Why Pet Brands Need a Different Approach to Email Flows
Before we get into the actual flows, you need to understand something important.
A pet customer is not the same as a furniture customer. Or a fashion customer. Or a beauty customer.
The flows you find in generic Klaviyo guides don’t work as well for pet brands, because they were built for one-time buyers or slow-moving categories.
Pet products are different in five big ways. Each one changes how you build your flows.
1. Customers buy on a predictable cycle.
A dog owner buys a 30-day bag of dog food. Around day 25, they’re starting to think about reordering. Around day 28, they’re either reordering from you, or from someone else.
This predictable cycle is the single biggest opportunity in pet email marketing. Your flows need to catch the customer right before they reorder, every single time. Done well, this one pattern alone can double your repeat revenue.
2. Pet owners are deeply emotional buyers.
People don’t think of their dog or cat as a pet. They think of them as family. Birthday parties. Family photos. Christmas presents. The whole nine yards.
This means your emails can (and should) be emotional. You’re not just selling pet products. You’re helping a pet parent give their family member the best life possible. Big difference.
3. Cart values are lower, but customer lifetime value is huge.
A typical pet purchase is $30 to $150. That’s much smaller than a furniture or home order. But a loyal pet customer might spend $1,500 a year on food, treats, supplements, and accessories. Over five years, that’s $7,500.
So while one cart matters less, the lifetime relationship matters way more. Your flows need to build long-term loyalty from day one.
4. You can collect pet info to personalize like no other niche.
Pet name. Species. Breed. Age. Birthday. Adoption day. Diet preferences. Health concerns.
Pet brands can collect all of this from their customers. And every piece of it can be used to make emails feel personal. “Max’s birthday is coming up.” “Bella’s joint formula is on sale.” This level of personalization is gold, and pet brands can do it better than almost any other category.
5. Subscription is a natural fit.
Most categories struggle with subscription. Pet products don’t. A dog needs food every month. A cat needs litter every month. Supplements need to be reordered. The product cycle naturally fits subscribe-and-save offers.
Your flows should constantly point customers toward subscription. It’s better for them (no thinking required) and better for you (predictable, retained revenue).
When you understand all five of these, the flows in this guide will make a lot more sense.
If you want to see how flows fit into the bigger picture of email revenue, take a quick look at our guide on how to hit 30% of revenue from email. It covers the full system. This post zooms in on just the flows part, all tailored for pet brands.
Now let’s get to the flows.
The Short Answer
Before we go deep, here are the 6 essential flows every Shopify pet brand should have in 2026.
| # | Flow | When it sends | Why it matters |
| 1 | Welcome Flow | When someone joins your list | Builds brand love and gets the first order |
| 2 | Abandoned Cart Flow | When someone leaves items in cart | Recovers carts before they go to Amazon |
| 3 | Browse Abandonment Flow | When someone views a product but doesn’t add to cart | Catches curious shoppers |
| 4 | Post-Purchase Flow | After someone buys | Sets up the next purchase and asks for pet photos |
| 5 | Replenishment Flow | Right before a customer runs out | The biggest revenue driver in pet email |
| 6 | Winback Flow | When a past customer goes quiet | Brings back customers before they’re lost for good |
These six flows can carry 50% to 70% of your total email revenue for a well-run pet brand. The replenishment flow alone often makes 25% to 30% of email revenue.
Now let me walk through each one in detail.
Flow #1: The Welcome Flow
This is where pet brand loyalty starts.
A new subscriber just visited your pet store. They liked something enough to give you their email. Maybe they have a new puppy. Maybe their old food brand changed and they’re looking for a new one. Maybe a friend recommended you.
Your job in the welcome flow is to do three things, fast.
- Build emotional connection with your brand
- Get them to make their first purchase
- Capture useful info about their pet for future personalization
What it is: A series of 4 to 5 emails sent over 5 to 7 days.
When it sends: First email goes out within minutes of signup. The rest space out over the next week.
The 5-email welcome flow that works for pet brands
Email 1: Welcome and Discount (sends immediately)
Subject line ideas: “Welcome to [Brand]! Here’s 15% off” or “Hi from [Brand], we’re so glad you’re here”
What to include:
- A warm welcome
- The discount or sample offer you promised
- A clear next step (shop bestsellers, take a quiz, browse a category)
- A photo of real pets enjoying your products
- A short request to share their pet’s name and type (use a fun signup form or a follow-up survey)
Pet-specific tip: Capture pet info early. The earlier you know their dog is named Bella, the earlier every future email feels personal. Even just “What’s your pet’s name and what type of pet is it?” is enough to start. You can collect more later.
Email 2: The Brand Story (sends 1 day later)
Subject line ideas: “Why we started [Brand]” or “A note from our founder”
What to include:
- Why you started the brand
- The pet (or pets) that inspired you
- A photo of you with your own pet
- What you stand for
Pet-specific tip: Pet brands are personal. Customers want to know there’s a real animal lover behind the products, not just a corporate brand. Show your own pet. Share the story behind the brand. This email builds the emotional bond that makes customers stay for years.
Email 3: Best Sellers and Customer Favorites (sends 2 days after email 2)
Subject line ideas: “What other pet parents love” or “Our top picks for [pet type]”
What to include:
- 3 to 5 bestseller products
- Real customer photos and reviews
- A short note on why each one is loved
- A direct shopping link
Pet-specific tip: Segment this by pet type if you can. Dog owners should see dog products. Cat owners should see cat products. Even if you have a small list, this small split makes a big difference in click rates.
Email 4: A Helpful Tip or Guide (sends 2 days after email 3)
Subject line ideas: “How to switch your dog to a new food (safely)” or “5 things every cat parent should know”
What to include:
- A useful piece of pet care content
- Tips that show your expertise
- Soft mention of your products where relevant
- A clear CTA at the bottom
Pet-specific tip: This is the email that builds expert trust. Pet parents want to feel like the brand knows pets. Share something genuinely useful. How to switch foods slowly. How to read a pet food label. How to spot dental issues early. The product mention should feel natural, not forced.
Email 5: A Soft Final Nudge (sends 2 days after email 4)
Subject line ideas: “Your welcome offer expires soon” or “Don’t forget your 15% off”
What to include:
- A friendly reminder of the welcome discount
- A clear deadline (24 to 48 hours)
- One product highlight
- A simple CTA
Pet-specific tip: Don’t push too hard. Pet parents respond to warmth, not pressure. A gentle “the offer expires soon” is enough. If they don’t buy after this, they move into your normal campaign list for future nurture.
Bottom line: A welcome flow built this way often makes 15% to 25% of your total email revenue for a pet brand. Customers also opt into more flows after this, which makes everything else stronger too.
Flow #2: The Abandoned Cart Flow
Pet brand cart abandonment is high, but it moves fast.
Unlike furniture, pet customers don’t take weeks to decide. They either buy in 24 to 48 hours, or they go to a competitor. So your abandoned cart flow needs to move quickly.
What it is: A series of 3 emails sent over 3 days to people who add a product to their cart but don’t check out.
When it sends: First email 1 hour after they leave. Second email 24 hours later. Third email 48 to 72 hours after that.
Why people abandon pet brand carts
Pet shoppers leave carts for different reasons than furniture shoppers. Here are the most common:
- “Let me check if Chewy has it cheaper”
- “I’ll come back to this later”
- “I’m not sure about the size or breed match”
- “Shipping cost seems high”
- “I want to check reviews first”
Your flow needs to address each of these in a friendly, calm way.
The 3-email abandoned cart flow for pet brands
Email 1: A Soft Reminder (sends 1 hour after they leave)
Subject line ideas: “Did you have a question, [Name]?” or “Don’t forget about [Product] for Max”
What to include:
- A clear photo of what they left in their cart
- A simple “Did you have a question?” tone
- Free shipping reassurance if you offer it
- A direct link back to the cart
Pet-specific tip: If you have their pet’s name, use it. “Bella’s chews are still in your cart” feels way more personal than “Your items are still in your cart.” This is where capturing pet info early pays off.
Email 2: Why Pet Parents Love It (sends 24 hours after email 1)
Subject line ideas: “What other pet parents say about [Product]” or “[Product] – here’s the real story”
What to include:
- 3 to 5 customer reviews of the product
- Before-and-after stories if relevant (for supplements, dental products, etc.)
- A short note about ingredients, quality, or sourcing
- Reminder of the cart contents
Pet-specific tip: Social proof works hard in pet brands. Other pet parents are the most trusted voice. Quote them. Show their photos. Let them sell the product for you.
Email 3: A Small Nudge (sends 48 to 72 hours after email 2)
Subject line ideas: “A little something to help you decide” or “Free shipping on your cart”
What to include:
- A small discount (10% to 15%) or free shipping offer
- A subscribe-and-save offer as an alternative
- A reminder of cart contents
- A friendly deadline (24 to 48 hours)
Pet-specific tip: This is a great place to introduce subscription. If they’re already buying once, why not save 10% and get it shipped automatically every month? Many customers say yes to this offer because it solves a real problem (running out) and saves them money at the same time.
One important warning:
Don’t put the discount in the first email. If you do, you train your customers to always abandon their cart just to get the coupon. We’ve seen this hurt pet brands more than helps them. Save the offer for the end, when it actually moves the customer to buy.
Flow #3: The Browse Abandonment Flow
Most pet brands skip this one. Which means they’re leaving easy money behind.
A browse abandoner is someone who looked at a product page but didn’t add anything to their cart. They were interested. They just didn’t take the next step.
A short follow-up brings many of them back.
What it is: A series of 2 emails sent over 3 to 5 days.
When it sends: First email 3 to 6 hours after they leave the page. Second email 2 to 3 days later.
The 2-email browse abandonment flow
Email 1: A Friendly Follow-Up (sends 3 to 6 hours after they leave)
Subject line ideas: “Curious about [Product]?” or “Saw you checking this out for Max”
What to include:
- A photo of the exact product they viewed
- A short summary of why customers love it
- Key features or ingredients
- A direct link to the product
Pet-specific tip: Don’t push hard. The customer is just exploring. Treat them like a guest. A simple “Have any questions about this one?” feels welcoming, not pushy.
Email 2: Similar Products and Inspiration (sends 2 to 3 days later)
Subject line ideas: “Other options Max might love” or “If you liked [Product], you’ll love these”
What to include:
- The original product
- 2 to 3 similar products in the same category
- Quick comparison points (size, flavor, ingredients, price)
- A reason to come back
Pet-specific tip: Customers often need to compare before they decide. Maybe the first product wasn’t quite right for their pet. Showing similar items helps them find the right one without leaving your store.
Flow #4: The Post-Purchase Flow
This flow is where pet brand customer lifetime value really begins.
Most pet brands send a “Thanks for your order” email and stop. That’s a huge missed chance.
The moment right after a customer buys is when they’re most excited about your brand. Use that energy. Get a photo. Get a review. Start setting up the next sale. Open the door to subscription.
What it is: A series of 4 to 5 emails sent over 14 to 30 days after purchase.
When it sends: First email immediately. The rest spread through delivery and post-delivery.
The 5-email post-purchase flow
Email 1: Order Confirmation (sends immediately)
Subject line ideas: “Your order is confirmed!” or “Max’s order is on the way”
What to include:
- A warm thank you
- Order details
- Shipping timeline
- Customer service contact
Pet-specific tip: Don’t make this cold. Add a “from the team” note. Or a photo of the team’s pets. Small touches build the bond.
Email 2: Shipping Update and How to Use (sends 1 to 2 days later)
Subject line ideas: “Your order is on its way” or “How to introduce [Product] to your pet”
What to include:
- Tracking info
- Expected delivery date
- How to introduce or use the product safely
- A helpful tip relevant to the purchase
Pet-specific tip: For food, share how to transition from old food slowly (over 7 to 10 days). For supplements, share when and how to give them. This shows you care about the pet, not just the sale.
Email 3: Check-In After Delivery (sends 5 to 7 days after delivery)
Subject line ideas: “How’s Max enjoying his new food?” or “Settling in well?”
What to include:
- A genuine check-in
- A photo request (“Share Max’s photo with us!”)
- An invitation to social media (tag your brand)
Pet-specific tip: This email is gold for user-generated content. Pet parents love sharing photos of their pets. Ask, and you’ll get a flood of content you can use in future emails and social posts.
Email 4: Review Request (sends 10 to 14 days after delivery)
Subject line ideas: “Mind sharing your thoughts?” or “How would you rate Max’s new chews?”
What to include:
- A direct link to leave a review
- A small thank-you incentive (10% off next order, or a free sample)
- A note about how reviews help other pet parents
Pet-specific tip: Pet reviews are the most trusted form of social proof. Make leaving one as easy as possible. One click. One photo. Done.
Email 5: Set Up the Next Order (sends 14 to 21 days after delivery)
Subject line ideas: “Subscribe and save 15%” or “Make Max’s next order automatic”
What to include:
- A clear subscribe-and-save offer
- A simple explanation of how it works
- The savings on each order
- The flexibility (skip, swap, cancel anytime)
- A direct link to set up subscription
Pet-specific tip: This is the email that transforms one-time buyers into long-term subscribers. Many pet brands skip it. Don’t. A 10% to 15% subscribe-and-save offer is the easiest yes you’ll ever get from a happy customer.
Flow #5: The Replenishment Flow
This is the most important flow for any pet brand. Period.
If you only build one flow really well, build this one. Done right, it can add 25% to 30% of total email revenue all by itself.
Let me explain why.
Why the replenishment flow is so powerful for pet brands
Pet customers buy on a cycle. Dog food typically lasts 30 days. Cat litter, 30 days. Treats, 60 days. Supplements, 30 days.
Your customer doesn’t choose whether to reorder. They have to. Their pet needs food, or litter, or medicine.
The only question is: who do they reorder from?
If you don’t email them right before they run out, they go to Chewy, Amazon, or whatever brand they see first. Once they switch, they often stay switched.
If you email them at the right moment, they reorder from you. Easy.
This is why the replenishment flow is the heartbeat of every successful pet email program.
What it is: A series of 3 to 4 emails timed around the customer’s expected runout date.
When it sends: The timing depends on the product. Here’s a general guide:
- Dog or cat food (30-day supply): First email at day 23. Second at day 28. Third at day 35 if no purchase.
- Treats (60-day supply): First email at day 50. Second at day 60. Third at day 70.
- Supplements (30-day supply): First email at day 24. Second at day 30. Third at day 38.
- Litter (30-day supply): First email at day 24. Second at day 30. Third at day 36.
You set this in Klaviyo based on the product’s typical use cycle. If you have varied product sizes (a 5lb bag vs a 25lb bag), you can build different versions of the flow for each.
The 4-email replenishment flow
Email 1: A Heads-Up (sends about 5 to 7 days before predicted runout)
Subject line ideas: “Max might be running low” or “Time to think about restocking?”
What to include:
- A friendly heads-up that they may run out soon
- A reminder of what they bought last
- A one-click reorder link
- A mention of subscribe-and-save (if not already a subscriber)
Pet-specific tip: Use the pet’s name. “Bella’s food might be running low” pulls way better than “Your food might be running low.” It feels like a friend reminding you, not a brand pushing a sale.
Email 2: The Real Reminder (sends on the predicted runout date)
Subject line ideas: “Don’t let Max run out” or “Restock now and keep it simple”
What to include:
- A clear, urgent (but warm) reminder
- The exact product they bought last
- A one-click reorder button
- An optional subscribe-and-save upsell
Pet-specific tip: This is the highest-converting email in the flow. Time it right and customers reorder almost without thinking. It’s exactly what they would have done anyway, but now you helped them.
Email 3: A Subscribe-and-Save Push (sends 5 to 7 days after predicted runout if no purchase)
Subject line ideas: “Skip the reminders, save 15%” or “Make reordering easy”
What to include:
- A friendly note that they may have already bought elsewhere
- A subscribe-and-save offer
- A clear explanation of how subscription works
- The flexibility angle (skip, swap, cancel anytime)
Pet-specific tip: If they ignored emails 1 and 2, the issue isn’t urgency. It’s friction. Maybe they don’t want to reorder manually every month. Subscription solves that. Frame it as “never run out again” instead of “save money.”
Email 4: A Final Check-In (sends 10 to 14 days after predicted runout if still no purchase)
Subject line ideas: “Did Max find something else?” or “We’d love to have you back”
What to include:
- A honest “we noticed you haven’t reordered” message
- A small comeback discount
- An open invitation to share feedback (“Was something not right?”)
Pet-specific tip: At this point, the customer probably bought from someone else. Your job is to win them back without sounding desperate. A friendly check-in with a small incentive works better than a hard sell.
Bottom line: A strong replenishment flow can carry 25% to 30% of your total email revenue. Combine it with subscription, and you have a flywheel that compounds month after month.
Flow #6: The Winback Flow
A past customer who has gone quiet is way easier to bring back than a stranger. They already trust you. They already bought from you. They just stopped coming back.
A winback flow brings them back.
What it is: A series of 3 emails sent to past customers who haven’t bought again in a while.
When it sends: For pet brands, start 60 to 90 days after the last purchase. This is faster than the 6 to 12 months recommended for furniture brands, because pet customers should be buying more often.
The 3-email winback flow
Email 1: A Soft Hello (sends 60 to 90 days after last purchase)
Subject line ideas: “We miss Max!” or “Hi from [Brand]”
What to include:
- A warm “we miss you”
- A photo or memory of what they last bought
- No selling yet
- A link back to your store
Pet-specific tip: Lead with the pet. “We miss Bella!” hits harder than “We miss you.” The customer reads it as their pet missing your brand, which is emotional gold.
Email 2: What’s New (sends 30 days after email 1, if they didn’t engage)
Subject line ideas: “New for Max” or “What other pet parents are loving”
What to include:
- New products since they last shopped
- Best-selling items they may not know about
- Reviews and social proof
Email 3: A Comeback Offer (sends 30 days after email 2)
Subject line ideas: “Come back to [Brand]” or “Here’s something for Bella”
What to include:
- A small comeback discount (10% to 15%)
- An emotional reason (“we’d love to have Max back”)
- A clear deadline
Pet-specific tip: Don’t over-discount. Pet customers came back because they trusted you, not because you offered the deepest sale. A 10% nudge is plenty. Anything bigger feels like begging.
Bonus Flows Worth Adding Later
Once you have the six core flows running well, here are four more flows that lift your numbers even higher.
Subscription Upgrade Flow
Targets one-time buyers and nudges them toward subscription. Sends 30 to 45 days after their second order, when the buying pattern is clear. Focus on “never run out” and “save money,” in that order. This single flow can lift subscription rate by 5% to 10%.
Pet Birthday or Adoption Anniversary Flow
If you collected the pet’s birthday or adoption day at signup, this is gold. Send a “Happy Birthday Max!” email with a small gift or discount. These emails get huge open rates and build real emotional ties. Costs almost nothing. Pays off forever.
Life Stage Transition Flow
For brands that sell age-specific products (puppy food, senior food, kitten formula, senior cat formula). When you know a pet is about to enter a new life stage based on their age, send a helpful flow about transitioning. This positions your brand as an expert and earns the next purchase.
VIP Customer Flow
For your top 10% to 20% of customers. Early access. Exclusive treats. A real “thank you” once or twice a year. These customers drive a huge share of your revenue. Treat them like the gold they are.
These bonus flows aren’t where you start. They’re where you go once the core six are running. But once you add them, your pet email program goes from solid to outstanding.
How to Prioritize: What to Build First
I get this question a lot. “We have nothing. Where do we start?”
Here’s the order I recommend for every pet brand.
Stage 1: Build these first
- Welcome Flow
- Replenishment Flow
- Post-Purchase Flow
For pet brands, the replenishment flow goes earlier than for furniture brands. That’s because replenishment is unique to your category and where the biggest revenue lift hides. If you only build three flows in your first month, build these three.
Stage 2: Add these next
- Abandoned Cart Flow
- Browse Abandonment Flow
These two add another 15% to 20% to your email revenue. Build them after the first three are running smoothly.
Stage 3: Build the winback
- Winback Flow
This rounds out your full system and protects you from losing past customers.
Stage 4: Add the bonus flows
Once everything above is running, layer in the bonus flows. Subscription upgrade. Pet birthday. Life stage. VIP. Each one adds a small but real lift.
Don’t try to build everything at once. Build one at a time. Get it right. Then move to the next.
5 Common Mistakes Pet Brands Make With Flows
Quick gut check. Here are the traps I see most often when I audit pet brand accounts.
- No replenishment flow. This is the single biggest mistake in pet email. If your customers buy on a cycle and you’re not reminding them, you’re losing easy money every month.
- Welcome flow with no pet info capture. Without pet name, species, and breed, every future email feels generic. Capture pet info early or live with weaker results forever.
- No subscribe-and-save push. Pet products are perfect for subscription. If your flows don’t actively push it, you’re missing the easiest retention play in eCommerce.
- Sending the same email to dog owners and cat owners. Even basic segmentation by pet type lifts your open and click rates significantly.
- No flow updates over time. Setting a flow and forgetting it is just as bad as not building one. Review and improve every few months.
If two or more of these sound like your store, you have clear, easy revenue waiting to be collected.
What to Do This Week
I don’t want you to close this post without taking action. Here are three small things you can do this week, even if you change nothing else.
1. List every flow you currently have running.
Open Klaviyo. Make a list. Welcome. Abandoned cart. Browse abandonment. Post-purchase. Replenishment. Winback.
Mark which ones you have. Mark which ones are missing.
Most pet brands find they have two or three and are missing three or four. The replenishment flow is the one most often missing.
2. Check whether you’re collecting pet info at signup.
Open your signup form. Does it ask for pet name? Species? Breed? Birthday?
If not, add at least the pet’s name and species. Even just those two fields make every future email feel more personal.
3. Pick one flow to build or fix this month.
If you have no replenishment flow, build that first. It’s the biggest single revenue opportunity in pet email.
If you have a replenishment flow but it’s weak, rebuild it with the structure in this guide.
If your replenishment flow is solid, look at your post-purchase flow next. That’s where most pet brands have the next biggest gap.
One flow per month. Sustainable pace. Six months later, you’ll have all six core flows running well.
Bringing It All Together
If you remember nothing else from this guide, remember this.
Pet products is one of the best categories in the world for email marketing. Your customers buy on a predictable cycle. They love their pets. They open your emails. They’re loyal once you earn their trust.
Six core flows do the heavy lifting:
- Welcome
- Abandoned cart
- Browse abandonment
- Post-purchase
- Replenishment
- Winback
Built well, these six can carry 50% to 70% of your total email revenue. The replenishment flow alone often makes 25% to 30%.
Most Shopify pet brands have only two or three of these built. Many have them built badly. Which means real, reachable money is sitting on the table for any brand willing to do the work.
If you have the time to build all six yourself, the knowledge in this guide should get you most of the way there.
If you don’t have the time, we’d love to help. At WebVales, this is exactly what we do. We’re Klaviyo specialists for home and lifestyle Shopify brands. We build these flows for pet brands every single day.
Book a free call with our team here.
We’ll look at your current flows, find the biggest gaps, and show you what it would take to lift your email revenue. No pressure. Just a clear picture of where the easy wins are hiding.
Your customers love their pets. Your customers buy from you because they trust you. The right flows turn that love and trust into real, repeat revenue, month after month.
Make 2026 the year your pet email program starts earning what it should.
