Send Automated WooCommerce Thank You Email: A Complete Guide
65% of people check their emails after purchasing from an online store. And that’s where a simple thank you email can play a crucial role.
In the realm of eCommerce, every interaction matters. Thank you emails might seem like a small detail, but they play a vital role in building positive customer relationships.
These emails go beyond just acknowledging a purchase; they’re a fantastic opportunity to express gratitude, provide valuable information, and encourage future engagement.
As a WooCommerce store owner, you can leverage the power of automation to send thank-you emails effortlessly. This saves you time and ensures every customer receives a timely message.
There are two main ways to send an automated WooCommerce thank you email:
- Using Built-in WooCommerce Email Templates
- Using WooCommerce Email Marketing Plugins
We’ll explore both options in detail throughout this guide.
What is a WooCommerce Thank You Email?
A WooCommerce thank you email is a message you send to your customers via email after they make a purchase at your store. You can apply automation to send these emails to your shoppers automatically.
The primary purpose of a WooCommerce thank you email is to express gratitude for the customer’s purchase and confirm the order details. This initial touchpoint following a sale sets the tone for your customer relationship and opens doors for further communication.
WooCommerce thank you email is a part of marketing emails, and you should include it in your WooCommerce email marketing campaign. You can also configure WooCommerce’s built-in transactional email settings to set and automatically send a thank you for your order woocommerce email.
However, you need to configure order confirmation emails to send as a WooCommerce thank you email if you are using the default settings. A dedicated email marketing platform or a woocommerce thank you email plugin allows you to create a custom thank you an email as per your requirements and brand pallets.
WooCommerce Thank You Email Vs. Order Confirmation Email Vs. Completed Order Email
You may confuse these emails, especially thank you and order confirmation emails. However, these three emails serve distinct purposes in the post-purchase communication with your WooCommerce customers:
WooCommerce Thank You Email:
- Focus: Expresses gratitude for the customer’s business and aims to build a positive relationship.
- Timing: Ideally, it is sent within 24 hours after the order is placed.
- Content: Typically includes:
- A sincere thank you for their purchase.
- Confirmation of the order details (briefly mentioned).
- Opportunities for further engagement:
- Links to product care instructions or complementary products.
- Information on loyalty programs or special offers.
- A request for a review to build social proof.
- Benefits:
- Enhances customer experience by showing appreciation.
- High open rates create opportunities for further engagement.
- Can potentially lead to repeat purchases and positive brand perception.
2. WooCommerce Order Confirmation Email:
- Focus: Provides essential information about the order and confirms its placement.
- Timing: Automatically sent immediately after a successful order.
- Content: Typically includes:
- Order confirmation message.
- Detailed breakdown of the order:
- List of purchased items with quantities.
- Order total price.
- Billing and shipping information.
- Estimated delivery timeframe.
- Tracking information (if available).
- Benefits:
- Provides clarity and reassurance to the customer about their purchase.
- Serves as a reference for order details.
3. WooCommerce Completed Order Email (or Shipment Confirmation Email):
- Focus: Informs the customer that their order has been shipped and is on its way.
- Timing: Sent after the order has been shipped and fulfillment is complete.
- Content: Typically includes:
- Confirmation of shipment.
- Tracking information for the package.
- Estimated delivery date (if available).
- Optional: Brief thank you message or reminder about return policy.
- Benefits:
- Keeps the customer informed about the order status.
- Allows them to track the package’s progress.
In summary:
- The thank you email focuses on building a relationship and fostering customer loyalty.
- The order confirmation email provides essential information about the purchase.
- The completed order email keeps the customer updated on the shipment status.
An ideal customer communication strategy involves sending all three emails:
- A thank you email shortly after order placement.
- An order confirmation email immediately after a successful order.
- A completed order email (or shipment confirmation email) after the order has been shipped.
This approach ensures clear communication, expresses gratitude, and creates a positive overall customer experience.
Setting up WooCommerce Thank You email
As mentioned before, there are two ways you can set up thank you emails for your Woo store.
- Using WooCommerce’s built-in email options
- Using a thank you emails WooCommerce plugin
Using Built-in WooCommerce Email Templates
Go to WooCommerce >> Settings >> Email tab, and there you will find built-in options to send automated emails.
Don’t see any WooCommerce thank you email template, right? The “New Order” template is the one you can utilize as a Thank you email.
While “New order” might seem like just an order confirmation, it serves as the thank you email in WooCommerce’s default functionality. This email typically includes:
- Confirmation of the purchase.
- Appreciation for the customer’s business (implicit thank you).
- Order details like items purchased, total amount, and estimated delivery.
Click on Manage to edit thank you email for your order WooCommerce. Here’s what the thank you for your order email template WooCommerce looks like –
Here’s how you can leverage the available options to craft a more impactful thank you email within the “New Order” email template:
1. Subject Line:
- Highlight Gratitude: Instead of just “New Order,” consider a subject line that expresses appreciation, like:
- “Thank You for Your Order (#12345)!”
- “Your Order is Confirmed – Thanks for Choosing Us!”
2. Email Heading:
- Maintain Order Clarity: Keep the order number in the heading for reference (e.g., “New Order #12345”).
- Add a Thank You: Combine it with a thank you message, like:
- “Order #12345 Confirmed – Thank You!”
- “Thanks for Your Order #12345! We’re Processing it Now.”
3. Body Content:
- Express Gratitude: Start with a sincere thank you for their purchase.
- Reiterate Order Details: Briefly confirm the order details, mentioning:
- List of purchased items (without overwhelming detail).
- Order total.
- Estimated delivery timeframe (optional).
- Engagement Opportunities: Include elements to spark further interaction:
- Links to product care instructions or complementary items.
- Information on loyalty programs or special offers.
- A polite request for a review to build trust and social proof.
Customizing The Default WooCommerce Thank You Email Template
WooCommerce official documents include a wide range of variables you can insert into your woocommerce thank you for your order email. You can use the appropriate ones to modify and enhance your thank you email template.
Here’s an example of a WooCommerce Thank You email using variables.
Subject: Thank You for Your Recent Purchase from {{store_name}}!
Email Heading:
Order #{{order_number}} Confirmed – Thank You!
Body Content:
Dear {{customer_first_name}} {{customer_last_name}},
We wanted to extend our sincerest gratitude for choosing to shop with us at {{store_name}}! Your support means the world to us.
Order Details:
Your Order Number:{{order_number}}
Order Date: {{order_date}}
Billing Address: {{order_billing_address}}
Shipping Address: {{order_shipping_address}}
Items Ordered:
- {{item_names}} (Quantity: {{item_quantity}})
Order Total: Subtotal: {{order_subtotal}} Shipping: {{order_shipping}} Tax: {{order_tax}} Total: {{order_total}}We hope your shopping experience was nothing short of delightful. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your order, feel free to reach out to us at {{store_email}} or visit our customer service page at {{customer_service_link}}.
As a token of our appreciation, here’s a special discount code for your next purchase: {{coupon_code_used}}. Simply enter this code at checkout to enjoy {{% discount}} off your next order.
Thank you again for choosing {{store_name}}! We truly value your patronage.
Warm regards,
The {{store_name}} Team
Note: This email is autogenerated. Please do not reply directly to this email.
{{unsubscribe_url}}
As you can see, the built-in WooCommerce email settings are very limited. To craft a compelling and engaging email, you should opt for an email marketing plugin or platform.
Send Thank You Email After Purchase Woocommerce Using A Plugin
Be it abandoned cart emails or any other marketing and transactional email types, you can use email marketing plugins to create any type of email effortlessly. Moreover, you can extensively customize these emails to meet your brand requirements.
While WooCommerce offers some default functionality for customizing emails, plugins provide significantly more advanced features to create impactful thank-you emails after purchases.
Benefits of Using Plugins for WooCommerce Thank You Email
- Drag-and-Drop Builders: Many plugins offer user-friendly drag-and-drop builders. This allows you to design visually appealing emails without needing coding knowledge.
- Enhanced Customization: Go beyond basic text editing. Plugins offer features like:
- Inserting high-quality images and videos.
- Designing custom layouts and adding branding elements.
- Including personalized content based on customer data or purchase history.
- Conditional Logic: Display specific content based on certain criteria, like the type of product purchased or order value.
- A/B Testing: Test different versions of your email to see which performs better.
- Automation: Automate the sending of thank you emails immediately after a purchase.
- Analytics & Reporting: Track email open rates, click-through rates, and other metrics to measure the effectiveness of your campaigns.
Popular Plugins for Thank You Emails in WooCommerce
Here’s a list of some of the best plugins for creating a WooCommerce thank you email template.
1. MailPoet
With its user-friendly interface and seamless integration with WooCommerce, MailPoet is a popular choice for creating personalized thank you emails. You can easily manage subscriber lists, send newsletters, and even set up automated emails like new post notifications. Plus, its advanced features, like abandoned cart recovery and product recommendations, make it a comprehensive solution for email marketing.
2. WooCommerce Email Customizer plugin by ThemeHigh
The WooCommerce Email Customizer plugin offers a user-friendly solution to customize transactional emails effortlessly. With its intuitive drag-and-drop template builder, you can personalize your email templates with text, images, dividers, and more to align with your brand style seamlessly.
The plugin includes default templates for various statuses, real-time previews, unlimited rows, and dynamic placeholders, making it easy to create professional and engaging Thank You emails for your WooCommerce store.
In addition to basic elements like text and images, the plugin also provides WooCommerce-specific elements such as customer details, order information, billing and shipping details, and downloadable product data. With compatibility with various WooCommerce plugins and the option to add custom hooks, the plugin offers extensive customization options.
Upgrade to the premium version for even more features like additional columns, custom hooks, WPML compatibility, import/export functionality, and additional placeholders, allowing you to tailor your Thank You emails to perfection.
3. Email Marketing for WooCommerce by Omnisend
Trusted by over 100,000 eCommerce stores worldwide, Omnisend offers a robust email marketing plugin specifically designed for WooCommerce. With features like drag-and-drop campaign builders and advanced automation workflows, you can effortlessly manage customer relationships and track results – all from your WordPress dashboard.
4. HubSpot
Known for its all-in-one marketing, sales, and customer service platform, HubSpot offers a powerful WordPress plugin that includes email marketing capabilities. With this plugin, you can engage with visitors in real time, capture leads with customizable forms, and run effective email marketing campaigns – all while keeping track of your business’s performance with user-friendly analytics dashboards.
5. YITH WooCommerce Email Customizer
A popular and powerful plugin offering extensive customization for all WooCommerce emails, including thank you emails. It features a drag-and-drop builder, conditional logic for targeted content, and A/B testing capabilities.
6. Mailchimp for WooCommerce
If you already use Mailchimp for email marketing, this plugin integrates it with your WooCommerce store. You can leverage Mailchimp’s powerful features for thank-you emails within their familiar interface.
How To Set Up Thank You Purchase Email WooCommerce using a plugin
We will be using MailPoet for this example. After you set up MailPoet in your WooCommerce store, go to MailPoet >> Automation and create a new automation.
MailPoet offers several email theme templates. We will pick the one – “celebrate first-time buyers.”
MailPoet lists your new customers as subscribers. Hit the button to start building.
Set your automation flow and triggers.
Click on the Thank you email option and set your sender details such as preheader, sender name and email, and subject line.
To design the WooCommerce Thank You email, click on the Design button. Here’s where the fun begins.
MailPoet offers a number of premade templates you can use or modify to quickly design your required one.
The Content tab holds the email design elements. You can drag and drop elements such as text, images, spacer, dividers, products, social icons, headers, footers, etc.
We started by adding our logo using an Image element and added social icons. Below that, we dragged and dropped a Text element and set a heading 1 title. After that, we added an image.
Next, we added our example WooCommerce thank you email body contents along with a coupon element. Additionally, we added some product recommendations for cross-selling purposes.
Click on preview when you are done editing your WooCommerce Thank You email template.
Save this template, and MailPoet will automatically send thank-you emails to new customers.
Additionally, you can drag and drop new columns into your email template to add more elements.
MailPoet also allows you to change the style and colors of different elements of your thank you email.
Crafting Effective WooCommerce Thank You Emails
A well-crafted thank you email can be a powerful tool for building customer loyalty and driving repeat business. Here’s how to create compelling and informative emails that leave a lasting impression:
Personalization is Key
- Use the customer’s name: Addressing your customer by name adds a personal touch and makes them feel valued.
- Reference their purchase: Briefly mention the product(s) they bought, demonstrating you acknowledge their specific order.
Compelling Content and Calls to Action (CTAs)
- Express sincere gratitude: Thank them genuinely for their business.
- Provide order details: Include essential information like order number, estimated delivery timeframe, and tracking details (if available).
- Offer helpful content: Consider including relevant content based on their purchase, such as care instructions for a specific product, or recipes using purchased ingredients.
- Craft a clear call to action (CTA): Encourage them to take the next step, such as leaving a review, subscribing to your newsletter for exclusive offers, or browsing related products. Keep your CTA concise and action-oriented (e.g., “Write a Review,” “Shop Now for More Great Finds”).
Design and User Experience
- Keep it mobile-friendly: A significant portion of emails are opened on mobile devices. Ensure your email is formatted correctly and displays well on all screen sizes.
- Simple and clear design: Prioritize clarity with a clean layout and easy-to-read fonts. Avoid overwhelming visuals that might distract from the message.
- Strong visuals: Include high-quality product images or relevant graphics to enhance the email’s visual appeal.
- Consistent branding: Maintain a consistent visual identity that reflects your brand throughout the email design.
By incorporating these elements, you can craft thank you emails that are informative, engaging, and leave a positive impression on your customers. Remember, these emails are a valuable touchpoint that can nurture customer relationships and contribute to the overall success of your WooCommerce store.
Benefits of WooCommerce Thank You Emails in Detail
Thank you emails might seem like a simple courtesy, but for WooCommerce stores, they offer a wealth of benefits that go far beyond just good manners. Here’s a closer look at the key advantages of implementing automated thank you emails in your store:
Strengthen Customer Relationships
- Expresses Gratitude: A heartfelt thank you shows customers you appreciate their business, fostering a sense of value and appreciation. This builds trust and strengthens the customer relationship.
- Personalized Touch: Thank you emails open the door for personalization. Addressing customers by name and referencing their purchase creates a more personal connection, setting you apart from generic e-commerce experiences.
Boosts Customer Engagement
- Increased Repeat Business: WooCommerce Thank you email is a prime opportunity to encourage repeat purchases. You can nudge customers towards exploring new products or reordering favorites by including relevant product recommendations or special offers.
- Drives Customer Reviews: Including a call to action (CTA) requesting a product review can significantly boost your review count. Positive reviews build trust for potential customers and enhance your store’s credibility.
- Social Media Engagement: Consider adding CTAs that encourage customers to share their purchase on social media. This can drive brand awareness and potentially attract new customers through organic reach.
Improves Brand Image and Communication
- Professional Communication: A well-designed and informative WooCommerce thank you email reflects positively on your brand’s image. It conveys professionalism and attention to detail, fostering trust and confidence in your store.
- Consistent Brand Messaging: Thank you emails provide an additional platform to showcase your brand voice and personality. Maintaining a consistent brand message across all communication channels strengthens brand recognition.
- Opportunity for Upselling and Cross-selling: By strategically including product recommendations or showcasing complementary items, you can subtly upsell or cross-sell relevant products, potentially increasing order value.
Streamlines Customer Service
- Reduced Support Inquiries: Thank you emails can proactively address common customer questions by including order details, estimated delivery timelines, and links to helpful resources (e.g., FAQs, return policy). This can alleviate pressure on your customer support team.
- Improved Customer Satisfaction: By providing clear information and readily available resources, you can prevent confusion and frustration, ultimately leading to a more positive customer experience.
Valuable Data Collection
- Open Rates and Click-Through Rates (CTRs): Monitoring open rates and CTRs in your thank you emails provides valuable insights into customer engagement. This data allows you to evaluate the effectiveness of your email content and CTAs, allowing for data-driven optimization.
- A/B Testing: Thank you emails offer a perfect platform for A/B testing different subject lines, content layouts, or CTAs. By analyzing results, you can identify versions that resonate best with your audience, and continuously improve your email marketing strategy.
Wrap up
In conclusion, implementing automated thank-you emails in your WooCommerce store is a strategic move with a multitude of benefits. From fostering customer relationships to boosting engagement and sales, these seemingly simple emails can significantly contribute to the overall success of your online business.
We hope this guide on creating a WooCommerce Thank You Email will help you create engaging emails to attract new shoppers and turn them into loyal returning customers.