---
title: "Cancel Flow best practices"
slug: "cancel-flow-best-practices-guide"
description: "Optimize your subscriber retention with effective Cancel Flow strategies, Splash Screen best practices, and targeted actions to reduce churn."
updated: 2025-12-03T21:30:05Z
published: 2025-12-03T21:30:05Z
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.skio.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# 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.](/help/docs/getting-started-with-cancel-flows)

## 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. - **Note:**Product swaps in the Cancel Flow are not available for [Build-a-Box](/help/docs/build-a-box) subscriptions. |
| 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 ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/a953bba6-c70d-43ce-bc77-d7f32a8fc514/Images/Documentation/CleanShot 2025-11-24 at 15.15.37.png)

> 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:

1. **First step**: Offer frequency changes or skipping
2. **Second step**: Offer product swaps or pausing
3. **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.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/a953bba6-c70d-43ce-bc77-d7f32a8fc514/Images/Documentation/Mind Maps (10)(1).png)

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.](/help/docs/cancel-flow-splash-screen-guide)

Cancel Flow is a feature in Skio that helps you reduce churn by presenting targeted offers—like discounts, pauses, or product swaps—when customers attempt to cancel their subscription.