The key to mastering eCommerce is all in the details. It’s making every single step in the sales and marketing funnel count – and that is equally as important after a purchase has been made, especially if you want your customers to return time and time again.
In this article we’re going to focus specifically on order confirmation emails. What are the dos and don’ts? Read on and we’ll share some insights…
What is the purpose of a confirmation email?
Once a customer places an order it is important that you send them an automatic confirmation email. This is because:
- It helps to improve your relationship with your customers.
- It can reduce the stress and financial burden on your customer support.
- It increases your overall engagement rates.
Matter of fact, when it comes to email engagement rates, confirmation emails have an average open rate of approximately 65%. This gives you a great opportunity to expose your customers to new information.
Also, a confirmation email ensures that the customer is fully aware that their query has reached you and thus the chances of it being acted on are really high.
Order confirmation email best practices
For the best results, you should put some careful consideration into your order confirmation emails.
On subject lines
- Don’t: use more words than is necessary to describe something as simple as an order confirmation. It might end up wasting the customer’s time and also cause unnecessary confusion.
- Do: keep it short and sweet using simple language to cut through the clutter and encourage your customers to engage with the confirmation email. Stick with the essentials.
On timing
- Don’t: wait longer than is necessary to send out your order confirmation emails. The longer you leave it the more room there is for doubt which could lead to your customers panicking and calling your customer service department for confirmation.
- Do: send these confirmation emails out immediately. The best approach is to ensure that they are automated and get sent out the moment the order is officially confirmed. This is also a great way to ensure customer retention, since it would help customers feel more secure about the transactions.
On cross-selling
- Don’t: use your confirmation emails as an opportunity to sell another product or promote an offer. You don’t want to make them feel as though they are missing out after having already spent money with you. Instead, allow them to soak in the quality of your customer service, which will surely keep them coming back for more.
- Do: by all means, invite your customers to create an account with you, join a referral programme, and/or enjoy benefits on their future purchases. Alternatively, (or in addition to) you can direct them to new, branded content they may wish to engage with. Think of order confirmation emails as free online marketing for quality content that can further enhance their experience.
On user-generated content
- Don’t: forget that when a customer has made a purchase, they may be having feelings of doubt or regret. “Did I rush into this purchase? Have I made a mistake choosing this company?”
- Do: share links to your social media accounts and encourage your new customers to view all of the happy customers you have had. If you have lots of social proof and five-star reviews, share them with your customers and this will not only make them feel better about having made a purchase, but it will also remind them to leave feedback of their own.
On order summary & shipping info
- Don’t: leave out any of the essential details in your order confirmation emails. Remember that the primary purpose is to confirm and inform on product type, price, quantity, billing & shipping details. Make things are amply clear, so the customer doesn’t have to waste their time returning with queries or doubts, due to lack of information.
- Do: remind your customers how painless the entire process is. The goal is to let your customers know that purchasing products and placing orders with you is a process that they should repeat often in the future. If you can truly convince them of this, they will surely keep coming back for more.
Conclusion
To recap:
-Order confirmation emails can help improve customer relations.
-Provide customers with peace of mind after making a purchase.
-Encourage account sign ups.
-Be used to promote valuable content.
-Share social proof and remind customers to leave feedback.
So here are the basic tenets of providing a great customer experience once again– make sure you automate your confirmation emails, keep the subject lines simple, include all relevant order confirmation details, and remind your new customers of how quick & painless it is when shopping online with you!
