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Developing an effective purchase confirmation e-mail

December 05, 2012 Written by NetSphere Category: eCommerce
Developing an effective purchase confirmation e-mail
As a company integrates more and more e-commerce best practices into their e-tail site, usability, navigation and the overall consumer experience are bound to improve. And when these methods become the norm, sales are sure to pick up.
 
But that doesn’t mean that a company can then go on autopilot. There are constantly new elements to address that will further enhance an e-commerce business. And sometimes it’s the simple things that get overlooked when giving a website an overhaul.
 
Payment or purchase confirmation e-mails are a great example of one of those easy-to-miss items. They’re so easy to overlook that some companies aren’t even in the practice of sending them out. Which is a problem. Consumers have come to expect some sort of notification that they made a purchase – from reputable websites, that is. So if you don’t have one, you’re overdue to create one. If you are in the habit of sending them once a purchase is made, it’s probably time to revisit it.
 
The first order of business when evaluating your confirmation e-mail is pretty straightforward. Take a look at it. Read it out loud. According to the editors at TokoKoo.com, a company that provides WordPress themes, a “Congratulations, your purchase has been made!” e-mail is not enough.
 
“Whatever you are selling, provide sufficient information and details on what customers are buying or what they can expect to receive later,” they explain. “This is a simple but important e-commerce rule to avoid them thinking of you as a scammer. It is the only way to make them understand what they get for their money.”
 
It’s also a way to let customers know that you have a reputation for unmatched customer service. UserPlus.comsays that as long as the following items are included in your confirmation e-mail, you’re sure to send the message that customer service is important to your business:
  • Thank you message and confirmation that the order was successfully placed and received
  • Order number and date
  • Overview of the ordered items, including the amounts, special remarks, gift messages etc.
  • Pricing overview, including: total amount, pricing for each item, tax, shipping and cost
  • Payment method and status, if a credit card was used show the last few digits of the card number
  • Shipping & billing address
  • Shipping method, estimated delivery date and (if possible) tracking information
  • Contact information

Beyond the content, your confirmation e-mail should also have a clean, uncluttered design. A company logo is nice, but it's not necessary. After all, the main goal here is to provide your customers with a record of their purchase.

If you deliver on that goal in a way that is easy to read and in a manner that sends just enough gratitude for their choice in shopping with you, they’ll most likely be confident enough to become return customers. And that, after all, is the greater goal.

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Abbe Miller is the marketing manager at NetSphere Strategies, located just outside Chicago. NetSphere Strategies is a boutique eCommerce company positioned to help businesses transform their online presence by providing a full complement of services that starts with our strategic consulting and creative design teams, then continues with building innovative solutions and providing ongoing post-project support.