5 essential e-commerce email journeys you should be using

Overview of the customer lifecycle

The e-commerce customer lifecycle can be divided into distinct stages, each requiring specific strategies for effectively engaging customers.

This is a broad topic that we could write endlessly about. For now, here's an overview of the most crucial aspects of the e-commerce customer lifecycle, focusing on the stages and strategic approaches for each.

1. Awareness
In this initial stage, the goal is to make a lasting and positive first impression. This involves creating compelling content across platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and employing SEO strategies to improve organic reach. Essentially, it's about making potential customers aware of your brand through various marketing efforts​.

2. Acquisition
Once awareness is established, the focus shifts to converting interest into action, such as sharing contact information or making a first purchase. Effective strategies include offering incentives for email or phone number collection and optimising the website for conversions. Email marketing also plays a critical role here, with its impressive ROI indicating its effectiveness in converting prospects into loyal customers.

3. Engagement (or consideration stage) 
In this stage, engaging prospects becomes the prime objective. Through automated email series that tell your brand's captivating story, segmenting audiences based on their unique preferences, and sharing high-quality content, you can deepen their understanding and interest in your brand's value proposition.

4. Conversion
In this phase, your aim is to convert engaged prospects into paying customers. This could involve time-sensitive offers, targeted popups for website visitors who haven’t purchased yet, and setting up abandoned cart reminders. Using customer reviews at this stage can also provide valuable social proof to nudge prospects into making a purchase​​.

5. Retention
The final stage focuses on retaining customers and encouraging repeat purchases. Strategies here include sending follow-up emails to encourage additional purchases, creating loyalty programs, and leveraging personalised marketing to maintain engagement and loyalty over time​​.

(Bonus) 6. Reactivation
This is an essential extension of the e-commerce customer lifecycle, focusing on re-engaging customers who have become inactive or have not made a purchase in a significant period. This stage is critical for reigniting interest and driving additional sales from previously engaged customers.

1. Welcome Email Series

Lifecycle Stage: Engagement

The welcome email series is the first touchpoint with new subscribers, crucial for making a strong and lasting first impression. Begin by warmly thanking them for their interest, and introduce your brand's captivating story – the foundation upon which their journey will be built. Set clear expectations for the types of emails they'll receive, and excite them with glimpses of what's to come.

This series can also highlight key products, share social proof from satisfied customers, or offer an enticing first-purchase discount to gently nudge them towards conversion. Tailoring the content based on how the subscriber signed up (e.g., through a product page vs. a blog post) can further personalise their welcome and enhance the overall experience.

2. Abandoned Cart Recovery

Lifecycle Stage: Conversion

In the world of e-commerce, abandoned carts are an all-too-common. But a perfectly timed abandoned cart email journey can help to rescue those lost opportunities. Target customers who added items to their cart but left without completing the purchase.

The first email should be sent within 24 hours, gently reminding them of the items they've left behind and offering a helping hand with any questions they might have. Subsequent emails can include a limited-time discount or free shipping offer to incentivise their purchase. Utilising dynamic content to show the exact items abandoned can significantly increase the effectiveness of these emails, creating a personalised and compelling experience.

3. Order Confirmations and Shipping Updates

Lifecycle Stage: Conversion / Retention

Order confirmation and shipping updates are crucial for keeping customers informed and building trust after a purchase. The initial order confirmation email should thank the customer for their purchase, provide a summary of their order, and set expectations for what they can expect next. 

Shipping updates should keep the customer informed about the status of their order, including tracking information and estimated delivery dates. Personalising these communications with product images and additional purchase details enhances the customer experience, reinforcing their decision to buy from you and laying the foundation for future loyalty.

4. Post-Purchase Follow-Up Series

Lifecycle Stage: Retention

The journey doesn't end with a successful purchase – in fact, it's just beginning. After a customer has received their product, follow up with an email encouraging them to leave a review. This not only provides valuable feedback for your brand but also helps build a community of trust around your products, fostering a sense of belonging and engagement. Incorporating an automated sequence that sends a reminder for a review a few weeks after the product has likely been received can also help to improve response rates. 

To take these emails to the next level you can also use data from their purchase history and preferences to send targeted product recommendations, a referral program invitation, or offer a discount on their next purchase, further driving loyalty and encouraging repeat business.

5. Re-engagement Campaign

Lifecycle Stage: Reactivation

Even the most loyal customers can become inactive. This is where a re-engagement campaign can act to recapture their interest/engagement with your brand. Target customers who haven't engaged with your emails or made a purchase in a while, and begin with a heartfelt "We miss you" message that acknowledges their absence and expresses your brand's desire to reconnect.

Offer an exclusive deal, showcase new or best-selling products, and encourage feedback to understand their needs better. Segmenting your inactive users based on their last interaction can help tailor the message more effectively.

For instance, segmenting your audience based on their purchase behaviour and preferences enables more tailored product recommendations in post-purchase follow-up series. Similarly, personalisation can transform a generic re-engagement campaign into a compelling, personalised appeal that resonates with the recipient on an individual level. This level of customisation ensures that your email content is relevant and engaging, increasing the likelihood of your emails being opened, read, and acted upon.

Our blog 'Advanced audience segmentation tactics to drive e-commerce growth' goes into this in a lot more detail! 

Timing and automation

Effective email marketing is also about impeccable timing, enabled by automation. Automating your email journeys ensures that communications like welcome emails and abandoned cart reminders are sent out promptly and consistently, without the need for manual intervention. Timing these emails correctly — such as sending an abandoned cart email within a few hours of the cart being left — can significantly improve their effectiveness. 

Make sure you are using a robust automation tool/email service provider (ESP) that not only schedules these communications efficiently but also allows for triggers based on customer actions, making your email marketing efforts both responsive and dynamic.

We also have a great blog on choosing an ESP if you don't already have one.

Continuous optimisation and testing

Finally, a commitment to continuous optimisation and testing ensures that your email marketing strategy remains effective over time. Regular A/B testing on elements like subject lines, email content, and call-to-action buttons allows you to understand what works best for your audience. Moreover, continuously analysing the performance of your email campaigns provides insights that can be used to refine your strategy, ensuring that your email marketing efforts remain aligned with your audience's evolving preferences and behaviours.