Turning Seasonal Shoppers into Lifelong Customers with Email Tags and Segments
Seasonal sales offer a golden opportunity for ecommerce brands to attract high-intent shoppers. But the real value lies not just in the initial purchase—it’s in turning those once-a-year buyers into loyal, year-round customers. The secret? Smart use of email tags and segmentation.
In this blog, we’ll explore how to use email marketing to turn seasonal shoppers into lifelong fans, using segmentation, tagging, and personalized campaigns that drive engagement long after the holidays have passed.
Why Seasonal Shoppers Are Worth More Than One Sale
Seasonal shoppers often have high purchase intent and a reason to buy now. Whether it’s Black Friday, back-to-school, or summer clearance, they’re primed to act. Yet most ecommerce brands fail to re-engage these customers after the season ends. By identifying and segmenting seasonal buyers properly, you can:
Increase customer lifetime value (CLTV)
Improve ROI on paid acquisition
Reduce churn and cart abandonment
Boost engagement with personalized messaging
But how do you actually do this? That’s where tags and segments come in.
What Are Email Tags and Segments?
Email tags are labels assigned to subscribers based on behaviors, interests, or actions (like "Black Friday Buyer" or "Used Coupon Code"). They help organize and trigger automations.
Email segments are dynamic groups of subscribers who meet specific criteria, such as location, purchase history, or email engagement. You can create segments like:
"Holiday Purchasers - 2024"
"Summer Sale Only Shoppers"
"One-Time Buyers"
By combining tags and segments, you can build high-performing campaigns tailored to your audience’s behavior.
Step-by-Step: Using Tags and Segments to Build Loyalty
1. Tag Seasonal Buyers at Checkout
Start by applying tags at the point of sale. If someone buys during a seasonal event, tag them accordingly:
"Winter 2024 Sale"
"Back to School 2024"
"Holiday Gifter"
This sets the foundation for post-season follow-up.
2. Create Post-Sale Welcome Sequences
Once tagged, place these customers into segmented post-sale flows:
Introduce your brand story
Highlight year-round product categories
Offer a loyalty or referral program
Recommend relevant non-seasonal products
This turns a seasonal transaction into the beginning of a relationship.
3. Use Behavior-Based Retargeting
If the seasonal shopper:
Opens emails but doesn’t click: send more value-driven or curiosity-piquing subject lines.
Clicks but doesn’t buy: retarget them with dynamic product recommendations.
Buys again: add them to a "repeat buyer" segment and reward them with VIP offers.
4. Launch Evergreen Campaigns for Off-Season
Use your seasonal tags to trigger campaigns when the hype dies down:
"Did you miss our winter sale? Here’s 10% off to come back."
"Love our holiday gift sets? You’ll love our everyday wellness line."
The key is relevance—segmenting by season ensures your off-season messages are personalized.
5. Re-Engage When the Season Returns
When the next season rolls around, pull up last year’s buyers:
"You loved our Fall Sale in 2023. Here’s a 24-hour VIP pass for 2024."
"Back again for our biggest summer event? This one’s better than ever."
Use their tag to show them you remember—and reward them for returning.
Bonus Tips for Higher Conversions
Use dynamic content: Show different blocks of copy based on tags.
Set exclusions: Don't send seasonal promotions to those who unsubscribed after last year’s event.
Incentivize second purchases: Time-limited discounts, bundle offers, or points-based loyalty emails work great.
Tools to Help You Segment and Tag
Some of the best platforms for this strategy include:
Klaviyo: Advanced tagging, segmentation, and behavioral triggers.
Mailchimp: Solid tagging options and built-in automations.
Drip: Great for ecommerce-specific customer journeys.
ActiveCampaign: Strong CRM integration with tags and email workflows.
Final Thoughts
Seasonal shoppers are more than one-time buyers—they’re warm leads who already know and trust your brand. By using email tags and segmentation, you can turn a short-term spike in traffic into long-term, sustainable revenue.
Don’t just celebrate the season—build from it. Start tagging, segmenting, and personalizing today to make the most of every customer touchpoint.
Ready to make seasonal traffic work year-round? Let your email marketing do the heavy lifting.
