Do you remember the last time you ordered something online? If you’re like most people, it was probably just a few minutes ago!

If so, you probably received an email confirming your order and thanking you for your business. Maybe the company even included some personal photos of team members or something that made you smile. 

As it turns out, tucking a thank you message into an ordinary transactional email is a great way for e-commerce brands to connect with customers in a more personal way, building an online experience that’s like what you’d get in a brick and mortar store. And brands with this sort of superior customer experience bring in 5.7x more revenue than those without.

With this in mind, we’ve put together a thank you email template along with eleven real-life examples of thank you emails to get you started.

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What to include in an ecommerce thank you email

Before we get to the template, let’s talk quickly about what you should include in an ecommerce thank you email. 

  • A sincere thank you message: This one may seem obvious, but be sure to include a thank you message that feels sincere. Use welcoming language and write in the same way you would talk to the reader in person. 
  • Personal photos of you or your team: Thank you notes are best when they feel like they’re coming from an actual person instead of a faceless company. Inject some personality by including real photos of you or the members of your team. 
  • Coupons, discounts, and special offers: Transactional emails have shockingly high open rates compared to promotional emails (80% to 17%). Encourage repeat purchases while you have their attention!
  • Links or CTAs directing customers to your website: With so many people opening transactional emails, you want to make it as easy as possible for them to make a purchase of products they need or just content they want to see.
  • On-brand graphics, colors, and fonts: As with other marketing or transactional emails, thank you emails are extensions of your brand. Using on-brand graphics, colors, and fonts creates a consistent user experience and builds trust with consumers. 
  • Strong subject line to encourage recipients to open the email: In her course at Flodesk University, Emilie Steinmann, founder and CEO of Buoyant, explains that subject lines should be “short, punchy, and sweet. Giving extra thought to your email subject lines goes a long way as it can make or break your open rates. If your audience isn’t intrigued by the subject line, they may never bother to open the email.”
  • Incentives to connect on social media: Loyal customers and subscribers have already demonstrated an interest in your brand, but sometimes they need a little nudge to follow you on social media. Incentives can include anything from discount codes to freebies to contest entries. 
  • Prompts to create an account: Forcing users to create an account before checkout decreases conversion rates, so having a guest checkout option is a good idea. But customer accounts provide an easier checkout and better experience for return shoppers, along with massive marketing potential, so it’s good to remind shoppers of those benefits.
  • Links to leave product reviews: The average customer is willing to spend 31% more on a retailer that has excellent reviews. You can include links in delivery notifications or in follow-up thank you emails.

Thank you email template for your ecommerce store

{{Lead with a personal photo or branded image}}

Hi {{customer name}}!

Thanks so much for {{insert action or event}}! It means so much to all of us here at {{name of your company}}. 

Take X amount off your first order with the code ABC! (if you want to include a special offer)

Happy shopping!

{{Insert CTA with the desired action}}

XOXO, 

(Your personal signature)

Follow us on Instagram (or other platforms) and get (choose incentive to offer)

Social buttons

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11 thank you email templates & examples for ecommerce

Now that you have a basic template in hand, here are eleven real-life examples of thank you emails and what each one does well.

1. The “holiday” thank you email

In this holiday-based thank you email, Antoinette of the A&M Collective thanks her subscribers and customers for being part of her community. Here’s why this email works:

  • It leads with a personal family photo, drawing readers in and making an emotional connection right away. Who can resist that adorable family?
  • It includes links to curated product collections, all related to the Thanksgiving holiday and upcoming Christmas season.
  • The copy in the main body of the email is personal and sincere, assuring readers that the email is coming from a real person.

2. The “discount code” thank you email

In this thank you email from Go To Bed, founder and interior stylist Magdalene Liacopoulos thanks new subscribers for joining her ecommerce store email list. Here’s what makes this email work:

  • It encourages readers to make their first purchase by including a discount code for 10%  off any order. 
  • It uses a single, on-brand call to action button that lets readers know exactly what to do (shop now). More isn’t always better when it comes to CTAs—we recommend using only one when possible (never more than three) so that the reader doesn’t get overwhelmed with choices. It’s also a good practice to use brand colors and simple, direct language when designing a CTA. 

To learn more on how to connect with your audience, read: 3 Tips to Connect with Your Audience in Emails.

  • The email ends with a personalized signature from the company’s founder, giving the impression that the message is coming from an actual person.

3. The “you’re important to us” thank you email

In this thank you email from the lifestyle and home decor brand Haume, the company’s newsletter subscribers are rewarded with a free gift. Here’s why this email works:

  • It expresses sincere, personal gratitude through both the imagery and the email copy, making subscribers feel appreciated.  
  • It encourages new subscribers to make a purchase by offering a free gift with the purchase of a specific item. 
  • The on-brand image draws readers in, encouraging them to shop so they can achieve the same lifestyle and decor look depicted in the photo. 

4. The “product launch” thank you email

Here’s another example of a thank you email from Antoinette at Haume. This time, however, the thank you message is included as part of a promotional email about a new product launch (as opposed to the transactional welcome email above). Here’s why this email works:

  • As a thank you to loyal customers and subscribers, it offers exclusive access to a new product offered by Haume. 
  • It encourages readers to share the brand on Instagram by including the brand’s official Instagram handle. 
  • Even though this is a promotional email and the previous example was transactional, they both have very similar aesthetics and design, creating a consistent user experience from email to email.

5. The “social media milestone” thank you email

In this thank you email from the artisanal home decor brand LU France Interiors, loyal subscribers are invited to join in celebrating one year of being Instagram official. Here’s why this email works:

  • By leading with the phrase “Thank you, friend,” the email manages to communicate the purpose of the message while still leaving a bit of mystery so that readers continue on.
  • It uses good email design practices like blocks of white space and varying font sizes to make sure customers see the special offer and discount code. 
  • It offers $20 off a purchase, which is likely to have a high perceived value for most customers—a good way to boost conversion rates.

6. The “anniversary milestone” thank you email

Here’s another milestone thank you email celebrating one year in business, this time from Claire over at Harper The Label. Here’s why this email works:

  • It uses a sincere, personal message of gratitude and a shared journey to connect emotionally with readers. 
  • The email is signed “In gratitude” and features a personal signature from the brand’s founder.
  • The main image is on brand and features a product that’s likely to pique curiosity enough that readers will want to click through.

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7. The “freebie” thank you email

In this thank you email from Alyssa Nguyen Design Studio, new subscribers receive a link to download the brand’s pricing guide. Here’s why this email works:

  • It leads with a personal photo of Alyssa, the brand’s founder, designer and strategist. As with Antoinette’s email above, this fosters a connection between the reader and the brand.  
  • It includes two clear CTAs that don’t compete with one another for the user’s attention. Instead, they each serve a relevant purpose for the email and are spaced far enough apart so as to avoid distracting or confusing readers. 
  • It encourages readers to join the waitlist—a great strategy for ecommerce brands to use when launching a new product. Not only does this give you access to customers pre-launch, but it’s also a good way to build your email list along with serious hype for your new product. 

If you’re looking to build an email list fast, check out: How to Build an Email List: 11 Swift Steps to Find Subscribers.

8. The “personal welcome” thank you email

In this thank you email from 7 Wayfinders, Leslie greets new subscribers with a warm welcome. Here’s why this email works:

  • It takes the idea of a personal touch to a new level by including Leslie’s personal phone number for subscribers and customers to text.
  • It uses welcoming language like “I’m so happy you’re here” and “It’s lovely to meet you.” This makes newcomers feel like they’ve been accepted into a tight-knit community—something often associated with benefits like increased average order value, lower acquisition costs and strong customer feedback loops. As Nanoflips founder James Camp explains: “The reality is that an engaged community is the future of ecommerce.”

9. The “first dibs” thank you email

In this thank you email from Ashley Cook Adair, subscribers are rewarded with early access to sign up for Ashley’s Grit to Grace online coaching product. Here’s why this email works:

  • The image copy immediately conveys that a gift is enclosed, encouraging users to continue reading the email. 
  • It shares a personal story of accomplishment between the brand and its customers, creating a sense of shared progress and community.
  • It offers subscribers “first dibs” on a free discovery call and then a free coaching call if the program is a good fit. This type of strategy is good for boosting conversions as it gives readers a sense of urgency.

10. The “exclusive access” thank you email

In this thank you email from entrepreneur, community builder and author Natalie Franke, she thanks customers for helping to launch a new product and offers an exclusive preview of what’s coming next. Here’s why this email works:

  • It creates a feeling of urgency by saying, “Be sure to snag yours during preorder as quantities will be very very very limited.” Using limited quantity or limited time offers is a great way for ecommerce brands to drive conversions as people tend to place a higher value on things that are perceived as rare (known as the scarcity principle in social psychology)
  • It reminds customers of their participation in a previous product launch, hopefully triggering memories of a good experience. 
  • It gives readers a detailed preview of what to expect with the product launch process, even including a link for them to collaborate on the next project.

11. The “back in stock” thank you email

In this thank you email from Sophie, founder of The Mrs. Book, she thanks customers who have been waiting patiently for her product to come back in stock. Here’s why this email works: 

  • The colors, graphics, and font are all on brand (and beautiful), creating a consistent customer experience.
  • It uses a single, clear CTA to direct users to the brand’s website to make a purchase. 
  • It lets customers know that they can reach out directly if they have any questions, instilling a sense of trust in the brand. 

Make thank you emails easy with Flodesk

While Flodesk’s curated designs are a big differentiator, our proprietary Layout blocks truly set us apart from the competition. Layouts help members create custom graphics, design collages, and sign off every email with a specialty script-font signature—no third-party design software needed. 

Also, Flodesk’s stunning forms (which can be used without a website) and workflows round out our top features, helping members grow their email lists and automate email sends. 

Even more, with Flodesk, members are never penalized for successfully growing their lists. Subscriptions are $38/month for unlimited email sends, unlimited subscribers and unlimited access to all features.

Ecommerce thank you email FAQs

How do you write a thank you email for customers?

Start off by thanking the customer for a specific action or event—this can be anything from placing an order to reaching a milestone. Be sure to add touches of personalization and make the email feel like it’s coming from a real person. 

Then include links or CTAs back to your website to make it easy for loyal customers to hop back on and make a purchase. You can even include discounts or special offers to boost your conversion rate.

What is a thank you email in ecommerce?

A thank you email from an ecommerce store can be a stand-alone email thanking customers, or it can be included as part of other transactional or promotional emails. The best types of transactional emails to add thank you notes to include: 

  • Order confirmations
  • Shipping notifications
  • Company milestones 
  • Customer milestones 
  • Welcome emails to new subscribers
  • Event registration confirmations
  • Event reminders

Besides transactional emails, you can also send thank you notes within your promotional email messages. Opportunities include holiday messages, new product launches, special offers and early access to sales or event registrations.

3. What should you include in a thank you email for ecommerce?

When sending an ecommerce thank you note, be sure to include the following: 

  • A sincere thank you message
  • Personal photos of you or your team
  • Links or CTA buttons directing customers to your website
  • Coupons, discounts and special offers
  • On-brand graphics, colors and fonts
  • Incentives to connect on social media
  • Prompts or incentives to create an account
  • Links to leave product reviews
  • Strong subject line to encourage recipients to open the email