E-commerce and subscription · Klaviyo · Post-purchase

How do I set up a post-purchase email flow in Klaviyo for a small Australian online store?

By BREME · Updated 19 October 2026

Who this is for: Owners and marketers of small Australian online stores on Shopify or a similar platform, already connected to Klaviyo, who want repeat orders rather than one-off sales.

Why the post-purchase flow matters most

Most stores pour their effort into the welcome series and abandoned cart, because those recover sales that have not happened yet. The post-purchase flow looks after the customer who has already said yes. Between the order confirmation and the parcel arriving, many brands go quiet, and the only messages the customer sees come from the courier.

That quiet stretch is when a first order either becomes a habit or stays a one-off. A good post-purchase flow fills it with a few useful messages in your own voice.

Placed Order or Fulfilled Order?

Klaviyo can start a flow when an order is placed or when it is fulfilled. Placed Order fires at checkout, so it suits the first thank-you and what-happens-next email. Fulfilled Order fires when the item ships, which is closer to delivery, so Klaviyo's own review and cross-sell flows use it.

For a small store, the simplest setup is one flow on Placed Order for the first email, and a second flow on Fulfilled Order for the shipping and follow-up emails.

Building it step by step

1. In Klaviyo, create a new flow from scratch and choose Placed Order as the trigger.
2. Add a conditional split on whether the customer has placed an order before. Send first-time buyers a fuller introduction to the brand, and send repeat customers a shorter thank-you.
3. Add the what-happens-next email with no delay. Say when the order will be dispatched, how they will hear about it and who to contact.
4. Create a second flow triggered by Fulfilled Order. Add the it's-on-its-way email straight away, with one tip for getting the most out of the product.
5. Add a time delay of about 14 to 21 days, adjusted for how long delivery usually takes, then the how's-it-going email. Ask for a review, or for products that run out, offer an easy reorder.
6. Add a flow filter so anyone who has placed another order since the trigger skips the reorder email.
7. Preview every email on your phone, send tests to yourself, then switch both flows to live.

What to measure

Watch placed order rate and revenue per recipient for the how's-it-going email. Open rates are a weak signal on their own. If people reply to the first email with questions, that is useful: it tells you what your order confirmation is not explaining.

Hi [first name],

Thank you for your order. It means a lot to a small team like ours.

Here's what happens next: we pack orders within [dispatch time], and you'll get tracking from us as soon as it's on its way. If anything needs changing, just reply to this email and a real person will sort it.

[Name], [Brand]

Hi [first name],

Good news, your order has left us. You can track it here: [tracking link].

While you wait, one tip: [a genuinely useful tip for the product].

[Name], [Brand]

Hi [first name],

You've had your [product] for a little while now, so I wanted to ask how you're finding it.

If you love it, a quick review helps other people decide: [review link].

If something's not right, just reply and tell me. I'd rather fix it than have you put up with it.

[Name], [Brand]