Hi there,
The browse abandonment flow is one of the easiest ways to recover lost sales.
In some of our client accounts, it's our 2nd highest revenue-generating flow.
But most brands either skip it entirely or set it up wrong.
Here's how to set up your browse abandonment flow properly.
What It Is
What Is the Browse Abandonment Flow?
A browse abandonment flow triggers when someone views a product on your site but doesn't add to cart, start checkout, or purchase.
These visitors are different from cart abandoners.
They're cooler leads. Still in research mode.
They need more nurturing before they're ready to buy.
The Opportunity
Why It Matters
98% of first-time visitors leave your site without buying.
According to Google, customers now need about seven touchpoints before they purchase.
The browse abandonment flow nurtures and educates these visitors so they feel confident enough to buy.
And it converts 3 to 7% of people who enter the flow (sometimes up to 10%).
Common Mistakes
The Biggest Mistakes
Here's what I see when auditing browse abandonment flows:
Mistake #1: Flow is too short
Brands send 1 to 2 emails and stop.
You need at least 5 emails to properly nurture someone from browser to buyer.
Mistake #2: Not educating the customer
Brands just remind people of the product without explaining why they should buy it.
If someone didn't buy the first time, reminders won't convert them.
You need to educate them about the product and your brand first.
Mistake #3: Wrong incentive structure
Some brands give the biggest discount in email 1.
Others never introduce an incentive at all.
The right approach is to introduce the incentive in email 2 and increase urgency as the flow progresses.
The Flow Framework
The Right Way: A 5-Email Browse Abandonment Flow
Here's the exact structure I use:
Email 1: Simple Reminder (1 Hour Delay)
This email has one job: get them back to the site.
What to include:
Dynamic product block showing what they viewed
Keep it short and simple
Optionally show 3 to 4 related products
This is your highest revenue email in the flow.
Aim for ~1% conversion rate.
Email 2: Product Education and Benefits (1 Day Later)
Now it's time to explain why they should buy.
What to include:
Focus on the benefits of the product they viewed
Explain what makes it great
Introduce first incentive (10% off)
This educates them on why your product is worth it.
Email 3: Address Common Objections and FAQs (1 Day Later)
People who browse but don't buy have questions.
Answer them.
What to include:
Common FAQs about the product
Address hesitations (price, quality, fit, shipping, etc.)
Continue discount reminder
This removes doubt and moves them closer to buying.
People trust other people more than brands.
Show them real customers love your products.
What to include:
Reviews and testimonials
Press mentions (if applicable)
User-generated content (photos or videos)
Increase urgency on discount
This is one of the most powerful emails in the flow.
Email 5: Final Urgency (2 Days Later)
You've educated them. You've shown them why to buy.
Now create urgency.
What to include:
Discount expiring in 24 to 48 hours
Risk reversals (money-back guarantee, free returns)
Last chance messaging
Can be plain text from the founder for a personal touch
Important: Use real urgency.
Use a dynamic coupon code in Klaviyo that actually expires.
Fake urgency kills conversions.
Implementation
How to Set It Up in Klaviyo
Trigger: Viewed Product
Flow Filters:
Placed order 0 times since starting this flow
Checkout started 0 times since starting this flow
Added to cart 0 times since starting this flow
Has not been in this flow in the last 14 to 30 days
Time Delays:
Email 1: 1 hour after viewed product
Email 2: 1 day after email 1
Email 3: 1 day after email 2
Email 4: 1 day after email 3
Email 5: 2 days after email 4
Use dynamic product blocks to show what they viewed.
Use Klaviyo product feeds to show related products.
Benchmarks
What Results Should You Expect?
Email 1:
50%+ open rate
~1% conversion rate (highest revenue email)
Emails 2 to 5:
35%+ open rate
0.5%+ conversion rate per email
Total flow conversion rate: 3 to 7% (sometimes up to 10%)
For every 100 people who view a product, 3 to 7 should become customers through this flow.
If your flow converts below 3%, it needs optimization.
Advanced Strategy
Advanced Tactics
Once you have the basics down, here's how to take it further:
Segment by purchase history
New customers need different messaging than returning customers.
Split your flow and tailor the content.
Segment by product category
If you sell distinct categories (t-shirts vs sweaters), create separate flows with category-specific messaging.
Use Retention.com
Capture more anonymous browsers and enroll them in this flow automatically.
We've seen 20 to 40% lifts in browse abandonment flow revenue by adding Retention.com.
If your browse abandonment flow isn't converting at 3 to 7%, it's time to optimize it.
Hope this helps.
Best,
Luca
Free Resources
Resources to help you scale
Use these resources to help improve your brand’s Browse Abandonment Flow.
Plug-and-Play Figma Email Designs
Reusable email layouts and pop-up templates built from real client work to speed up your production.
Get the Figma TemplatesBrowse Abandonment Flow Guide
Complete step-by-step guide with examples, metrics, and optimization strategies.
Get the Guide
Bonus: Watch the YouTube video below on this exact topic 👇
