Retention marketing for D2C brands

Turn first orders into repeat orders, and confirm COD orders before they ship.

18 to 25%

Fewer COD returns when buyers get a WhatsApp message before delivery.

Confirmation is usually the fastest RTO win.

Source: Base, COD return rates by category, 2026.

Channels in this service

WhatsAppShopify

What it fixes

One-time buyers

Most customers never order twice.

Blasts, not flows

Everyone gets the same message.

COD risk

Unconfirmed COD orders come back.

What each channel does in retention marketing

And the number we judge it on.

ChannelWhat it does for youJudged on
WhatsAppConfirms COD orders, sends updates and reminds buyers to reorder.RTO saved and repeat sales, after message costs
EmailRuns welcome, cart, post-purchase and win-back flows at low cost per send.Revenue per send and unsubscribes
SMSReaches buyers who do not open email, under TRAI's DLT rules.Sales per message, after cost

Questions to ask any agency before you sign

Including us. Each one shows whether the team will grow your profit or just your dashboard.

  1. 1
    Do you confirm COD orders before dispatch?

    It is the cheapest way to cut RTO.

  2. 2
    How often will my list hear from us?

    Too many messages lead to blocks and unsubscribes.

  3. 3
    Are reminders timed to how long the product lasts?

    A reorder message sent too early is ignored, and one sent too late loses the sale.

  4. 4
    Do you measure profit added, or just opens?

    Opens and clicks do not show whether a flow made money.

  5. 5
    Is everyone on the list opted in?

    WhatsApp and email both need consent, and complaints can get your number blocked.

Agency vs in-house vs Mobile First, for retention marketing

Agency vs in-house vs Mobile First, for retention marketing
Typical agencyIn-house teamYour growth teamMobile First
MessagesBlasts to the whole listSent when someone remembers
Flows by cohort, timed to each product
COD ordersNo confirmation stepManual calls when time allows
WhatsApp confirmation and a prepaid offer before dispatch
MeasurementOpen and click ratesTotal sales
Repeat rate and profit added by each flow
ChannelsEmail onlyWhatsApp from a phone
WhatsApp, email and SMS planned together

The first 90 days

  1. Week 1

    Data and cohorts mapped

  2. Weeks 2 to 4

    Core flows live

  3. Month 2

    Campaigns and tests

  4. Month 3

    Repeat rate against targets

What you will see in every weekly report

You see ROAS and contribution margin side by side, every week.

In every weekly report

  • Repeat rate
  • Revenue from retention
  • RTO on confirmed COD
  • Cost per message
  • What changed, what is next, and what didn't work

Custom reports, built for how you make money

  • Margin by product and size
  • ROAS by city and dark store
  • Repeat orders by cohort
  • RTO by pin code and payment method
  • Marketplace vs website profit

Weekly

Report and call

ROAS and margin by channel, what changed, what is next.

Monthly

Report and call

It compares results against your targets and sets next month's roadmap.

Quarterly

Projections and plan

Realistic numbers from your own data, checked against what actually happened.

A senior marketer on your account, with five accounts at most

  • We hire senior marketers only. Nobody learns on your budget.
  • Five ad accounts at most per marketer, fewer at larger scale.
  • Your direct competitors are never on your marketer's desk.
  • Specialists join for creative, marketplaces, tracking and retention.

At fifteen accounts a marketer checks your campaigns once a week. At five, they check every day and catch the losing ad set before it spends the month.

How we work
5ad accounts, at most, on each senior marketer's desk

Who works on your account

  • Senior marketerOwns your account, your targets and your weekly call.
  • Creative strategistAngles, hooks and creator briefs.
  • Marketplace specialistAmazon, Flipkart, Myntra, Blinkit and Zepto bids.
  • Tracking analystPixel, Conversions API, GA4 and lift studies.
  • Retention leadThey run your WhatsApp, email and SMS flows.

How we run your account

The same operating rhythm on every account, from the first week.

A senior marketer

Owns your account and your targets, with five ad accounts at most.

Weekly report and call

ROAS next to contribution margin, what changed and what happens next.

Live dashboard

Every channel in one view, so you never wait for the weekly call.

Monthly review

Results against the targets agreed in writing, and next month's plan.

Quarterly plan

Projections built from your own numbers, checked against what happened.

Slack or WhatsApp

Day-to-day questions answered by the person who runs your account.

Worked examples

FBFood and beverageWorked example
ROAS5.2
Margin18%

Repeat orders rose from 14% to 26% with WhatsApp reorder flows.

JJewelleryWorked example
ROAS4.4
Margin24%

COD confirmation on WhatsApp cut RTO on high-value carts from 31% to 18%.

Worked examples, built from patterns our team sees in each category. Client results are published only with each brand's written approval.

Questions about retention marketing

Which WhatsApp provider do you use?

We work with the official WhatsApp Business API providers you may already use, or set one up for you if you do not have one.

Do you write the messages?

Yes. We write every message and test versions against each other to see which earns more.

How often do you message?

We set the frequency by customer group, so loyal buyers and new buyers hear from you at different rates. Nobody should feel spammed.

Can confirmation cut RTO?

Yes. A WhatsApp confirmation before dispatch is usually the fastest way to cut RTO on COD orders.

What repeat rate is good?

It depends on your category. A food brand should expect far more repeat buying than a mattress brand. We benchmark your repeat rate against your category in the free audit.

Which channels do you use?

We use WhatsApp, email and SMS, and pick the right one for each message and customer group.

Which flows do you build first?

We usually start with abandoned cart, welcome, post-purchase and reorder reminders, because they earn the most for the least effort.

Can retention reduce RTO?

Yes. WhatsApp confirmation before dispatch cuts refused COD orders, and it is usually the fastest RTO win.

How do you measure retention?

We track repeat rate, revenue per customer and margin by customer group, in the same weekly report as your ads.

Do customers need to opt in?

Yes. We only message customers who have agreed to hear from you, which also protects your WhatsApp number.

60 seconds

Are we a great fit?

Five questions, no email needed. You get an honest answer on screen.

Talk to us about retention marketing

Tell us about your brand. We read your accounts before the call, so it is about your numbers.

  • Free growth audit, yours to keep
  • ROAS and profit read for every channel
  • WhatsApp reply within one working day

Next: five quick questions, then pick a 30-minute slot.

Before you go: are any of your campaigns losing money?

Our free growth audit shows which campaigns lose money after returns and discounts. A senior marketer reads your accounts within 48 hours, and the audit is yours to keep.