify email marketing guide for the full picture.
Frequently asked questions
What is a win-back email?
A win-back email is an automated email sent to a customer who has bought from you before but hasn't ordered for longer than usual. It reminds them of your store and gives a reason to return, such as new arrivals, a restock reminder or an offer. It differs from a re-engagement email, which targets subscribers who stopped opening.
When should you send a win-back email?
When a customer is overdue for their next order. Work out how long repeat customers usually take to reorder and trigger the first email a little after that. Klaviyo suggests customers are generally dormant after 3 to 6 months; for fast-moving products such as coffee or skincare, a few weeks past the usual reorder time works better.
How many win-back emails should you send?
Two or three is enough for most stores. Start with a reminder of what's new, follow with bestsellers or a feedback question, and keep any offer for the last email. Check for a new order before each send, and when the series ends, email non-responders less often rather than adding more win-back emails.
Should a win-back email include a discount?
Not the first one. Many lapsed customers simply forgot about you and will come back for new products at full price. If the first emails get no response, try free delivery or a modest discount with a clear end date and one use per customer, so going quiet doesn't become the way to get a code.
How do you write a win-back email?
Mention what the customer bought before, show something new or useful since then, and give one clear button. Keep the tone friendly and short, in the same voice as your other emails. Start from one of the eight examples above, swap in your products, and send yourself a test before switching the flow on.
Want the emails written for you? Install tinyAlbert for a 7-day free trial, then from $3 a month for up to 100 contacts.
tinyAlbert is an AI email marketing app for Shopify stores, made by tinyCo, the company behind tinyEmail. About tinyAlbert.