The Klaviyo flows to set up first on a Shopify store

Set up these Klaviyo flows first: a welcome series, an abandoned cart flow, a post-purchase flow and a winback flow. Those are the four Klaviyo itself suggests setting live first (Klaviyo Help Center), and we add browse abandonment for stores with a big catalogue. Together they cover every stage: a new subscriber, someone about to buy, a new customer, and one who's drifting away.

Here's what each flow is for, what it should say, and how we set it up for Shopify stores in the UAE.

Flows vs campaigns

A campaign is a one-off email to a list: the Eid sale, a new collection. A flow is automated: it starts when someone does something and runs for every person who does it. Campaigns are where most stores start, but flows are what keep working while you sleep, so build them first.

1. Welcome series

Starts when: someone joins your list, for example through a signup form or at checkout.

New subscribers know the least about you and are paying the most attention. Use two or three emails to:

• say who you are and why the brand exists, in a sentence;
• show your best sellers or your most-loved collection;
• answer the questions that stop a first order: delivery times across the UAE, returns, payment options.

If you promised a discount in the signup form, deliver it in the first email, straight away.

2. Abandoned cart

Starts when: someone adds to cart or starts checkout, then leaves.

These people were nearly customers. A sensible starting point is a reminder soon after they leave, showing the exact products; a follow-up the next day that answers objections (delivery, returns, sizing); and, optionally, a last reminder. Skip anyone who has since ordered. Klaviyo lets you tailor this flow by what's in the cart and by whether the person is already a customer.

3. Browse abandonment (our addition)

Starts when: a known subscriber views products but doesn't add to cart.

Softer than the cart email: "still thinking about it?" with the products they viewed and similar ones. It earns its place on stores with a large catalogue, where people browse a lot before deciding.

4. Post-purchase

Starts when: someone places an order.

The order confirmation comes from Shopify; this flow does the rest. Thank them like a person, explain what happens next and when it arrives, show how to get the best from the product, then later ask for a review and suggest what goes with it. A first-time buyer and a repeat customer should get different versions.

5. Winback

Starts when: a past customer hasn't bought for longer than your usual repeat cycle.

Remind them what's new since their last order, and give a reason to come back. Klaviyo lets you tailor it by what they bought and how many times. Set the delay from your own data: a store selling consumables and one selling collectables have very different repeat cycles.

Getting the basics right

• Connect Shopify properly so orders, products and browsing events flow into Klaviyo.
• Design once: build a branded email template so every flow looks like your store.
• Write for phones: short subject lines, one main button, big enough to tap.
• Measure revenue per recipient for each flow, not just open rates, and improve the weakest flow first.

Want these flows built for your store? See Klaviyo email marketing.