Email Marketing for Your Store
Here's a stat that should change how you think about your store: email marketing generates $36–$45 for every $1 spent. That's not a typo. No ad platform, no social media channel, no influencer partnership comes close to that ROI.
And yet most e-commerce store owners either don't send emails at all, or they blast one generic newsletter every few weeks. Today you'll build the five email sequences that separate thriving stores from struggling ones — and AI will write them all.
The five sequences every store needs
Think of these as machines that run in the background, converting browsers into buyers and buyers into repeat customers:
1. Welcome series — Triggers when someone subscribes. Introduces your brand, delivers a discount code, and sets the tone. 3–5 emails over 7 days.
2. Abandoned cart recovery — Triggers when someone adds to cart but doesn't check out. This sequence alone can recover 10–15% of lost sales. 3 emails over 3 days.
3. Post-purchase — Triggers after a sale. Thanks the customer, sets delivery expectations, asks for a review, and cross-sells related products. 4–5 emails over 14 days.
4. Win-back — Triggers when a customer hasn't purchased in 60–90 days. Reminds them you exist with a personal touch and an incentive to return. 2–3 emails.
5. Product launch — Manual campaign for new arrivals or collections. Teaser, launch day, last chance. 3–4 emails over a week.
Each sequence runs on autopilot once you set it up. AI writes the copy. Your email platform handles the triggers and timing. You build it once and it works 24/7.
The welcome series
Your welcome series is a customer's first impression after they share their email. Make it count:
Email 1 (Immediately): Deliver the promised discount code. Introduce your brand in 2–3 sentences. Show your bestselling products.
Email 2 (Day 2): Tell your brand story. Why did you start this store? What makes your products different? People buy from brands they connect with.
Email 3 (Day 4): Social proof. Share your best customer reviews, user photos, or a quick case study. "Here's what 5,000 customers love about us."
Email 4 (Day 6): The nudge. "Your 10% discount expires tomorrow. Here are our most popular picks." Create urgency around the welcome offer.
This sequence turns cold subscribers into first-time buyers. Without it, most email subscribers never come back to your store.
Abandoned cart recovery
This is the highest-ROI sequence you'll ever build. The structure is simple but effective:
Email 1 (1 hour after abandonment): Soft reminder. "You left something behind." Show the exact product with image and price. No discount yet — many people just got distracted.
Email 2 (24 hours): Address objections. "Still deciding? Here's what other customers say about [product]." Add 2–3 reviews. Mention free shipping or easy returns if applicable.
Email 3 (48 hours): The incentive. "We'd hate for you to miss out. Here's 10% off to complete your order — code expires in 24 hours." Urgency plus discount closes the deal.
The timing matters. Email 1 catches people while the product is still fresh in their mind. Email 3 creates a deadline. This three-email sequence typically recovers 10–15% of abandoned carts — for most stores, that's thousands of pounds in revenue every month.
Post-purchase sequences
Most stores stop communicating after the sale. That's a mistake. The post-purchase sequence builds loyalty and drives repeat business:
Email 1 (Immediately): Order confirmation. Thank them warmly, set delivery expectations, include a tracking link when available.
Email 2 (Day 3–5): Product tips. "How to get the most from your [product]." A candle store might send burn tips. A skincare brand might send a routine guide. This reduces returns and increases satisfaction.
Email 3 (Day 7–10): Review request. "How are you enjoying your [product]? We'd love your honest feedback." Make it easy — a direct link to leave a review.
Email 4 (Day 14): Cross-sell. "Customers who loved [product they bought] also love [related product]." Personalised recommendations drive repeat purchases.
This sequence turns a one-time buyer into a loyal customer. And it runs entirely on autopilot.
Win-back and product launch emails
Win-back emails target customers who haven't purchased in 60–90 days. Keep them simple:
- "We miss you, [Name]. Here's what's new since your last visit."
- Include 2–3 new or bestselling products
- Offer a small incentive: "Come back and enjoy 15% off — just for returning customers"
Product launch emails are your manual campaigns for new arrivals, seasonal collections, or restocks:
- Email 1 (Teaser): "Something new is coming Thursday. You'll want to see this." Build anticipation.
- Email 2 (Launch day): "It's here. Shop the new [collection] — first access for subscribers." Reward your list with early access.
- Email 3 (Last chance): "Selling fast — 3 colours already gone." Create urgency with real scarcity.
AI can write each of these emails in the tone of your brand, pulling in product details, pricing, and customer language. You provide the brief. AI provides the copy. Your email platform does the rest.
Prompt templates for every sequence
Here's a reusable prompt template you can adapt for any email in any sequence:
"Write a [type of email — e.g., abandoned cart reminder, welcome email, post-purchase review request] for my e-commerce store. Store name: [name]. Product: [product details]. Price: [price]. Brand voice: [describe — e.g., warm and friendly, professional and minimal, playful and bold]. Include: subject line, preview text, and email body. Target customer: [describe]. Goal of this email: [e.g., recover the cart, welcome the subscriber, get a review]."
The more context you give AI, the better the output. Include your brand voice, your customer's pain points, and the specific action you want the reader to take. AI doesn't need to guess when you give it the full picture.