Most eCommerce emails don’t convert. Many don’t even get opened. In an environment where inboxes are oversaturated and attention spans are short, relying on outdated email marketing tactics just doesn’t work.
Brands that want to grow through email need to revisit their strategy from the ground up. That starts by understanding what’s going wrong.
A major reason eCommerce email performance suffers is overly broad segmentation. Too many brands still send one-size-fits-all messages to their entire list, regardless of where a customer is in their journey. A first-time shopper and a repeat VIP aren’t looking for the same experience, yet they often receive the same email.
Meaghan Langston, Director of Email Marketing at Agital, says shoppers who’ve purchased multiple times have different needs, and they should receive different messaging. The most effective email strategies use behavioral data to shape content, not just basic demographics.
You can improve segmentation by using:
Segmentation should feel like a personalized shopping experience, not a mass blast. Treating all customers the same way makes your emails feel irrelevant fast. Irrelevant emails rarely get opened, let alone clicked.
Even with solid segmentation, a weak subject line can kill your chances. Brands often default to vague, brand-first language that doesn’t create urgency or curiosity. Subject lines like “Check out what’s new” do little to distinguish you in a sea of messages. Consumers are moving fast. Your subject line needs to give them a reason to stop scrolling.
Lauren Delvecchio, Senior Partner Manager at Yotpo, emphasizes that most users decide within seconds whether an email is worth their attention. If a customer has to work to understand what you’re offering, they’ll move on.
The best-performing emails lead with a single message, feature a strong visual hierarchy, and highlight one primary CTA near the top. They’re designed for mobile first and desktop second. That first scroll should show them exactly what to do next without distraction.
Many eCommerce teams put a lot of effort into setting up email automation, only to neglect it once it’s live. Welcome flows, abandon cart reminders, post-purchase emails, these all run in the background, which makes them easy to forget. But when automations go unchecked, they quickly become stale, outdated, or even broken.
Langston points out that brands lose money when they don’t audit their automations regularly. What worked six months ago might not reflect your current product mix, pricing, or customer expectations. Automated emails that link to sold-out items or feature expired discounts don’t just underperform—they erode trust.
Audit your highest-performing flows at least once per quarter, including:
Regular optimization of your automations isn’t optional. It’s essential to keeping revenue flowing consistently from email.budget acquiring new customers rather than over-targeting repeat visitors.
Another critical gap in most email programs is how disconnected they are from other owned and paid channels. Email should be integrated with your SMS strategy, your loyalty program, and even your retargeting efforts. When these systems work together, they multiply the impact of each touchpoint.
Delvecchio notes that loyalty data is often underutilized, even though it can make emails far more effective. Knowing whether a customer is a first-time buyer, a returning shopper, or part of a rewards tier should shape the content they receive.
Ways to activate loyalty data in your emails:
SMS can complement this by delivering time-sensitive reminders, while email handles the longer narrative or value-driven content. Integrated strategies don’t just increase engagement. They drive long-term customer value.
The most commonly tracked email metrics—open rates and click-through rates—don’t tell the full story. Open rates are increasingly unreliable, especially with privacy changes from Apple and others.
Even click-through rates can mislead if you’re not tying them directly to revenue. The most meaningful metrics in eCommerce email are revenue per recipient, flow-based conversion rates, and long-term customer value.
Langston says too many teams treat email like a box to check rather than a performance channel. If your platform isn’t giving you visibility into which sequences actually drive purchases, you’re flying blind. It’s not enough to see that a campaign had a decent open rate.
You need to know which messages brought customers back, which ones pushed them to buy again, and which ones didn’t move the needle at all.
Flows that aren’t performing should be adjusted or paused. This isn’t about chasing vanity numbers. It’s about optimizing for impact.
Brands that consistently treat email like a revenue-generating channel are the ones seeing real growth from their list—not just clicks.
If your email strategy feels off—or worse, flatlines in key revenue periods—it’s probably time for a reset. From segmentation to automation to creative execution, most eCommerce brands are leaving money on the table without realizing it.
That’s why we offer a free eCommerce email audit. We’ll take a close look at your performance and provide a clear action plan.
Here’s what your audit includes:
Sign up for your free email audit now. We’ll help you stop guessing and start converting.
