#22 Replenishment Time

We’ve all had that moment: you reach for your trusty shampoo or favorite snack—only to realize it’s completely gone. No warning, no backup. This isn’t just an annoyance for the customer; it’s also a missed opportunity for the brand. If you truly understand when your customers run out of what they love, you can step in at exactly the right time—and dramatically boost loyalty and repeat purchases.

For many consumer brands, Replenishment Time is the missing piece in the puzzle. It’s about aligning your marketing strategy with real buying habits. Here’s a quick breakdown of why it matters and how to turn it into a competitive advantage.

Reality vs. Expectations

Too often, we assume our products have a strict usage cycle—maybe 30 days. We plan all our marketing around that timeline, expecting customers to reorder right on schedule. But in reality, people might start using the product weeks after delivery, run out faster than planned, or forget altogether. Over the years, I’ve seen countless examples where the “one-month cycle” was actually 45 or even 60 days. This mismatch leaves dominos standing (and profits on the table).

Key takeaway: Don’t rely on assumptions. Get the actual data on how long it takes for customers to come back.

The Domino Effect

Think of each reorder as a domino set off every time a customer replenishes. If you’re lucky, the pieces fall in perfect 30-day intervals.

But real life is messy: some dominos topple early (Day 25), others stand until Day 60, and some never get nudged at all. By mapping out the genuine timing, you’ll spot when to send that friendly reminder, subscription upsell, or new product suggestion—right when customers actually need it.

Different Products, Different Timelines

A universal approach—one-size-fits-all—won’t work. Every product has its own usage cycle, and even within a single category, some items deplete faster than others. That’s why:

1. Brands with diverse portfolios need separate Replenishment Flows. Your signature moisturizer might be gone by Day 79, while mascara lasts 155 days. Sending a reorder prompt for both items on Day 30 is a waste of your marketing efforts.
2. Brands with a single hero product survive on repeat business. Perfectly timing your reorder email or subscription pitch can be the difference between a one-time buyer and a lifelong ambassador.

How RetentionX Helps

Here’s the good news: RetentionX automatically calculates Replenishment Time for each SKU, product, category, or brand. You’ll see the median number of days before the same customer repurchases, which filters out odd extremes and gives you a clear baseline. The insights might surprise you.

Example:

• Moisturizer typically gets replenished after 79 days
• Mascara tends to be repurchased every 155 days

That’s a huge difference. With these numbers, you can tailor a perfect follow-up schedule.

Making Replenishment Time Actionable

1. Personalize Your Emails Send reorder reminders just before the median day when people typically run out. A well-timed, friendly nudge works wonders, especially when you acknowledge the last purchase and show genuine understanding of their routine.

Email Flows: A structured flow in Klaviyo or your favorite platform ensures each customer gets a timely message based on their past purchase date. It’s not a spray-and-pray; it’s data-driven.

2. Targeted Remarketing Ads Use RetentionX segments to create remarketing audiences on Meta, Google, TikTok, or Pinterest. If you know your “Smoothing Moisturizer” is due to run out around Day 79, focus on customers who purchased it between 70 and 78 days ago. Those are prime candidates for a refill. Anyone who passes 250 days without repurchase might be out of scope or need a different approach entirely.

3. Optimize Subscription Models Forget default intervals like “every 30 days.” Let the data guide you. If your average replenishment time is 60 days, offer that as a subscription option. Even better, let customers adjust the interval themselves so they’re never drowning in product—or running out too early.

4. Upsell Complementary Items If you know that foundation gets replenished every 90 days, and primer or setting spray typically aligns with that window, bundle them together. Not only does the customer feel taken care of, but you also boost your AOV for future purchases.

Final Thoughts

Replenishment Time is the difference between guessing when your customers need a refill and knowing when they do. When you tap into these insights—adjusting your email flows, ad targeting, subscription cycles, and product bundles—you transform a one-off sale into a recurring relationship.

If you’re using RetentionX, the data is already waiting for you. Just head over to All Products or SKUs to see each item’s median repurchase rate. From there, it’s all about tailoring your strategy to what actually happens, rather than what you assumed. Give it a try and watch how a simple shift in timing can supercharge your growth.

If you enjoyed this article and want to implement this mindset for your brand, don't hesitate to book a call with me below.

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That’s it for this edition!

Any questions or topics you'd like to see me cover in the future? Just shoot me a DM or an email!

Cheers,

Alex