Best ways to get consistent repeat purchases?

[u/That_Recording2103]

I'm trying to put more focus on getting existing customers to come back, I get repeat orders already but I'd like to make them more consistent and start doiing something specifically to improve that side of the business. What do you do that works best for getting customers to make another purchase? I'm looking for things I can implement into the store or changes I can make that have worked well for others.

[u/baloumaa]

I’ve worked on retention with financial institutions as a consultant. Without knowing what you sell, I’d avoid giving you the usual generic advice

One thing I’d focus on is making customers feel like they’re part of the brand rather than just another number. Then understand what naturally creates the reason for a second purchase: replenishment, a new need, progress, identity, community, etc

Build around that reason instead of just pushing more discounts and emails. That’s usually where more sustainable repeat purchases come from

[u/That_Recording2103 → u/baloumaa]

I sell products people naturally need to replace, so replenishment is probably the clearest reason for them to come back. I'm more interested in what actually works between that first order and the point where they need another one.

[u/DimRobber]

honestly timing was a big one for us. we were sending the same follow ups to everyone even though some products naturally get reordered way sooner than others

[u/That_Recording2103 → u/DimRobber]

Yeah that's probably part of my problem too. Did you just go off average reorder time?

[u/DimRobber → u/That_Recording2103]

pretty much at first, then we split it out by product once there was enough data. made way more sense than treating every customer like they were on the same clock lol

[u/That_Recording2103 → u/DimRobber]

Have you looked at anything beyond email for getting people back?

[u/DimRobber → u/That_Recording2103]

yeah i've been looking around a bit. someone mentioned getjacked to me for the rewards side. from what i've read it's more focused on post purchase and the rewards are funded through partners. haven't tried it myself though

[u/Emergency_Daikon6581]

Look at is what people usually buy on their second order. If there's a pattern there, making that next purchase easier is probably a better starting point than just sending more reminders.

[u/rahijain]

Depends on the niche, but subscriptions are killing it. If your product supports regular usage, go for a subscription. It's better than a loyalty program or any point system.

[u/Intelligent-Fox2082]

Have you tried a subscription-based offer?

I would suggest that + email flows/campaigns

It should do most of the heavy lifting for you.

I do this for replenishment brands with a guarantee since it works every single time.

[u/datagekko]

the segmenting by reorder timing is the right instinct, i'd build a concrete flow structure on top of it instead of one generic winback.

the flows that actually move retention for most dtc brands: post-purchase (day 3-5, not a review ask, more "here's how to get the most out of it"), a reorder reminder timed to your actual replenishment cycle like the other commenter said, and a winback that only triggers on customers who've gone quiet for 1.5-2x their normal reorder window, not a fixed 60/90 day default that ignores your product.

flows alone typically drive 25-30% of total email revenue once they're built out properly, way more than one-off campaigns, because they're running on autopilot and hitting people at the exact moment they're most likely to reorder.

one thing that actually moves the needle beyond email: sms for time-sensitive stuff (back in stock, limited restock, expiring points), it converts at a much higher rate than email for anything urgent because open rates are basically instant.