Klaviyo flow development

Trigger types

Who enters and who leaves

Flow filters decide who should not enter or should leave part-way. An abandoned checkout flow should stop for someone who completes their purchase; a winback flow should not reach someone who bought last week. Set these conditions deliberately and test them, because a flow that keeps reminding people who already bought undermines trust.

Core flows

1. 01

   Welcome series

   After someone subscribes.

   Output: Introduction and first purchase

2. 02

   Abandoned checkout

   After Checkout Started without an order.

   Output: Recovered orders

3. 03

   Post-purchase

   After Placed Order.

   Output: Care, reviews, repeat purchase

4. 04

   Winback

   After a period without buying.

   Output: Returning customers

5. 05

   Extras

   Price drop, low stock, dates.

   Output: Targeted reminders

Timing

Delays matter. An abandoned checkout reminder minutes later can feel intrusive; one a week later may be too late. Post-purchase emails should arrive when they are useful, such as care instructions after delivery rather than before. Base timing on how long your customers usually take to decide and receive orders, and test alternatives.

Example: a post-purchase flow for a plant shop

Flow development checks

Branching

Branches send different messages based on behaviour or profile data: first-time buyers versus repeat customers, one product category versus another. Use them where the difference matters to the customer, not just because the tool allows it. Each branch is another path to test.

Consent and message type

Marketing flows should reach only people who have agreed to marketing or meet the soft opt-in conditions under ICO guidance. Order confirmations and similar service messages are different, but adding promotional content can turn them into marketing.

Measuring flows

Klaviyo attributes revenue to flows using its own rules. Compare with orders in your shop and watch for flows that claim credit for purchases that would have happened anyway, such as post-purchase emails to loyal customers.

The welcome series

Klaviyo's help says a welcome series is triggered when someone subscribes to your newsletter. It is the first impression of your emails. A short series that explains what you offer, what makes you different and what to expect from future emails usually serves better than an immediate hard sell. If you use double opt-in, Klaviyo notes only confirmed subscribers are queued for the welcome series.

Testing every path

Use a test profile to trigger the flow, then follow each branch: buying partway through, not opening, belonging to different segments. Check each email on a phone and in a common email app, click every link, and confirm delays behave as expected. Switch the flow on only when every path has been seen.

Reviewing running flows

Look at each flow every few months: are people still entering, are emails being opened and clicked, and are orders following? Products change, links break and offers expire, so flows need maintenance like any other part of the shop.