How to Bring Back Inactive Shopify Customers With Loyalty Rewards

Quick Answer

Yes, loyalty rewards can be used specifically to re-engage customers who have not purchased in a while. Keystone Loyalty Rewards can highlight an existing point balance or offer a targeted incentive to inactive accounts. The setup involves identifying dormant customers, reminding them of their point balance, and offering a reason to return. This approach often costs less than acquiring a new customer.

Introduction

This guide is for merchants with a segment of customers who have not purchased in months but still hold an account and often a point balance. That existing relationship is worth trying to revive before writing off the customer.

You will learn how to identify inactive customers, use their existing point balance as a hook, and offer a targeted incentive that gives them a reason to return. This kind of outreach tends to feel more personal than a generic discount email sent to everyone.

What Is a Win-Back Loyalty Campaign?

A win-back loyalty campaign targets customers who have not purchased in a defined period, using their existing point balance or a special offer to encourage a return visit. It works differently from a general marketing email because it references something the customer already owns.

Who Needs a Win-Back Loyalty Campaign?

Win-back campaigns are useful for any store with a meaningful segment of inactive loyalty accounts.

• DTC brands with a growing base of dormant customer accounts
• Subscription businesses managing customers who paused or canceled
• Beauty and cosmetics brands with seasonal buying patterns
• Fashion and apparel stores with customers who have not returned recently
• Stores looking for a lower-cost alternative to new customer acquisition

Why a Win-Back Loyalty Campaign Matters for Your Business

Re-engaging existing customers is often more efficient than acquiring new ones, and loyalty points give a natural hook.

• Costs less than acquiring a brand new customer
• Uses an existing relationship and point balance as a starting point
• Reduces the number of dormant accounts sitting unused
• Gives inactive customers a specific, timely reason to return
• Supports overall customer lifetime value by extending active relationships

How to Set Up a Win-Back Loyalty Campaign on Shopify

Step 1: Define Your Loyalty Goal

Define what counts as an inactive customer for your store, such as no purchase in six months. This threshold will determine who receives the win-back campaign. Base the threshold on your typical repurchase cycle rather than picking an arbitrary number.

Step 2: Install and Configure Keystone Loyalty Rewards

Install the Keystone loyalty app from the Shopify App Store and review inactive accounts and their point balances. Keystone tracks point balances that can be highlighted in outreach.

Step 3: Create Earning Rules and Rewards

Decide on the specific incentive for the win-back campaign, such as a reminder of their existing points or a bonus point offer for returning within a set period. Even a modest bonus can be enough when paired with a reminder of points the customer already has.

Step 4: Add the Loyalty Experience to Your Store

Send a targeted email or message to inactive customers highlighting their point balance and the win-back offer. Make it easy for them to see exactly what they have waiting. A direct link straight to their account balance removes any extra steps standing between them and a purchase.

Step 5: Test the Program

Test the win-back messaging with a small segment first to confirm the point balance displays accurately and the offer applies correctly if the customer returns.

Step 6: Go Live

Before sending broadly, review the inactive customer list one more time and confirm the offer and messaging feel appropriate for a segment that has not purchased in a while.

Win-Back Loyalty Campaign Examples

Industry: Beauty brand
Problem: A large segment of customers had not purchased in over six months, with unused points sitting in their accounts.
Setup: The brand sent a targeted email reminding these customers of their point balance with a small bonus for returning.
Result: A portion of inactive customers returned to make a purchase and use their existing points.

Industry: Subscription business
Problem: Canceled subscribers had no further contact from the brand after their subscription ended.
Setup: The business sent a win-back offer highlighting remaining loyalty points to former subscribers.
Result: Some former subscribers returned to redeem their points and consider resubscribing.

Read more case studies for our apps to see how other stores run win-back campaigns.

Best Practices

A few practices help win-back campaigns actually bring inactive customers back.

• Clearly define what counts as an inactive customer for your store
• Highlight the existing point balance as a specific reason to return
• Test messaging with a small segment before sending broadly
• Keep the win-back offer simple and easy to understand
• Track how many inactive customers return after the campaign
• Avoid sending win-back campaigns too frequently to the same segment

Summary

Using loyalty rewards to re-engage inactive customers gives them a specific, timely reason to return rather than a generic marketing message. The setup involves identifying dormant accounts, highlighting their point balance, and testing the offer. This approach can recover value from customers who might otherwise be lost for good.

If you want to re-engage customers who have gone quiet, Keystone makes it possible to highlight existing point balances as part of a win-back campaign.