How do we win back subscribers who cancelled?
Former users already know the product. Many will return if the timing and reason are right.
- Do win-back emails work?
- When should we send them?
- What offer?
Segment cancelled users by reason and how long they used the product. Contact them when something relevant changes: new features that fix their reason, a seasonal need or a lower price plan. Keep it short with one clear offer. Respect consent: follow CASL in Canada and CAN-SPAM in the US, and stop when asked.
Win-back by reason
| Reason | Message |
|---|---|
| Too expensive | Cheaper plan or offer |
| Missing feature | It's here now |
| Didn't use it | New, faster start |
| Seasonal | Timed to the season |
How we look at it at ShoutEx
We build win-back segments and campaigns from exit data. See win-back for apps.
- Same email to everyone.
- Endless discounts.
- Ignoring consent.
- No exit data.
- Reason segments.
- Timed messages.
- One offer.
- Consent respected.
What founders and platforms say
Here is what founders and regulators say.
Community summaries describe recurring themes in public threads, not individual posts. Vendor pages describe vendor claims, so test them on your own calls.
Read next
Go deeper in the ShoutEx guides, or check the sources behind this answer.
We'll build win-back campaigns.
Book a call →Follow-up questions
How long can we email ex-customers in Canada?
CASL implied consent has time limits. Check them.
Discount or new features?
Match the reason they left.
Push notifications?
Only if they kept the app and allowed it.