Refill Reminder Campaigns: Automate Repeat Purchases for Consumable Products

Refill reminder campaigns are the most natural, highest-margin email automation you can run for consumable products. If you sell skincare, supplements, coffee, pet food, or anything customers use up and need to replace, a well-timed refill email can drive repeat purchases without a single discount. We've built refill automations for beauty and personal care brands across Malaysia and Singapore, and they consistently deliver the best revenue-to-cost ratio of any email flow — because you're not convincing someone to buy something new. You're reminding them to buy something they already love.

Most eCommerce stores leave this entirely to chance: hoping the customer remembers to come back when they run out. Hope isn't a strategy. Here's how to build a refill campaign that runs on autopilot.

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Why Are Refill Campaigns So Effective?

Refill reminders work because they solve a real problem for the customer — not just for you.

Quick Answer: How well do refill reminder campaigns convert?

Refill reminders convert at 5-10% — that is 5-10x higher than standard promotional emails. They achieve 40-50% open rates and 10-15% click-through rates, and they rarely require discounts because you are reminding customers to buy something they already love. Send reminders 7-10 days before estimated product depletion. According to Klaviyo's eCommerce benchmarks, replenishment emails see:

Metric	Regular Promo Email	Refill Reminder
Open rate	15-20%	40-50%
Click-through rate	2-3%	10-15%
Conversion rate	0.5-1%	5-10%
Need for discounts	Usually yes	Rarely

The conversion rate is 5-10x higher than standard promotional emails because the timing is right, the product is right, and the customer already trusts it. They were going to buy it anyway — you just made it easier.

And the best part: refill campaigns rarely require discounts. You're reminding customers to buy something they actively want. This makes refill flows one of the most margin-friendly automations in your entire email stack.

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How Do You Build a Refill Campaign?

Step 1: Map Your Product Consumption Cycles

Before you can remind customers to refill, you need to know when they'll run out. For each product (or product category), estimate the average consumption cycle:

Product Type	Typical Consumption Cycle	Send Reminder At
Face serum (30ml)	45-60 days	Day 35-40
Moisturiser (50ml)	60-75 days	Day 50
Shampoo (250ml)	60-90 days	Day 50-60
Supplements (30-day supply)	25-30 days	Day 20-22
Coffee (250g bag)	14-21 days	Day 10-12
Pet food (5kg bag)	28-35 days	Day 20-25

Key principle: Send the reminder 7-10 days before you estimate they'll run out. This gives them time to order and receive the product before the current one is finished. Nothing frustrates customers more than running out and waiting for delivery.

How to determine your cycle accurately:

1. Check your repeat purchase data: In Shopify, look at the average days between orders for each product
2. Product usage math: A 30ml serum used twice daily (0.5ml per application) lasts roughly 30 days
3. Customer surveys: Ask 20-30 repeat customers when they typically reorder

Step 2: Build the Email Sequence

A refill campaign typically uses 2-3 emails:

Email 1: The Friendly Reminder (7-10 days before estimated empty)

• Subject line: "Running low on [Product Name]? We've got you"
• Content: Acknowledge they bought [Product] on [Date]. Based on typical usage, they might be running low. One-click reorder link
• CTA: "Reorder now" with a direct link to the product page (pre-populate cart if your platform supports it)

Email 2: The Gentle Nudge (3-5 days before estimated empty)

• Subject line: "Don't run out of your [Product Name]"
• Content: Shorter, more urgent. "Your [Product] is likely almost finished. Order today to avoid a gap"
• CTA: "Quick reorder"

Email 3: Last Reminder (on estimated empty date)

• Subject line: "Time to restock"
• Content: "Based on your last order, today's the day. Keep your routine going"
• Optional: Include a related product suggestion ("Pair your serum with our new moisturiser")
• CTA: "Reorder now"

Step 3: Set Up the Automation

In Klaviyo:

1. Create a new Flow → Trigger: "Placed Order"
2. Add a conditional split: Only continue if the product purchased is in your refill-eligible product list
3. Add a time delay based on the product's consumption cycle (e.g., 40 days for a 50-day product)
4. Add Email 1
5. Add a conditional split: Did they place a new order? → Yes: Exit flow | No: Continue
6. Time delay: 5 days → Email 2
7. Same conditional split → Time delay: 5 days → Email 3

The conditional split checking for new orders is critical. If the customer already reordered, stop emailing them about it. Nothing kills engagement faster than reminding someone to buy something they bought yesterday.

Step 4: Optimise Product-Specific Content

Generic "time to reorder" emails work, but product-specific content converts significantly better. For each product, include:

• The product image (so they instantly recognise what you're talking about)
• A quick benefit reminder ("Keep your skin hydrated — your Hyaluronic Acid serum keeps the moisture locked in")
• Social proof ("Rated 4.8/5 by 230 customers")
• One-click reorder link (reduce friction to absolute minimum)

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What Advanced Refill Strategies Should You Use?

Dynamic Consumption Estimation

Instead of using fixed cycle times, calculate each customer's actual reorder frequency. If Customer A reorders face serum every 35 days and Customer B every 55 days, send their refill reminders accordingly.

In Klaviyo, you can do this with custom properties: store "last purchase date" and "average days between orders" for each product, then trigger based on the individual's pattern rather than the product average.

Subscription Upsell

The refill reminder is the perfect moment to offer a subscription option. After someone has reordered the same product 2-3 times manually, present the subscription:

"Love your [Product Name]? Subscribe and save 10% — we'll deliver it automatically every [X] days so you never run out."

According to Recharge, subscriptions increase customer lifetime value by 200-300% because they lock in recurring revenue and reduce churn to near-zero.

Cross-Sell Within the Refill

Once a customer has committed to reordering, they're in a buying mindset. This is the ideal moment to suggest a complementary product:

• "Reordering your Vitamin C serum? Pair it with our new SPF moisturiser for complete protection"
• "Customers who love this serum also add our eye cream — 85% say it's their favourite pairing"

Keep the cross-sell subtle — the refill is the primary goal. The cross-sell is a bonus, not the focus.

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How Do You Measure Refill Campaign Success?

Metric	Target	Notes
Open rate	40%+	Subject line matters — be specific about the product
Click-through rate	10%+	One-click reorder links boost this significantly
Conversion rate	5%+	Should be your highest-converting automated flow
Revenue per recipient	RM8+	Varies by AOV
Opt-out rate	Below 0.3%	If higher, your timing estimates are off

If your conversion rate is below 3%, check two things:

1. Is the timing right? If you're sending too early, customers ignore it. Too late, they've already bought elsewhere or gone without. Adjust your consumption cycle estimates based on actual reorder data.

2. Is the product link direct? Every additional click between "I want to reorder" and "Order placed" loses customers. Ideally, the email links directly to the product page with the item already in their cart.

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Bottom Line

Refill campaigns are the highest-margin, lowest-effort automated email you can run for consumable products. Map your product consumption cycles, send reminders 7-10 days before the estimated empty date, and use a 2-3 email sequence with order-checking conditional splits. No discounts needed — you're solving a real problem for customers who already love your product. Start with your top-selling consumable and expand from there.

Not sure where your store stands? Get a free ecommerce scorecard — we'll audit your store and show you exactly what to fix first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do refill campaigns need discounts to work?

No — and that's what makes them so profitable. Customers are already planning to buy the product again. You're simply making it convenient by reminding them at the right time. Save discounts for reactivation campaigns where you're trying to bring back dormant customers.

How do I know my consumption cycle estimates are accurate?

Check your Shopify or WooCommerce data for average days between repeat purchases of the same product. If you don't have enough repeat data yet, estimate based on product size and usage instructions, then refine as you collect more reorder data.

Can I use refill campaigns for non-consumable products?

Sort of. For durable goods, you can adapt the concept into a "maintenance reminder" or "upgrade reminder." For example, a shoe brand might send a "time for new insoles" email at 6 months, or a tech brand might suggest accessories 30 days after the initial purchase.

What's the best tool for refill campaigns?

Klaviyo is the gold standard for Shopify stores — its flow builder makes conditional splits and product-specific triggers straightforward. For WooCommerce, AutomateWoo or Mailchimp's automation features work well.

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Keep reading:

• Celebrate Your Customers' Anniversary
• Recommend the Right Products to Your Customers
• Bring Back Your Lost Customers
• New Customers vs Repeat Customers