# Ecommerce Win-Back Campaigns > Define inactivity from the normal buying cycle and stop win-back messages when relevance or permission ends. The inactivity definition, and the delay before the campaign begins, should be set before building the flow. - Type: Merchant guide - Level: Intermediate - Reading time: About 6 minutes - Audience: Written for store owners, builders, and designers refining high-performance ecommerce stores. - Last updated: 2026-11-04 - Canonical page: https://academy.getzenbasket.com/merchant-questions/ecommerce-win-back-campaigns/ - Part of: [Merchant Questions](https://academy.getzenbasket.com/merchant-questions/) on ZenBasket Academy --- ## What you need to know ### What is a win-back campaign? A win-back campaign is a limited sequence for previously active customers who have passed a defined inactivity threshold. ### When is a customer considered inactive? A customer is inactive after passing the normal repurchase window for the relevant product or segment without another qualifying purchase. Define the event and delay before building the campaign. ### How do I identify customers at risk of leaving? Look for customers whose recent gap is longer than their own normal pattern or the pattern of a comparable cohort. Combine recency with prior frequency, product cycle and service history. ### When should a win-back campaign begin? Begin after the expected repurchase period, not immediately after an arbitrary number of days. The first message should acknowledge likely customer needs rather than declare every quiet customer lost. ### Should win-back campaigns include discounts? A discount is optional and should follow a test of relevance, service and product reminders. Use it only when the incremental contribution is likely to cover the cost and avoid training customers to wait for offers. ### How many win-back messages should be sent? Use a short, purposeful sequence and stop when additional messages no longer improve incremental results. There is no universal count; test a small number with spacing appropriate to the buying cycle. ### When should merchants stop trying to win a customer back? Stop after purchase, opt-out, the sequence limit or sustained non-response. Continuing indefinitely wastes contact capacity and can damage trust. ### A quick store check Build inactivity windows by product and cohort, then test purchase, unsubscribe and no-engagement exits. --- ## Frequently asked questions ### Can a customer enter win-back more than once? Yes, if a new period of genuine activity and later inactivity begins, but repeated entries should be limited and measured for fatigue. ### Should inactive customers be removed from all marketing? Not automatically. Follow permissions, engagement and suppression rules, but stop campaigns that remain irrelevant or unproductive. --- ## Related learning path - **Ecommerce Reviews and User-Generated Content** - **Email, SMS and Multi-Channel Retention** - [ZenBasket Build Guide](https://help.getzenbasket.com/zenbasket-builder/)