The Art of the Thank You for Purchase Email

Thank you notes are underappreciated. I love giving them. I love receiving them. In fact, all kinds of “thank you” are great. We can never give or receive too much thanks and appreciation.

This extends beyond our personal lives. Thanking others is important in business, too. In the retail world. Think about how cashiers generally thank customers after a sale is made. Similarly, when you purchase something online, you’ll likely get a follow-up thank you email. For either, a good thank you can make for a more meaningful experience. But, since this is such a standard practice, making your thank yous sound sincere and not just an obligation can be difficult.

As a seller, you may have been the perpetrator of one of these boring thank you emails. Maybe you used the default email template from your e-commerce platform.

But there is so much more you can do to gain your customers’ attention. Making your custoemr feel genuine appreciation can open opportunities for both yourself and the customer. You’re more likely to stay on their mind which can lead more positive ratings along with creating repeat customers. a great purchase follow up email to a purchase can create an opportunity to address potential issues with clients, deescalating issues quickly. Ultimately, you’ll be making a better experience for all involved while driving more sales. Read on for some ideas on how to create exciting thank you for buying emails:

Give Thanks Visually

Like many of us, I buy stuff online A LOT, so I get many order confirmations. Rarely do I get a thank you email of this caliber. It’s from Tarte:

This stands out from more generic thank you emails because of its bold color and fun, personable message.

Keep Them Informed

The Tarte email lets me know the next step in the process—that I’ll get an email when my order ships. This helps set proper expectations for any additional emails, such as delivery notifications.

Make it Better: Offer a timeframe when your customer can expect a shipping email. Here’s an example: “We’ll be shipping your order within 48 hours and you’ll receive a confirmation email with your tracking number.”

Make It Personal

“A person’s name is, to him or her, the sweetest and most important sound in any language,” said Dale Carnegie, author of How to Win Friends and Influence People.

It’s so true! Anytime we interact with customers, it’s important to make it personal, make sure that you’re addressing the customer by name in your correspondence with them. Along with being conversational and engaging, create a personal message to your customer from someone at your company (preferably the owner or president).

Here’s an example from an email I received after ordering a nightshirt from Goodwear, which makes Made in the US clothing:

Steve is the CEO at Goodwear and it’s a nice touch to have the email signature come from the CEO. The email is further engaging because of his offer to personally answer questions or give help when needed.

Get Them to Buy More

Did you know that open rates for thank you/order confirmation emails is over 100%? Why not use them not just to thank customers, but to also motivate them to make additional purchases?

In this example, Genius Pack, a maker of innovative travel products, offers three ways for customers to keep buying:

1. 1. Write a review, and get a 10% discount off of the next order.
   2. Write a review and share it on social media to get a 15% discount on your next order
   3. Buy additional items listed that were often purchased by customers who bought the original item

This is brilliant for several reasons. First, asking for a review in exchange for a discount is smart, as great reviews are critical to future sales. In addition, Genius Pack makes it easy to give the review from within the email. Finally, offering additional items encourages customers to use the review discount on a purchase immediately.

Next Steps

Spend a few minutes implementing these tips to create amazing thank you emails. You’ll also want to make sure your shipping confirmation emails are made weel to continue this postive engagement. You’re sure to have more sales and happier customers!