Win customers back without giving away your margin.
Updated 17 October 2026
A win-back email with 20% off is easy to set up. It’s also expensive, because it goes to customers who would have come back anyway.
Who actually needs a discount
Look at each customer’s history. Did they ever buy at full price? Did they only order during sales? Did they reorder before without any nudge?
Customers who regularly paid full price usually need a reminder, not a coupon.
What to send instead
- A reminder of the product they liked, with a direct reorder link.
- Something new that fits what they bought before.
- A short personal note: who you are and what changed since their last order.
- For first orders that came through an AI assistant: introduce your brand properly.
Measure it honestly
Keep a small comparison group that gets nothing, or gets the message without the discount. Compare who came back in each group.
Count the margin you gave away on orders that would have happened anyway. That number is often bigger than the revenue the coupon added.
When a discount does make sense
For customers who only ever bought on sale, or who are clearly drifting to a competitor, a well-timed discount can pay off. Give it to them, not to everyone.