Create a Product Retargeting Email

When subscribers browse your online store but don’t complete a purchase, invite them back with a product retargeting email. Remind visitors about an item they viewed and include custom links and personalized product recommendations.

In this article, you'll learn how to create a product retargeting email.

Before you start

Here are some things to know before you begin this process.

• The product retargeting email is a classic automations feature, which is only available to accounts that have previously created a classic automation.
• Product retargeting emails are available to users who connect a supported e-commerce store or custom API 3.0 integration. To find out if your store supports this automation, visit the Integrations page, click the name of your integration, and check the Features list.
• One product retargeting email can be set up per connected store.

How product retargeting emails work

The product retargeting tool uses cookies to track your subscribers’ browser activity. To start tracking this activity, you’ll need to connect your online store in your Mailchimp account, create a product retargeting email, and then send campaigns to your audience that contain a link to your store.

To receive a product retargeting email, a subscriber must first navigate to your store via a campaign link. Cookies will begin to track their activity for up to one year—or until they clear their cookies. If the subscriber views one of the chosen retargeting products and then navigates away from your site without completing a purchase, they’ll enter the queue for your product retargeting email.

There are a few conditions in place to ensure subscribers don't receive repetitive content.

• Subscribers will only receive one product retargeting email within a 7-day period.
• A subscriber won't get a product retargeting email if they purchase the targeted product, or if they receive an abandoned cart email for the same product.

Create a product retargeting email

To create a product retargeting email, follow these steps.

1. Click Automations.
   
2. Click Check out Classic Automations.
   
3. Click the E-Commerce tab.
   
4. Click Retarget site visitors.
   
5. Choose a store from the drop-down and click Begin.
   

Now you're ready to review your delay, product type, and other settings.

Review your settings

We'll display a checklist with your product retargeting email settings. Review the checklist and make any necessary changes to your From name, email address, or Subject line. Then, choose your retargeting criteria, including which product type to track and when to send your retargeting emails.

To set a delay and choose a product type, follow these steps.

1. In the Sends to section, click Edit Recipients.
   
2. In the Hours drop-down, choose to send your email 24 hours, 48 hours, or 72 hours after a subscriber browses your site.
   
3. In the product type drop-down, choose either newest products or best sellers.
   
   • Newest products tracks up to 8 of your most recently added products.
   • Best sellers tracks up to 8 of your top selling products, excluding out-of-stock items.
4. Click Save.
   

After you've reviewed your settings, you're ready to design your email.

Design email

Your product retargeting email must contain a Retargeting content block. Include as much or as little additional content as you want, and customize the style and layout. You can also add personalized offers for your customers.

The basic product retargeting email template includes a Retargeting content block as well as a Product Recommendation block, but you can use any template you like. To avoid duplicate products, make sure to only include one Retargeting content block in your layout.

To design your email, follow these steps.

1. In the Content section, click Edit Design or Design Email.
2. The design will default to the basic retargeting template. To change the template, click the Template step and select a template.
   
3. On the Design step, choose to Edit or Remove the logo placeholder. To learn more about this placeholder and how to set a default logo, check out Set a Default Logo.
4. Make any other changes, and click Save And Continue.
5. When you are ready to activate the product retargeting email, click Start Sending.
   
6. In the Confirmation pop-up modal, click Start.

To generate personalized product recommendations, your connected site must meet certain purchase data requirements. If a store doesn't have enough purchase data, choose to show new arrivals or top sellers instead. To learn more, check out About Personalized Product Recommendations.

Next Steps

Add links to your online store in future email campaigns. When subscribers navigate to your store from a campaign link, we’ll begin tracking their browsing activity. After they view one of the targeted products, they’ll receive your product retargeting email.