Skip to content

Home Topics Email Marketing Re-engagement and sunset policies

Email Marketing · Re-engagement and sunset policies

Re-engagement campaigns best practices for ecommerce stores

Short answer

For ecommerce stores, re-engagement campaigns should be approached knowing that volume spikes around promotions trip ISP rate limits unless warmed and segmented. Define inactivity: no clicks or replies in 90 days is a common threshold.

Volume spikes around promotions trip ISP rate limits unless warmed and segmented.

What re-engagement campaigns are#

A re-engagement campaign targets inactive subscribers with a deliberate attempt to win them back; a sunset policy defines when to stop sending to those who do not respond.

Why it matters#

Continuing to mail unengaged contacts teaches providers your mail is unwanted. Sunsetting protects the rest of the list.

Implementation plan for ecommerce stores#

  1. Define inactivity: no clicks or replies in 90 days is a common threshold.
  2. Send a 2 to 3 message win-back series with a clear ask to stay subscribed.
  3. Suppress anyone who does not engage after the series.
  4. Keep a record of suppressed contacts for compliance and future opt-in.

Priorities specific to ecommerce stores#

Volume spikes around promotions trip ISP rate limits unless warmed and segmented. Weight your effort toward the steps above that address this constraint first, and measure with metrics that match how ecommerce stores generate value from email.

Common mistakes#

  • Never sunsetting because list size is a vanity metric.
  • Using 'We miss you' subject lines that read as spam.

Frequently asked questions#

Will sunsetting hurt my revenue?

Rarely. Inactive contacts produce little revenue, and improved placement for engaged contacts usually offsets any loss.

Keep reading on Re-engagement and sunset policies