Why 95% of Email Subscribers Never Buy

Your backend sales are only as good as your email flows.

It’s great you’ve got product market fit, and ads with positive ROAS on the front end.

But without email marketing, you’re simply leaking profits long term.

Anyone that subscribers to your newsletter, has some level of interest and plenty want to buy from you (but not all).

This is why you NEED the right touchpoints in the subscriber’s journey.

95% of your subscribers won’t buy(yet).

They may not be in the “Buying Window”, or may have questions about your product before pulling out of their credit card.

Flows allow us to communicate with them and meet them where they are in their journey.

Here are the 7 most important flows your store needs right now:

1. Welcome Series 

Your welcome series introduces new subscribers to your brand story, values, and products.

Most brands send a single welcome email and call it a day.

Your offer doesn’t always have to be discounts, get creative.

Discounts long term just hurt margins, so use them sparingly.

Try offering a small free item, that is inexpensive.

E.g. Buy a protein powder, get a free mini shaker.

A proper welcome series has 3-5 emails that stay on top of subscribers to handle objections and drive their first purchase.

Email #1: Deliver your sign-up incentive, push urgency if it makes sense

Email #2: Share your brand story and what makes you different

Email #3: Showcase your best-selling products and customer favorites

Email #4: Address common objections with social proof

Email #5: Present a time-limited offer to drive that first conversion

A solid welcome series can increase your new subscriber conversion rate by 30-50%.

2. Abandoned Checkout 

These people had their credit card ready, something stopped them.

Reach out to them and ask “Why didn’t you buy?“

They've shown the highest purchase intent and just need a small nudge.

Send the first email within 1 hour of abandonment.

Keep subject lines simple: "Your cart is waiting" or "Did you forget something?"

Include clear images of abandoned products, a prominent checkout button, and overcome key objections.

For high-ticket items, consider adding a small discount in email #3.

A well-optimized abandoned checkout flow recovers 15-25% of lost revenue.

3. Abandoned Cart 

Similar to the above, but they abandoned their CART instead of reaching checkout.

There is often a different objection here. e.g. expensive shipping.

They're interested but hesitant - address their concerns.

Focus less on the product (they already like it) and more on trust signals.

Include customer reviews, your return policy, and shipping information.

A subtle urgency element works well here: "Still thinking about it?"

This flow should capture another 10-15% of potential lost sales.

4. Browse Abandonment 

Someone viewed product pages multiple times but didn't add to cart.

They're curious but need more convincing.

Send emails showcasing detailed product benefits, comparisons, and use cases.

Include answers to FAQs about the specific products they browsed.

Your open rates will be lower here, but the additional revenue is worth it.

5. Post-Purchase 

This isn't just a transactional "thank you" – it's a relationship builder.

Use this flow to:

• Reduce buyer's remorse

• Provide usage instructions and tips

• Recommend complementary products

• Request reviews (after delivery)

• Invite to your loyalty program

A customer's excitement peaks right after purchase – capitalize on this moment to drive higher lifetime value.

6. Win-Back 

Customers who haven't purchased in 60-90 days are at risk of leaving forever.

Your win-back flow rekindles the relationship.

Start with a "We miss you" message, then showcase new products or bestsellers they might have missed.

If needed, offer an exclusive "comeback" discount on email #3.

Even a 5% win-back rate can significantly boost your yearly revenue.

7. EDONO (Email Day Of New Offer) 

New product launches and promotions deserve their own flow.

EDONO flows build anticipation before a launch and maximize day-one sales.

The sequence:

• Teaser email (3 days before)

• Announcement email (day before)

• Launch email (morning of)

• Final reminder (evening of last day)

8. BONUS: Optimal Flow Settings & Final Advice

All your lists should be Single Opt In (double opt in costs you 40% of subs)

Disable Smart Sending on all your flows, this is pointless and will cost you sales.

Enable UTM parameters to improve tracking.

Finally, if you find yourself creating flows for less than 100-500 visitors p/m going into it, you’ve likely crossed the road of over optimization.

Take a step back, and go focus on the flows that bring in the most traffic instead.

Missing even one of these flows means leaving substantial money on the table.

Each flow serves a specific purpose in your customer journey.

Start with welcome, abandoned checkout and post-purchase flows if you're short on resources.

Then build out the rest.

Your ROAS, AOV, and LTV will thank you.

Talk soon,
Daniel

Some ways we can work together:

🏆 Have Daniel’s team run your retention marketing (Email+SMS): www.ecomadvertisers.com

💪 Have Daniel consult with you 1-on-1: Reply with “Consulting“
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