Customer reactivation emails aim to re-engage inactive subscribers to grow revenue and maximize return on your customer acquisition costs. The best reactivation email examples use purchase history, subscriber preferences, and personalization to capture attention.
For instance, you can trigger emails based on seasonal patterns that match previous purchases. You can also segment dormant customers by their engagement level before dropping off, sending different messages to those who made multiple purchases versus one-time buyers.
Join us below for 10 reactivation campaign examples and tips for creating a win-back strategy that drives high re-engagement rates.
Get started with Omnisend to reactivate your subscribers with personalized emails
A reactivation email is designed to re-engage inactive subscribers — those who’ve stopped opening your emails or former customers who haven’t made a purchase in a while. Also known as a win-back email, it aims to reignite interest and encourage recipients to open your emails and buy from you again.
Reactivation emails play a key role in retaining and rekindling valuable relationships.
10 great reactivation email examples
Check out these reactivation email examples to inspire your efforts:
Belgian Waffle retailer Belgian Boys uses humor and nostalgic language to reconnect with disengaged subscribers. The casual, conversational tone of “Hey friend, IT’S BEEN AWHILE” makes the message feel personal rather than corporate.
The email also creates a sense of FOMO with the line “We’ll miss the ever-loving chocolate-coated waffle out of you” while showcasing its product range with visually appealing images.
Framing unsubscription as a potential mistake rather than pressuring customers to stay respects the subscriber while gently encouraging reactivation.
2. Come back email
Subject line: Come back and take another look.
Image via Really Good Emails
Sneaker and fitness apparel leader ASICS excels at retargeting with its browse abandonment email that feels helpful rather than intrusive.
The headline “Don’t run off without a second look” cleverly references running and product browsing in a playful way that aligns with its athletic brand identity. It also shows a recently viewed item alongside “Gear picked for you” recommendations to create personalized relevance.
3. No hard feelings reactivation email
Subject line: Pssst…we have a question for you.
Image via Really Good Emails
Cuisinart takes a refreshingly honest approach to reactivation with the subject line “No Hard Feelings.” It transparently acknowledges the subscriber’s disengagement without guilt or pressure.
The email also stands out for its simplicity and respect for customer choice. Rather than pushing products, Cuisinart presents two clear options: “Stay” with customized preferences or “Leave” with reassurance that returning is always possible.
That binary choice eliminates decision fatigue and makes re-engaging with the brand feel like a low-commitment action.
4. We want to hear from you email
Subject line: We Want to Hear From You!
Image via Really Good Emails
Sightglass Coffee demonstrates the power of simplicity in its reactivation strategy with a minimalist email focused on customer feedback.
The “Share Your Thoughts” headline paired with a clear “Start Survey” call to action creates a compelling value exchange (the customer’s opinion for re-engagement).
Framing the interaction as seeking input rather than pushing products helps Sightglass position itself as a brand that genuinely values its customers.
5. It’s back email
Subject line: BACK: Jamun Glaze!
Image via Really Good Emails
Kulfi Beauty uses scarcity and community connection in its reactivation email announcing the return of a popular product.
The simple headline “It’s Back!” creates immediate intrigue, while naming the “Community favorite Jamun Glaze (bronze) kajal eyeliner” establishes exclusivity and credibility.
The email balances commercial aims with social impact with its “Nazar No More” section, highlighting charitable donations for an ethical reason to re-engage.
6. Reminder email
Subject line: Reminder: Your 20% off is waiting for you
Image via Really Good Emails
Vegamour focuses on social proof and visible results in its reactivation email, rather than announcing products or discounts.
The email opens with a value proposition that balances science and nature — “Clean Ingredients, Clinical Results” — immediately establishing credibility. The personalized 20% discount with code “WELCOME20” creates a sense of exclusivity.
7. You’re missing out email
Subject line: You’re missing out on great new music
Image via Really Good Emails
Apple Music takes a content-focused approach to reactivation, showcasing curated music discoveries rather than pushing subscription messaging.
The email’s most notable strength is its editorial structure with new releases by genre (Pop, Alternative, Stage, and Screen) to help inactive subscribers find music that matches their tastes.
8. Ghosting us email
Subject line: Are you ghosting us? Reactivate today
Image via Really Good Emails
Zoom showcases new features rather than offering discounts in its reactivation emails to encourage subscribers to retry the software.
The email acknowledges the subscriber’s absence — “It’s been a while” — creating a personal connection straight away. Instead of dwelling on the past, it quickly pivots to what the user has missed during their time away.
The clean visual organization of features with icons helps inactive subscribers quickly understand what’s new, while the prominent “Reactivate Pro” button creates a clear path back.
9. Don’t forget email
Subject line: Don’t Forget Your Discount
Image via Really Good Emails
Online camera marketplace Moment uses a straightforward discount-focused reactivation strategy combining urgency with clear customer benefits.
The “IN CASE YOU FORGOT…” opener immediately highlights the $15 discount, framing it as something already belonging to the customer.
It then reinforces long-term value propositions (free shipping, easy returns, customer service, and early access) to remind inactive subscribers the benefits of being signed up.
10. A look back email
Image via Really Good Emails
Specialty gift retailer Uncommon Goods takes a creative approach to reactivation with a year-in-review email that showcases its personality.
The email includes engaging “2024 in review” content highlighting popular products, search trends, and company milestones.
Its playfulness (“Our nerdy little hearts are so proud”), product discovery opportunities, and conversational tone give inactive subscribers a reason to re-engage.
Best practices for sending reactivation emails
Sending reactivation emails to inactive customers is a powerful tactic to reignite relationships. However, reactivation emails must be strategic for them to be effective.
Here are some reactivation email marketing best practices to follow:
Personalize the subject line and email content to capture the recipient’s attention. Generic messages are more likely to be ignored. Address the customer by name and use their previous purchases to recommend products that might interest them.
Remind the customer of their last purchase date, items purchased, or total spent. Mentioning specific details can trigger memories and make them feel valued. For example, your email could say, “It’s been eight months since you treated yourself to (product name).”
Offer an incentive to reactivate their account and make a purchase. This could be a discount code, gift, or free shipping.
Maintain a positive tone. Avoid desperate pleas or messaging that could be interpreted as guilt-tripping.
Divide inactive users into groups based on prior interactions with your products or services. Create customized reactivation emails for different customer lifecycle categories. Customer lifecycle segmentation can help you send timely messages to your customers.
Test different messaging, incentives, and designs before full-scale deployment. This helps you determine the best approach to engage your inactive customers.
Keep your reactivation emails at a reasonable frequency. Too many emails can be seen as spam, while too few may be ineffective.
To ensure timely communication and reduce your workload, you can use triggers to automatically send customer reactivation emails.
Is it worth sending reactivation emails?
Sending a reactivation email to inactive subscribers helps businesses sustain their customer base. Here are some of the benefits of reactivation emails for businesses:
Improved engagement rates. A compelling reactivation email can encourage your subscribers to engage with your content.
A healthier and more responsive list. These emails target users who haven’t engaged in a while, encouraging them to engage or identifying ways for you to clean your list.
New opportunities for sales and lead generation. Customer reactivation emails remind customers of your products or services, increasing the likelihood of a sale or subscription.
Reinforce brand recognition and affinity with past contacts. This strengthens your prospect pool for marketing campaigns.
Learn the essentials
Stop leaving money on the table. Your emails can win back customers and grow revenue. Learn the essential messages that attract and retain customers, and stand out from the competition.
Navigate to the Automation tab in your Omnisend dashboard
Select + Create workflow
Search for “reactivate” in the top search bar, or use the GOAL filter in the sidebar and select Reactivate Customers to filter relevant workflows:
Image via Omnisend
You’ll then see two options:
Image via Omnisend
Decide on the Customer Reactivation workflow you want and select Customize workflow. The only difference between these workflows is that one sends three emails while the other sends one. You can always edit the quantity later.
After selecting Customize workflow, you will enter the Workflow builder. As this is a pre-built customer reactivation workflow, the actual building of it is complete. Use the sidebar to select your triggers, filters, conditions, and options:
Image via Omnisend
Select Start workflow to set it live once you’re happy with the configuration. The automation list in Omnisend will load, where you can see the status of your automation and basic metrics:
Image via Omnisend
This list shows all your email automations. You can jump back into the Workflow editor anytime by clicking on a workflow’s name.
Conclusion
Reactivation emails work best when sent at customer dropoff points, such as after 30-90 days, to catch at-risk customers before they fully disengage.
Test plain-text formats against designed templates — text emails can outperform flashy ones for dormant subscribers. Track not just opens and clicks but long-term value metrics.
Combine email with other channels for maximum impact. A strategic SMS reminder after an unopened email can increase conversion rates. Set concrete benchmarks for your reactivation campaigns, such as 15% re-engagement within 30 days and 5% conversion to purchase.
Remember that even modest results compound over time as reactivated customers rejoin your active buyer pool. Review and refresh your reactivation content quarterly to prevent diminishing returns from repeated exposure.
Reactivate more customers with Omnisend’s email and SMS tools
Reactivation emails are messages you send to customers who haven’t purchased in a while to reactivate their subscriber status and improve the quality of your list.
What is a good example of a follow-up email?
Use a subject line like “We’ve saved your discount” to clearly remind them of what they were interested in. Show a few products they viewed, add actionable CTA buttons, and keep the copy minimal to make the offer obvious.
Bernard is the Sr. Director of Communications & Creative at Omnisend, with a passion for good research, helping ecommerce businesses with their marketing automation needs, and beating absolutely everyone in Mario Kart 64.
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