If this was fwd’d to you, subscribe here.

I’ve been thinking a lot about what happens after someone hits “place order.” Brands spend SO much time perfecting everything leading up to checkout, but some of the moments that actually determine whether a customer comes back happen after the sale.

And with BFCM around the corner, when order volume (and inevitably support volume 😅) is about to spike, it feels like a pretty good time to make sure we’re giving the post-purchase experience the attention it deserves.

Both Hallo and Bloomreach recently highlighted something we see ALL the time in our CX work: checkout isn't the finish line. Order tracking, shipping updates, returns, payment issues, and getting help when something goes wrong are all part of the shopping experience too.

You can have incredible creative, a perfectly optimized site, and a seamless checkout, but if the customer has no idea where their package is or has to jump through hoops to make a return, that’s what they remember. On the flip side, proactive communication and an easy resolution can turn a frustrating moment into a reason to trust your brand.

This is why I think brands need to stop treating post-purchase CX as just a support function. It’s retention. Every interaction after checkout is an opportunity to give someone a reason to come back — or a reason not to.

So before BFCM, shop your own brand. Place an order. Read your confirmation emails. Track the package. Go through your return flow. Contact support. Experience what your customers experience. Getting someone to click “place order” is great. Making them want to do it again is the whole point.

I’ve actually done this with a bunch of brands in my CX Journey / Shop With Me series — going through the customer journey myself and breaking down what works, what doesn’t, and where the experience could be better. You can watch the full playlist here →

What’s one post-purchase experience that made you want to shop with a brand again — or never shop with them again?

Reply and tell me 👀

I'm joining DTCx12 Global on October 7th for a quick 20-minute session all about BFCM strategies, AI + CX!

I’ll be talking about how brands can use AI heading into peak season to create a better experience for customers and make life a little easier for the teams behind the scenes.

It's virtual, FREE, and there are 20+ ecommerce leaders joining from around the world.

Register here!

Next Tuesday, September 29, I’m joining Will Padilla + Social Snowball for a live 7-Figure Affiliate Marketing Playbook Workshop at Kiln Phoenix.

We’re breaking down how brands can build and scale an affiliate program that actually drives revenue — plus, it’s a lunch & learn with giveaways from some awesome local brands.

If you're a brand, creator, or affiliate in Phoenix, I’d love to see you there! RSVP here!

And if you want a head start, I put together an Affiliate Playbook breaking down how to recruit the right affiliates, get them activated, and build a program that actually drives revenue. Grab the playbook here →

Looking for your next CX role?

I’m keeping an eye out for great opportunities across CX, ecommerce, retention + more and sharing some of my favorites here.

Director of Retention & Customer Lifecycle @ Bask and Lather Co

Remote (US)

Senior Director of Loyalty @ Skims

Los Angeles (On-Site)

Director of Customer and Aquisition @ Rare Beauty

Los Angeles (Hybrid)

Throwing it back to my conversation with Isaac Medeiros, founder of Mini Katana, Kanpai Foods + Content Forge, all about what it actually takes to build a brand that people want to talk about.

We got into organic growth, creator-led marketing, building a real community, and scaling without relying on traditional ads. If you’re thinking about how to get more people genuinely excited about your brand, this one is worth bringing back 👀

Watch/listen here →

BFCM is officially creeping up 👀 Is your CX actually ready for it?

Our CX Audits dig into your current customer experience to find the gaps, missed opportunities, and little things that could turn into big problems once peak season hits.

Think of it as a CX gut check before your ticket volume starts going crazy.

Don’t wait until November to figure out what’s broken — book your CX Audit with the Inevitable Agency team and head into BFCM ready.