Do you remember Los Del Rio? 99.9% will answer no, although they are the most famous one-hit wonders of all time (singers of the hit dance single - Macarena). How does that have to do anything with post-purchase emails? That’s simple without the right post-purchase email, there’s a huge chance you will also be a one-hit wonder to your customers.
Any new customer is taking a leap of faith when making their first purchase. So you don’t want to stop at the “thank you for making a purchase with us” page. You have to take your retention efforts a step further and have a complete email campaign ready to be sent out after any new or even old customer makes a purchase.
In this article, we will shed light on how eCommerce businesses can write the best post-purchase emails to retain customers, increase sales and improve email marketing ROI.
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A post-purchase email is any email you send to your customer after purchasing from your eCommerce store. It includes the order details, a thank you for choosing us section, and an estimated delivery time. Experts have been saying it’s better to have a full post-purchase email campaign consisting of several emails, each serving a different purpose:
Thanks for ordering with us! It’s not the end of the customer’s journey but rather the start. Post-purchase emails have proved that it does make a difference with both loyal customers and new customers.
As a matter of fact, 64% of customers categorize order purchase confirmation emails as the most important messages in their inboxes. So, here are a few reasons why post-purchase emails are important:
To create the best post-purchase emails that increase sales, you need to:
Now let's take a look at some of the best post-purchase emails ever sent!!
1- Order confirmation emails (thank you emails)
As soon as a customer clicks “buy” they expect to receive an order confirmation email. By adding a simple thank you to this email, you will humanize your brand and establish a strong connection between your business and the consumer. You’ll find in the example below, Homes Alive pets are not shy about expressing their gratitude.
From the moment a customer makes a purchase, they are sitting in anticipation of the order fulfillment. Accordingly, the shipping confirmation emails may be the most important and awaited email in the post-purchase campaign.
In the following example, Brooklinen sent out a short email that contained all the relevant information a customer needs to track their shipment. In shipping confirmation emails, content is much more important than flash.
Feedback is essential for any eCommerce business. By sending surveys, you will better understand your customer base. For example, the eCommerce store, Sun Of A Beach, sends an email asking customers to rate them. In addition, they add a 10% coupon to encourage customers.
Replenishment emails are particularly valuable for eCommerce businesses that sell products used daily or weekly. In this example, ILIA sends constant emails to remind their customers to make their purchases on time, so they never “run out”.
This type is a great way to retreat the attention of customers back into the purchase cycle. However, you should use data from their previous purchases to create customized recommendations because they’ll respond better to relevant recommendations. For example, Adidas sent an email featuring a number of products that will complement the products the customers already purchased.
Losing loyal customers can drastically decrease your sales, by sending them win-back emails, you can regain their attention. This type of mail should include an incentive like a discount on their next purchase or a new loyalty program. Here we have Sephora using win-back emails with a soft tone to show their special deals to old customers.
Customers sometimes get confused about how to manage your products and need extra help from you. For instance, Dossier sells luxurious perfumes, and they realized that customers needed more information about their products. So, they began sending emails with helpful content like how to preserve their perfumes and a full guide to your purchase.
Loyal customers have to be rewarded for their continuous loyalty with exclusive perks. In the following example, Nook Vibrant Kitchen, a plant-based meals delivery business, sends an outstanding example of loyalty emails. It contains a detailed guide on how their customers can earn and redeem points. In addition, it ended with a strong call to action urging customers to join the loyalty program.
User-generated content gives your brand authenticity that you can never get from your own content. Therefore, you can ask some of your loyal customers through a post-purchase email to share their favorite products from your brand on their social media accounts. For example, Lush Cosmetics once made its customers promote their products by sharing pictures with their products using a hashtag in exchange for a discount.
Using the data you have on your customers, you can send them emails to celebrate special occasions. The easiest thing you can do in that category is send out emails on your customers’ birthdays. You can also include a small gift or coupon, this will go a long way in your retention efforts.
Using a vibrant design, Camper wishes its customer a happy birthday with a 10% coupon. By doing that, they established a stronger bond with the customer, and thanks to the coupon, they encouraged them to make a purchase.
All of this might seem a bit overwhelming, and yes your concerns are true. To send the best post-purchase emails to your customer you will need to dedicate a lot of resources and effort. Of course, that’s only for the folks who still like to send out their emails manually. However, if you are thinking of automating your email campaigns, then you came to the right place!
By using marketing operating systems like ConvertedIn you will be able to:
It’s time for you to take your post-purchase emails to the next level. Request a demo now, and let us help you step up your game!