WooCommerce Follow-Up Emails: How to Set Them Up and Recover More Sales

WooCommerce follow-up emails work a lot like the little things a good coffee roaster does to bring you back.

Say you buy a pour-over kit from your local roaster. The next time you walk in, the barista asks how it's going, points out the grind setting most people get wrong, and recommends a fresh bag that works well with your setup.

You weren't planning to buy more coffee, but you leave with another $18 bag anyway.

Without that conversation, the roaster makes $45. With it, they make $63 before your first bag even runs out.

Keep that customer coming back for beans every month, and that same relationship can be worth $261 over a year.

Your WooCommerce store can have that same conversation with every customer. It just needs a little help.

WooCommerce handles the basics out of the box. It sends order emails for confirmation, receipts, and completion, but those are transactional updates, not follow-ups designed to bring customers back.

And since WooCommerce retired its official Follow-Ups extension, stores need another way to build these post-purchase conversations.

That's where WooCommerce follow-up emails come in.

You can check in after delivery, recommend a related product, ask for a review, remind customers to reorder, or bring them back with a timely offer.

In this guide, we'll look at seven follow-up emails worth automating and when to send each one.

Then we'll build one step by step using a WordPress plugin, show you a code-based option if you'd rather skip the plugin, and compare some of the best free and paid tools available.

What Are WooCommerce Follow-Up Emails?

Follow-up emails are messages your store sends automatically after a customer does something, or stops doing something.

A completed order can trigger one. So can a failed payment, an abandoned cart, or 90 days without a purchase.

That makes them different from transactional emails. A transactional email tells the customer what just happened with their order.

A follow-up email comes later, usually days or weeks after the original event, and gives the customer one clear next step.

These automated follow-ups can make a surprisingly big difference.

SaaSGoodies found that automated emails accounted for just 2% of email sends but generated 30% of email revenue.

Each automated email earned $2.87 on average, compared with $0.18 for a scheduled campaign.

The timing is a big part of why they work.

A follow-up lands because the customer just did something, or because enough time has passed for a specific reason. It feels more relevant than sending the same sales email to everyone on your list.

What Happened to the WooCommerce Follow-Ups Extension?

Follow-Ups was WooCommerce’s official extension for sending automated customer emails. WooCommerce has since retired it, and it's no longer available for purchase.

Existing subscribers can still get support, and WooCommerce has kept the documentation online for troubleshooting.

If you're looking for a replacement, WooCommerce points users toward AutomateWoo and provides a migration guide.

But there are also free and lower-cost smarter alternatives, which we'll compare further down.

Method 1: Send an Email After a WooCommerce Order Is Completed (No Code)

Every follow-up email we covered above comes down to three things, i.e., a trigger, a delay, and the email itself.

FunnelKit Automations lets you build all three inside WordPress and pulls your WooCommerce order data directly, so you don't have to connect another service or keep anything in sync.

If you're using AutomateWoo or ShopMagic instead, the same basic logic applies, so you can follow along either way.

FunnelKit Automations has a free version available on WordPress.org. It includes the visual workflow builder, unlimited contacts, free recipes, and triggered emails with delays.

The Pro plan starts at $99.50 per year at the introductory price and adds features such as the drag-and-drop email builder, conditions, exit goals, SMS, and segmentation.

Make sure to install and activate FunnelKit Automations.

Step 1: Create an automation from the post-purchase recipe

Go to FunnelKit Automations ⇨ Automations and click 'Create Automation'.

You can import the free Post-Purchase Follow-Up recipe, which comes with the workflow already laid out, or click 'Start from Scratch'.

Give it a name that says what it does, like "Pour-over kit: review request". You'll thank yourself once you have a dozen automations running.

Step 2: Trigger it when the order completes

Click 'Select an Event'. Under WooCommerce, select the 'Order Status Changed' trigger.

Set the status from processing to completed because completed means the kit is on its way, which gives your delay a much better starting point.

Then, in the trigger settings, limit it to the pour-over kit (specific products) so people who bought something else don't get a kit email.

Set Runs on Contact to 'Multiple times', and tick Allow currently active contacts in this automation to re-enter.

Otherwise, someone who comes back to buy a second kit as a gift won’t hear from you.

Step 3: Add a 10-day delay

Click the + icon under the trigger and add a 10-day delay. That's three days in transit plus a week of brewing.

The clock starts when the order status changes. If your team marks orders Completed when they ship, build transit time into the delay like we did here.

If they mark them Completed on delivery, you can leave it out.

On Pro, you can also send at a set time of day or in each customer's own timezone. That way, your review request lands mid-morning instead of the middle of the night.

Step 4: Choose who gets the email

Our coffee store also sells kits to cafés on wholesale accounts, and those buyers don't need a review request.

On Pro, add a condition after the delay that checks the customer's user role and ends the automation for wholesale accounts.

Two more conditions are worth adding:

• Skip refunded or cancelled orders: A lot can change in 10 days, and nobody who returned their kit should get asked to review it.
• Treat first-time and repeat buyers differently: Someone on their third kit doesn't need the beginner version.

On the free version, you can get close by creating separate automations for products that need different timing.

Step 5: Write the review request email

Click +, choose Action, and select Send Email. This is the part your customers actually see, so take your time with it.

Here’s what the coffee store’s email looks like:

• Subject: How’s the pour-over kit brewing, [First name]?
• Preview text: Your review takes about a minute.
• Body: Hi [First name], you’ve had your pour-over kit for about a week now, and we’d love to hear how it’s going. Your review helps other coffee lovers choose the right kit and tells us what to improve. [Button: Leave a review]
• Sign-off: Sam from [Store name]

The name and product details come from merge tags, so each customer gets their own version.

And notice what's missing: no discount, no product grid, no second link. The email has one job, and it sticks to it.

Send it from a real person, with a reply-to address someone actually checks.

If a customer replies with a problem instead of a review, a quick answer costs far less than a refund later.

The free version comes with a rich text editor, which works well for a plain, personal email like this one.

Pro adds a drag-and-drop builder with templates and WooCommerce product blocks for when you want something more designed.

Step 6: Set the goal, turn it on, and test it

On Pro, add a goal of "review submitted". Anyone who leaves a review drops out of the automation, so nobody gets nudged about something they've already done.

Click the Active toggle in the top-right corner to turn the automation on.

Then test it yourself before a customer does:

1. Change the delay from 10 days to 2 minutes for now.
2. Place a test order for the pour-over kit using your own email address.
3. Mark the order as Completed in WooCommerce.
4. Check that the email arrives, the merge tags show real details, and the review button opens the right form.
5. Open the email on your phone to make sure it reads well on a small screen.

You can also open your test contact’s journey in FunnelKit Automations to see exactly which steps ran.

Once everything looks right, set the delay back to 10 days. From here on, it works like a charm.

Every completed kit order gets its review request on time, and nobody on your team has to remember to send it.

Turn it into a 3-email post-purchase sequence

One email is a good starting point. But three emails, each with a different job, give you more chances to stay useful after the sale and turn a one-time kit purchase into an ongoing customer relationship.

Add two more Send Email steps to the same automation, with a delay before each one.

Email 1: Check-in and brewing guide (1 day after Completed)

• Subject: Your pour-over kit is on its way, [First name]
• Body: A quick thank-you, when to expect the delivery, and a link to a two-minute brewing guide that covers the grind setting most people get wrong.

Email 2: Review request (10 days after Completed)

• This is the email we built in Step 5, with the “review submitted” goal.

Email 3: Beans cross-sell (21 days after Completed)

• Subject: Your kit deserves better beans
• Body: A short note that the starter bag is probably running low, one recommended $18 roast, and a personal 10% coupon. On Pro, FunnelKit Automations can create a unique coupon code for each customer.
• Goal: New order placed
• Consent: This one is promotional, so only send it to customers who agreed to receive marketing emails.

Method 2: Automate Post-Purchase Emails With Custom Code

If you only need one simple follow-up and you're comfortable with code, you can skip the plugin altogether.

WooCommerce comes with a background task scheduler called Action Scheduler, and it can send an email at a set time after an order event.

Try this on a staging site first. Add it with a code snippets plugin or your child theme's functions.php file. Don't put it in the parent theme, because the next theme update will remove it.

This snippet does the same job as Method 1. It sends a review request 10 days after an order is marked Completed:

// 1. When an order is completed, schedule one follow-up for that order.
add_action( 'woocommerce_order_status_completed', function ( $order_id ) {
	if ( ! as_has_scheduled_action( 'store_review_followup', array( $order_id ) ) ) {
		as_schedule_single_action( time() + 10 * DAY_IN_SECONDS, 'store_review_followup', array( $order_id ) );
	}
} );

// 2. When the scheduled time arrives, send the email.
add_action( 'store_review_followup', function ( $order_id ) {
	$order = wc_get_order( $order_id );

	// Skip refunded or cancelled orders, and orders that already got this email.
	if ( ! $order || 'completed' !== $order->get_status() || $order->get_meta( '_review_followup_sent' ) ) {
		return;
	}

	$items = $order->get_items();
	$item  = reset( $items );
	$link  = $item ? get_permalink( $item->get_product_id() ) . '#reviews' : home_url();

	$mailer  = WC()->mailer();
	$subject = sprintf( 'How is your order working out, %s?', $order->get_billing_first_name() );
	$message = '<p>Thanks again for your order. If you have a minute, we would love your feedback.</p>'
		. '<p><a href="' . esc_url( $link ) . '">Leave a quick review</a></p>';

	$mailer->send( $order->get_billing_email(), $subject, $mailer->wrap_message( 'How is everything going?', $message ) );

	$order->update_meta_data( '_review_followup_sent', 'yes' );
	$order->save();
} );

Here's what the code is doing behind the scenes.

The first part schedules a task for 10 days after an order is marked Completed.

When that day arrives, the second part checks that the order is still completed and that the customer hasn't already received the email.

If everything checks out, it sends the message using your normal WooCommerce email template, with a link to the reviews for the first product in the order.

Need a different delay? Just change the 10.

Want to follow up on failed payments instead? Replace the hook with woocommerce_order_status_failed, shorten the delay to a few hours, check for the failed status, and use $order->get_checkout_payment_url() to give the customer a direct payment link.

The code approach works, but it comes with a few trade-offs.

• No unsubscribe handling: You'll need to add consent checks and an unsubscribe link yourself before sending promotional emails.
• No tracking: You won't know whether people clicked the email or bought something from it without adding your own tracking.
• No visual editing: Any change to the email copy, timing, or logic means going back into the code.
• Ongoing upkeep: You'll need to retest the snippet when WooCommerce, WordPress, or PHP gets updated.

For one simple follow-up email, a snippet can do the job.

But once you start building the full store sequence, a plugin is much easier to manage and saves you from maintaining all that logic yourself.

7 Automated Follow-Ups Every WooCommerce Store Should Run

Start with the two or three follow-ups that address the biggest gaps in your store, then add the rest once those are working.

Use this schedule as a starting point. Your timing should follow how customers buy and use your products.

The timing matters more than it might seem.

Start with the delivery date, then account for how long the customer needs to actually use the product.

Send a review request before the package arrives and you'll get silence.

Send it before they've had enough time to use the product and you may get a review based on the unboxing rather than the experience.

Best Follow-Up Email Plugins for WooCommerce (Free and Paid)

The plugin you choose determines how much of that coffee store setup you can actually build for free.

And price matters more here than most plugin roundups suggest.

We've verified the pricing on September 16, 2026. Check each vendor's website for current pricing.

• FunnelKit Automations

FunnelKit Automations covers post-purchase follow-ups and basic cart recovery in its free version, with no contact limit.

The paid plans add features such as conditional workflows, the visual builder, SMS, broadcasts, and segmentation.

You can also see how much revenue each automation generates, which makes it easier to tell whether a particular follow-up is actually pulling its weight.

• AutomateWoo

AutomateWoo is the replacement WooCommerce recommends for Follow-Ups, and WooCommerce provides a migration guide to help existing users make the switch.

You build workflows with triggers, rules, and actions, and it works particularly well if you're already using extensions such as WooCommerce Subscriptions.

There's no free version, and some add-ons, including Birthdays and Refer a Friend, cost extra.

• ShopMagic

ShopMagic takes a more accessible approach. Its free core plugin can send emails when an order status changes, including custom statuses, and it positions itself as a free alternative to Follow-Ups.

If you need delayed emails or more advanced filters, though, you'll need paid add-ons. Check your actual sequence requirements before choosing it.

• MailPoet

MailPoet puts newsletters and automated emails in the same WordPress dashboard.

The free plan includes MailPoet branding in your emails, while paid plans are based on subscriber count.

That means your costs will increase as your email list grows.

Hosted platforms such as Klaviyo and Mailchimp can also handle WooCommerce follow-ups.

The trade-off is that pricing typically increases as your list grows, and your customer data and automation setup live outside WordPress.

Which one fits your store?

There isn't one right choice for every WooCommerce store. It mostly comes down to what you need beyond the basic follow-up email.

• Want to start without paying? Look at FunnelKit Automations Lite (free version) or ShopMagic.
• Already use several official WooCommerce extensions? AutomateWoo may fit naturally into that setup.
• Need newsletters and automated emails in the same place? MailPoet can handle both, particularly if you have a smaller list.
• Want email automation with SMS, segmentation, and revenue tracking? FunnelKit Automations Pro includes those features.

Automated Emails Not Sending in WooCommerce? 5 Fixes to Try

If your WooCommerce follow-up emails aren't going out, don't assume the automation itself is broken.

The problem is often something simpler, like a scheduled task that never ran or an order status that doesn't match your trigger.

Here are five things to check.

1. Make sure scheduled tasks are running

Most automation plugins rely on WordPress cron to run tasks in the background.

Go to WooCommerce ⇨ Status ⇨ Scheduled Actions and look for pending actions that are already past their scheduled time.

If you see a long queue building up, cron may not be running reliably. This is especially common on low-traffic sites.

In such a case, ask your hosting provider to set up a real server cron job.

2. Check that the trigger matches how your orders move

If your automation starts when an order is marked Completed but your orders stay in Processing, the trigger will never fire. The same idea applies to WooCommerce's built-in order emails.

Check that the emails you need are enabled under WooCommerce ⇨ Settings ⇨ Emails, and remember that an order stuck in Pending won't trigger emails that depend on a later status.

3. Look at the automation's run settings

Some workflows are configured to run only once per contact. If so, the automation may skip a customer who places another order.

Also check whether the contact is already inside the same automation because of an earlier order.

That can prevent a new run from starting, depending on how the workflow is configured.

4. Set up SMTP and domain authentication

By default, WordPress sends email through your web server, which isn't always reliable for transactional or automated emails.

Using an SMTP plugin with a dedicated sending service such as SendGrid or Amazon SES can improve deliverability.

You should also set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for your sending domain.

Gmail requires these authentication measures for senders sending 5,000 or more messages per day, and it has become stricter, including rejecting non-compliant mail.

5. Check the email log and the contact's status

An email log shows whether the message was sent or failed before it left your site.

Then check the customer's contact profile for unsubscribes or previous bounces.

If you're using FunnelKit, our guide to the WooCommerce email log walks you through the setup.

How to Tell If Your Follow-Up Sequence Is Working

Focus on the numbers that connect to revenue and customer actions. You don't need to obsess over every metric in your dashboard.

Be especially careful with open rates. Apple Mail Privacy Protection can load email content automatically, which can register an open even when the recipient didn't actually open the message.

For your WooCommerce store, clicks and sales give you a much clearer picture.

If customers click the review link and submit reviews, or buy the recommended beans, you have a much stronger signal that the WooCommerce follow-up email is doing its job.

7 Best Practices for WooCommerce Follow-Up Emails

Sending follow-up emails is easy, but sending ones that customers actually open and act on requires the right strategy.

These best practices will help you create more effective follow-up emails for your WooCommerce store.

1. Segment your audience first

Not every customer should receive the same follow-up email.

Segment your audience based on purchase history, browsing behavior, order status, engagement level, or customer lifecycle stage. Targeted emails consistently outperform generic campaigns.

2. Personalize your emails

Customers are more likely to engage with emails that feel relevant.

Use personalization such as the customer’s name, past purchases, product recommendations, or browsing behavior. Even small personalization elements can significantly increase open and click-through rates.

3. Include a clear call-to-action (CTA)

Every follow-up email should guide the customer toward a specific next step.

Whether it's completing a purchase, leaving a review, or exploring related products, a clear, visible CTA makes it easier for users to act.

4. Timing around shoppers' behavior

Manual follow-ups don't scale for growing WooCommerce stores.

Automation allows you to trigger emails based on specific actions such as abandoned carts, completed orders, or customer inactivity.

This ensures customers receive timely and relevant follow-ups without manual effort.

5. A/B test your emails

What works for one store may not work for another.

Run A/B tests on subject lines, email copy, CTAs, send times, and layouts to learn what resonates most with your audience.

Continuous testing helps improve open rates, clicks, and conversions over time.

6. Cap email frequency and set exit conditions

Avoid overwhelming customers with too many emails.

Limit how often you send follow-up messages, and automatically remove shoppers from a sequence once they complete the desired action or conversion goal.

7. Set consent and compliance

Follow email marketing regulations and only contact customers when permitted.

Honor unsubscribe requests immediately, maintain proper consent records, and handle customer data responsibly to stay compliant with privacy requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Ready to Bring Your Buyers Back for a Second Order?

Your first product sale isn't the finish line. It's the start of the next purchase.

You can turn your order into a customer worth several times more over time, but only if you reach out when there's a good reason to.

A well-timed automation handles that for every order, without someone on your team having to remember who bought what and when.

Start with the review request we built above. It only takes one sitting to set up, and once it's live, it can run automatically after every completed order.

From there, add the check-in email and the beans cross-sell.

You can add win-back and failed-payment emails later as you build out your WooCommerce follow-up emails.

With FunnelKit Automations, you can build the basic sequence for free and add conditions, coupons, and more advanced automation as your needs grow.

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