AI-driven marketing thrives on recent data—constantly optimizing toward the behaviors of your most active customers and visitors. That makes sense from a machine-learning perspective. The more recent the signal, the stronger the predictive power.
But in that recency bias, one valuable audience often gets left behind: your deep-lapsed buyers.
These are customers who haven’t purchased in 24 months or more. Many AI models deprioritize or exclude them entirely, assuming they’ve aged out of relevance. It’s a logical conclusion when you’re focused solely on recent activity. But it’s also short-sighted—because these buyers are far from dead weight. 
In fact, we’re seeing strong results from reactivation campaigns aimed specifically at the 24+ month segment. With the right offer, creative, and timing, these buyers often respond in ways that are not only incremental, but also highly profitable.
Here’s why: deep-lapsed buyers tend to convert at lower cost per acquisition (CPA) or cost per reactivation (CRA) than net-new customers. That’s largely because they already know your brand, understand your products, and may simply need a compelling nudge to return. You’re not building awareness from scratch—you’re rekindling a dormant relationship.
That difference can have a major impact on your bottom line. When deep-lapsed customers convert, their orders often carry higher margins and a stronger return on marketing spend than first-time acquisitions. They don’t require as many impressions to act, and they’re more likely to buy confidently. In some cases, they outperform prospect audiences by a wide margin.
So why does AI overlook them?
Most machine learning models are optimized for efficiency: they chase the segments most likely to convert quickly. Recency, frequency, and monetary value (RFM) models often exclude customers who haven’t interacted in a long time. From the algorithm’s point of view, it’s a poor bet.
But smart marketers know better.
Rather than letting automation write off this group, we’ve seen strong results by testing into these older cohorts intentionally. That means building audience segments of 24-month+ lapsed buyers, developing relevant messaging, and delivering reactivation offers that feel personal and timely.
This isn’t about blasting discounts. It’s about crafting a reintroduction. Maybe your product mix has evolved. Maybe your customers’ needs or lifestyle have shifted. Maybe rising costs are forcing you to be more selective with acquisition. Maybe tariffs or supply chain pressures are impacting how you invest. Maybe it’s just the right time to remind them why they chose you in the first place. Either way, the opportunity is real—and measurable.
In a landscape dominated by AI and real-time signals, your best strategic advantage might be the customers your model left behind. When approached with intention, long-lapsed buyers aren’t a risk—they’re a profitable return waiting to happen.