Push notifications: turning them into actual sales
A push notification is the fastest way both to win a customer back and to lose them permanently with one tap of 'delete'. The difference isn't the copy — it's who received it and when.
Why push notifications get apps deleted
A blanket message to the whole base — '10% off today' — annoys everyone the discount doesn't apply to, and devalues push as a channel: after the third irrelevant notification, users either disable push in settings or delete the app outright.
Every notification competes for attention with dozens from other apps. It has to be personally useful to that specific user, or it shouldn't be sent at all — there is no middle ground.
Segmentation is the foundation of push that works
The minimum working segmentation: by last purchase (remind about a viewed-but-not-bought item), by visit recency (14 days inactive — win back with a personal offer), by average order value (high spenders get early access, not discounts).
Finer segmentation goes by interest category: a customer who only ever buys takeaway coffee shouldn't get a push about a new dine-in dish. This requires the app to track behaviour history, not just contact details.
Timing and frequency
A push sent at 8am about an evening promotion has lost relevance by evening. Send timing should match the actual decision moment: an hour before lunch and dinner for food delivery, weekend mornings for retail when people plan purchases.
Frequency: more than two or three pushes a week per user measurably increases opt-outs and deletions, even when each one is relevant. Cap it at the system level rather than trusting a marketer's self-restraint.
Scenarios that actually work
An abandoned-cart push after 30-60 minutes of inactivity is among the highest-converting pushes in e-commerce. Order status updates (delivered, ready for pickup) aren't sales pushes but are critical for trust in the app.
Reactivating inactive customers after 14-30 days with a personal bonus rather than a generic discount typically outperforms a blast to the same people.