Unconventional Email Marketing Ideas for eCommerce

As more eCommerce brands lean into the emerging trends of AI content creation & email automation, standing out with WHAT they send is also more important than ever. 

After all 88% users check their email daily and at least 50% of users buy from marketing emails at least once a month. 

But there’s that one catch:  76% get frustrated when branded email interactions don’t meet personal preferences or aspirations. 

Which brings us to why the usual eCommerce emails don’t cut it for most brands—in our experience, most of them go unopened, unclicked and in severe cases, unsubscribes rise within no time!

If segmentation isn’t great, emails won’t sell 🤷

At least that’s what research reveals clearly—here are some eCommerce email marketing numbers for proof:

🔥 Customer lifetime value increases at least 33% with email segmentation.

🔥 25% of revenue comes from a segmented email list. 

🔥 Highly segmented lists are able to return 3X the original revenue per recipient. 

Basically, if you’re able to send the right email to the right people, chances of conversions increase manifold. And that’s what we’ll dive into, in this piece, clarifying uncommon ideas to tap into, for the most popular subscriber segments. 

Further Reading: The Right Way to Calculate Email Marketing ROI in eCommerce

20 Unusual eCommerce Email Marketing Templates for Higher Conversions

A. Convince New Subscribers 

These are the folks who’re just getting to know your brand, are super curious, and treated well, will also see the point of buying from you. It’s not for nothing that welcome emails have an open rate of almost 69%, which also means how you convince them decides what they’ll do next. 

1. One email, many interactive choices

We all know the email advice that goes, “have a single message, show a single CTA” but for new subscribers, this may not work at all. 

It’s a good idea to look at them in terms of the conversion funnel, which means that if they’re ToFu shoppers with the brand (even if they’re more mature shoppers otherwise), they’ll require more room to explore. 

Something that subscription brand Birchbox gets very well and optimizes across eCommerce email marketing examples like this one:

Other ways to make your eCommerce email marketing interactive for new subscribers:

👉 Use the email body to feature a quiz-type questionnaire: And state results at the end of the email. 

👉 Use the email to send them to different parts of your store: This is a great way to start helping them with a combination of transactional and non-transactional content. 

Further Reading: 13 Incredible Examples of Welcome Emails (eCommerce)

2. Bring focus to a bestseller

When you do this, you’re going a step beyond the dedicated bestseller section on your homepage. 

You’re essentially spotlighting just one bestseller based on the shopper’s behavior—and this can be a real gamechanger. 

Check out how Billie does it in this eCommerce email—what sets this bestseller email apart is that the brand incorporates a review snippet that directly talks to a customer pain point:

Here’s how the best eCommerce email marketing features a bestseller that convinces & converts new subscribers:

👉 Turn social proof into a headline: Combine product name + facts with numbers like “Loved by 6000 people!” and make sure to feature star ratings and link to eCommerce product page reviews. 

👉 Depict “before” and “after” scenarios: This result-oriented approach can instantly build trust, sometimes even better than review snippets!

3. Send out a quiz

Low brand awareness is often why many potential shoppers first choose to subscribe to an eCommerce email list and then buy eventually. 

This is a great opportunity for you to hone their instincts about your products, which is why sending a quiz that makes them sit up can be a great email marketing idea. 

House plant delivery brand The Sill uses this tactic ingeniously—they use a quiz email to ask new subscribers some straightforward questions and lead them towards a sale:

Other ways to make an eCommerce quiz email work for the new subscriber email segment:

👉 Ask them questions on a concern: Base these on the common customer pain points you draw upon to create your product lines. 

👉 Give the quiz a “personality” edge: Messaging like “let’s find you your ideal match” or adding a CTA that reads “Find Top Recommendations” can feel reassuring. 

Further Reading: The Best Quiz Funnel Examples for your eCommerce Store

4. Highlight easy returns

New subscribers, many of whom are likely to be ToFu buyers, naturally want to de-risk purchases. 

Despite all the great things they may hear about your brand, they want to know you have their back. 

And that’s why established brands like The Field Company calls out easy returns in their eCommerce email marketing:

Here are some alternate ways to make your email marketing talk about returns:

👉 Explain why returns are simple: It doesn’t have to be a whole para, just a callout like “Free Returns on Products You Don’t Like” can create more ease. 

👉 Show a bulleted list for what’s included: For example, if it’s “30 Day Risk Free Returns,” show bullets like “Free shipping,” “Free refund on original payment method” etc. 

Further Reading: 21 Proven Ways to "Prevent" eCommerce Returns (+ Smart Handling ideas)

5. Help them stock up on a “favorite”

Generic quantity discounts are often a turn off for new subscribers. 

But what if a shopper has been browsing a product consistently but because of doubt not purchasing it?

And then seen a social media ad you ran, clicking on it but not adding to cart?

For such new subscribers, feature quantity discounts on a product they’ve been browsing / checking out consistently—just like Pauli & Sisters does in their eCommerce email marketing strategy:

Some other ways to use eCommerce email marketing for stock-up alerts:

👉 Feature a tiered discount: Messaging that tells them the more they buy, the better discount they’ll get (buy 2 get 20% off, buy 4 get 30% off etc.) works really well. 

👉 Use the “bulk buy” nudge within the welcome email: Add an extra benefit like free priority shipping for anyone who chooses the bulk buy option and you have a winner. 

Nurture Repeat Customers 

These are the ones who promptly return when you declare a sale. Or feature a header without prior notice to highlight an early access event. In short, those 8% from whom (most likely) 40% of your eCommerce store’s revenue comes from. 

1. Cross-sell to recent repeat customers

In our experience, generic emails with personalized cross-sell recommendations don’t work as well as emails that talk about the last purchase explicitly. 

It’s also particularly helpful to send such content along with replenishment email reminders. 

Check out this repeat customer email that slips in the mention of “chamomile tea”, which was the last purchase made:

Other ways to make your cross-sells to repeat eCommerce email customers convert better:

👉 Email suggestions that will create a better overall experience: For example, if they bought a scented candle before, you may want to suggest an essential oil and a candle holder in the email. 

👉 Send “build a pair and get X% off” nudges: This works well as their replenishment date draws nearer—if you run a subscription brand, also allow them to alter the terms and conditions based on the new discount. 

Further Reading: How to Cross-sell on Product Pages—Without Being Pushy (+ Examples)

2. Limited edition discounts for high value buyers

If they’ve been spending at least 3 to 5 times the average order value of the usual shopper, then they’re your high value folks. 

Even if you offer them high generic or sitewide discounts, they may show only as much interest to buy as they usually do. 

An unconventional way to get better email conversions is to suggest limited edition discounts to them, like LookFantastic does in this eCommerce email marketing example:

Some alternate ways to amp up limited edition discounts in your email marketing strategy:

👉 Offer a “spin it to win it” nudge: This amplifies the interactivity of the email and hence, the engagement, which can make the recipients more invested in availing the discount as well. 

👉 Make it an early access discount: You can link this email to an “early access” sale or launch prompt on your website, featuring a “count me in” call-to-action. 

3. Send category offers on a sitewide event

Gone are the days when online shoppers would flock to a 70% sitewide sale event, no questions asked. 

Now many eCommerce brands, in almost every category, are doing this leading to real discount fatigue. 

The way to beat it is to send sitewide discount updates on specific categories based on the repeat customer’s preferences—check this uber specific category email from J. Crew:

Here are some more ways to get your eCommerce category email discounts more attractive:

👉 Combine a category & tiered discount nudge: Use a powerful headline to draw attention to the category and feature different codes + discount levels for different kinds of repeat customers (like “20% off for subscribers,” “25% off for loyalty members” etc.)

👉 Use a “seasonal” context to generate interest: Positioning it as a “Prices will never be so low” event will generate both urgency and action. 

4. Help them contribute to a cause

When shoppers indulge time and again, this can become a significant cause of guilt.

Something that you can offset for your repeat customers by drawing their attention to a cause. 

This can especially drive eCommerce conversions during peak holiday season. 

Check out how Madewell leverages this as part of an email marketing campaign:

Other ways to combine cause marketing along with your email marketing strategies:

👉 Feature an update on real-time impact: Messaging like “$X donated so far, $Y more to the goal” can really drive recipients towards a purchase. 

👉 Position new arrivals under a “Cause Collection”: Declare an email-only discount on this for repeat customers and make it a limited time offer as well. 

5. Feature memorable educational content

From recipes to styling tips to valuable UGC-based advice, repeat customers stay on with any brand because they’re receiving more than transactional value. 

Something you need to leverage in your eCommerce email marketing campaigns too, just like cookware brand The Field Company does:

Consider these other tips to make educational content in your eCommerce emails shine even more:

👉 Feature ingredient / bundle breakdown info: Send this as part of your post-purchase email flow to really benefit the recipients. 

👉 Segment the advice into lifestyle-based applications: The more sub-segments you’re able to target, the more loyalty you’ll be able to build through these emails. 

Wow Loyalty Members 

It’s now a known fact that what a loyalty program member will have spent in a 6-month timeframe, a non-member wouldn’t spend. This makes this segment a powerful means to improve ROI through your email marketing strategies. 

1. Feature compatible milestone discounts & recommendations

Milestones and recommendations both work wonders often, but separately. 

However, when you’re sending emails to loyalty members, you have a chance to make them work together. 

Here’s an example of an eCommerce email marketing template that explores this idea—use AI personalization to dynamically fetch recommendations for customers based on behavioral targeting:

Here are some ways to bring milestones and targeted recommendations together in your eCommerce email marketing strategy:

👉 Send a “Here’s what you’ve earned” themed email: Show them the discount and tell them they can finally spend it on products they were eyeing but didn’t want to buy before!

👉 Feature an exclusive discount on “trending” products: This is especially effective when you state how many years you’ve spent together and how that’s a great reason for well-deserved exclusivity. 

2. Ask for feedback & promise loyalty points

The best eCommerce loyalty programs are those that let shoppers collect points for a variety of actions. 

This flexibility then drives loyalists to not just take these actions but also buy with the points they accumulate. 

Something that Loeffler Randall leverages as soon as they onboard a subscriber to their eCommerce loyalty program:

Some other ways to combine feedback & loyalty points in your email strategy include:

👉 Make it about the most recent purchase: To make it more compelling, add microcopy saying it’ll help other shoppers make better choices too along with declaring the points up for grabs. 

👉 Gamify the survey & announce points for separate stages: For example, you could ask them to “rate you” for which they’ll get 100 points and then to share “detailed suggestions” for which they’ll win 300 points. 

Further Reading: 14 eCommerce Loyalty Programs Backed By Science (Examples)

3. Send them exclusive tiered discounts

Seasoned loyalty members know this is a win-win situation, especially to be able to move to more advanced tiers of prizes, gifts and exclusive access through the year. 

And that’s why Missguided sends these, with the following eCommerce email strategy example working around a mystery:

Here are a few other ways you can make your tiered email discounts work better:

👉 Highlight the tiers in the email: Whether you mention “Gold” “Silver” “Bronze” or “Elite” “VIP” “Basic”, you should also mention how many points the recipient has accumulated so far and how much more there is to go to the next tier. 

👉 Relate the tiers to membership milestones: State whether they’ve turned 6 months, 1 year or 2 years being a loyalty member while mentioning their join date and also a short timeline on what awaits them. 

4. Convert through a “lucky day” offer

At least 50% of eCommerce shoppers honestly admit that they love receiving surprise offers. 

And that’s what you need to leverage with your loyalty members—after all, someone who’s been a member for years can forget what it’s like to feel “special”.

Exactly what Brit + Co. does to make their eCommerce email marketing strategy work smarter:

Few other ways you can send across surprises to loyalty members in your eCommerce email list:

👉 Declare a surprise gift: And leave a message on the lines of “We’ll add it to your cart on your next order!”

👉 Position it as an “exclusive” around a new launch: Tell them they’re among the few to receive early access. 

5. Serve up a “choose what you pay” event

Host it for a limited time and a super limited audience and what you have is gold: in terms of trust, in terms of data but most importantly in terms of loyalty. 

Something that Everlane has mastered over a period of time, typically featuring three price tiers—the lowest covering only production costs, the middle one including operational costs as well and the highest one includes innovation or charitable costs or both:

Other ways to position a “choose what you pay event” to get more eCommerce email conversions:

👉 Clearly mention the price breakdown: Tell them what you’re charging for materials, labor, overheads, shipping etc. and justify the various price tiers & what’s additionally included in them. 

👉 Feature an email mini-series on the event: Instead of a single email, line these up as 1: Announcement & explainer email, 2: Featured products & price tiers and 3: Final reminder with social proof from existing members. 

Further Reading: eCommerce Pricing Strategy: How These 9 Brands Are Nailing It

Wheel Back Cart Abandoners 

People abandon their carts for a number of reasons. Which is why it often falls on eCommerce brands to create an effective email strategy that says what they want to hear and times them perfectly. Without targeting this segment properly, you could be putting a dent into your profit margins. 

1. Get some real UGC to back your claims

The more contextual the UGC, the better, because it needs to strike a connection with the recipient and convert them. 

Check out how The Dad Hoodie does this, going back to a simple text-only format with a clear hyperlink to only 5-star reviews in this eCommerce email:

Here are some other ways for UGC to boost up your eCommerce cart abandonment emails:

👉 Choose snippets or videos that highlight several use cases: Fighting customer objections around second thoughts is one of the best ways of making your cart abandonment email effective. 

👉 Feature the purchase dates associated with the reviews you’re choosing: The more recent they are, the more confidence they are likely to create. 

Further Reading: 52 Cart Abandonment Email Subject Lines That Actually Work

2. Create FOMO around free shipping

At the moment shoppers abandon carts, they typically experience resistance around the total cost rising because shipping isn’t free. 

Your eCommerce cart abandonment email is your opportunity to flip the tables, but not without featuring that countdown timer, just like fashion brand Farfetch does:

A few other ways to create FOMO around free shipping for cart abandoners:

👉 Go the “limited free shipping spots” way: Highlight this in the headline itself, something like: “50 Spots only for Free Shipping” and then “first come first take” in the microcopy. 

👉 Tell them the limited free shipping offer is exclusive: And let the email body copy drive how important the customer is for you to be creating this offer for them. 

Further Reading: How To Offer Free Shipping — And Recover Costs Too

3. Send a reminder on how much they’ll save

A lot of cart abandoning behavior comes from incessant comparison shopping. 

Ask shoppers, and many will admit they simply forgot that they’d added some products to cart on a specific brand site. 

Something you can take advantage of by sending limited time “checkout” reminders to eCommerce cart abandoners on your list, like Glossier does:

Here are additional ways to make “savings” reminders more compelling for eCommerce cart abandoners:

👉 Feature an additional discount: In this approach, position the additional price slash as a “sweet offer”—best to apply only on repeat customers though. 

👉 Create urgency by mentioning item count left: “20% off only on stocks last—only 5 of your favorite <product name> remaining!” sends the message that the abandoner has to act NOW. 

4. Feature trust badges that elevate the brand

It’s not uncommon for eCommerce brands to highlight “clean beauty” and “free shipping” as icons in their cart abandonment emails. 

But many cart abandoners need to be reminded that a specific brand has credentials that competitors don’t—something that Bliss leverages through this eCommerce email marketing template:

Other ways to nudge through trust in your eCommerce cart abandonment email strategy:

👉 Talk about a cause associated with a highlighted credential: Just the most important snippet of information is enough, something like “consistently winning the #1 position in <mention awards name>”.

👉 Feature a comparison chart: Highlight areas (like the credentials) where your brand trumps over others. 

Further Reading: Cart Abandonment Pop-Up: 19 Amazing Examples (That Actually Work)

5. Send limited time offers to potential subscribers

As a subscription business, you can’t afford cart abandoners for long. And yet, if you’re able to convert them, your margins will improve. 

Which is why using the tactic that Le Tote does can come in real handy—especially if the subscription valuation is high:

Here are some other ways to wheel back cart abandoners with limited time offers:

👉 Feature a limited time flash sale: Saying something like “Originally $x priced products in your cart now at an all time low of $y for only 2 hours!” works really well. 

👉 Include additional value within the subscription: It could be a free gift, a free consultation or even a free extension, depending upon what the abandoner is most likely to prefer.

Ready to elevate your eCommerce email marketing strategy exponentially?

Most eCommerce store owners don’t see email as a serious revenue stream.

Ask them about the importance of email marketing, and you'll hear: “we don’t really have a major strategy,” “we mostly use generic templates,” or “we just send emails to people on our list.”

BUT AT THE SAME TIME:

There are stores out there that drive 30%+ of their revenue from email marketing.

Engage can help you do the same - Book a free demo.

We’ll show you:

• workflows we can create for your store,
• proven ways to drive 30% or more $$ from email alone, and
• successful templates and strategies from your industry (and others).