10 Best Practices For Ecommerce Email Design & Examples

Improve your ecommerce email design with these tips and inspiration from leading brands. Don't miss out on these best practices for success.

10 Best Practices For Ecommerce Email Design & Examples
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When it comes to running a successful online store, ecommerce email design and automation is key. If you don't have the time to manually send emails to your customers on a regular basis, ecommerce email automation is a must. Ecommerce email automation allows you to create and send automated emails to your customers rather than manually doing it yourself. And, the best part is that you can create emails that are relevant to the customer depending on where they are in their shopping journey. Want to learn more about how ecommerce email automation can help grow your online store and increase your sales? Read on!

What Is An Ecommerce Email?

Ecommerce Email Design
Ecommerce Email Design
It involves using email campaigns to communicate with customers, promote products, and provide valuable information. Ecommerce emails are essential for nurturing customer relationships, increasing brand awareness, and encouraging repeat purchases.

Why Are Ecommerce Emails essential for businesses?

Emails are one of the most popular means of digital communication, and that’s the main reason why using them for marketing activities can be extremely effective. They help blow up user engagement, build customer loyalty, share useful information, announce the hottest deals, and boost sales. By leveraging email marketing tools and strategies, businesses can effectively reach their target audience, deliver personalized content, and track the performance of their email campaigns to optimize results and drive business growth.

8 Essential Elements Of An Ecommerce Email Design

Ecommerce Email Design
Ecommerce Email Design

1. Header

The header of an email is crucial as it is the first thing a recipient sees. It should prominently display the brand's logo in the top left corner, creating instant brand recognition and trust. A clear and compelling call-to-action button, such as "Shop Now" or "Learn More," should be included to encourage immediate recipient engagement.

2. The Tagline

Some brands use a tagline under their logo, some brands use a tagline at the bottom of their email, and other brands don’t use taglines at all. The tagline allows brands to reinforce their message and create a sense of consistency and trust with recipients. Including a memorable tagline can make the brand more unique and help set it apart from competitors.

3. Logo and Colors

The consistent use of the brand's logo throughout the email design reinforces brand identity and helps recipients easily identify the sender. Incorporating the brand's primary colors into the email design is key for creating a visually appealing and recognizable look that aligns with the brand's overall aesthetic, further reinforcing brand awareness.

4. Image

High-quality and relevant images are crucial for showcasing products or services in an engaging and visually appealing manner. Images should be optimized for fast loading times and should complement the email's content and overall design. This increases the likelihood of recipients engaging with the email's content and taking the desired action.

5. The Hero Image

The hero image is a crucial element of an email's design as it is the main feature that can be changed from email to email. By keeping the same template and only changing the hero image, copy, and CTAs, brands can effectively communicate their message while maintaining visual consistency and brand identity across various campaigns.

6. Text

Compelling and scannable copy is vital for effectively conveying the message and encouraging action from recipients. Using clear and concise language, breaking up text with headings and bullet points, and highlighting key information make it easier for recipients to quickly grasp the email's content and take the desired action.

7. Call-to-Action (CTA)

Clear and prominent CTAs guide recipients on the desired action, whether it be making a purchase or visiting the website. Using action-oriented language and contrasting colors to make the CTA stand out encourages recipient engagement and increases the chances of them taking the desired action.
The footer of an email should include essential information such as the brand's contact details, social media links, and an unsubscribe link to comply with regulations and provide recipients with necessary information. Reinforcing the brand's identity by incorporating the logo and colors used throughout the email design in the footer further enhances brand recognition and trust.

10 Best Practices For Ecommerce Email Design

Ecommerce Email Design
Ecommerce Email Design

1. Responsive Email Design

Responsive email design is a type of email design that adapts automatically to devices and their screen size, orientation, and the platform that the recipient is using. Text, images, and other content automatically adjust to work with the screen size of the device.
To create a responsive design, you will likely use specialized grids, along with CSS media queries and grids. If you don’t use a responsive email design, you will likely irritate a large segment of your audience.

2. Different Email Templates

Choose a different eCommerce email template design for each different type of email. Some types of emails you will have include newsletter subscription invites, welcome emails, abandoned cart emails, upsell emails, new arrival emails, and survey emails.
By selecting a different template design for each type of email, you make it easier for customers to distinguish between them at a glance, keep the emails interesting and unique, and save time.That if your email doesn’t load properly, most people will just close it.

3. Personalization

Personalized emails are much more likely to be opened and can generate six times higher transaction rates. People expect personalization from companies, so many email marketing design tips revolve around incorporating an element of personalization into the design.
Address the email to the recipient by name, create special personalized design templates for VIP clients, use a person’s browsing or purchase history to decide which products to display, segment your audience based on where they are in the buying process, and add other elements of personalization based on the data you have.

4. Keep Your Email Design on Brand

Ensure that your email design matches your brand by using a similar color scheme and font as other branding elements like your website. Also, maintain the tone of your brand in the content of the email. Use a casual, approachable tone if your brand does or a professional feel if that’s your brand’s style.

5. Include Visuals

Use elements like videos, images, GIFs, and animations to break up large chunks of text and make your emails more readable. Ensure that all the images are relevant. Use screenshots or professional photos you have done for other marketing campaigns instead of relying solely on stock photos. You can even break up large chunks of text with strategically placed emojis.

6. Optimize Your CTA

A good CTA should stand out visually. Use bright colors, shades, and original designs for your CTA. Position it correctly in the email to make it easily visible to the recipient.

7. Use Interactivity

Adding interactivity to your emails can change the way people receive your email content. When you use unique design elements, your email messages will appear as microsites in receivers’ inboxes. Examples of interactive elements include image galleries, add-to-cart buttons, and offer reveals.

8. Animated PNGs

Use animated PNGs to make your animations clearer instead of GIFs. Animated PNGs support 8-bit transparency, 24-bit images, and typically have smaller sizes than GIFs.

9. Color Blocking

Color blocking is a great way to separate the information you put in an email and highlight specific sections you don’t want your readers to miss. Introducing this effect in your email campaign design provides clear message separation and draws your customers’ attention to where you want.

10. Pops of Color

Strategically place pops of color in an otherwise minimalist design to pique the visual interests of your readers and get them to interact more with your email. Color is an exciting way to engage your customers visually and can have a powerful effect if done right.

Complete Step-by-Step Guide On How To Use Mailsplash’s All-in-one AI Email Solution To Design Ecommerce Emails

Getting Started: Uploading Brands and Products

Before you can generate an email, you’ll need to upload a brand and product.
notion image
Navigate to the “Brands” tab and select “Add a Brand”. Once you’ve defined the brand’s name, logo(s), font(s), and color(s), you can upload your product(s).
You can do so by simply pasting in the product link, which will auto-populate the product description, name, and images, as seen below. Now you’re ready to design and write stunning emails with Mailsplash.

Design & Write Emails with Mailsplash: A Guide

Generate with AI

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Not sure where to start? From your dashboard, click “Generate with AI” to get to ideating. Simply select the brand(s) and product(s) you’ve uploaded and describe the email you’re looking for (e.g. an email campaign promoting new pants on sale for 25% off). You can even define the design style you’re looking for!
notion image
If you’re feeling like a pro, click “Advanced Setup” to get more detailed access to other parameters such as your target audience, the type of email, and so on. Once you’re happy, click generate and watch the magic happen! In 30 seconds or less, you’ll have a email custom-tailored to your input.
 

Start from Template

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Already know what kind of email you’re looking to create? You can then click “Start from Template” and browse through our gallery of templates, curated for the most common use cases. We currently support 21 templates for 7 different categories, but will be continuing to update this based on your feedback! Once you select an email type, you’ll be prompted to select a brand and product and be taken straight to the builder.

Sending Emails: Integrate with Any ESP

notion image
When exporting your email generation, you’ll be able to integrate with Klaviyo by inputting your API key. It’s as simple as that. We’re working on adding support for other major ESPs!
Now you should be well-equipped to save time and money on your email marketing.
Still confused? Have feedback? Let us know by sending us an email.

4 Ecommerce Email Design Templates & Examples To Inspire Your Designs

Ecommerce Email Design
Ecommerce Email Design

1. Personalized Promotions Emails

Personalized promotions emails are a great way to connect with customers on a personal level. By using customer data and segmentation, you can send them product inspiration at key points in their life, such as birthdays. This not only makes customers feel special, but also deepens your connection with them and brings in more sales.
For example, Outdoor Voices sends personalized emails on customers’ half birthdays, offering them a unique discount. This tactic is not only quirky and memorable but also encourages shoppers to make a purchase.

2. Order Dispatch Emails

Order dispatch emails are crucial in keeping customers informed about their orders. These emails let customers know when their items have been dispatched, providing them with a sense of comfort and security. You can enhance these emails by including upsell offers, such as future product recommendations and add-on items. For instance, Nike sends simple order dispatch emails with a high-quality image of the shipped product and the option to track the package status.

3. Order Confirmation Emails

Order confirmation emails give customers peace of mind by confirming that their transaction was successful. These transactional emails are sent automatically after a purchase and reassure customers that their order is being processed.
Besides providing comfort to customers, order confirmation emails can also serve other purposes, such as suggesting similar products to encourage repeat sales. Fleet Farm includes a selection of other products in their confirmation emails to enhance customer engagement.

4. Upsell Emails

Upsell emails provide an opportunity to showcase products that complement customers' previous purchases. By suggesting additional items that pair well with their previous orders, you can increase the average order value and drive repeat business.
Utilizing tactics like "other customers who bought X also bought Y" can create a sense of urgency and encourage customers to make additional purchases. For instance, Grammarly sends upsell emails offering a discount on their premium service, prompting customers to make a purchase.

Create Fully-Built Stunning Email Templates That Convert With Mailsplash

Mailsplash is a revolutionary AI-powered tool that streamlines the process of creating stunning and effective email templates for ecommerce businesses. With Mailsplash, users can design and create captivating email campaigns and flows in a matter of minutes, significantly reducing the time and effort required for email marketing. Our platform is compatible with all major email service providers, such as Mailchimp and Klaviyo, ensuring seamless integration with your existing email marketing setup.
One of the key benefits of Mailsplash is its ability to enable freelancers, brands, and agencies to rapidly create personalized, high-converting email campaigns at a fraction of the cost of traditional marketing agencies. Our platform covers all aspects of email marketing, from copywriting to personalized branded email template design, providing a comprehensive all-in-one solution for businesses of all sizes.
Try Mailsplash today and experience the power of AI-driven email marketing firsthand.
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Daniel Kwon

Written by

Daniel Kwon

Hi! I'm Dan Kwon, a growth hacker and digital innovator who first gained social proof by hitting a million social media followers at 17. I founded an AI writing tool startup, propelling it to $1M ARR and over a million users in just 3 months, leading to a successful exit. My specialty lies in creating viral brand identities and understanding Gen Z’s digital marketing landscape. I'm always ready to share practical, real-world insights in digital marketing.

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