How to Reactivate Inactive Customers with Marketing | MBE
15/08/2026

How to Reactivate Customers with Marketing Activities

Every company has a percentage of inactive customers in its database: users who previously registered on the website to receive information or purchase a product but, despite remaining subscribed to the mailing list, have stopped showing interest in the brand’s communications or products. We explain how to re-engage inactive users in your database.

This is a growing phenomenon that online stores especially try to curb or reduce through targeted customer loyalty and customer reactivation actions. Inactive users may be the result of a policy that is insensitive to customer satisfaction or standardized communication that pays insufficient attention to the characteristics of different segments: learning how to reactivate inactive customers and executing marketing strategies to wake up an inactive customer represent, therefore, a necessary activity, as well as an investment that can be extremely beneficial for companies. Let's see how and why.

Analyzing user behavior is essential for structuring targeted marketing campaigns.

An already acquired customer is 3 times more likely to buy again.

What to do to reactivate inactive customers

While acquiring new customers is a constant activity for online stores and a major investment in terms of time, ideas, and resources, learning how to reactivate a customer who is already in our database but has become a dormant customer is equally challenging. However, it is certainly less expensive and potentially more profitable: according to industry reports published on HubSpot the likelihood of receiving a purchase from users who have already bought from an e-commerce site or visited a website —who therefore already know the brand and its offer— is usually three times higher than that of a new user. To understand what an inactive customer is and learn the step-by-step strategy to win them back, here are the main suggestions:

  • Analyze the database in detail: Not everyone reacts the same way to a brand's communications. An analysis of user behavior and subsequent segmentation of inactive customers into homogeneous groups is essential for structuring email marketing to recover customers campaigns. Precise data is needed regarding when they last opened an email, whether they interacted with content (clicks on links or CTAs), and when they last purchased or visited the site.
  • Set a timeframe for tracking results: Evaluate hiring professionals to carefully plan an email for inactive customers strategy, along with offline activities such as sending customized gifts. Setting a frequency within a defined timeframe allows for analyzing results and measuring open and click-through rates.
  • Re-engage interest in products and services through dedicated activities: Online consumers expect exclusive perks such as discounts, bundles, coupons, gifts, or loyalty programs. The key to reactivating customers is responding to their specific interests and making them feel valued through tailored marketing solutions.
  • Carefully prepare the approach message: Drafting a re-engagement email for inactive clients or sending a personalized message for inactive customers with their name, birthday, or anniversary helps grab attention. A receptive initial approach, such as a satisfaction survey or an exclusive discount code to return to the store, is more effective than a purely commercial pitch.
  • Reactivate consumers after holiday periods: After summer vacations, users change their daily routines. Sending welcome-back emails or post-holiday promotions combined with email marketing campaigns is an excellent way to empathize with users and seamlessly guide them back to their purchasing habits.

Comparison table: Step-by-step customer reactivation strategy

Reactivation Phase Email Marketing and Loyalty Strategy
Inactive Customer Identification Database segmentation based on last purchase date or email interaction.
Approach Message Sending a personalized email for inactive customers with satisfaction surveys or welcome gifts.
Offer and Re-engagement Dedicated promotions and multichannel campaign integration using e-commerce solutions.

Planning marketing activities to win back customers is an important operation that requires consistent planning and can deliver significant advantages in terms of time and resources. Professional advice can help structure a comprehensive communication plan tailored to company goals. Mail Boxes Etc. offers flexible digital solutions and web marketing tools that adapt to your business needs, allowing you to reach your customers directly and effectively. Contact us to find the best solution.

REQUEST ADVICE TO REACTIVATE CUSTOMERS

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Frequently Asked Questions
An inactive or dormant customer is a user who previously purchased or interacted with a brand but has not made a purchase or opened an email for an extended period (typically between 3 and 6 months, depending on the business sales cycle).
Reactivating an existing customer is up to 5 times less expensive than acquiring a new one. Inactive customers already know the brand and its shipping experience, making them up to 3 times more likely to convert when targeted with a re-engagement strategy.
An email for inactive customers should be empathetic, highly personalized, and non-aggressive. It is best to address the customer by name, offer a clear reason for reaching out (such as a satisfaction survey or birthday greeting), and include an exclusive perk like a discount code or free shipping.
Mail Boxes Etc. (MBE) proporciona soluciones integrales que abarcan desde herramientas de marketing digital y email marketing hasta el envío de merchandising y regalos promocionales personalizados (marketing offline) y la automatización logística de pedidos para mejorar la experiencia del cliente.
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