Klaviyo abandonment flow types should be built with intent in mind

Shawfire Media breaks down how to tailor your Klaviyo flows by customer intent — from curious visitors to ready-to-buy shoppers. Discover six key abandonment flow types, best practices, and pro tips to recover more sales without over-emailing.

Each Klaviyo abandonment flow is a layer in your funnel. The top holds visitors just getting familiar with your site. The bottom holds buyers who nearly completed a purchase. Different flows are built for different levels of intent.

Treating all abandonment the same wastes opportunity. It either comes off too strong for casual visitors or too weak for high-intent shoppers. Below is a breakdown of all the main flow types and how to use each effectively.

Site abandonment

Visitors in this category land on your homepage or blog, then leave. They’re often anonymous, so if you haven’t collected their email through a pop-up or quiz, you won’t be able to reach them with flows.

If you do have their email – whether from a quiz, lead magnet, or prior engagement – they can enter a site abandonment flow. These flows should be light and educational, focused on introducing the brand and building familiarity.

Key recommendations:

Capture emails with signup forms that offer value (discount, free resource, quiz).
Avoid hard selling this early in the relationship.
Show what your brand stands for and what types of products you offer.

Search abandonment

Search abandonment happens when a visitor uses your site’s search bar to look for a specific keyword, like “collagen powder” or “leather boots”, but doesn’t click through or convert.

This is high-intent behavior. They came with something in mind, and if they leave, it usually means they didn’t find what they expected.

Key recommendations:

Trigger flows based on the exact keyword searched (or keyword category).
Follow up with curated results, product bundles, or top-selling items related to the term.
Use personalized subject lines like “Still looking for collagen powder?” or “Our most-reviewed leather boots.”
For stores with large catalogs, use dynamic blocks to auto-populate relevant products

Collection abandonment

Collection abandonment sits just below search abandonment in the funnel. These are users who browse a specific category or collection page, like “Best Sellers,” “New In,” or “Men’s Footwear”, but don’t click through to individual products.

This behavior shows a focused interest, often with the intent to explore options or compare.

Key recommendations:

Send 1-2 emails showing popular items from that collection.
Use dynamic blocks or curated suggestions based on that category.
Include social proof (e.g., “4,000+ bought this week”) and customer reviews to drive clicks.

Use case:
If someone browses your “Skincare for Men” collection, follow up with 3-4 top-reviewed items from that collection, plus a short brand story or routine suggestion.

Browse abandonment

This flow activates when a visitor views a product or collection page but doesn’t add anything to the cart. These visitors are interested but may need more context before they commit.

Key recommendations:

These people might be checking you out versus a competitor, so make your USPs clear.
Include the product(s) viewed, along with social proof, FAQs, or guarantees.
Keep Smart Sending ON to avoid overwhelming people at this early stage.

Example strategy:
A home goods brand might follow up with styling tips or “How to choose the right size” content for the product they viewed.

Cart abandonment

Cart abandoners are closer to purchasing. They’ve selected a product but paused before checkout. This group often converts well when reminded within the right window.

Key recommendations:

Send 2 – 3 emails spaced out over 1 – 3 days.
Include the cart contents with a reminder, but don’t open with discounts right away.
Add supporting content: shipping timelines, return policy, and payment options.
Consider A/B testing emails with and without discounts, depending on your AOV.

Checkout abandonment

Checkout abandonment is the most important Klaviyo abandonment flow type. These visitors entered contact and shipping details but didn’t complete the purchase. They’ve already decided to buy and simply didn’t finish.

Key recommendations:

Turn off Smart Sending so these emails send immediately.
First email should arrive within 30 – 60 minutes.
Emphasize clarity: order summary, delivery ETA, and contact support option.
Exclude users currently going through a welcome series to avoid overlap.

Example:
One Shawfire client saw a 12% lift in completed orders after splitting checkout flow messaging by first-time vs returning customers.

Common mistakes to avoid across abandonment flows

Failing to capture emails early with forms or pop-ups.
Use the same email tone across all funnel stages.
Overlapping abandonment flows with welcome series or campaigns.
Leaving Smart Sending ON for critical flows like checkout and cart.
Relying solely on discounts when clarity and timing work better.

Key Takeaways for Klaviyo Abandonment Flow Types

Site abandonment flows should be low-pressure and educational.
Search and browse abandonment flows work best when personalized to product categories.
Cart and checkout flows require urgency, clarity, and correct Smart Sending settings.
Email capture forms are essential for abandonment flow performance.
Overlapping campaigns and flows create confusion and lower conversion.

Mastering your abandonment flows isn’t just about recovery—it’s about strategy. With Shawfire Media, you can craft seamless, high-converting flows that educate, engage, and drive customers back with precision.

Need professional help building your flows?

If you want done-for-you abandonment flows that match customer intent, reflect your brand, and recover sales without over-emailing

Book a free strategy call with Shawfire Media