I’m Kayla. I run a tiny candle shop on Shopify, and I’m also that person who signs up for every brand email just to see what happens next. I used Klaviyo for my shop. Then I joined lists from 20+ brands like Brooklinen, Glossier, Our Place, Allbirds, Bombas, Mejuri, Caraway, Warby Parker, Parade, and Billie. I did this on my iPhone, with Gmail. Real inbox, real life.
You can skim the full, unfiltered breakdown of every flow I received in this case study.
If you’re hunting for a lightweight e-commerce engine that lets you spin up similar flows without heavy dev work, take a look at CandyPress for a quick, code-free setup.
For even more inspiration, I dug into a few third-party deep dives on email results—this round-up of ecommerce email marketing case studies and another set of success stories both show what tweaks really move the needle.
You know what? Some flows felt warm and human. Some felt like a pushy mall kiosk. Let me explain.
The welcome series: where first impressions get made
Brooklinen did this well. Email 1 said, “Soft stuff inside.” Cute. Clean photo. A simple 10% off code. No shouting. Email 2 told me how their sheets are made, with clear pics and a short story. Email 3 showed bundles and a quiz. It felt like a friend helping me pick a set. I clicked. Twice.
Glossier’s welcome was lighter. Email 1 said, “Hi. We’re Glossier.” It showed a few top items and a mini shade guide. They did not push a big discount. I liked that. It made the brand feel sure of itself.
What missed? One apparel brand (I’ll be kind and not name them) sent five emails in two days. All “last chance.” But I had just met them. It was a bit much. I muted them for a week. That hurt them, not me.
Tip I now steal for my own shop: one plain-text welcome from a real name. Mine says, “Hey, it’s Kayla. What scent do you like? Citrus or cozy?” People reply. Real replies help your deliverability, and they build trust fast.
Browse abandon: the gentle nudge
Glossier sent me a note after I looked at Boy Brow. Subject was simple: “Still thinking about this?” The email showed my exact shade, a short review, and two tips. No big banner. No 15% off. It felt helpful. I bought later that week.
Our Place used a similar touch on the Always Pan. Clean photo, three benefits, and a link to “See care tips.” The tips were useful even before I bought. That builds goodwill. I saved that email.
What flopped? A shoe brand sent four browse emails in 24 hours. Each had a countdown timer. But I wasn’t ready. It felt noisy. I closed them all.
Cart abandon: saves, not shoves
Allbirds got this right. First email: “We saved your cart.” Big photo of the exact pair, color name spelled out, and a free shipping reminder. Second email came the next day with a short fit guide. Third email on day three had a small $15 off note. The order? Kindness first, deal last. That flow converted me.
One cookware brand went all-in on timer GIFs and “Only 2 left.” Maybe true, maybe not. It stressed me out. I bailed. Urgency is fine, but trust wins long-term.
A little add that helps: add one line that says, “Reply here if you have a question. A real person will answer.” I tested this in my own shop. People asked about wick care, then bought. Easy win.
If you’re curious about what happens when you hand those replies off to a dedicated ecommerce answering service, I wrote up the full story here.
Post-purchase: teach me, don’t ghost me
Our Place sent gold here. Right after checkout: “Your pan is on the way.” Two days later: how to season, how to clean, what tools to use. Then recipes. These emails made me feel smart, not lost. Returns drop when people know how to use the thing.
Caraway did the same. Storage tips, safe temps, what oil to choose. Short, clear, with bright icons. I shared one email with my sister. When a customer forwards your email, that’s a quiet signal you did it right.
For my candles, I copied this style. Email 1: trim the wick. Email 2: first burn should reach the edge. Email 3: how to fix tunneling. Fewer customer complaints. More repeat buys.
Reviews and UGC: ask at the right time
Mejuri asked for a review about 10 days after delivery. The email showed the ring I bought, the size, and a one-click five star bar. No login fuss. I wrote a short note. Done. The next week, they showed me photos from other buyers with my same ring. That social proof is quiet, but strong.
One bedding brand asked for a review the day my sheets shipped. That felt silly. I had nothing to say yet. Timing matters.
Replenishment: a tap, not a nag
Billie reminded me to restock blades about five weeks after my last order. Subject line: “Running low?” Inside: a big “Get more” button and a small slider for how many packs. It took two taps on my phone. No long pitch.
AG1 (Athletic Greens) is a subscription, but their reminder email let me push my ship date by three days with one tap. That small control keeps people from canceling. It kept me.
Winback: sweet, not sticky
Bombas sent a note after 90+ days: “We miss you.” They showed socks I liked before, plus a new color. A small 15% code sat near the bottom. Not loud. I clicked and bought two pairs for fall. Cozy weather made it easy.
Another brand sent me “THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE” three times in a week. Same subject, same timer. I sighed and unsubscribed.
SMS tie-ins that didn’t bug me
Parade asked if I wanted shipping updates by text only. Yes, please. They didn’t text me deals at 7 a.m. They kept quiet hours. When a back-in-stock alert hit, I was ready. Fast checkout, done. Email handled the rest.
I tried Postscript for my shop. One browse nudge by text felt too loud, so I turned that off. But shipping texts? Customers love those.
While SMS was my main non-email channel, some brands test even more casual touchpoints—think Snapchat stories that show raw, behind-the-scenes moments. If you want a taste of how unpolished, real-life clips can grab attention, take five minutes to browse this quick collection of amateur Snap examples at Snap Amateur where you’ll see how spontaneous, short-form video keeps viewers glued and might spark ideas for the kind of lo-fi clips you could splice into your own welcome or browse emails for extra authenticity.
Here’s another angle on tight audience targeting: hyper-local dating services often craft emails that speak to a very specific persona and city. Peek at how a Lansing-focused sugar-dating site tailors its copy by location and intent over at Sugar Baby Lansing—it’s a quick reminder that relevance (who, where, why) beats sheer send volume, and you can borrow those same micro-segmentation tactics for product launches or winback flows.
What I’d copy tomorrow
- One friendly plain-text welcome from a real name
- A browse email with the exact item, one tip, one review
- Cart flow that helps first, discounts last
- A care guide two days after delivery, with short video or GIF
- Review ask when the item has been used at least once
- A restock nudge based on the product’s real use cycle
- A calm winback with one new thing and a small perk
What fell flat (and why)
- Too many emails in one day. It feels like noise.
- Only sending discounts. You train me to wait.
- No personality. If I can swap your logo with any brand, I forget you.
- No plain-text ever. Sometimes simple feels more human, and it lands in Primary for Gmail more often.
A simple flow blueprint I use now
- Welcome: 3 emails over 5 days (brand story, top picks, social proof)
- Browse: 2 emails over 48 hours (item viewed, tip, one soft CTA)
- Cart: 3 touches over 4 days (save cart, help, then a small perk)
- Post-purchase: 3 emails (order, how-to, care/ideas)
- Review: 10–14 days after delivery
- Replenish: 25–40 days, based on real use
- Winback: 60–120 days, one calm offer
Season shifts matter too. In November and December,