Shipping and order confirmation emails are two transactional emails that don’t always catch the attention of marketers. But by including some basic building blocks and adding a bit of creativity, these emails can help build customer loyalty, improve the post-purchase experience, and build a unique voice for your brand.
Transactional emails may not seem like the most interesting messages in customer communication, but clever marketers know that every email is an opportunity. Especially if this type of email has a high open rate of 85% 1 (this is 20- 25% average open rate for marketing emails).
Here are 7 tips to take your shipping confirmation email to the next level and make the most of its high open rates.
Table of Contents
1 | Include tracking link in email to confirm delivery
Tracking links are the most important component of shipping confirmation emails as they allow customers to view their purchases in real-time.
In addition to giving customers peace of mind that the package is in transit, tracking links also give customers a sense of excitement.
If you include a tracking link in your shipping email, your customers can see their new purchases making their way to their doorsteps. Who doesn’t check the status of their packages every day while waiting for delivery?
2 | Include product and shipping details for visibility
Take advantage of customer expectations for recent purchases by including an image of the product they’ve just purchased in your shipping confirmation email.
Customers usually remember the products they have purchased, but an image of the product they have purchased provides easy access to order information. As an added bonus, they can easily grab an email and show your friends all the amazing items they just bought from your brand.
Also, include your product details and purchase information in your shipping confirmation email.
Here are some details to include:
- the name of the item
- Description (size, color, quantity, etc.)
- Shipping method (USPS, UPS, FedEx, etc.)
- delivery address
- Order number or ID
- Payment Summary
The brand that gets it right: Sephora is the owner of shopping confirmation emails. This email contains the product image, product name, SKU number, size, price, quantity, etc. Also, clicking on the image will take you directly to the product page, where you can easily check all product information.
Providing all of this information with one click to any customer who has a product problem, a shipping problem, or wants to reorder in the future, gives you a premium customer experience.
3 | Provide support resources for customer reference
Always include an easy-to-access way for customers to contact support if they have questions about their order.
Few things are more frustrating for customers than not having easy access to support when a problem arises.
If, for example, in your shipping confirmation email you learn that there is a mistake with your order, they will want to contact you immediately to rectify the situation. If you find it too difficult to find or ask a contact, it can be a very disappointing experience that may discourage future purchases.
You can also anticipate some of your customers’ questions and include links to FAQs, returns policies, or other useful pages in advance.
4 | Highlight Estimated Delivery Date
Including the estimated delivery date in the delivery confirmation email involves including a tracking link, but instead of allowing customers to follow the journey of the new product, they will see the estimated arrival time.
Foster anticipation and excitement. After all, your cargo will arrive soon.
Get your attention by marking the delivery date in a prominent place in your email. For example, “Congratulations! Your order has been shipped. You will receive it in your mailbox by [date].” For more personal information, including the customer’s name or purchases.
5 | Offer complementary products that customers can purchase
When a customer completes an order, you can suggest related items that go well with the product they just purchased.
Suggesting complementary products after purchase is optional, but can be a very effective way to entice a second purchase. To do this successfully, you need to personalize your email as much as possible. Suggest products from the same collection or curate a set of products to complement a specific item your customer just purchased.
In addition , unlike order confirmation emails , including product recommendations in shipping confirmation emails has the advantage that order information is processed until delivery confirmation is received, taking into account shipped order details in product recommendations .
However, before you get too excited about promoting your product, you need to keep the deal information in the main message.
6 | Provide added value to customers
Consider other content you can include in your transactional emails to enhance your subscriber’s experience.
The transactional email doesn’t have to be business. There are many ways to provide additional value to your customers through order confirmation.
Some examples we’ve seen (which you can also find throughout this post) are:
- Referral program callout
- Instagram feed and social proof
- Membership or subscription offer
- blog content
- Request a survey, review or feedback
- Useful guide or next step
7 | Make your copy unique and apply it to your brand
There’s little you can do to improve your confirmation email and make it fit the mood of your brand.
You should always start and include the basics (steps 1-4) for your transactional email, but use your right brain to add creativity, personalize and give your brand a voice .
8 | Make the most of all shipping confirmation (transaction) emails
Transactional emails are often overlooked as an opportunity to interact with customers, but they are a great way to make your brand stand out while providing valuable ordering information.
Customers are more likely to open transactional emails, so you should pay as much attention to your customers as marketing emails.
The goal of order and delivery confirmation emails is to increase customer interest in their recent purchases and provide the tools they need to track and confirm their orders. With the right mix of information and innovation, shipping confirmation can also be a critical touch point in your customer retention strategy.
