13 Segmentation Strategies You’ll Wish You Used Sooner

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Hello, and welcome back to another edition of eCommerce Alchemy - your one-stop destination for everything related to ecommerce growth.

60% of consumers say irrelevant emails are the #1 reason they unsubscribe. And with Gmail's new one-click unsubscribe? They don’t even hesitate.

But here’s the good news: brands that segment their audience can increase revenue by 760%.

In this issue, we’re diving into 13 segmentation strategies (with real-life brand examples) that will help you target the right people, at the right time—with the right message.

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13 creative email segmentation strategies and ideas, with examples

1. Customer Engagement

Not all subscribers are equally active. Focusing your efforts on the ones who regularly open and click through your emails can massively boost performance—and protect deliverability.

Case Study:
Huda Beauty segmented their email list to only send regular campaigns to subscribers active in the past 120 days. This improved their deliverability and doubled their Klaviyo-attributed revenue year-over-year.

Try this:

• Identify “engaged” users—e.g., those who clicked in the past 90–120 days

• Prioritize engaged segments for regular sends

• Limit full-list blasts to big announcements or sales

2. New Subscribers

First impressions matter. When someone joins your list, they’re expressing interest—so don’t leave them hanging.

Example:
Furniture brand Keeps uses its welcome email to introduce its products, tell its brand story, share a review, and offer a free shipping code.

Tips for segmenting newcomers:

• Create a multi-step welcome series

• Include your origin story, top product picks, and reviews

• Offer a small incentive (e.g., free shipping or 10% off)

3. Purchase History

Knowing what your customers bought before helps you recommend what they should buy next.

Example:
After a customer’s first olive oil purchase, Graza follows up with a refill reminder, using timing and product knowledge to encourage a repeat purchase.

Ways to segment by purchase history:

• Recent buyers: send setup guides or complementary product suggestions

• Repeat customers: promote bundles or loyalty programs

• First-time buyers: send welcome content and reorder reminders

4. Customer Reviews

People who leave reviews are highly engaged. Use their feedback to start meaningful conversations—and encourage more reviews.

Example:
Compass Coffee used conditional logic in Klaviyo to offer a 15% discount only to those who left a photo review. Their strategy increased photo submissions by 3.7x.

Tactics to try:

• Segment reviewers by review type (with/without photo)

• Offer thank-you notes or incentives for future reviews

• Follow up with negative reviewers to regain trust

5. Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)

CLV measures how much a customer has spent with you over time. Segmenting by CLV allows you to treat top spenders like VIPs—and re-engage high-potential but inactive customers.

Example:
Chamberlain Coffee surprised customers with a full refund offer for orders placed that day—a fun way to reward big spenders and prompt quick action.

Segment ideas based on CLV:

• VIPs: early access to new products

• Frequent buyers: bonus points or free gifts

• Dormant high spenders: exclusive discounts to win them back

6. Purchase Amounts

If you can’t calculate CLV yet, start by segmenting based on average order value.

What you can do:

• Low spenders: show value bundles or cross-sells

• Mid-range spenders: highlight premium upgrades or accessories

• High spenders: invite to VIP tiers or premium collections

7. Acquisition Source

Where someone joined your list says a lot about what they’re looking for.

Example:
Marine Layer sends one welcome flow to in-store subscribers and another to online ones. Each flow is designed around where the customer was in their journey.

Segmentation ideas:

• Social subscribers → highlight bestsellers or influencer collabs

• Referral subscribers → encourage first-time purchases

• Website pop-ups → deliver a strong introductory offer

8. Last Viewed Products

Not everyone adds to cart. But just browsing signals interest—and is a golden opportunity to re-engage.

Example:
Taylor Stitch sends category-specific emails to users who browsed their top products, like men’s shirts, but didn’t convert.

What you can do:

• Set up browse abandonment flows by product category

• Feature user reviews and lifestyle photos

• Add urgency with low-stock or limited-edition alerts

9. Abandoned Cart Value

Segmenting abandoned cart flows by value lets you get smarter about incentives.

Example:
Pulp & Press offers 30% off—but only if the cart is worth over $100. It’s a simple way to improve margins without reducing impact.

Abandoned cart segmentation tips:

• High-value carts: offer discounts or free shipping

• Mid-range: use urgency (“Your cart is expiring!”)

• Low-value: follow up without a discount

10. Birthdays

Birthday emails often drive high engagement. It’s a great moment to surprise, delight, and reward.

What to send:

• Personalized discount code

• Free gift with purchase

• Email reminder ahead of the birthday to plan their purchase

11. Loyalty Program Status

If you have a loyalty program, segmenting by tier adds excitement—and encourages progression.

Example:
Native rewards users with quirky titles (like “Cucumber Connoisseur”) and gives early access to sales or extra rewards for completing actions.

Ideas:

• Announce when customers level up

• Promote tier-specific benefits

• Create gamified goals to reach the next level

12. Location

Relevance is key when you’re selling to different cities, states, or even countries. Weather, seasons, and store openings vary—and your emails should too.

Try this:

• Use region-specific promos or seasonal campaigns

• Promote local store events or pop-ups

• Customize delivery messaging by region

13. Customer Preferences

Let your customers tell you what they want.

Example:
Andie Swim uses a quiz to gather style, size, and fit preferences, then tailors emails accordingly—generating over $70K in added revenue in just 8 months.

Tactics to implement:

• Use quizzes or surveys to gather insights

• Segment by style, category interest, or fit

• Use dynamic content blocks to customize email sections

Know Your Audience, Grow Your Business

Email segmentation isn’t just about improving open rates—it’s about building trust, loyalty, and lifetime value. It turns your list from a blunt tool into a finely tuned marketing machine. So the next time you're tempted to send one email to everyone? Don’t.

Instead, segment smarter. Send better. Watch your email results transform.