Some Customers Take Six Months. Plan For It.

TL;DR: Considered-purchase categories run on long clocks. Build nurture windows that match the real decision timeline instead of abandoning at day three.

From the audit vault: From an audit of a homeware retailer whose customers deliberate for months: the recommended browse and cart programmes ran up to six months of relevant, category-tied touches.

Match the clock

Furniture, jewellery, occasionwear, big-ticket kit: customers think in months, brands email in days. When the flow gives up at day three and the decision lands in month four, whoever is still present wins the order. Usually that is a competitor with a retargeting budget.

Stay relevant, not loud

A long window is not a licence to nag. Monthly-ish touches tied to the browsed category: styling ideas, new arrivals in that collection, care guides, customer homes. Every email earns its place by being about the thing they are actually deciding on.

Shorten the window where you can

Within the long nurture, moments of honest urgency compress decisions: limited pieces, seasonal relevance, price-change notices. Use them sparingly and truthfully; the long game depends on trust.