Cancel Flow best practices

This guide covers common use cases, settings, and strategies to help you optimize your Cancel Flow and retain more subscribers.

Learn more about Cancel Flows here.

What actions are available in Cancel Flow?

You can offer subscribers different actions to address their cancellation reasons:

Action	Description
Skip next order	Skips the customer’s next scheduled subscription order.
Change next order date	Updates the scheduled date for the next subscription order.
Edit frequency	Adjusts how often the customer receives their subscription.
Swap product	Lets the customer select a different product for future orders.
Offer discount	Applies a discount to the next order.
Offer gift	Adds a gift item to the customer’s order.
No action	Leaves the subscription unchanged; no action is applied.
Pause	Temporarily stops a customer’s subscription.
Delay	Lets customers delay their subscription by 1, 2, or 3 billing cycles.
Contact Support	Provides a link or option to contact your support team.
Get now	Triggers immediate fulfillment of the next subscription order.
Misc link	Placeholder for a custom or external link (function depends on configuration).
Predefined swap product	Automatically swaps the product with a specified alternative.

What are common cancellation reasons?

Standard cancellation reasons

Reason	Recommended treatment
I have too much product	Offer frequency changes, skip options, or pausing
I didn't like the taste/flavor	Suggest product swaps or alternative flavors
Product is too expensive	Provide discount offers or value messaging
I receive my product(s) too often	Offer frequency adjustments or skip options
Taking a break	Suggest pausing instead of canceling
Other	Collect open-ended feedback

Additional cancellation reasons to consider

Reason	Recommended treatment
I had an issue with my delivery	Consider directing the customer to your support team. Include your customer service phone number or contact email in the response.
I found the same product at a competitor for cheaper	Consider offering a discount or directing customers to your support team for a special offer. This is also a great opportunity to gather competitive intelligence from your customers.
I am not seeing the value in this product	Reinforce your product value proposition and highlight quality factors. For example, emphasize that your product is made with high-quality ingredients or is ethically sourced.
I'm a bit tight on funds right now	Consider offering a discount. You can use conditions to offer different discount tiers based on how many order cycles the subscriber has completed.
Taking a break	Suggest pausing instead of canceling
I wanted a one-time purchase	If customers frequently select this reason, it may indicate they're accidentally subscribing instead of making one-time purchases. Consider reviewing your product page design.
My order was not shipped to me fast enough	Consider offering to make things right by providing a discount on their next order.
I no longer use this product	Suggest trying a different product and set up a product swap action.
I found a different product that better suits my needs	If you notice an increase in this cancellation reason, consider sending product surveys or collecting Net Promoter Scores to identify improvement opportunities.

What conditions should I use in Cancel Flow?

Conditions let you target specific subscriber segments with different treatments. Here are the most commonly used conditions in Cancel Flows:

Condition	What it does	How to use it
Number of Cycles Completed	Tracks how many orders a customer has completed	Target newer subscribers differently than long-term customers. High-cycle customers have higher LTV and may have already covered acquisition costs.
Subscription Dollar Amount	Measures the dollar value per interval that the customer spends	Offer higher discounts to high-value subscriptions, as losing these customers has greater impact.
Subscription Creation Date	Shows when the customer started their subscription	Segment subscribers based on program changes or grandfathered rates that newer subscribers don't have.
Subscription was Migrated	Identifies if the subscription existed before migrating to Skio	Differentiate between migrated customers who may have historical rates versus native Skio subscribers.
Subscription Type	Distinguishes between subscribe-and-save and prepaid subscriptions	Offer different retention strategies based on payment model.

How do I use the Splash Screen to improve retention?

The Splash Screen is an optional first step in Cancel Flow that appears before subscribers choose a cancellation reason. It's proven to reduce churn by highlighting value, offering alternatives, or reinforcing your brand.

Why use a Splash Screen?

The Splash Screen interrupts quick cancellations and encourages subscribers to reconsider. We recommend using it if your save rate is low or trending downward.

What can I customize?

Rich text or HTML: Use the built-in editor for styled copy, or switch to HTML mode for advanced layouts
Images and video: Embed visuals to reinforce product value or retention messaging
Personalization: Add dynamic variables like {{first_name}} or {{next_order_date}} in the Description field

Start typing {{ in the editor to see available personalization options.

Multiple Cancel Flow strategy recommendations

Multi-step Cancel Flows let you offer progressively stronger retention incentives based on how subscribers respond. Present cost-effective solutions first before offering "last resort" options.

For example:

First step: Offer frequency changes or skipping
Second step: Offer product swaps or pausing
Final step: Offer discounts or gifts

Use sub-reasons for more targeted treatments

Add sub-reasons to your cancellation reasons to gather more specific information and create treatment paths tailored to those sub-reasons.

For example:

Main reason: "I have too much product"
- Sub-reason 1: "I receive orders too frequently" > Offer frequency change
- Sub-reason 2: "The product lasts longer than expected" > Offer skip or pause

This approach helps you address the root cause of cancellations more effectively while gathering better data on subscriber behavior.

Splash screen best practices

For more information on Splash Screen best practices, check out our guide here.