What a site bounce flow actually does
A site bounce flow (often called a site abandonment flow) reaches people who land on your website and leave before they trigger any deeper intent. They did not look at a specific product page, add anything to cart, or start checkout. They simply showed up, browsed your homepage or a collection page, and bounced.
If you configure this automation properly, it can generate serious revenue from traffic that would otherwise slip away completely. The key is setting tight exclusion filters so you never badger subscribers who are already moving down your funnel.
The trigger and essential flow filters
The trigger for this flow is straightforward: Active on Site. Because of how Klaviyo works, this automation will only fire for people who have already subscribed to your list or have an identified profile in your account.
To make sure you are only messaging true bounces, you need a precise set of flow filters applied to the trigger. Configure these conditions from day one:
- Placed Order zero times since starting this flow
- Viewed Product zero times since starting this flow
- Checkout Started zero times since starting this flow
- Added to Cart zero times since starting this flow (if you track this custom metric)
- Has not been in this flow in the last 24 days
That filter logic is non-negotiable. Without it, you will send generic bounce emails to shoppers who are already looking at specific items.
Preventing overlap with other abandonment flows
Here is the thing: your site bounce flow sits at the very top of your abandonment funnel. It is the broadest and most generic touchpoint in your automation stack.
We already run dedicated Browse Abandonment and Abandoned Checkout automations for our clients. If someone visits your store and views two dresses, you want them to receive your browse abandonment email showcasing those exact items, not a broad hello email. The flow filters above guarantee that your higher-intent flows always take priority.
Sending two competing recovery emails to the same subscriber within an hour looks sloppy. It damages trust and inflates your unsubscribe rate fast.
Frequency capping and Smart Sending rules
Because the Active on Site trigger fires frequently, you must protect your list from over-messaging. In my books, setting the re-entry limit to at least 24 days is the baseline.
You can even be more conservative and push that window out to 45 days. If a loyal customer visits your homepage three times a week, sending them a site bounce email after every visit is an easy way to lose a subscriber. You can also add a condition excluding anyone who placed an order in the last 30 days if you prefer a quieter experience for recent buyers.
Make sure you switch Klaviyo Smart Sending on for every email in this flow. These emails are broad by nature, so respecting your account-wide 16-hour or 24-hour quiet window is essential.
Testing your time delays
Timing makes a massive difference to conversion rates on early-stage abandonment. I usually start with a 50/50 random split test right after the trigger.
Test a 25-minute delay against a 45-minute delay to see when subscribers are most receptive. If the 45-minute branch wins, we might test 45 minutes against 90 minutes or two hours next. Keep your email copy simple, helpful, and low-pressure: remind them you are there to answer questions, highlight your core value proposition, and link back to your bestsellers.
Final Thoughts
A site bounce flow fills a major gap between someone landing on your store and someone viewing a product. Keep the filters strict, protect subscribers with generous re-entry windows, and keep the messaging light. If you are hesitant about running it year-round, turn it on during high-traffic events like Black Friday first to see the revenue impact yourself.
Set up your Klaviyo flows the right way
If you want high-performing automations built and optimised for your store, take a look at our email automations service to see how we can help.
