Your customer placed an order and can’t wait to receive their new products. There’s just one thing: They don’t know what happens next. You need to set up an order confirmation email that automatically goes out to update your customers on the order process.
Knowing where to start with an order confirmation email can be tough, though. Read on to discover 20 order confirmation examples and subject lines, along with some best practices for creating confirmation emails, to get a head start on your next sales and marketing goal.
What factors make a good order confirmation email?
Order confirmation emails are part of a solid transactional email campaign for ecommerce stores. Creating one isn’t especially difficult, but there are some best practices to follow when you’re setting up your order confirmation template.
An effective order confirmation email will have an emphasis on these key features:
- Subject line: the subject line is one of the most important components of most emails. You want to write a subject line that gets straight to the point. This has two benefits: It helps ensure your email doesn’t get thrown in the trash bin and that your customer reads the email.
- Content: the information you provide in an order confirmation email is critical. It’s good practice to include a list of the products, the order total, when the order will ship (if applicable), and any information your customers need to know about the next steps.
- Call to action: you might not need a salesy CTA for an order confirmation email. A link to your customer’s order status or account information can be helpful. You can also include subtle marketing CTAs, like a referral opportunity or social sharing buttons.
- Email design: an order confirmation email doesn’t need to be flashy. Since you’re likely conveying purchase totals and images of your products, it’s best to keep these emails simple and sharp. Tables are one of the most common ways to communicate information in a confirmation email.
You can do A/B testing to determine the best content for your order confirmation emails. Once you have that nailed down, create a template and set up your transactional email strategy.
20 effective order confirmation examples and subject lines
Creating an order confirmation email can seem overwhelming at first. With these order confirmation examples and subject lines, you have plenty of inspiration for setting up an email campaign that your customers appreciate.
1. Keep the email design simple.
Source: Really Good Emails
Subject line: Your Airbnb gift confirmation.
Why it works: clean black text and white background make it easy to read the message. The pops of color from the product and logo catch the eye.
2. Send post-delivery order confirmations.
Source: Really Good Emails
Subject line: Your Instacart order receipt.
Why it works: for delivery services where the order total might change, send an order confirmation email after delivery with any updates.
3. Add shipping emails to the lineup.
Source: Really Good Emails
Subject line: Good News – Your Food52 order (#650050) has shipped!
Why it works: confirming the order is just part of the process. You also want to let your customers know when you ship their order and how they can track it.
4. Create CTA buttons that pop.
Source: Really Good Emails
Subject line: A shipment from order #650050 is on the way.
Why it works: Order confirmation emails can offer insight on tracking and return processes. Bold CTA buttons get your customers where they need to be.
5. Incorporate festive graphics.
Source: Really Good Emails
Subject line: Order Confirmation for Smiles Davis from Pho Ao Sen – Lotus Pond.
Why it works: while simple can be effective, some confirmations—like a fast-approaching food delivery order—call for more creative imagery.
6. Don’t be afraid of color.
Source: Really Good Emails
Subject line: Smiles Davis, Your Order #650050 for BURST has been placed.
Why it works: if your brand has a history of using bright colors, you can solidify your brand by continuing the trend in your order confirmation emails.
7. Write a concise subject line.
Source: Really Good Emails
Subject line: Hover Order Confirmation.
Why it works: subject lines that let your customers know exactly what the email contains will boost your open rates and keep your customers in the loop.
8. Insert relevant graphics and icons.
Source: Really Good Emails
Subject line: [Business] Your Thursday morning trip with Uber.
Why it works: your customers appreciate your service, and highlighting something that’s unique to your company can keep your brand in mind.
9. Use emoji in subject lines.
Source: Really Good Emails
Subject line: Your Tens order is confirmed! ☀️ 😎
Why it works: emoji in your order confirmation subject lines can inspire your customer to open the message, but use them wisely to avoid inbox clutter.
10. Provide details on the next steps.
Source: Really Good Emails
Subject line: Thanks for your order!
Why it works: not every order confirmation email will include a list of products and amounts. Provide your customers with details on what comes next.
11. Get clever with the message.
Source: Really Good Emails
Subject line: Your Feet Say Thank You.
Why it works: humor can be a great way to inspire loyalty in your customers, and your order confirmation email is one place you want to really engage them.
12. Reservation confirmations are key.
Source: Really Good Emails
Subject line: Reservation confirmed for San Francisco.
Why it works: businesses that offer reservations should include order confirmations as part of the process to answer any customer questions.
13. Include an order number.
Source: Really Good Emails
Subject line: Thank you for your order (#R650000650).
Why it works: subject lines that include order numbers make it easy (and faster) for customers to contact you with any requests.
14. Provide alternative contact details.
Source: Really Good Emails
Subject line: Your order with Chewy.com (http://chewy.com/).
Why it works: you want your customers to know you’re there, so offer additional ways they can reach out to you or check on their order status.
15. Express excitement in subject lines.
Source: Really Good Emails
Subject line: Hooray, your Blue Bottle order is confirmed!
Why it works: let your customers know that you appreciate their order by using appreciative language and exclamation marks to express your enthusiasm.
16. Add a CTA link to shop.
Source: Really Good Emails
Subject line: It’s official! Your Fitbit order has been placed.
Why it works: satisfied customers will place additional orders, so include a CTA link back to your shop to encourage them to continue shopping.
17. List payment and shipping addresses.
Source: Really Good Emails
Subject line: Order Confirmation.
Why it works: your customers will appreciate having a confirmation of the payment method they used and where you’re shipping their order.
18. Say “thank you.”
Source: Really Good Emails
Subject line: Your Home Try-On Kit Order #1234567.
Why it works: it’s a simple phrase that ecommerce stores can forget, but a simple “thank you” is inviting and can boost your brand’s reputation.
19. Offer similar product recommendations.
Source: Really Good Emails
Subject line: Order Confirmation #123456789.
Why it works: order confirmation emails provide an opportunity to show your customers what other products they might like, which can lead to further purchases.
20. Confirm donations to a project.
Source: Really Good Emails
Subject line: You just backed Stool Nº1.
Why it works: order confirmation is practical in crowdsourcing—your “customers” appreciate order insight, as well.
Wrap up
Crafting an effective order confirmation email takes a little bit of time. Aside from reviewing these order confirmation examples and subject lines, there are a few steps you can take to make the process a little more efficient:
- Decide what level of detail you want to provide in the email.
- Ensure you have the appropriate tools to automate the process.
- Find a solution that helps you analyze your confirmation emails.
The right email marketing tools can make a significant difference in putting together transactional emails like order confirmations.
Looking for an email marketing suite to create transactional email campaigns? CM Commerce has the features you need to set up a fully automated order email sequence.