Why every eCommerce business must invest in email marketing retargeting

If you’ve not heard of retargeting, chances are you have experienced it. Maybe there’s a specific product that you’ve had your eye on for a while. You’ve viewed it online a few times. Checked out the reviews. You may have even added it to your online basket. Next thing you know, you’re seeing the product being advertised to you on different websites. And even emails landing in your inbox offering you more information, or reminding you to finish your purchase. That’s retargeting. And for eCommerce brands, email retargeting is their secret weapon. Compared to normal eCommerce email conversion rates, which are between 2% and 4%, retargeting email conversions can be as high as 41%. But if you’re still not convinced, read on to hear why every eCommerce business should be investing in email marketing retargeting today.

What is email marketing retargeting?

We’ve offered you a brief overview of what email retargeting is, but let’s give you some specific examples of the most common retargeting emails to pique your interest. Browse abandonment One of the most common and useful retargeting communications is the browse abandonment email. Similar to retargeting ads, these emails identify the products and pages that a consumer has visited recently, and follows up with them directly in their inbox. This could include a reminder about the product, an offering of more useful information, a discount code, or even similar products which might be of more interest to them.  Basket abandonment Similar to browse abandonment, basket abandonment emails are triggered when a consumer adds an item into their online basket, but doesn’t finish the check-out process. As the consumer is far along the buying journey, offering information on shipping, returns, and of course, a discount is perfect at this stage to encourage the purchase. Replenishment campaigns Replenishment campaigns target consumers who have already bought from a brand, and are likely to repurchase again in regular intervals. Particularly for those who regularly buy food, cosmetics, or medicine. These campaigns offer a handy reminder to the consumer to stock up on their regular goods before they run out. And before they turn to a competitor. For more information on replenishment campaigns, you can read our guide dedicated to the subject. Re-engagement campaigns For consumers who haven’t engaged with a brand for a while, re-engagement emails are the perfect way to get in touch and ensure they don’t lose this consumer to another brand. Re-engagement emails can include a promotion, an update on the company, or a preference centre so they can choose the frequency and type of emails they receive moving forward.

Benefits

Hopefully by now you’re more familiar with what a retargeting email is. So, let’s run through the benefits for eCommerce businesses. Save money and resource With eCommerce brands having to adapt their strategy to changing consumer behaviour over the past 18 months, any opportunity to save costs is a benefit. Retargeting emails focus on consumers who have already engaged or at least shown some interest in the eCommerce brand. That means that the effort and costs that go into brand awareness are not necessary. eCommerce brands don’t have to grab the attention of the consumer or introduce themselves. Instead, they can dive straight into showcasing the benefits of the products the consumer is most likely to purchase. Nurturing engaged audiences Retargeting emails can also focus on reminding previously engaged audiences of your brand. The eCommerce space is a busy one. Consumers are exposed to 6,000 to 10,000 ads every single day. So the savviest eCommerce brands know they need to cut through the noise. Retargeting emails can be used to remind consumers of why they first engaged with a brand. Whether it’s a one-off communication or a nurturing series, marketers can use these emails to showcase their happy customers, their best products, or to promote their latest sales and discounts. All to an audience who have already been engaged. Opportunities to sell even more Some consumers may disengage with a brand because they can’t find the right item to fit their needs. Whether it be the price, the colour, the size, or the features. Retargeting emails can reignite these consumers’ interests by showing them other products which might be more suitable. For instance, based on related items or trending products. And for those who have recently purchased a product, eCommerce brands can encourage these customers to spend even more money by upselling add-on items. For instance, products that are frequently bought together by other customers. This helps brands to make the most of consumer engagement to sell more, even post-purchase. Save lost customers No matter how hard a brand works to maintain engagement, sometimes customers just disengage and are eventually lost. Retargeting campaigns offer brands a last shot at winning these customers back, and encouraging them to purchase again. Brands should pull out all the stops in these emails. Using personalisation where possible, recommending the products and information that the consumer will be most interested in, carefully choosing their imagery and messaging. And of course, offering an incentive for the customer to come back to the brand.

Are you an eCommerce brand looking to retarget your audience?

Then you’ve come to the right place. At Pure360, we know email. And we can help your eCommerce brand to connect with your audience through every stage of the buying journey using this channel. Get in touch with our friendly experts to find out more.