Klaviyo Abandoned Cart Flow: Trigger and Filters Before BFCM

Before BFCM, the trigger and filter settings decide who receives what in the abandoned cart flow. Klaviyo documents the trigger, the filters and an advanced version of the flow. This article covers those three pages and lists the points to review before the peak.

TL;DR. The most common type of Klaviyo abandoned cart flow triggers on Started Checkout, with a filter to exclude people who ordered: Placed Order zero times since starting this flow. An Added to Cart flow can run alongside, with the filter Started Checkout zero times since starting this flow. Trigger filters read the event data, profile filters read the profile. Klaviyo's suggested first delay is between 2 and 4 hours.

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This article complements our Klaviyo BFCM guide, which covers the overall preparation.

Added to Cart and Started Checkout: two flows

According to the base page, "abandoned cart" is the umbrella term: a flow triggered by Added to Cart targets abandoned carts, a flow triggered by Started Checkout targets abandoned checkouts. Klaviyo recommends setting up both, as separate flows, to reach shoppers at each stage (Klaviyo, how to create an abandoned cart flow).

The page adds that most pre-built flows trigger on Started Checkout, and that some integrations track Added to Cart. For BigCommerce, that metric has to be set up manually. For Shopify, the Track behavioral events setting needs to be checked. Klaviyo states that starting a checkout shows stronger purchase intent than adding an item: timing and messaging may differ.

With Shopify or BigCommerce, your store may already send its own abandoned cart emails: the page asks you to turn them off to avoid duplicates. Our article on the four abandonment flow scenarios covers the other levels and how they coordinate.

The Started Checkout trigger

The page describes when the event fires: once the customer has filled out their contact information and moved to the shipping page, or the page has been reloaded, depending on the integration. Contact information is required to create a profile.

With an integration other than Shopify or BigCommerce, Klaviyo may not sync Started Checkout immediately: some integrations sync once every hour. If a short delay is needed, the page recommends at least 1 hour and 15 minutes.

The triggers page adds that performance metrics such as Opened Email and Clicked Email cannot trigger a flow (Klaviyo, understanding flow triggers and filters).

Excluding people who ordered

A purchase is tracked separately by the Placed Order event. The base page asks you to add a flow filter: in the trigger, Profile Filters, Add a Flow Filter, What someone has done (or not done), then Person has Placed Order zero times since starting this flow.

This filter removes anyone who orders before the delay and stops the following emails for anyone who orders after the first one: Klaviyo checks profile filters before each message.

Everyone who starts a checkout enters the flow, and people who order are skipped for the rest of it: many entries therefore show up as skipped for "failing profile filters". Klaviyo writes that this is a sign the flow is working. To see these cases, the filters page gives the path Analytics (Last 30 Days), Recipient Activity, Other, bucket Skipped: Fails Profile Filters. Our article on skipped flow messages covers this status in detail.

Trigger filters and profile filters

The triggers page distinguishes two families of filters:

1. Trigger filters evaluate the data of the event (or custom object) that triggers the flow, not profile properties. Only metric-based flows, custom object-based flows and price drop flows can have them. For a metric, they are only checked when the person first enters the flow.
2. Profile filters evaluate the profile: properties or past actions. Klaviyo checks them on entry and before flow actions, such as sending an email or SMS.

Failing a profile filter on entry means not entering the flow. Failing it before an action means that action is skipped, but the person moves to the next step, where the filter is checked again: they can therefore receive a later message if they qualify later.

Filters look for exact matches, and only top-level properties are available. For a Placed Order, the page lists Value, Collections / Categories, Item Count, Items and Source Name. An additional filter can also target a single message (Settings, Additional filters): the skipped person continues in the flow.

Re-entry, delays and content

To keep someone from receiving the messages again within a given period, the base page cites the flow filter Has not been in this flow (in hours, days or weeks). The triggers page adds Re-entry criteria in the trigger settings: enter only once, re-enter whenever they re-qualify, or re-enter after a minimum time period. This criterion is only checked on entry.

On delays, Klaviyo's pre-built flows include a 4-hour delay before the first message. The page recommends a first message between 2 and 4 hours after checkout starts, then a second 20 to 48 hours later, noting that there is no one-size-fits-all rule and that a big-ticket item (a mattress, for example) may justify a longer delay. It states that 2 to 3 messages lead to optimal performance according to Klaviyo, and discourages a coupon in the first email: it is better to wait for the last one, or to reserve it for people who have not purchased yet.

The advanced version of the flow

The advanced page lists branches to test to influence conversion rate or revenue per recipient (Klaviyo, how to create an advanced abandoned cart flow):

1. Purchasers vs. non-purchasers: a conditional split based on Has Placed Order at least once over all time. Klaviyo suggests reserving a coupon for people who have not purchased yet, with wording like "Take 10% off your first purchase", and dynamic codes so they do not circulate on coupon sites.
2. Domestic vs. international: a split on the Country property, to highlight perks reserved for domestic customers, such as free shipping.
3. Category or collection: trigger splits, with a default branch for products outside the targeted collections.
4. Cart value: a trigger split on Checkout started value.
5. Cart size: a trigger split on the item count.

The page presents testing new ideas as the best way to optimize the flow, and notes that the Browse Ideas tab offers branched flows.

To review before the peak

These points are Deliver advice, drawn from reading the three pages.

1. Check that the Placed Order zero times since starting this flow filter is present on each cart flow, and that the Placed Order event syncs.
2. If two flows coexist, check the filter that prevents a double send.
3. Check that the store's own cart messages are turned off.
4. Review the first delay: in our view, a short delay should be chosen knowing the sync rhythm.
5. Decide in advance whether a coupon appears in the flow, and in which message. Our article on flows at D-7 before Black Friday offers a last-minute review of flows.
6. After launch, look at the skipped messages bucket to confirm the filters do what you expect.

FAQ

Which event triggers an abandoned cart flow in Klaviyo?

Started Checkout for the abandoned checkout, Added to Cart for the abandoned cart. Klaviyo recommends setting up both as separate flows.

Why are many people skipped in the flow?

Everyone who starts a checkout enters the flow. People who order are skipped for the rest of it, with the reason Fails Profile Filters. Klaviyo describes this as expected behavior.

What is the difference between a trigger filter and a profile filter?

The trigger filter evaluates the event data and is only checked on entry for a metric. The profile filter evaluates the profile and is checked again before flow actions.

What delay for the first email?

The page recommends between 2 and 4 hours after checkout starts, then a second message 20 to 48 hours later. No single rule fits everyone.

Want an outside view on your cart flows? We run Q4 readiness audits, or you can talk directly with the Deliver team.