6 steps on how to re-engage eCommerce customer databases

Many successful retailers have accumulated enormous databases of past customers. Overall, the only form of CRM is email marketing which is due to a perception of high costs from other channels.

The average opening rates of email marketing campaigns are 21.5% and falling, this means that over 75% of customers are effectively ignoring these campaigns. The opportunity identified is to boost repeat purchases to these previous customers.

This blog will analyse how ecommerce businesses can reactivate their existing customers with a focus on data segmentation and cost with a simple step-by-step guide.  

Step 1:  Identify what data you retain

Identify what data you retain on your users.  Most eCommerce platforms such as OpenCart, Majento or Volusion have an admin area that enables extraction of customer data:

• Name
• Email
• Postal Address
• Phone Number
• Date Of Last Order

Step 2:  Identify who you are reaching successfully

ECommerce businesses will typically send email campaigns via an email delivery platform (ESP), such as Mailchimp or Klaviyo. These systems are powerful and enable companies to extract any users who have opened an email within the last 6 months.  

Step 3: Segment The Users

Identify customers who have not purchased in a significant period of time and also have not opened any emails as of late; these people have bought previously so they are golden prospects!

Step 4:  Squeeze and optimize email

This is the cheapest form of converting users, so make sure your emails are not going to the junk folder and that your campaign looks good.  Simple things to check are:

• Make an HTML creative.
• Make every image in the email creative a clickable link to increase clicks.
• Is your IP address blacklisted? Use this simple tool: Whatismyipaddress.com/blacklist-check
• Is your email creative well formed with each of the tags closed properly?
• Does your email work in Gmail, Hotmail, Outlook and other email clients?
• Do not use any spam-like words such as “Free” or “Buy Now”
• Send different emails for different groups on your database such as 'Order Confirmations', 'Customer feedback', 'Dropping out mid-order' or 'We have Missed You'

Step 5:  Use the phone number

If your company has the phone number of your customer’s then use it, call them up! Give a list to the sales team and get them to call with a scripted seasonal or discounted offer.

Text messaging is another option.  Identify the numbers starting with 07 and send them a text message.  Prices start from 2.4p per text and there are many good suppliers out there such as TextLocal.com.

Step 6:  Use the address

Customers want to be made to feel special if they are to be retained, and posting something to them can achieve this result.  These customers have already bought from you previously, so evidently have an interest in your products. Not all customers respond to digital correspondence and might appreciate something in the post.

Here at Stannp.com, we offer an incredibly reasonable price for Postcard bulk mailing. We will print and dispatch a postcard 2^nd class for as little as 34p which is cheaper than a 2^nd class franked postage of 85p.  The postcard is a quality 350 gsm paperstock, with a tough gloss laminate finish & dispatch by Royal Mail.

Upload the data, add an image and write a personalised message, it works similarly to an email delivery platform.  Almost 100% of these cards will arrive and be read; some might even be pinned onto a fridge if the offer is compelling enough like a discount voucher.

Opt-in / Legal

Remember!  These are your customers and they have purchased from you so you have the right to contact them in the future via any means you wish.  If you need to double-check this then contact the Information Commissions Office.