MENUMENU
  • Services
    • Services
      • Search Engine Optimization
      • Local SEO
      • Generative Engine Optimization
      • Digital PR
      • Content Marketing
      • Email Marketing Services
      • Lifecycle Marketing
      • Paid Media Advertising
      • Social Media Marketing
      • Creative Design Services
      • Conversion Rate Optimization
      • Website Design & Development
      • Amazon Marketing Services
      • Franchise Marketing
      • Franchise Development
      • National to Local Marketing
      • Reporting and Data Analytics
      • Digital Marketing Strategy
  • Who We Serve
    • Who We Serve
      • Franchise Marketing
      • B2B Marketing
      • Lead Generation
      • Ecommerce
      • We Build Custom Strategies
      • View Sample Industries
  • About Us
    • About Ignite Visibility
      • Our Story
      • Our Values
      • Our Team
      • Clients
      • Diversity & Inclusion
      • Our Blog
      • Marketing Resources
      • Franchise Marketing Resources
      • Careers
      • Hiring Notice
  • Case Studies
  • Awards
  • Contact
  • 619.752.1955
Home / Email / Ecommerce Email Marketing: One-Stop Guide

Ecommerce Email Marketing: One-Stop Guide

April 17, 2020 By John Lincoln

As savvy ecommerce marketers, we’ve all come across those studies that cite email as having the highest ROI of any marketing channel available.

In fact, email marketing is hands down the best way for ecommerce businesses to connect with customers and drive sales.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the entire ecommerce email marketing process and equip you with the tips and templates needed to help ensure your first campaign is a success.

What You’ll Learn:

  • Why email marketing is important for ecommerce brands
  • Getting started!
  • 15 tips for ecom email marketing
  • 10 examples of ecommerce email marketing templates

Why is Email Marketing so Important for Ecommerce?

For one, 61 percent of customers report that email is their communication method of choice. And more than 90 percent of people say that they prefer to receive promotional emails from their favorite brands. Needless to say, you can’t go wrong with email.

Email marketing also offers a more flexible and cost-effective alternative to traditional forms of marketing. Secure leads, close sales, and retain customers—all without breaking the bank.

Ecommerce Email Marketing: How do You Get Started?

When you think of an ecommerce email strategy, there are probably a few things that come to mind.

Right now, you’re probably envisioning huge email blasts advertising a can’t-miss sale or new product line. But that’s just one category of email marketing. The truth is that it can take many more forms, ones that are even more useful than those massive blasts, and ones that are automated to take some of the busywork off your plate.

At its core, email marketing involves any email you send out to a customer or potential customer.

But, how exactly do you kick off this process? What are the steps you have to take to get everything up and running?

15 Ecommerce Email Marketing Tips

We’ve compiled a list of some of our top tried-and-tested strategies that will pique the interest of your customers and keep them coming back for more:

1. Develop a plan

When it comes to ecommerce email marketing, you don’t want to just play it by ear. Start with the end in mind and start writing out the steps you need to take and adjust accordingly.

2. Make sure your site is mobile-friendly

With more than half of all emails opened on a mobile device, make sure that your ecommerce site is optimized to be read on both tablets and smartphones. Scrollable content, easy-to-read fonts, and good spacing are all base-level requirements.

3. Segment your audience

Understanding your customers is what separates the victors from the failures in ecommerce email marketing. You can segment your audience based on the actions they’ve already taken on your site, by individual characteristics, or by specified preferences.

4. Write attention-grabbing subject lines

You’ve got one chance to get subscribers to open your emails and it starts and ends with your subject line, so make it engaging. You want to strike that perfect balance between catchy and salesy.

5. Keep content concise

When writing your ecommerce email, remember that less is more. Since you want to convey your brand’s story as effectively as possible, steer clear of jargon-laden language and marketing fluff.

6. Use high-quality images

Regardless of what you’re selling, powerful visuals are key in driving subscribers to buy. Images and videos can convey things that words can’t and are a great way to show instead of tell.

7. Add a call to action

The average user receives 121 emails per day. Despite your best effort to craft emails with responsive designs and compelling content, a call to action incentivizes the reader to take the next step and open the email.

8. Personalize, personalize, personalize

There’s nothing more off-putting for a customer than to be treated as part of the crowd. Depending on the nature of the email, you can use the customer’s profile details and buying preferences to create targeted campaigns that lead to more sales.

9. Add a live chat feature

Live chat is one of the more effective communication methods out there. Customers can easily ask questions or share concerns before making a purchasing decision, thus boosting your conversion rate and creating a positive shopping experience for your brand.

10. Offer free shipping

If your business doesn’t offer a free shipping option, it may be time to add one. It turns out that 91 percent of consumers say that free shipping influences their buying decisions.

11. Offer exclusive promotions to loyal customers

On average, returning customers are worth up to 10 times as much as their initial purchase. To ensure they’ll continue you to buy from you in the future, create a loyalty program in which they can use rewards points to score discounts and free products.

12. Ask customers to join your email marketing list

The process of collecting email addresses and adding them to your database is a skill in itself. To ensure your opt-in popup is user-friendly, be sure to test various options and find out what’s most effective for your target audience.

13. Track your results

To get the best results from your email campaigns, you need to be steadfast in monitoring and refining your results. These metrics include open rates, click-through rates, and unique opens.

14. Ask for feedback

Providing social proof on your ecommerce site can go a long way. If you can identify the customers that are buying from you and clicking on your emails, take the opportunity to reach out and ask for a review.

15. Respond to reviews

Customer testimonials can make or break your business. Whether they’re positive or negative, responding to their comments is a great way to build trust and illustrates that you care about what they think about your brand.

10 Ecommerce Email Templates You NEED

The best ecommerce email templates are designed to finetune your campaign and increase your sales through email marketing:

1. Welcome Email

What better way to introduce subscribers to your brand than with a persuasive introduction email? Generating roughly three times more revenue per email than any other marketing email, they’re an essential component of your ecommerce email strategy.

Example: Huckberry

huckberry ecommerce email template

2. Engagement Email

It’s harder than ever these days to stand out in your customer’s inbox. So, to increase your chances, don’t simply throw together some information and click “send.” Focus on strengthening the relationship between you and the customer. What’s going to grab their attention? A sale? Free samples?

Example: Sephora

sephora ecommerce email marketing

3. Referral Email

With referrals from existing customers, their friends and family are more likely to make a purchase from your brand as opposed to someone who happened to come across your paid advertising elsewhere on the internet. It is the easiest lead generation tool that helps you bring back loyal customers and attract new customers with virtually no effort.

Example: Misty Robotics

Misty robotics ecommerce email marketing

4. Discount Email

Who doesn’t love discounts? Not only do they lead to higher conversion rates, but they motivate customers to act sooner than later so they can score big savings.  But, try to reserve the discounted pricing for those who engage regularly with your ecommerce email marketing campaigns.

Example: Hotels.com

Hotels.com ecommerce email marketing

5. Abandoned Cart Email

Nearly 70 percent of users abandon items in their cart before ever completing the sale.  The good news is that by sending a follow-up email, they’re more likely to convert. The email should include images of the product(s) left behind, a possible discount, and a strong call to action.

Example: Dote

6. Order Confirmation Email

While order confirmations are often viewed simply as digital receipts, it’s also a great way to increase sales and bring customers back to your site. Everything they need to know should be included in the email—delivery address, expected arrival date, product description, quantity, and price information.

Example: Dollar Shave Club

Dollar shave club ecommerce email marketing template

7. Upsell Email

It’s far easier to sell to a repeat customer than it is to discover new customers. Knowing this, you should be using almost every email to your existing base to upsell products. You can approach this by sending an email after they make a purchase with details on products within the same category they might be interested in.

Example: SHOP.com

shop.com ecommerce email marketing template

8. Win-Back Email

Each year, one in four email subscribers decide to opt out of ecommerce emails. By launching a multi-part win-back email campaign, you can get people to interact with your emails again.

Example: Crocs

crocs ecommerce email marketing template

9. Survey Email

Survey emails are an excellent way to see what your customers really think about your business. They give you insight into everything from pain points to long-term goals. The more users respond to your survey, the better chance you have of improving your marketing strategy.

Example: Tailor Brands

Tailor Brands ecommerce email marketing

10. Appreciation Email

No matter your ecommerce business, saying “thank you” to your customers is critical. While these messages are often automated, you don’t want them to come off as being impersonal. The best ecommerce email automation should still show gratitude and convey to the customer that you genuinely appreciate their business.

Example: MacPaw

MacPaw ecommerce email marketing

Wrapping Up

By using the above-mentioned strategies and implementing them properly with the right resources behind them, you can greatly improve your odds of success.

The big question is—are you ready to get started?

If your answer is yes, think of email marketing as your ecommerce company’s secret weapon. Without giving it a second thought, it’s time to put your marketing efforts to the test, and let the results pour in!

Related Posts

  • Will Gmails Recent Change Kill Promotional Email Marketing?

    For those of you who don't know, Gmail just made a HUGE change. They are…

  • Ecommerce Email Marketing: How to Double Your Sales in Half the Time

    If you didn't already know that ecommerce email marketing is an art, we're here to…

  • Klaviyo Review 2021: Email & SMS Solutions for Ecommerce

    Want to know if Klaviyo is the right platform for you? With a roster of…

About John Lincoln

John Lincoln (MBA) is the CEO of Ignite Visibility, a top performance marketing agency backed by Mountaingate Capital. A digital marketing strategist and keynote speaker, Lincoln has managed over 1,000 marketing programs for brands like DoorDash, HBO, Tony Robbins, and Experian. Under his leadership, Ignite Visibility has been named a leading digital marketing agency in the U.S. and made the Inc. 5,000 list six times. Lincoln also spearheaded the development of CertaintyTech, a cutting-edge media mix modelling and forecasting platform. An award-winning marketer, Lincoln has authored three books, including Advolution (2022), and produced films such as SEO: The Movie. Recognized as a Top Business Leader, he has been featured in Forbes and The New York Times and spoken at global events like Web Summit and SMX. Lincoln's mission is to empower businesses through innovative digital strategies while reinvesting in clients, employees, and the community.

About Ignite

Ignite Visibility is a premier full-service digital marketing agency. We were founded in San Diego, CA but are now a 100% remote-first company with Igniters and clients around the globe.

Ignite Visibility is one of the highest awarded digital marketing agencies in the industry, works with some of the biggest brands in the world and is a 6x Inc. 5000 company.

noun-trading

Our Services

Ignite Visibility offers Award-Winning Services including comprehensive full-funnel digital marketing strategies. Learn more about our most popular service offerings below:

  • SEO Search Engine Optimization
  • PPC Pay Per Click
  • Email Marketing
  • Social Media
  • Creative
  • View All Services

Contact Us. Let’s Chat!

  • This field is hidden when viewing the form

Marketing Guides

SEO In 2020: How To Prepare For Major Disruption

"SEO: The Movie" - Have You Seen Our Film? Watch Now

"Social Media Marketing: The Movie" - Have You Seen Our Film? Watch Now

Amazon Seller Central vs Vendor Central

Listen To The Podcast Featuring The Best Minds In Marketing

John Lincoln Interviews Global Director of Digital Marketing & Strategy at Qualcomm, Jessica Jensen

Check Out 227 Free Online Marketing Classes

The 2020 Guide To Dominating SEO With Advanced Schema

Learn More About Our Digital Marketing Agency

Learn More About Our SEO Services

Learn More About Our Paid Media Services

SELECT CATEGORY

Become A Contributor

Interested in writing for Ignite Visibility?

APPLY NOW

noun-chat

Let's Chat

Ready to grow your online visibility and sales?

Request Your Free Proposal

Work With Us

NEWSLETTER // SIGN UP NOW










noun-strategy

Free Marketing Resources

  • Digital Marketing Resources
  • Marketing Strategy Videos
  • Weekly Marketing News Recaps
noun-strategy

Most Popular Blogs

  • How Long Does SEO Take?
  • Multi-Location SEO: Top Strategies
  • Google AI Overviews: Everything You Need to Know
  • Technical SEO 101
  • 18 Google Ad Extensions You Should Use
  • Complete Guide to Google Responsive Display Ads
  • Capitalizing on Local Service Ads
  • How SEO and PPC Work Together
  • Community Management Best Practices
  • B2B Social Media Marketing Guide
  • VIEW ALL BLOGS
noun-letter

Join Our Newsletter

CONNECT WITH US

  • facebook
  • twitter
  • instagram
  • youtube
  • linkedin

Services

  • Search Engine Optimization
  • Generative Engine Optimization
  • Pay Per Click Management
  • Social Media Marketing
  • Email Marketing
  • Conversion Rate Optimization
  • Website Design & Development
  • Creative Design
  • Content Marketing
  • Digital PR
  • Franchise Marketing
  • Digital Marketing Agency Services

About

  • Our Team
  • Our Values
  • Clients
  • Industry
  • Reviews
  • Careers
  • Marketing Resources
  • Privacy Policy & Service Terms
  • Advertising Disclosures
  • Sitemap

Contact

4370 La Jolla Village Drive
Suite 320
San Diego, California 92122

619.752.1955

Join The Newsletter

Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest from Ignite Visibility.











google parther logo

©2025 Ignite Visibility. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy and Terms of Service