How to Use “Last Purchase Anniversary” Emails to Re-Engage Dormant Customers (Plus a Free Template)

Retention isn’t a gimmick. It’s a discipline — a series of intentional actions that convert customers from one-time purchasers into lifetime advocates. The brands that win in 2026 and beyond will be those who systematically nurture, re-engage, and deepen customer relationships long after the first purchase fades from memory.

One of the highest-impact yet underused opportunities in retention marketing is the “last purchase anniversary” email. It’s a moment most brands overlook, but it’s an exceptionally valuable one: the anniversary of the customer’s last order.

Think about it this way: if a customer hasn’t purchased in 12 months, they aren’t “gone.” They’re simply out of sight and out of mind. A well-crafted anniversary email interrupts that silence — thoughtfully, respectfully, and with a purpose.

Download the “Last Purchase Anniversary” Email Template (PDF)
Sticky Digital “Last Purchase Anniversary” Email Template
A ready-to-use reactivation email you can drop into your flows — with copy and structural guidance included.

Before we jump into how to write and deploy anniversary emails, let’s be clear about one thing: retention isn’t just “send one more email with a discount.” It’s about timing, segmentation, tone, incentives, and alignment with customer behavior. Anniversary emails are successful not because they are nostalgic, but because they are strategically anchored to a meaningful behavioral milestone.

If you want a broader retention system — email, SMS, lifecycle maps, and more — Sticky Digital builds that kind of system with measurable results. Learn more here: Sticky Digital Services.

Why “Last Purchase Anniversary” Emails Matter

The first purchase is the start of a relationship. But the anniversary of a last purchase is often the moment that tells you whether that relationship will continue. It’s a subtle psychological signal: “Hey, we noticed you. And we still value you.”

Most brands only send transactional emails — purchase confirmation, shipping notice, review request, maybe one abandoned cart email. After that? Silence. If you’re only talking to customers when it’s convenient for your channels, you’re missing a massive re-engagement moment.

“Last purchase anniversary” emails succeed because they are:

  • Time-anchored — tied to a specific user milestone that matters
  • Relevancy-driven — personalized to an individual’s history
  • Low pressure — invitation-oriented, not demand-oriented
  • Easy to measure — impact can be tracked in revenue and re-engagement lift

Before we break down how to write these emails, let’s talk about segmentation.

Segmentation: Who Should Get Anniversary Emails?

Every anniversary email should start with clear segmentation. Not everyone needs one — and treating it like a blast campaign will dilute both performance and customer experience.

Here are the segments that benefit most:

1. First-Purchase Only Customers (No Second Order)

Customers who bought once but never came back are usually the easiest wins with a reminder email that respects their experience rather than pressuring them. These customers remember your brand because they purchased once — they just never re-entered the consideration cycle. Anniversary emails with a “we miss you” vibe can be powerful here.

2. Infrequent Repeat Customers

If someone bought twice but then spaced out for a year, they already demonstrated some affinity. This group often responds well when you gently remind them why they liked your product in the first place.

3. High-Value Customers Who Lapsed

Customers who spent more than average but didn’t come back — this is prime real estate. They know your brand, they value it, but something silenced the relationship. Anniversary emails here should be thoughtful, rarely aggressive.

To build an effective lifecycle map that incorporates anniversary messaging alongside win-back, cart flows, replenishment, and VIP flows, a retention system is essential. Learn how Sticky Digital builds those systems here: Sticky Digital Case Studies.

Timing and Rules: When to Trigger These Emails

“Anniversary” can mean slightly different things depending on your business and purchase rhythm. But most commonly, anniversary timing is anchored to:

  • One year since last purchase — the most classic definition
  • Two-thirds of your average repurchase cycle — for categories with faster replenishment
  • A custom threshold based on customer cohort behavior

For most Shopify brands, the one-year mark is a powerful and simple rule: let the customer know it’s been 365 days since their last order — and that you noticed.

If you want a broader view of lifecycle triggers beyond anniversary emails, Sticky’s retention examples and templates repository is full of strategic artifacts: Retention Templates & Assets.

Crafting the Email: The Anatomy of a Great “Last Purchase Anniversary” Template

This is where strategy meets language. Anniversary emails should hit a specific emotional and behavioral arc:

  • A gentle recognition — “It’s been a year…”
  • A personal touch — reference what they bought
  • A relevant value-driven offer — product recommendations or incentives
  • A clear next step — simple CTA

Our downloadable template does this in a way you can drop into your flows immediately, but the underlying logic is what matters long-term.

What Goes In the Template (and Why It Works)

1. Subject Line — Curiosity and Warmth

Subject lines matter more than most brands realize. Avoid generic discount hooks. Your goal is to re-open the relationship — not only the inbox.

Good subject lines include:

  • “A year with you…”
  • “It’s been a minute — we noticed”
  • “Your favorites are still here”

Subject lines built around time milestones — like “A year since your last order” — signal relevance to the recipient’s own experience.

2. Opening Line — Connection Before Conversion

Avoid diving straight into an offer. Start with acknowledgment:

“We noticed it’s been a year since your last purchase — and we just wanted to say hello.”

This is the strategic pivot: you validate the customer’s history before you make a commercial ask.

3. Personalization — Specific Memory Matters

If you can reference what they bought or browsed, do it. Personalization increases relevance exponentially. It tells the customer you’re not just blasting a generic message — you recognize them.

Example:

“Last year you picked up [Product]! We still love that choice — and we think you’ll enjoy these too.”

This is not gimmicky — it’s a reminder of shared history.

4. Recommendations — Curated, Not Random

Your product recommendations should feel intentional. Think of this part as “guided re-entry” into your catalog. If a customer bought a moisturizer, recommend complementary items — not unrelated categories.

Aligned recommendations increase the likelihood the recipient sees value before they see a price tag.

5. Offer — Strategic, Not Desperate

Offers in anniversary emails should support re-engagement without cheapening the brand. Large aggressive discounts train customers to wait for deals. A better path is:

  • Free shipping
  • Tiered offers (e.g., $10 off $75)
  • Exclusive early access

These feel valuable without signaling “my price is negotiable.”

6. CTA — Simple and Clear

Your call to action should be easy to understand and low friction. “See what’s new” works better than “Shop now” because it signals discovery, not pressure.

Examples of Effective Anniversary Messaging (and Why They Work)

Let’s dissect a few examples — not because they’re perfect, but because the logic behind each component is repeatable:

Example 1 — Warm Reminder

Subject: A year with you…

We noticed it’s been a year since your last order — and we just wanted to say hello.

Last time you picked up [Product]. We still think it’s one of your favorites — and we think you’ll like these too:
[Product Recommendations]

As a thank-you for being part of our community, here’s free shipping on your next order.

See what’s new →

Why this works: it opens with relevance, offers value without desperation, and directs the next step toward exploration, not pressure.

Example 2 — Curated + Value

Subject: It’s been a minute — we noticed

It looks like it’s been a year since your purchase of [Product]. We miss you — and we’ve curated a few things you might love next:
[Product Recommendations]

For returning customers, enjoy $10 off orders of $75 or more — and free shipping.

Discover your picks →

This version uses a tiered offer to protect margin while still providing value.

To download a fully designed version of this email you can drop into your flows, get the template here:

Last Purchase Anniversary Email Template (PDF)

Integrating Anniversary Emails Into Your Lifecycle Strategy

Anniversary emails shouldn’t be isolated. They live inside a retention ecosystem:

  • Post-purchase nurture flows
  • Replenishment reminders
  • Win-back campaigns
  • VIP recognition journeys

When anniversary emails are part of a broader lifecycle strategy, they reinforce trust and familiarity — and they convert more predictably.

If you want help building a retention ecosystem that includes anniversary triggers and optimization frameworks, Sticky Digital can help. Start with a free audit:

Request a Free Retention Audit

How to Measure the Impact of Anniversary Emails

Good measurement starts with clarity. You should never evaluate anniversary emails in isolation — they should be measured on how they influence:

  • Open rate compared to lifecycle averages
  • Click-through rate relative to campaign benchmarks
  • Purchase rate within a defined window after sending
  • Incremental revenue compared to a holdout group

If you don’t have analytics that track behavior over time, you can’t optimize. For retention teams focused on real lift, analytics that align to value (not vanity) are essential. Sticky Digital’s resources on retention reporting are useful here:

GA4 Reports for Retention Marketers

Common Anniversary Email Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

1. Asking for a Purchase Too Soon

If your anniversary email opens with an aggressive discount demand, it feels transactional, not relational. Instead, open with recognition and relevance.

2. Recommending Random Products

Recommendations should be intentional — based on past purchases, category affinity, and audience relevance. Randomized suggestions dilute performance.

3. Ignoring Segment Differences

First-time buyers, repeat buyers, and high-LTV customers respond differently. Tailor messaging and offers accordingly.

4. Not A/B Testing Components

Test subject lines, call-to-action language, offers, and product blocks. What resonates with one audience might not with another — testing accelerates learning.

Why This Matters for Long-Term Business Growth

If you want retention to be a revenue driver — not a checkbox — you need to treat email moments like the anniversary of a last purchase as strategic touchpoints. They aren’t random blasts. They are relationship reinforcements that deepen affinity, encourage rediscovery, and ultimately, drive profitable behavior.

Sticky Digital builds retention systems that respect the customer lifecycle while creating measurable business outcomes. You can explore our approach here:

Sticky Digital Services · Case Studies · About Sticky Digital

Final Thoughts

“Last purchase anniversary” emails are one of the most underrated retention strategies in ecommerce. When done well, they remind customers that you noticed them — and that your brand still believes there is more value to offer. With a thoughtful structure, anchored personalization, and offers that feel intentional, you can turn dormant segments into active revenue once more.

This strategy — anchored in empathy, clarity, and measurement — is the same approach that drives Sticky Digital’s retention work every day.

Back to blog