The Ultimate Guide to Ecommerce Email Marketing: How to Drive Sales and Maximize ROI

Key highlights

• Email marketing remains the most effective channel for driving conversions, with a B2C conversion rate of 2.8% and B2B at 2.4%.

• Your email list is your most valuable owned asset, providing a direct line to customers that isn't subject to changes in social media algorithms.

• Automation is key to success, enabling a strategic approach to multichannel growth and customer retention.

• Successful strategies rely on robust segmentation, timely automated flows like abandoned cart emails, and continuous A/B testing.

In a world full of social media noise and skyrocketing digital advertising costs, there is one marketing channel that consistently remains the bedrock of successful online stores: ecommerce email marketing. 

Think of your email list not just as a database, but as your brand's most valuable owned asset — a direct line to your best customers.

Expecting to reach $16.9 billion globally by 2027, email marketing is more than just sending promotional emails; it’s about nurturing genuine customer relationships throughout the entire customer journey. It’s the art of turning a curious browser into a loyal fan, one personalized email at a time. 

Unlike the borrowed audiences of social platforms, your email list is an asset you own and control, driving sustainable growth for your ecommerce business.

What is ecommerce email marketing?

Ecommerce email marketing is a strategic, value-driven form of digital marketing that uses email marketing campaigns to communicate with both potential customers and existing customers. 

It starts the moment a visitor subscribes and continues throughout their relationship with your brand — from the welcome email that says "hello" to the re-engagement emails that say "we miss you."

It’s about striking a balance: delivering timely, relevant messages that drive immediate drive sales while building the trust necessary for repeat purchases and long-term retention.

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Types of ecommerce email marketing campaigns 

What sets email apart from other marketing channels is its ability to deliver the right message to the right person at the right time with strategic marketing campaigns.

Whether following up on abandoned carts, celebrating customer milestones, or introducing new products based on past purchases, email marketing campaigns help you build lasting relationships that drive sustainable revenue growth.

Here are the most essential types for ecommerce brands:

• Welcome series: A crucial automated email flow that immediately follows sign-up. This series introduces new subscribers to your brand story, sets expectations, and delivers any promised discount code or incentive.

• Promotional emails: These are your classic sales, new product announcements, and holiday offers (like Black Friday). The goal is to create urgency and entice readers to visit your online stores.

• Abandoned cart emails: A powerful, triggered email series that aims to recover lost sales when a shopper leaves items in their shopping cart or at the checkout. These can be incredibly effective, often using a gentle reminder or an incentive.

• Post-purchase emails: These strengthen customer relationships after a sale. They include essential transactional emails like the order confirmation and shipping notifications, as well as helpful follow-up emails, like instructions or requests for customer reviews.

• Browse abandonment emails: Target shoppers who viewed a product but didn't add it to their shopping cart. These are a key part of your marketing automation strategy for converting interested browsers.

• Review request/UGC emails: These follow up on a purchase to solicit customer reviews and user-generated content (UGC), which provides powerful social proof for future buyers.

• Product recommendation emails: Based on purchase history, browsing data, or popular items, these are key to driving repeat purchases of new products and boosting average order value.

• Re-engagement emails (Win-back): Designed to connect with inactive email subscribers, gently reminding them of your brand with an incentive or update to encourage them to re-engage with your ecommerce store.

Email marketing campaigns for ecommerce success

With more than 4.5 billion email users worldwide, email marketing remains one of the most reliable channels for ecommerce growth. 

Unlike social media audiences you rent, your email list is an asset you own and control — a direct, high-value line to customers who’ve already shown interest in your brand.

It’s also consistently one of the best-performing marketing channels in terms of ROI. Over half of marketers report at least a 100% improvement in their email campaign results, proving that when done well, email still outperforms most paid and organic channels.

A successful ecommerce email strategy grows alongside your business. By pairing smart marketing automation with the right email templates, you can engage customers at every stage of their journey — from first-time visitors to loyal repeat buyers.

How to build a winning ecommerce email marketing strategy

A strong ecommerce email marketing strategy turns one-time shoppers into loyal customers. It’s not about sending more emails — it’s about sending the right email at the right time. The most successful ecommerce brands combine creativity, data, and smart automation to connect with customers in meaningful ways.

Whether you’re welcoming new subscribers, recovering abandoned carts, or building post-purchase loyalty, each email plays a role in the customer journey. Here’s how to craft a strategy that drives sales and builds lasting relationships.

Step 1: Define your goals.

Every great email marketing program starts with clear, measurable goals. Your goals shape everything — from what types of emails you send to how you measure success.

For ecommerce stores, that often means deciding which outcomes matter most:

• Boosting open and click-through rates to increase traffic and engagement.

• Driving first purchases through welcome series and special offers.

• Improving retention with win-back emails or post-purchase campaigns.

• Increasing average order value (AOV) through targeted upsells or product recommendations.

Make each goal specific and trackable. Instead of “increase sales,” try: “Increase email-driven revenue by 25% this quarter.” Clear targets help you focus your strategy — and make it easier to measure what’s working.

Step 2: Understand your audience.

Knowing your audience means sending emails that feel tailor-made, not one-size-fits-all. Segmentation and customer data turn guesswork into personalization.

Here are four powerful ways to segment your subscriber list:

• Demographics: Use age, location, or gender to tailor promotions. A fashion retailer, for instance, might send cold-weather gear to customers in Chicago and summer styles to those in Miami.

• Purchase history: Past orders and shopping cart data reveal what customers value. Someone who buys organic skincare likely appreciates emails about new all-natural launches — at their usual price range.

• Browsing behavior: Track product views or category interest. If a shopper keeps checking out running shoes, send a follow-up email with customer reviews or a discount code to encourage checkout.

• Engagement level: Reward loyal customers with early access or exclusive products, while re-engaging inactive subscribers through win-back campaigns.

Modern email marketing software makes segmentation simple. Platforms like Klaviyo and Omnisend automatically sync your BigCommerce customer data so you can send personalized, real-time messages based on each customer’s behavior and stage in the journey.

Step 3: Choose the right marketing tools.

Your email platform is the foundation of your entire strategy. It should help you create, automate, and analyze campaigns, without slowing you down.

Look for a tool that simplifies automation, segmentation, and performance tracking. You should be able to easily trigger automated workflows based on customer actions (like checkout behavior or past purchases), personalize each email for specific segments, and access detailed metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversions.

For BigCommerce merchants, integrations with Klaviyo, Omnisend, Mailchimp, and ActiveCampaign make this seamless. These tools connect directly to your store’s customer data, product catalog, and sales history — so you can launch personalized campaigns without manual setup. 

And by adding Feedonomics, you can optimize your product feeds across multiple channels, ensuring your brand messaging stays consistent everywhere from email to social media.

The right tool not only makes your life easier, but gives you the power to send smarter, more relevant emails that drive real revenue.

Step 4: Plan your campaign type.

Every email should have a purpose, and a place, in your customer journey. From welcoming new subscribers to winning back dormant customers, the timing and intent behind each send matter as much as the message itself.

A welcome series introduces your brand and builds trust. Abandoned cart emails recover lost sales by gently reminding shoppers what they left behind. Seasonal campaigns create urgency during high-traffic moments like Black Friday, while post-purchase messages strengthen loyalty by showing appreciation and suggesting complementary items.

When each campaign type aligns with your customers’ needs and your business goals, your emails stop feeling like promotions — and start feeling like part of a personalized shopping experience.

Step 5: Create engaging content.

Your content determines whether customers open, click, and convert — or scroll past. Every email should provide value, whether that’s inspiration, education, or exclusive access.

Mix up your content types to keep things fresh:

• Product stories: Highlight how a product solves a real problem or enhances daily life.

• Customer testimonials and reviews: Build credibility through authentic voices.

• How-to guides: Educate customers on getting the most from their purchases.

• Personalized recommendations: Use purchase history and browsing behavior to showcase relevant products.

Keep copy concise and conversational. Write subject lines that spark curiosity, use visuals that reflect your brand identity, and always include a clear CTA (call to action).

Step 6: Optimize for mobile.

If your email looks great on desktop but breaks on mobile, you’re losing half your audience. With 41% of ecommerce emails opened on smartphones, mobile optimization is non-negotiable.

Keep it clean and simple. Use a single-column layout that scrolls easily, short subject lines that don’t get cut off, and large tappable buttons that make it effortless to click through. Whitespace is your friend — it keeps content readable and clickable, even on smaller screens.

Always preview your emails on multiple devices before sending. That final check helps catch broken layouts, awkward line breaks, or CTAs that don’t display right. Because a great mobile experience doesn’t just look better. It converts better.

Step 7: Automate strategically.

Email automation keeps your brand active 24/7 without overwhelming your team. It’s the secret to timely, personalized communication that scales.

Common automated workflows include:

• Welcome series for new subscribers.

• Abandoned cart reminders triggered by checkout behavior.

• Post-purchase follow-ups suggesting related products.

• Re-engagement emails for dormant subscribers.

• Seasonal promotions tied to key retail moments.

With platforms like Klaviyo or Omnisend, these workflows run in real time, powered by your BigCommerce store data. Once set up, automation turns one-time actions into ongoing customer engagement.

Step 8: A/B test your way to better results.

A/B testing is your shortcut to smarter marketing. By testing small variations — a subject line, an image, or a CTA button — you learn what truly motivates your audience.

Start simple. Test two subject lines to boost open rates, or try two content styles to see which drives more clicks. Even small changes can have big effects over time. You can also experiment with send times to learn when your subscribers are most active.

Platforms like Mailchimp and Klaviyo make testing seamless and insightful. The key is consistency — test regularly, track results, and apply what you learn to future campaigns. The more you test, the more you’ll refine your voice, your timing, and your impact.

Step 9: Monitor performance.

What gets measured gets improved. Regularly reviewing your metrics shows what’s resonating — and what’s not.

Track these key metrics:

• Open rate: How many subscribers are engaging with your subject lines.

• Click-through rate (CTR): Which content or offers inspire action.

• Conversion rate: How effectively emails drive sales.

• Bounce rate: Whether your list needs cleaning.

• Unsubscribe rate: If frequency or relevance needs adjusting.

When your email marketing platform is connected to BigCommerce analytics, you can tie engagement metrics directly to revenue, identifying which campaigns truly drive sales.

Step 10: Maintain a clean email list.

A clean email list is the foundation of good deliverability. Internet providers track engagement to determine whether your messages belong in inboxes or spam folders — and inactive subscribers can drag down your reputation fast.

Regularly remove invalid or unresponsive emails to keep your list healthy. Use double opt-in forms to confirm genuine interest from new subscribers, and make unsubscribing easy to avoid spam complaints. Before removing inactive users, send one last win-back email — a personalized offer or message might reignite their interest.

A clean, engaged list ensures your emails reach the right audience, perform better across every metric, and maintain your sender reputation long-term.

Ecommerce email marketing best practices

Successful ecommerce email marketing combines timing, targeting, and storytelling. The biggest challenges? Keeping subscribers engaged, standing out in crowded inboxes, and avoiding spam filters.

The most effective email marketers deliver consistent value in every message — while testing, refining, and adapting their approach. The following best practices will help you create campaigns that drive sustainable growth, foster loyalty, and elevate the customer experience.

Personalize and segment thoughtfully.

Personalization is what turns good campaigns into great ones. Instead of sending every subscriber the same message, use segmentation to tailor your content based on shared behaviors and traits.

Your shopping history data can reveal style preferences and spending habits. Website behavior shows what captures attention, while engagement trends highlight your most loyal customers. By combining these insights, you can deliver recommendations and offers that feel personally chosen, not automated.

The goal isn’t to sell harder, but to connect deeper. When done well, personalization helps customers feel seen and understood, while naturally driving higher conversions and repeat purchases.

Create engaging, click-worthy emails.

Every email competes for attention. To stand out, start with a subject line that sparks curiosity in under 40 characters — especially since most readers check their inbox on mobile.

Make sure every email includes one clear call to action (CTA) that’s easy to find and tap. Instead of generic buttons like “Shop Now,” try specific, benefit-driven actions such as “Get Your 20% Off Code” or “See What’s New in Stock.”

Use strong, active language and visual contrast so your CTA pops — especially in dark mode, where colors and icons can display differently. 

And remember: clarity beats cleverness. Tell your reader exactly what you want them to do, and make it effortless to click.

Use double opt-in to build quality lists.

A healthy list starts with genuine subscribers. Double opt-in signups — where new users confirm their email before joining — ensure every address is real and every subscriber actually wants to hear from you.

This simple step prevents fake signups, protects deliverability, and builds a more engaged audience. Over time, that means fewer spam complaints, stronger sender reputation, and higher overall performance.

Send a welcome email.

First impressions set the tone for everything that follows. A welcome email is your chance to greet new subscribers while their interest is highest.

Send it immediately after sign-up. Thank them for joining, deliver any promised incentives (like discount codes or early access), and set expectations for what type of emails they’ll receive.

This early touchpoint builds trust and helps customers see your brand as consistent, reliable, and worth keeping in their inbox, not sending to spam.

Design for mobile and dark mode.

Most subscribers open your emails on mobile, and many use dark mode. That means your campaigns must look great in every environment.

Use a responsive, single-column layout that scales smoothly across devices. Keep text concise, buttons large, and spacing generous so links are easy to tap.

For visuals, use high-quality product photos and short videos that load quickly. Show products in real-world settings to help shoppers imagine them in their lives. Compress images to preserve speed without sacrificing clarity.

Before sending, test your design across major email clients (Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail) and both light and dark mode. The small extra step ensures your content displays cleanly and consistently — everywhere your customers read it.

Automate key customer touchpoints.

Automation saves time while strengthening customer relationships. Instead of manually sending every message, build workflows that trigger automatically based on customer behavior.

A welcome series introduces new subscribers. Cart abandonment flows recover lost sales with friendly reminders — sometimes with added urgency like, “Only three left in stock.” Post-purchase follow-ups show appreciation and suggest complementary items.

Add dynamic elements like countdown timers or live inventory banners to create excitement during sales events. For example, a holiday campaign could combine early VIP access, a live countdown to the sale start, and real-time “bestseller updates” to encourage quick action.

These small touches make your campaigns feel alive — and your brand unforgettable.

Test, measure, and optimize continuously.

What works today might not work tomorrow. That’s why ongoing testing is key to long-term success.

Experiment with subject lines, send times, layouts, and images to see what resonates most. Even subtle adjustments — like button placement or headline phrasing — can make a measurable difference in performance.

Focus on metrics that connect directly to business outcomes:

• Open rate for subject line appeal.

• Click-through rate (CTR) for content engagement.

• Conversion rate for sales impact.

• Revenue per email (RPE) for campaign value.

Regular testing helps refine your tone, visuals, and timing — turning data into insight and insight into consistent growth.

Stay compliant and maintain clean lists.

Trust and transparency fuel long-term retention. Follow compliance laws like GDPR and CAN-SPAM by securing clear consent, including your business address in every message, and making it easy to unsubscribe.

Regularly remove inactive subscribers to keep your email list clean and improve deliverability. Before removing them entirely, try one last winback email or re-engagement campaign — often, a simple reminder or personalized offer can reignite interest.

A healthy list means better inbox placement, higher engagement, and stronger brand reputation for your ecommerce business.

Use timing and social proof to build trust.

When you send matters just as much as what you send. Analyze your engagement data to find the best time for your audience — whether that’s weekday mornings or weekend evenings. Some email marketing software even uses AI to determine optimal send times for each subscriber.

Build confidence through social proof. Include customer reviews, testimonials, and user-generated photos to show real people using your products. Highlight milestones like “10,000+ happy customers” or “Bestseller: 500 sold this month” to signal popularity and quality.

Social media integrations can also amplify credibility. Encourage customers to share purchases on Instagram or TikTok, and feature that UGC in your next campaign for an authentic, community-driven touch.

Ecommerce email benchmarks and KPIs

Keeping an eye on your email marketing metrics is how you know what’s working — and where to fine-tune. While every ecommerce business is different, these benchmarks offer a good pulse check on whether your email marketing strategy is on track:

• Average open rate: Expect to see around 25–35% for B2C and 15–25% for B2B. Personalized or automated emails — like a welcome or post-purchase message — tend to perform even better.

• Average CTR and unsubscribe rate: A healthy click-through rate sits between 2–5%, and unsubscribe rates under 0.5% show your content is hitting the right notes.

• Revenue per email (RPE): Most brands average $0.10–$0.25 per email, but targeted sends — like abandoned cart or product recommendation emails — can easily outperform that.

• Bounce rate standards: Aim to keep bounces below 2% by cleaning your email list and using double opt-in to ensure subscribers actually want to hear from you.

If you’re using BigCommerce, tools like Klaviyo, Omnisend, and Mailchimp make tracking these metrics effortless. They offer marketing automation, A/B testing, and real-time insights so you can spot trends, experiment confidently, and keep improving with every send.

The final word

Email marketing isn't going anywhere. In fact, it's more vital than ever for online stores. 

As ecommerce grows more competitive, your email list remains one of the few channels you truly own. It’s your direct connection to customers who already care about what you sell, and it consistently delivers one of the highest ROIs in digital marketing. 

While paid ads fluctuate and social reach shifts, email remains steady — driving repeat purchases, deepening relationships, and strengthening your brand’s foundation.

But the key is consistency. Send messages that feel personal and timely, design with mobile in mind, and use automation to keep communication seamless without losing authenticity. 

Keep testing, cleaning, and refining along the way. 

Do that, and your email list won’t just be another marketing tool — it’ll become one of your most powerful engines for sustainable growth.

FAQs about ecommerce email marketing