Example: E-commerce (Konga)

An online retailer like Konga wants shoppers to browse, buy, and come back — while recovering the carts that stall at checkout. The E-commerce model is built for exactly this, and it's the one model with a built-in high-intent abandon opportunity.

1. Events to instrument

Emit these from your storefront and order pipeline, keyed by the shopper's external_id.

Your event           Fires when…                    Useful properties
------------------   ---------------------------    ------------------------------
product_viewed       a shopper views a product      product_id, category, price
checkout_started     they begin checkout with a     cart_total, item_count,
                     non-empty cart                 checkout_url
order_completed      an order is paid               order_id, amount, currency, items

curl https://api.engageapp.xyz/api/v1/public/events \
  -H "X-API-Key: df_your_secret_key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "events": [
      { "external_id": "shopper_7781", "event_name": "checkout_started",
        "properties": { "cart_total": 42000, "item_count": 2,
                        "checkout_url": "https://shop.example/cart/abc" } }
    ]
  }'

2. Choose the model & map events

Pick E-commerce and map:

Canonical behavior   Role          Your event         Required?
------------------   -----------   ----------------   ---------
purchased            conversion    order_completed    required
viewed_product       activity      product_viewed     required
added_to_cart        intent        checkout_started   optional (unlocks abandon)

There's no separate acquisition event in this model — the first purchase is the milestone that matters. Purchase count tiers up repeat and VIP customers automatically.

3. Resulting lifecycle stages

Shoppers are classified as lead → first purchase → repeat customer → VIP → lapsing → churned. Two purchases make a repeat customer; five make a VIP, as long as they're recently active. Browsers who never buy stay leads.

4. Opportunities & campaigns

• Abandon — started checkout in the last 7 days but didn't buy. Campaign: a cart reminder that surfaces the items and a link back — the classic recoverable revenue play (see cart abandonment).
• Post-conversion — recently purchased. Campaign: order follow-up, cross-sell, and a reason for a second order.
• Re-engage dormant — browsed/bought before, now quiet. Campaign: "new in your favourite category" with fresh arrivals.
• High-value nurture — VIPs with 5+ purchases. Campaign: loyalty perks, early access, or a thank-you offer.
• Win back — lapsed customers (no churn event in this model, so this targets buyers who've gone silent). Campaign: a comeback discount.

5. Channels, autonomy & real-time

Connect email for rich product content and SMS or push for time-sensitive cart nudges. Start in review required, then let abandon and post-purchase run in auto-execute once you're happy. Both checkout_started (intent) and order_completed (conversion) trigger real-time detection — so an abandoned cart surfaces fast, while it's still warm.

Next steps

• Start from the general integration guide.
• Use a two-sided model instead? See the marketplace example.