Everything that happens after onboarding to keep subscribers paying month after month.

<aside> <img src="/icons/repeat_gray.svg" alt="/icons/repeat_gray.svg" width="40px" />

The Three Retention Levers

1. Billing reminders and order confirmations
2. Gifts on reorders
3. The slower post-onboarding cadence </aside>

<aside> <img src="/icons/repeat_gray.svg" alt="/icons/repeat_gray.svg" width="40px" />

Billing Reminders

The biggest cancellation spike happens on Day 25 or whenever the next charge is approaching. Most brands send a generic transactional billing reminder notification. That is a mistake.

Your billing reminder is not a payment notification. It is a value reminder. It is the most important retention email you will send every single month.

What to include in the order confirmation email:

• What they are getting by staying subscribed
• Their progress and what is coming next
• Free gifts they will receive with this order
• Education on what to expect in the next 30 days
• A clear and easy option to delay their order if they have too much product

The delay payment option is critical:

If someone has too much product, the answer is not cancellation, it is a delay. Make it impossible to miss. One click to delay 1-2 weeks. The order of options should always be:

1. Keep my subscription: I am ready for my next order
2. Delay my order: I still have some left
3. Add other products to my order
4. Manage my subscription

Only show manage subscription last. Never lead with it.

Tailor billing reminders to specific orders:

A Month 1 billing reminder feels different from Month 3 which feels different from Month 6. By Month 3 they are a loyal customer, acknowledge that. By Month 6 they are a VIP, treat them like one. Every billing reminder should be tailored to where they are in their journey.

• Email Example Of An Optimized Billing Reminder Email </aside>

<aside> <img src="/icons/repeat_gray.svg" alt="/icons/repeat_gray.svg" width="40px" />

Order Confirmations

Remove the default Shopify order notification email if you are on Shopify Plus, if you are not ask support to turn it off. Replace it with a custom order confirmation built in Klaviyo or Omnisend.

What to include in the order confirmation email:

• Benefits of the products they are receiving
• Free gifts included with this order
• Why they are making the right decision to stay subscribed
• Testimonials from long-term subscribers
• Education on what to expect in the next 30 days

Tailor the order confirmation for every order milestone. Month 1 feels different from Month 3 which feels different from Month 6. Each one should acknowledge where they are in the journey and remind them why staying is worth it.

• Example of a Custom order confirmation from a top subscription brand

</aside>

<aside> <img src="/icons/repeat_gray.svg" alt="/icons/repeat_gray.svg" width="40px" />

Gifts on Reorders

Use gifts to retain subscribers on reorders. But follow one rule:

Never give more of the same product as a gift.

If someone already has too much product giving them more accelerates cancellation.

Instead give:

• Samples of your other products, creates future cross-sells
• Accessories or tools that help them consume the product better
• Exclusive subscriber-only products
• Educational resources

Add free gifts progressively as subscribers hit milestones (example):

• Month 2: first milestone gift
• Month 3: second milestone gift
• Month 6: VIP gift
• Month 12: loyalty gift

Note: Can do more aggressive gift giving, for example, “everyday dose” gives gifts every month to their subscribers.

Gifts give subscribers something to look forward to on every reorder and creates a reason to stay subscribed beyond the product itself.

</aside>

<aside> <img src="/icons/close_red.svg" alt="/icons/close_red.svg" width="40px" />

What to Avoid

• Making the billing reminder feel like a payment notification
• Giving more of the same product as a gift on reorders
• Making delay or pause hard to find, always show it before cancel
• Ignoring milestone moments, Month 3, 4, 5 and onwards subscribers deserve to be acknowledged </aside>

Ready to keep going? → Campaigns Strategy

← Back to Subscription Brand Mastery Playbook

<aside> <img src="attachment:67cafa98-8751-4aa2-9ff4-60509617ce6b:Logos_(3).png" alt="attachment:67cafa98-8751-4aa2-9ff4-60509617ce6b:Logos_(3).png" width="40px" />

Work With Mailflows

We implement this entire system for subscription ecommerce brands, offer structure, onboarding sequences, retention flows, cancellation recovery.

Book a free strategy call →

We work with a limited number of brands at a time. If you want this built for your brand, reach out now.

</aside>