Importance & Best Practices For Order Confirmation Emails

Order confirmation emails are something that businesses do not pay much attention to. It is usually just an email that needs to go out once an order is placed. What you miss is an excellent opportunity to engage with the customer after making a purchase. As you know, retaining a current customer is cheaper than acquiring a new one. An order confirmation email can help you do just that. The order confirmation email is essential for future communication. It has all the relevant order details, and the customer will return to it to check for tracking, order number, estimated delivery date, etc. Moreover, these emails have an open rate of more than 60%. Don’t you think you can do more with them?

Let’s look at what order confirmation emails or and how you can help them give your customers a much better shopping experience while increasing repeat purchases. 

What are Order Confirmation Emails?

Order confirmation emails are sent to individuals after completing the purchase and paying for an order. Every customer receives this email, whether they are repeat or new customers. It is mandatory to send out this email so the customer can stay abreast with the orders they have placed and receive a confirmation. This is a receipt that you receive after an offline purchase.

Usually, these emails contain essential information like the invoice, purchase date, product details, the amount paid, billing information, etc.

However, after the order confirmation email is sent, a chain of emails follows about shipping, last-mile delivery updates, etc.

What do Order Confirmation Emails Contain?

Order confirmation emails are usually automated and contain essential information such as – 

• Customer’s name
• Shipping address
• Billing address
• Payment method
• Items to be shipped

This email is automatically sent out once a user completes the checkout and pays for the order. 

How are Order Confirmation Emails Useful?

Provide Assurance to Customers

The first and foremost relevance of order confirmation emails is to assure customers. If they do not get this email, customers tend to believe they have been scammed and their payment has not been recorded. It is an electronic trail that gives the user confirmation about a successful transaction.

The first step of establishing trust with the customer is completed at this stage. Along with the purchase confirmation, it should also contain details about the next steps, like shipping, tracking, etc.

Reduce Contact With Customer Support

If they contain the correct information, order confirmation emails can help reduce the contact with customer support. If they have all the relevant details, links to essential support documents, tracking updates, etc., the customer will not be confused about where their order is and when it will arrive. 

Build Lasting Relationships

Order confirmation emails can be a great start to building lasting relationships. Once the customer receives an order confirmation email with all the correct details, their trust in you has already been established. They will appreciate the immediate communication and trust your process quickly. 

Best Practices For Order Confirmation Emails

Include Necessary Information

The first best practice for order confirmation emails is to include the necessary information. There are essential aspects that an order confirmation email must-have. Some of them include – 

1. Item Details
   1. Items ordered
   2. Subtotal of all items

2. Customer’s Details
   1. Customer’s name
   2. Customer’s billing address
   3. Customer’s shipping address

3. Order Details
   1. Order number (for future reference)

4. Payment Details
   1. Final total/amount paid for the items
   2. Payment method

5. Next Steps
   1. When to expect the items/when they will ship
   2. When/if to expect a second email with a tracking number
   3. How to contact the merchant if there is an issue

Clarify Shipping Information

Your order confirmation emails must contain the shipping information. This does not necessarily mean it must include the tracking details and the estimated delivery date. However, it must contain the mode of transportation and the type of shipping the customer master selected, if any. If you have listed a tentative timeline, it must be reflected in the confirmation email. 

Send it at the Right Time.

The order confirmation email must be sent out after the customer completes the purchase. Any delay in this email can lead to a negative customer experience as they would be left hanging and would reach out to support immediately to get an answer for their hard-earned money. You must automate this operation and make it work every time. 

Add Additional Links

Another best practice for order confirmation emails is adding additional links to your website. Once a customer has made a purchase, there is a small window in which they might be tempted to purchase something more. This is when they might explore these links and land on your website to check out any sales, upcoming offers, etc.

Make Them Creative

Gone are when your emails had to be text-only with just the necessary details. You must make your order confirmation emails creative, with images, witty text, etc. Interactive and fun order confirmation emails always stay in the customer’s mind as these are emails they will open. 

Highlight Support Contacts

It would be unfair to make your order confirmation email unique but not include your support contacts. The customer must have information about what they can do if they face any problems. This is one of the essential pieces of information you must include. 

How Can Shiprocket Fulfillment Help You Ship Better?

Shiprocket Fulfillment has multiple fulfillment centers across the country, meaning you can store your inventory closer to your customers and deliver orders faster. When you sign up with Shiprocket Fulfillment, you also get to utilize Shiprocket’s all-inclusive platform, where you can send your customers unique order confirmation emails, tracking details, etc. This can help you establish a strong brand identity with customers and convince them to shop with you again and again. 

Final Thoughts

Order confirmation emails are essential for your eCommerce business. How you use them to your advantage is up to you. Utilize the opportunity they provide and connect with customers seamlessly to build lasting relationships.