How to build a winback audience of lapsed loyalty members
The short answer
A winback audience is a list of lapsed customers you aim to bring back. For loyalty members, combine three rules: no purchase within your lapse window, an email open in the last six months, and no winback already sent this quarter. Engaged but inactive members are the most likely to respond, and the exclusion stops you over-contacting them.
Why it matters
Winback offers usually carry a discount, so sending them to everyone who has lapsed gives margin away to people who will not respond. Narrowing the audience to members who still read your emails, and excluding anyone already contacted, raises response and protects margin.
The question to ask
Copy this into Lexi as written.
What the answer looks like
Illustrative output on sample data
Illustrative example: how Lexi answers this for a homewares retailer with 140,000 loyalty members.
- Includes members with no purchase in the last 180 days.
- Includes members who opened at least one email in the last six months.
- Excludes anyone sent a winback this quarter, and anyone unsubscribed.
What the data shows
11,600 members qualify: 2,100 high-value, 4,300 mid-value and 5,200 lower-value by 24-month spend.
What it means
Every member in the audience still reads email, so the channel is open and the offer can match their value.
What to do
Send high-value members a stronger offer first, and the rest a week later.
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Frequently asked questions
How long before a customer counts as lapsed?
Base it on how often customers in your category usually buy. Take the typical gap between purchases and treat customers well past it as lapsed. Set separate windows for categories with very different purchase cycles.
Why include email engagement in the rules?
Members who still open your emails have not tuned you out, so they are more likely to respond to a winback. Members with no opens may respond better to a different channel, such as paid social or direct mail.
Should every lapsed member get a discount?
No. Lower-value members and those who often buy at full price may return with a reminder or a new product message. Test a no-discount version against a discount on part of the audience before you make the offer standard.