Post-purchase emails are an important part of any ecommerce email strategy. They are optional if you only want new customers and don’t need existing ones to reorder.
But for most ecommerce businesses, customer loyalty is vital. Engaging with existing customers after the sale is one of the most cost-effective ways to encourage repeat purchases.
Post-Purchase Emails
This is ecommerce marketing. Follow-up emails sent after a customer receives their order (not transactional emails).
Through ecommerce content marketing and new offers, they keep people thinking about the brand. The best part is that you get data after the sale. You can use their buying habits, product interests, etc. to better target your emails.
This is not the same as sending one big promotion to your entire email list.
Most effective customer retention strategies use targeted post-purchase emails. Adding value helps build a mutually beneficial relationship with the customer, even if the open rate isn’t as high.
In contrast, if they are only promotional, you will lose repeat customers.
Let’s take a look at each type of email driving retention.
1. Usage and maintenance tips
The post-purchase experience is crucial.
We need repeat customers to enjoy their new items. Post-purchase emails with lots of content help explain the product, how to use it, and how to care for it.
This will increase product usage and customer satisfaction. So they’ll come back to you for more when they need it.
This type of email campaign can easily be tailored by product ordered to increase engagement.
2. Next order discount
In post-purchase emails, upsells drive repeat purchases. But offering specific items in an upsell email can be misleading.
Instead, offer a discount code for a future purchase, such as an accessory for a clothing item.
If you want to emphasize the link between the products, make the coupon category-specific. It also helps promote a category that doesn’t get enough attention.
3. An offer to fight browse abandonment
You can combat browse abandonment, or people who browse but don’t buy. Send them an email and encourage them to place an order.
This win-back email includes the viewed product(s) so the customer remembers easily.
Also, since this is a post-purchase email, a CRM keeps track of the customer’s behavior across all visits.
Send a special offer only to those who have looked at the products and left a few times.
4. Save the churners
There will always be churners. To avoid it, observe others who buy frequently. Observe their customer journey. What do they buy? This is why they are repeat customers.
Rewarding customers after purchases increases loyalty. It exposes more people to the products that encourage repeat purchases. This increases buyer loyalty.
5. Repeat successful campaigns
If you’re unsure what type of email campaign to send, look at your email reports. Was it a 70% clearance or an influencer’s pick?
Recreate the campaign for those who initially converted, but with different products. If they like it, send more of it.
6. Request for review
The best post-purchase email is a review request. Customer feedback can help any ecommerce business improve its product.
People are more loyal to things they are more invested in. Customer feedback is a great way to build trust. You can involve your brand’s followers in the product creation process to increase sales.
Ask your customers for new color and variant requests. Even ask for new product ideas. Their ideas may surprise you, but they are based on what they need and want from your products.
7. Promote an updated product
Maybe your product evolves seasonally, or you keep adding new features or add-ons. These are great for repeat sales and follow-up.
Because you already know what people bought, you can easily offer the new version in post-purchase emails. For example, if someone bought winter gear, offer them the summer collection.
Or you run limited editions. Keep your customers informed with reorder-inducing emails.