“Retaining customers is cheaper than acquiring new ones.”
That’s a phrase you’ve undoubtedly heard time and time again, especially if you’re looking to grow your eCommerce business and maintain long-term revenue. But with more brands and competitors shifting to digital and enticing customers with new offers and promotions, customer retention is often easier said than done. Merchants selling replenish-able items may already have the upper hand as replenishment emails are a great way to encourage repeat purchases.
In this article, we will explain what replenishment emails are, why they are effective and our best practice tips — so you can get the most out of sending your customers reminders.
What are Replenishment Email Campaigns & How Do They Work?
Replenishment email campaigns are automated messages that remind customers to reorder a specific product they have previously purchased from your store. The email contains a link back to the website — often directly to a pre-loaded cart at checkout — making it easy and convenient to replenish their products.
It differs from subscription models which are intended to automatically send out the product at a set schedule, for example, every four weeks. More often than not, your subscription timetable doesn’t match your customers consumption rate, which can lead to periods of time without the product, or too much of it; and both of these deliver a bad customer experience. Conversely, replenishment emails can be set to land in your customer’s inbox just in time to place another order and have it arrive before the last of the initial order runs out.
The Benefits of Replenishment Email Campaigns
Existing customers are much more likely to shop more frequently, spend more money and recommend your store to others compared with the average customer. However, every merchant knows that turning first-time shoppers into loyal customers can be a challenge.
To combat this, many have turned to subscriptions or membership models to secure regular repeat purchases - but that usually comes at a higher operational cost and can be difficult to manage both in the logistics and the capture of payment. With replenishment emails, customers can set their own schedule with a pay-as-you-go alternative that has absolutely no commitments. This way you can maintain an ongoing relationship with customers and even offer them a loyalty discount when they return for their next re-purchase.
Replenishment Email Campaign Best Practice
If you’ve decided that replenishment email reminders are something that will work for your store, it’s important that you use them to your advantage. To ensure you get the most out of a replenishment email campaign we’ve put together a list of best things that you need to know…
Timing is Everything
The timing of your reminders plays a critical role in your eCommerce brand's success. If you send out a reminder too early, it's akin to prompting customers to repurchase before they actually need to. This might lead to confusion and premature buying. On the other hand, if you wait too long, the relevance of your reminder diminishes, and customers might have already sought out alternatives.
To optimise the effectiveness of replenishment emails, it's essential to find the sweet spot in timing. This can be done through a series of strategic approaches, including analysing historical data to understand your customer buying patterns, segmenting and targeting your audiences, utilising predictive analytics, factoring in your product lifespan, A/B testing and iterating, and much more.
Incentivise Your Customers
Encouraging customers to replenish their orders through loyalty programs is a savvy move, and offering special incentives adds an extra layer of appeal. It's a way of saying, "Hey, we appreciate your loyalty, and here's something special for you." When crafting these incentives, be it free shipping or enticing discounts, the key is clarity. Make sure your customers know exactly what they stand to gain. This not only adds excitement to the replenishment process, but also turns your loyalty program into a beacon of trust.
Optimise Your Store
In eCommerce, where instant gratification reigns supreme, optimising your Shopify store for seamless replenishment is the key to keeping customers coming back. Steamlining the replenishment process by linking directly to the product page is a good start, but the magic truly happens when you take it a step further. Pre-loading a customer's cart is like anticipating their needs before they even realise it, creating a frictionless experience that requires little to no effort on their part.
Use Compelling Messaging
When considering the language used in your replenishment emails, it's crucial to strike a balance that conveys urgency without overwhelming your audience. The goal is to avoid reiterating the benefits of a product they've already purchased and instead, focus on emphasising the simplicity of the re-order process. Keep it concise and to the point while highlighting the ease with which customers can replenish. The key is to communicate the practicality of a swift re-order, minimising unnecessary details and maximising the appeal of a hassle-free experience.
Create an Eye-Catching Design
Having the perfect design for your replenishment emails presents a valuable branding opportunity that shouldn't be overlooked. The key is to immediately establish your brand identity, ensuring that recipients recognise the source. Start by prominently featuring your brand name and logo at the top of the email, creating a visual connection that reinforces your identity to establish trust and familiarity.
Not only that, but you can use Klaviyo's dynamic variables to display either the image of a product or the name of a product within the email will add a feeling of personalisation and be visually appealing.
Remember, a well-designed replenishment email not only communicates the practicality of reordering but also reinforces your brand's visual identity, creating a memorable and visually engaging experience for the customer.
Attention-Grabbing Subject Lines
Crafting attention-grabbing subject lines is crucial for encouraging customers to re-order. If customers don't open your emails, all your hard work would be for nothing. Ensure to be concise and compelling while presenting a sense of urgency without resorting to alarmist tones. Remember that personalisation within your replenishment emails will help. You can do this by adding something like a first name variable or a product variable within your subject lines.
Examples of Replenishment Email Subject Lines
- Don't Miss Out! Your [Product Name] is Waiting
- Exclusive Offer Inside: Replenish Your Favourites with a Special Discount
- Time to Stock Up, [First Name]!
Ready to Try Replenishment Emails?
Your replenishment emails can be easier to implement than you think. With the help of Klaviyo, you can achieve almost anything you could think of. If that seems overwhelming, you don't have to worry about physically implementing it either. As Klaviyo and Shopify experts, our team at Blend can take care of it all for you. Simply get in touch with us right here.
