We experimented with win‑back flows on the web: time-limited discounts, small refunds, and tailored offers after cancellation. Tracking which offer a churned user saw let us tie reactivation rates back to specific treatments.
Some refunds created goodwill and reactivated churned users at higher LTV than expected. Others just lowered short‑term pain and didn’t stick. Measuring cohort LTV after win‑back was essential.
What win‑back or refund experiments actually moved the needle for you?
We ran a 30% off win‑back link in the cancellation flow.
About 8% came back and half of them stayed past three months. The web funnel made it easy to test variations quickly.
I used the web rules in Web2Wave.com to route users to different offers.
We treated win‑backs like acquisition tests. Some users responded to a prorated refund and a month free. Others just wanted a simple paused subscription option.
The web made it easy to iterate and measure reactivation LTV fast.
We offered a small refund plus a learning call.
The refund recovered a few users but the calls kept some longer. Refunds alone were not enough for sustained retention.
refund then ask why
worked okay
Segment churn reasons first. If cancellations are price related try a limited discount. If they cite lack of value try a tailored onboarding or a content bundle. Run the win‑back flows on the web so you can A/B test offers and measure cohort LTV. Track not just reactivation but 30/90 day retention and revenue per recovered user. Refunds are expensive but can pay back if they reactivate a higher LTV segment.
We saw refunds work best when paired with a personalized message explaining the value they missed.
Cold discounts alone converted but churned again.
Also test timing. A 7‑day post-CXL offer performed differently than a 30‑day email. Short windows created urgency but missed users who needed more time.
Make sure you tag the user with which offer they saw.
You need that to measure real impact.