Post purchase flow teardown.

A post purchase flow looks after a customer between the order and the next purchase. It triggers on Placed Order, confirms what happens next, teaches them to use the product, and later opens the door to reviews and a second order. It builds repeat revenue without sending a single discount.

Trigger and filters.

Placed Order metric. Keep order confirmations in the platform transactional system and use this flow for marketing messages that follow them.

• Flow filter: order has not been refunded or cancelled
• Trigger filter: order contains at least one physical product, not only a gift card
• Flow filter: profile is not in a subscription renewal flow for the same product
• Smart sending off for the first message if it is genuinely service related, on for the rest

Sequence and timing.

1. 1. Email one: what happens next (1 day after the order)

   Set expectations on dispatch and delivery, and give support contact details.

2. 2. Email two: how to get the most from it (3 days after delivery)

   Usage guidance, care instructions or setup tips for the exact product bought.

3. 3. Email three: a small ask (7 days after delivery)

   Invite a review or photo, handled in more detail by the review request flow.

4. 4. Email four: complementary products (14 days after delivery)

   Suggest items that pair with what they own.

Branch logic.

• Conditional split on product category so usage content matches the item
• Split on first order versus repeat order, with a welcome to the brand for new customers
• Split on order value to decide whether a concierge style note is warranted

Copy outline.

• What happens next

  Thank them, state delivery steps in order, link to tracking, give a reply to address.

• Get the most from it

  Three practical tips or a short video, written for the product they bought.

• Cross sell

  One sentence on why these products pair well, then three items with images.

What to watch.

• Repeat purchase rate for customers who went through the flow versus a holdout group
• Click through rate on usage content, to see what customers value
• Support ticket volume related to delivery, which a good first email should lower
• Revenue per recipient on the cross sell step

Common mistakes.

• Timing from the order date when delivery takes longer, so tips arrive before the parcel
• Mixing a review ask and a cross sell in the same email
• Sending the same flow to every product
• Ignoring returns, so unhappy customers receive upbeat sales email

This is a starting structure, not a promise of results. Timing and offers depend on your product, your repurchase window and your list, so test and adjust.

Want this built and tested for you? See our retention strategy service or book a free audit.