Most Shopify stores treat their customer list as one big audience: everyone gets the same newsletter and the same discount. Splitting customers by how they actually buy is the quickest way to send fewer emails and make more from them.
The 12 segments below come from RFM analysis, which scores customers on recency, frequency and spend. The names are plain English on purpose: you should be able to say them out loud in a team meeting.
Customers to protect
1. Best Customers
Bought recently, buy often and spend the most. They are often a small share of customers but a large share of revenue.
Do this: thank them personally. Early access, a handwritten note in the parcel, or a quick email from the founder works better than a discount. Ask them for reviews and product feedback.
2. Loyal
Buy again and again and spend well, even if their last order was not this week.
Do this: keep them close with new product news and useful content. Consider a simple loyalty perk if your margins allow it.
3. Becoming Loyal
Bought recently and are starting to come back more. They are on their way to becoming Loyal.
Do this: recommend what people like them buy next. Product education and bundles work well here.
Customers to grow
4. New
Made their first order recently. The step from one order to two is where most customers are won or lost.
Do this: a helpful post-purchase series: how to use the product, what to expect, then a well-timed reason to come back before your usual reorder gap.
5. Bought Recently
Ordered recently but have not spent much yet.
Do this: show your range. Best sellers, a starter bundle, or free shipping above a threshold can lift their next basket.
Customers to wake up
6. Buying Less Lately
Good customers who have not ordered for a while. Not lost, but drifting.
Do this: a friendly check-in. Ask if something changed, mention what is new since their last order.
7. Going Quiet
Few orders, and it has been a while.
Do this: a light reminder of why they bought in the first place. Keep the offer small; you are testing whether they are still interested.
8. At Risk
Used to buy often, then stopped. These customers clearly liked you once.
Do this: a proper win-back sequence. Personal, specific, and if needed a meaningful offer.
9. Big Spenders Going Quiet
Some of your biggest spenders have stopped buying. In money terms this is often the most important group in the whole list.
Do this: reach out one by one. A short personal email or a phone call from the owner beats any automated flow. Find out why they stopped.
Customers to let go (gracefully)
10. Inactive
Bought a little, a long time ago.
Do this: include them in big seasonal campaigns only. Do not spend much effort or discount here.
11. Gone
Bought once or twice, then disappeared.
Do this: one last-chance campaign. If they do not open or click, stop emailing them. Mailing people who never open hurts your inbox placement for everyone else.
12. Never Bought
Created an account or signed up, but never ordered.
Do this: treat them as leads, not customers. A welcome series with your strongest reasons to buy is the right message.
How the segments fit together
| Group | Recency | Frequency | Spend | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Customers | High | High | High | Protect |
| Loyal | Medium to high | High | Medium to high | Protect |
| Becoming Loyal | High | Medium | Medium | Grow |
| New | High | One order | Any | Grow |
| Bought Recently | High | Low | Low | Grow |
| Buying Less Lately | Medium | Medium to high | Medium to high | Wake up |
| Going Quiet | Low to medium | Low | Low | Wake up |
| At Risk | Low | High | Medium to high | Win back |
| Big Spenders Going Quiet | Low | High | High | Win back first |
| Inactive | Low | Low | Low | Light touch |
| Gone | Very low | Low | Low | Last chance |
| Never Bought | None | None | None | Lead nurture |
Keep the segments moving
Customers move between groups every day. Someone in New who buys again moves to Becoming Loyal; someone in Loyal who stops buying slides to At Risk. Segments are only useful if they are fresh, so recalculate them at least monthly, or let a tool like WinBack do it as orders come in (see the listing on the Shopify App Store).
Want to see your own split right now? Upload your Shopify orders export to the free RFM calculator. It runs in your browser and your file is never uploaded.