Order confirmation emails can be your easiest customer acquisition tool! Are you using it right?

The absence of face-to-face interactions makes online retail vulnerable in a way. Consumers look for physical evidence that will tie the seller and his platform to the purchase deal. This is where order confirmation emails come in. Ecommerce companies like Flipkart, Amazon, Snapdeal, send out order confirmation emails once an order is placed.

An order confirmation email will be opened multiple times to check the delivery date and track the progress of the order being shipped. It’s a convenient service for online consumers and a benefit to online sellers. That’s right, online sellers benefit too. Those selling on marketplaces and online stores as well.

Online retailers acquire customer trust and additional business by delivering order confirmation emails to their consumers. How? Through the inclusion of additional information and even promotional matter like irresistible offers.

Making the most of order confirmation email

According to Listrak, an email service provider says, 64% of shoppers consider these emails to be valuable messages in their inboxes. Order confirmation mail is also the first form of interaction between a consumer and seller/ marketplace after an order is placed.

You can recommend other products and communicate policies (for easy access to order status information), Julie Wahl, the director of retail solutions at Listrak mentions. That’s why email is vital for all online marketplaces and why online stores should use it too.

1. Build trust and professionalism

The basic idea of an order confirmation email is to make consumers aware that their orders have been received and is being processed and packed. Apart from this, it can be used to build consumer trust.

This can be achieved through informative details. Providing sufficient information will reflect professionalism and trustworthiness. Order number, estimated delivery date, product price, discount price if any, taxes, shipping charges and product image.

A brief description of the product (as brief as possible), customer support contact details and links to return and refund policies will be extremely convenient for the user.

You can increase your reliability by delivering confirmation quickly. When the consumer makes advanced payment he will want immediate confirmation of the order. Considering a confirmation email is almost equivalent to a purchase receipt.

2. Looks do matter

An online seller can simply email his consumers,

Hey,

We received your order. We’ll send your purchase across as soon as possible.

Thanks,

Online Seller

This will not work because it is unappealing. You will need to dress up your email confirmation a little to keep it interesting for the readers. This will encourage them to look at other details and specifications mentioned in the email. It will also help promotions fit in easily. The design you follow can be totally professional or over the top, depending on the vibes your retail platform portrays.

3. Provide personalised offerings

If you plan on promoting products in the confirmation email make sure you advertise only relevant goods. For example, the email you are sending out confirms the purchase of bath towels. The appropriate kind of products to promote would be bath soaps, salts, shampoos, soap trays and other regular bath utilities. Promoting a television wouldn’t fit the flow of the email and could be ignored entirely.

Instead of following the usual ad format, present your promotions in the form of recommendations or other popular purchases in that category. You can consider on site behaviour for this. It will also help you see how the consumer reacts to the products suggested on your site. As a result you can recommend those products most likely to encourage a buy.

4. Make your email mobile friendly

Everything syncs with mobile phones these days, especially emails. A simple ping will alert a consumer about your order confirmation email. And with a light tap he will be able to read it. But if the email you send is misaligned and not mobile friendly you lose out on looking professional.

Also consumers will find your promotions therein troublesome and distracting from the main purpose of the email. The effects of this? Consumer loss. This is why you need to design your confirmation email to meet mobile reader requirements first.

5. Complement loyal customers

Instead of signing the same old song, show repeat customers a sense of appreciation. A little thank you goes a long way and a personalized message could take you further. Let the consumer know you recognize their loyalty. You can also introduce to them a loyalty program if you have one in place. Even something as simple as a discount code could prompt a fresh sale.

Bonus tips

– Try avoiding no reply emails. Why would you want to refrain consumers from talking to you? You can easily clear doubts and push sales as well.

– Do not over do the promotions. Remember these emails are sent for the main purpose of confirming orders. The buyer needs to see the confirmation information.