Best Practices for E-commerce Subscribers

Mailchimp is built to help you grow your business and cultivate customer relationships. How you can communicate with your customers depends on whether they've given you permission to send them email marketing.

In this article, you'll learn about best practices for e-commerce customers in Mailchimp.

Definitions

Subscribed contact
Someone who has opted in to receive your email marketing.

Unsubscribed contact
Someone who was subscribed to your email marketing at one time, but has opted out.

Non-subscribed contact
Someone who has interacted with your online store, but hasn't opted in to receive your email marketing.

Transactional email
A message sent to one recipient, usually related to account activity or a commercial transaction. Examples include password reminder emails, purchase confirmations, and personalized product notifications.

Understand permission

We recommend you send email marketing content only to subscribed contacts who have opted in to receive it, but there are some nuances to this rule. Read our Acceptable Use Policy and review CAN-SPAM to determine whether you have permission to send to your customer contacts.

Some e-commerce platforms have specific rules about contacting customers you've gained through their service. So if you use an online e-commerce platform, make sure you abide by their terms of use, as well.

Mailchimp Terms of Use
Mailchimp Acceptable Use Policy
The Importance of Permission
Examples of Compliant and Non-Compliant Lists

Unsubscribed and non-subscribed contacts

Unsubscribed and non-subscribed contacts are not eligible for marketing emails, but can receive Mailchimp ads. Non-subscribed contacts can also receive transactional emails like order notifications. For Pay As You Go users, transactional emails cost 1 credit per send.

Send targeted content

Your e-commerce customers have had specific interactions with your company that tell you something about their interests. Use the information you have about them to create segments and show them targeted content that they'll want to receive.

Purchase activity is a great place to start. Send more information about the product they purchased, or market similar products they might be interested in. For example, if a customer purchased a set of tools from you, you might send them an email with product content blocks that showcase your best tool boxes.

Segment by Purchase Activity
Create a New Audience Group
Send to Groups in Your Audience
Use Product Content Blocks

Use your permission reminder

Some of your e-commerce customers may not have signed up through your email marketing signup form, so you should let them know why they're receiving content from you. Use your permission reminder in marketing emails to remind contacts of their positive experience with your company.

Edit the Permission Reminder

Make it easy to subscribe

As you build a relationship with your customers, they may choose to receive more content from you. Make it easy for them to sign up for your email marketing by including a link to your signup form in the archived version of your emails, as well as on your website and social profiles.

Share Your Signup Form
Add a Link in an Email
Display Different Text on the Campaign Archive Page