Email and SMS marketing for ecommerce: build lists, automate flows and drive repeat sales
Email and SMS are the channels you own. Unlike social platforms or ad networks, nobody can change the rules or raise the price of reaching your own subscribers. For most online stores, email is one of the most profitable marketing channels, and SMS adds a fast, high-visibility option for time-sensitive messages.
This guide covers how to grow your list, the automated flows every store should have, how to plan campaigns and how to stay compliant.
Growing your list
Every visitor who leaves without subscribing is a customer you may never reach again. Capture details with:
- A signup form or pop-up offering a clear reason to join, such as early access, a guide or a first-order discount.
- A checkout opt-in for email and, separately, for SMS.
- Signup prompts on social profiles, packaging inserts and order confirmation pages.
Always collect consent clearly and record when and how each person signed up. In the UK and EU, marketing messages require appropriate consent under UK GDPR and PECR, and similar rules apply in other markets.
Automated flows every store needs
Automated flows run in the background and often generate a large share of email revenue. Start with these:
- Welcome series: introduce your brand, deliver any promised offer and highlight best-sellers.
- Abandoned basket and browse: remind shoppers about products they viewed or added but did not buy.
- Post-purchase: confirm the order, set delivery expectations, share care tips and ask for a review.
- Win-back: re-engage customers who have not bought in a while.
- Replenishment: prompt reorders for consumable products at the right interval.
Planning campaigns
Campaigns are one-off sends such as product launches, seasonal sales and newsletters. Plan a simple calendar around your key trading periods and product releases. Mix promotional emails with content that is useful in its own right, so subscribers do not learn to ignore you between sales.
Segment your list so people receive relevant messages: new subscribers versus repeat buyers, high-value customers, product interests and location. Smaller, targeted sends usually outperform blasting everyone with the same message.
Using SMS well
SMS is immediate and personal, so use it sparingly: flash sales, back-in-stock alerts, delivery updates and VIP early access. Keep messages short, include a clear link and an easy way to opt out, and respect sensible sending hours.
Deliverability
Good emails only work if they reach the inbox. Authenticate your sending domain with SPF, DKIM and DMARC, remove addresses that repeatedly bounce or never engage, and avoid sudden large spikes in sending volume. Major mailbox providers now expect bulk senders to authenticate properly and offer easy unsubscribe.
Metrics to watch
Focus on revenue per recipient, click rate, conversion rate, unsubscribe rate and list growth. Open rates have become less reliable because of privacy features in some email apps, so treat them as a rough guide only.
Email and SMS turn customers you have already paid to acquire into repeat buyers. Combine them with Digital Advertising & Media Buying to grow your list, and with Customer Service & Support for a consistent post-purchase experience.
Part of: Marketing & Growth