Unlike traditional retail, where face-to-face interactions guide customers through the buying process, online shoppers often need more personalized and targeted engagement to build trust and make purchasing decisions. Enters eCommerce email marketing automation.
Email marketing automation empowers you to send the right message at the perfect moment, triggered by customers’ actions. For instance, a customer abandons their shopping cart without completing the purchase. With automation, you can trigger a reminder email about the items waiting in their cart.
Likewise, for customers who have already made a purchase, you can trigger a follow-up email after three days with personalized product recommendations based on their buying behavior. These automated emails are carefully designed to nurture leads and drive them towards conversions.
In this article, we’ll delve into the nuances of eCommerce email marketing automation — exploring different types of automation and sharing expert tips to help you create revenue-boosting email campaigns.
12 eCommerce Email Marketing Automations With Tips + Examples
Let’s explore different types of eCommerce email marketing automations with practical tips and real-life examples to inspire your campaigns.
1. Welcome email automation
The primary goal of welcome email automation is to make a positive first impression and initiate a relationship with new subscribers or customers.
Welcome emails allow you to capitalize on the initial excitement and momentum that occurs when people first discover your business. If a person is interested enough in your business to subscribe, then they’re likely interested in your products too. You can tap into this excitement by giving them an incentive to buy something, like a discount on their first purchase.
By offering a first-purchase discount, you can –
- Influence new subscribers to quickly make a purchase
- Influence first-time customers to spend more
Besides, welcome emails generate 4x more opens and 5x more clicks than regular email campaigns. Use this opportunity to clearly mention the type and frequency of emails they can expect in your welcome email. Will they receive product updates, exclusive promotions, or educational content? Setting clear expectations helps manage subscriber preferences and foster consistent participation.
This welcome email from Glossier delivers a comprehensive introduction to their brand and offerings. The subject line, “your first email,” immediately establishes a unique and personalized tone, setting the stage for a meaningful interaction.
The email provides an overview of Glossier’s ethos, highlights its best-selling product, and prominently features its hassle-free 30-day return and exchange policy. Glossier understands that online shopping is built on trust, and they effectively reinforce transparency by showcasing their team and community.
2. Browse abandonment email
The premise behind browse abandonment emails is simple: just because a customer didn’t add an item to their cart doesn’t mean they aren’t interested.
Browse abandonment email automation is a valuable strategy that many eCommerce businesses overlook. We often hear about cart abandonment emails — reminders for customers who almost made a purchase but didn’t follow through. But let’s not forget about browse abandonment emails.
In the buyer’s journey, potential customers go through three key stages: awareness, consideration, and decision. Browse abandonment emails specifically target customers in the awareness or consideration stages, where they are actively exploring products and gathering information.
By leveraging browse abandonment email automation, you can effectively nurture leads and guide potential customers further down the sales funnel. These emails gently remind individuals about the products they showed interest in — highlight key features or benefits to reignite their curiosity.
Gimme Beauty knows how to make a connection. When Beth browsed their site but didn’t make a move, Gimme Beauty didn’t miss a beat. They reached out with a friendly email: “Hey Beth, did you see something you liked?” It was a subtle nudge to encourage her to come back and shop.
The email’s tone was spot-on: “Something catch your eye? Come back and shop the site!” This straightforward message, coupled with a standout call-to-action button, made it easy for Beth to revisit and explore the products she was interested in.
3. Abandoned cart reminder email
While cart abandoners aren’t exactly existing customers, the same general principle applies: they’re easier to convert because they’re already further down your sales funnel.
By sending targeted abandoned cart reminder emails, you have the opportunity to re-engage these potential customers and guide them toward completing their purchase. This approach allows you to capitalize on existing interest and recover potentially lost revenue without the additional costs associated with acquiring new customers.
This abandoned cart email from SixThreeZero really hits the mark. They’ve nailed the essentials: showcasing the product that caught the shopper’s eye and adding a touch of urgency with a time-limited coupon offer. Plus, they know how to play on emotions by using social proof to create a fear of missing out (FOMO) effect further down the email.
What’s impressive is how SixThreeZero addresses potential objections customers might have. By prominently displaying their return policy, they’re reassuring hesitant shoppers about the quality of their products and the ease of the sales process. This email is a great example of how to blend visual appeal, emotional triggers, and effective objection handling to bring those abandoned carts back into the checkout lane.
4. Post-purchase email flow
Post-purchase automations are a series of emails that get sent to customers after they make a purchase. When done properly, they can ensure that every customer has a positive shopping experience and is more likely to return.
Your post-purchase automation can include:
5. Order confirmation email
Immediately after a customer completes a purchase, an order confirmation email is sent to provide reassurance and acknowledgment. This email confirms the details of the transaction, including the items purchased, quantities, pricing, shipping address, and estimated delivery date. The order confirmation email is essential for transparency and helps customers feel confident that their order was successfully processed.
This order confirmation email from Burst puts a smile on his customer’s face with this thoughtful subject line ‘Smiles Davis, Your Order #650050 for BURST has been placed.’ The email provides all the essential order details and lets the customer know they’ll receive a shipping confirmation once the order is on its way. It’s a seamless and reassuring experience for customers.
6. Shipping confirmation email
Once the customer’s order has been shipped, a shipping confirmation email is sent to notify them that their package is on its way. This email includes tracking information so that customers can monitor the progress of their delivery.
But why should you bother? Because shipping confirmation emails have an impressive open rate of 91.4%. Customers appreciate staying updated on their orders — it keeps the excitement alive to know where their package is and when it will arrive. Plus, timely shipping updates help manage expectations and reduce the need for customers to inquire about their order status.
This shipping confirmation email from Postable is attractive and informative; it lets customers know when they can expect the card. However, one thing that is missing is the order tracking link. It’s a good practice to include a tracking link that allows customers to monitor their shipments. Providing this feature not only gives customers satisfaction by allowing them to track their orders but also ensures they have all the necessary information, reducing the need to contact customer service frequently.
7. Thank you email automation
This one is simple but easily overlooked. People like to be thanked and appreciated, plain and simple. So thank your customers for their purchase, and try to do so in a non-generic way. The more unique and heartfelt your thanks are, the more customers will appreciate it. You can create an entire, separate thank you email, like we did for BOIE.
Or you can just include a thank you in one of your other post-purchase emails like Bajaao did with their service email. Bajaao used the opportunity to ask customers to share their thoughts and experiences with their service. Reviews are valuable for future customers and can help build credibility for your brand.
8. Review request email
Customer reviews are good for sales. So it makes sense to solicit reviews in your post-purchase automation sequence.
If you want to ace a review request email, here’s what you can do –
- Focus on framing the request properly
- Make leaving a review as easy as possible
- If possible, incentivize customers to leave a review.
Don’t just ask customers to leave a review so you can get more sales. Frame the request properly by asking them to share their experiences and help other shoppers with their insight.
Furthermore, customers should be able to leave a review via the email you send or by clicking a link that takes them directly to the review page. And by throwing in a discount incentive, you can increase your review conversion rate.
The review request email from Camera Ready Cosmetics demonstrates how to properly request feedback. Customers can leave a star rating directly within the email, and an added incentive of 10% off their next purchase increases the chances of participation.
9. Cross-sell or upsell email
Upselling is a great way to not only increase revenue but also increase the average amount your customers spend on your products.
Upselling is when you promote an additional product that’s related to the one a customer has just purchased (cross-sell) or is in the process of purchasing. So if a customer buys your protein powder, you try to get them to also buy your shaker cup or blender. To create upsell emails, you must identify what products to upsell, when to upsell them, and how to upsell them.
Start by identifying complementary products. You can either group related products based on intuition (as in the protein powder example above), or group them based on actual data you have about what products customers buy in tandem.
Once you know what products to upsell, you must determine how you’re going to upsell. The best places include:
Follow-up emails: After a customer purchases a product, send a follow-up email asking if they want to buy this additional product (maybe even include a discount to sweeten the pot.)
Transactional emails: When you email customers a receipt for a purchase, include some products that they might also want to buy.
Cart abandonment emails: In addition to promoting the product a shopper abandoned, you can also promote additional products they may be interested in.
Dynamic content in promotional emails: When you send emails promoting one of your products, you can include dynamic content that promotes related products as well.
Here’s a classic example from Amazon. Amazon promotes two other home appliance items in their order confirmation email. If a person is interested, they are likely to be influenced and may click on the link.
10. Reorder reminder email
Reorder reminders are beneficial for eCommerce businesses that sell products requiring repeat orders. There are two types of reorder reminders:
The first type is sent to customers around the time when their last order should be running out, reminding them to place another order. This is particularly relevant for skincare, beauty brands, and food businesses.
However, many companies that operate on a subscription model will send reorder emails alerting customers that their next order will be automatically placed soon. Customers who anticipate the next order will know to expect it soon, while those who do not can cancel or delay their order before getting charged. Although this type of email may result in some lost sales, your customers will appreciate the proactive communication, fostering a better relationship with them.
Here’s a reorder reminder example from Adobe with the perfect subject line ‘We Hope You Didn’t Run Out.’ It clearly indicates that they are reminding customers to refill their ink before supplies run out. They even highlight the offer of free shipping and include a relatable GIF to make the email visually appealing.
11. Birthday email automation
Birthday email automation is another simple but effective campaign tactic. They can be used to nurture your relationship with customers and generate sales.
To run these campaigns, you’ll need to collect subscribers’ DOB info at sign-up or during their interactions with your brand. This data can be collected through subscription forms, account creation processes, or customer profiles.
Using an email marketing platform or CRM system, set up an automated campaign triggered by customers’ birthdates. This automation will ensure that each customer receives a personalized birthday email on their specific date.
But what does a good birthday email look like? A good birthday email will a) include a heartwarming happy birthday wish and b) give them a gift that will incentivize purchases. After all, who doesn’t like to be wished on their birthday and receive a gift?
Topshop achieves both objectives effectively in their birthday email. It features warm colors that resonate with the audience, highlights their unique selling proposition (USP) of ‘free shipping, free returns,’ and conveniently includes links to different categories, allowing customers to visit the website directly from the email. Additionally, the 20% discount incentive and instructions on how to use it further enhance the appeal.
12. Back-in-stock email automation
Back-in-stock email automation can help engage customers and maximize sales opportunities for popular products that have temporarily sold out. You can place a simple “Notify Me” button placed on the product page.
When customers click the “Notify Me” button, it indicates their interest and intent to purchase once the item is back in stock. You can trigger an email notification to subscribers when the desired product becomes available again. This trigger is typically based on real-time inventory updates or when new stock is added to your inventory management system.
Customers appreciate being notified promptly when their desired product is available again. By sending targeted emails to interested customers, you capitalize on ready-to-convert leads and increase the chance of conversion.
This restock alert email from Brightland effectively targets FOMO by highlighting their best-selling product, ‘The Mini Essentials,’ which has sold out three times already. So grab it before it’s gone again (customers are less likely to miss out on popular items to reduce the potential for their disappointment). Besides, the email clearly outlines the products included in the kit and features visually appealing content.
13. Win-back automation
Win-back automations aim to convince lapsed customers to resume shopping with you. They get sent to customers who haven’t bought anything in a specified time period, such as 3 months or 6 months, depending on your industry and typical purchase cycle.
Set up an automated system that triggers a win-back email to customers who meet the lapsed criteria and prompt them to return to your store and make another purchase.
These emails are simple: just tell the customer you miss them and give them the incentive to return as Sephora does in their win-back email.
The key is to convey genuine appreciation, offer compelling incentives, and make it easy for customers to return and re-engage with your brand.
Benefits of eCommerce Marketing Automation
When it comes to eCommerce, the world of email marketing automation can seem like a maze at first glance. However, understanding the benefits of email automation can make a world of difference for your business.
Here’s why you should embrace eCommerce email marketing automation:
1. Encourages repeat purchases and boosts revenue
Setting up automated campaigns like post-purchase follow-ups or loyalty reward emails keeps your brand top-of-mind. For example, setting up timely reminder emails for consumable products or items with predictable replenishment cycles increases conversion rates. Repeat purchases contribute to sustainable revenue growth.
An email marketing automation tool anticipates customer needs and proactively nurtures relationships through various email types, ultimately driving sales.
2. Runs targeted campaigns for increased engagement
With automation, you can create highly targeted and relevant email campaigns tailored to specific customer segments. Whether it’s sending personalized product recommendations based on past purchases or launching seasonal promotions to targeted audience groups, automation helps boost engagement by delivering the right message to the right audience at the right time.
3. Enables customer segmentation for personalization
Segmentation is key to effective email marketing, and automation makes it easier than ever. By segmenting your customer base based on demographics, behavior, or purchase history, you can deliver personalized content and offers that resonate with each segment. “Hi Eric, b’day coupon inside!” Well, who wouldn’t like that?
This level of personalization enhances customer experience and drives better conversion rates.
4. Handles scalability and business growth with ease
Manually sending emails isn’t feasible. Automation tools are specifically engineered to handle this growth seamlessly. They enable you to efficiently manage larger customer bases and execute more complex campaigns with ease.
Let’s say your eCommerce store experiences a surge in orders during a seasonal sale. An automation tool can effortlessly send personalized order confirmations, shipping updates, and follow-up emails to a large volume of customers. This ensures every customer receives timely communication, maintaining consistent engagement and service levels across the board.
In essence, eCommerce email automation not only supports scalability but also enhances operational efficiency. It allows businesses to focus on strategic growth initiatives rather than getting bogged down by manual tasks.
5. Provides real-time insights for continuous improvement
Automation platforms offer robust analytics and reporting features that provide real-time insights into campaign performance, customer behavior, and ROI. By monitoring key metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates, you can identify areas for improvement and optimize your email marketing strategies for better results over time.
Wrap Up
An effective eCommerce email marketing automation can significantly boost revenue by targeting customers with personalized and timely messages throughout their journey. The key lies in deploying email flows strategically to ensure a balanced approach and avoid overwhelming customers with repetitive or irrelevant content.
Tools like CRM or marketing automation platforms can help segment audiences into different groups and businesses can then tailor email automations to specific customer segments.
It’s essential for eCommerce businesses to identify which email flows are most beneficial for their unique needs and goals. Whether it’s cart abandonment reminders, post-purchase follow-ups, product recommendations, or win-back campaigns, each automation should be selected based on its potential to generate ROI.
At InboxArmy, we specialize in helping clients identify and implement the most profitable automations for their businesses. Contact our e-commerce agency to enhance your email marketing ROI. We work closely with businesses to optimize existing email flows and recommend new strategies that align with their objectives.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Should I always add discounts in my automated email workflows?
While adding discounts to your automated email workflows can certainly incentivize purchases and drive conversions, it’s essential to use them strategically. Consider offering discounts as part of specific campaigns or to targeted customer segments to maximize their impact. However, be mindful of over-reliance on discounts, as this can train customers to expect discounts regularly, which may impact your profitability in the long run.
- What is the best email automation tool for eCommerce?
Popular email automation tools for eCommerce include Klaviyo, Omnisend, Mailchimp, Activecampaign, Keap etc — renowned for their robust features and user-friendly interfaces. Each specializes in unique capabilities, so it’s important to identify your specific needs and preferences. Consider factors like integration capabilities, segmentation options, and reporting features to select the tool that best aligns with your business goals.
- What is the difference between email marketing automations and drip campaigns?
Email drip campaigns follow a predetermined sequence of emails, typically scheduled at specific intervals, and require minimal intervention once set up. For example, a product launch drip campaign may consist of three emails sent out at predetermined times.
In contrast, automated emails are dynamic and triggered by specific user actions or behaviors. For instance, if a user abandons their cart, an automated email reminder is automatically triggered, prompting them to complete their purchase. This dynamic nature allows for personalized and timely communication tailored to individual user interactions.
