The dark horse of email flows. Have you got this top revenue driver set up?
Most brands focus on abandoned cart and abandoned checkout flows and ignore what the customer is doing before that.
Although, respect for having these set up. Not all brands do!
When we chat to 7 and 8 figure eComm brands we find that actually it’s because they don’t know about what we call the dark horse email flow.
We’re talking about - the browse abandon flow.
When this flow is done properly it can recover serious revenue.
Not heard of it before? Let us explain.
TL;DR
People don’t need to add to cart to show intent.
If you’re not retargeting product views, you’re missing easy revenue.
Timing and personalisation matter more than anything.
The 411: A Browse Abandon Flow
A browse abandon flow is triggered when someone lands on a product page, has a look around, then leaves without taking the next step. A customer doesn’t even need to add to cart, make it to checkout or share any details and you can retarget them. Thank you Klaviyo!
A lot of brands ignore this behaviour because it feels less serious than an abandoned cart. News flash: it isn’t. It’s just as important.
Someone who viewed a product has still raised their hand. They’ve shown interest, they just haven’t committed yet. That’s why this flow REALLY matters. The intent is there and this flow helps you stay in front of high-intent visitors before they cool off completely.
Results are in the Set Up
If you’re building this in Klaviyo, the trigger should be Viewed Product. The filters are what stop the flow from becoming messy here.
You want to make sure the person has not:
- Started checkout since entering the flow
- Placed an order since entering the flow
- Added to cart since entering the flow
The last one gets missed a lot and it matters. That’s because if someone moves from browsing to cart, they should be handled by the abandoned cart flow instead.
You’ll also want to stop people re-entering this flow too often. We add a re-entry limit of 30 days to avoid this happening.
The winning structure
As with all email marketing, the number of emails in a flow should be tailored to the brand. However, anywhere between two and four emails for this flow and you’re on to a winner.
Want a snoop on how this flow should look? Of course you do.
Email 1: Get back in front of the customer ASAP
The first email should land while the product is still fresh in their mind (usually around an hour later works well.)
This one should show the exact product they viewed, not some generic collection email pretending to be personalised. Use dynamic product content, add social proof and if it makes sense, include a few related recommendations as a backup route back in.
The job here is simple. Remind them what caught their eye and make it easy for them to return.
Email 2: Handle objections
24 hours later you want to remind them about the product again and reduce hesitation. This is where FAQs, benefit-led copy and a bit more trust-building should come into play.
Someone at the browse stage is often still undecided so the email needs to answer these unspoken questions.
- Will this work for me?
- Is it worth it?
- Can I trust the brand?
- What if I’m unsure?
Email 3: Add urgency or an offer
It isn’t essential to have a discount in a browse abandon flow. However, If your margins allow it, this is where you’d intro one.
This email can introduce urgency too whether that’s low stock, limited availability or a time-sensitive offer. Remember - keep the viewed product front and centre and avoid making it feel like a random sales blast.
Email 4: Keep it simple
We find the final email in this flow often works best as plain text. It’s more personal, less polished, less brand campaign and more direct.
A founder-style or team-style email works well here because it changes the feel of the sequence and gives the last nudge a bit more humanity. At this point, you’re not trying to show off the brand, you’re trying to get the click.
Top Tips for this Flow
- Turn off smart sending
This is a biggie. Klaviyo often has smart sending switched on which is helpful until it starts suppressing the exact flow emails people actually need to receive. If someone viewed a product and left, that browse abandon email should still hit even if they got a campaign earlier. Don’t let platform defaults block a high-intent automation from doing its job.
- Use dynamic content properly
If your browse abandon email isn’t pulling in the exact product they viewed, it’s already weaker than it should be. That product should be the focal point. If you can layer in personalisation - whether that’s their name, relevant recommendations or tailored product blocks, even better!
Missing this flow from your Klaviyo?
Or, maybe you’ve got it but not 100% sure it’s working? A lot of browse abandon flows we audit are missing something major, half-built or doing the bare minimum. If you want a second opinion on your flows, you can count us on to tell you straight.