Marketing Automation for ECommerce

Example E-commerce Workflows

Step 1: Lead capture

The customer visits the site and enters their email address to receive updates or special offers.

Step 2: Initial segmentation

Based on the initial actions of the customer, they are segmented into different groups. For example, if the customer clicks on a specific category of products, they are tagged as interested in that category.

Step 3: Welcome email

An automated welcome email is sent to the customer, thanking them for signing up and providing a discount code for their first purchase.

Step 4: Browse abandonment

If a customer browses a category but doesn’t make a purchase, an automated email is sent to them within 24 hours, reminding them of the products they were interested in and offering a discount code to incentivise them to complete the purchase.

Step 5: Purchase confirmation

When a customer makes a purchase, an automated confirmation email is sent to them with details of their purchase, estimated delivery date, and any relevant information about the product.

Step 6: Post-purchase follow-up

After a customer makes a purchase, they receive an automated email within a week asking for feedback on their purchase, providing helpful tips or suggestions related to their purchase, and recommending other products based on their interests.

Step 7: Cross-selling and upselling

Based on the customer’s browsing and purchasing history, automated email campaigns are sent with personalised recommendations for related products or complementary products that they may be interested in.

Step 8: Abandoned cart

If a customer adds items to their cart but doesn’t complete the purchase, an automated email is sent to them within a few hours, reminding them of the items in their cart and offering a discount code to incentivise them to complete the purchase.

Step 9: Re-engagement

If a customer hasn’t made a purchase or visited the site in a certain amount of time, automated email campaigns are sent to re-engage them with the brand, offering exclusive discounts or promotions to encourage them to return.

This workflow allows for effective segmentation and personalised communication with customers, leading to increased engagement, sales, and customer loyalty.

Example:
Let’s say a user frequently views running shoes on the ecommerce site but hasn’t made a purchase yet. The workflow might look like this:

• The user signs up for the email newsletter and is added to the general subscriber list.
• User views multiple pages of running shoes on the site but does not add any to their cart.
• A few days later, an abandoned cart email is sent to the user with a 10% discount code for running shoes.
• The user still does not make a purchase.
• User has segmented into a “potential running shoe buyer” category based on their product views.
• User is sent targeted email campaigns with personalised offers and product recommendations for running shoes, as well as related products like athletic apparel and accessories.
• The user finally makes a purchase of running shoes and receives a confirmation email with a personalised product recommendation for running gear based on their viewing history.
• The user is added to the high-value customer segment and receives exclusive offers and early access to sales.
• Use retargeting ads to remind customers about products they viewed: By using data from the segmentation and browsing history, the system can retarget customers with ads on social media or other websites to remind them about products they viewed but did not purchase.

Send personalised product recommendations: Based on the data collected from the customer’s purchase history and browsing behavior, the system can send personalised product recommendations via email or on the website. For example, if a customer has purchased a pair of shoes, the system can suggest complementary items such as running gear.

Implement loyalty programs and reward programs: With the data collected from the customer’s purchase history and browsing behavior, the system can implement loyalty programs and reward programs to incentivize repeat purchases. For example, customers who make a certain number of purchases can receive exclusive offers or discounts.

Monitor and track customer engagement: Using the data collected from the various workflows and campaigns, the system can monitor and track customer engagement, including open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates. This information can be used to refine and optimize the workflows and campaigns for better results.

An ecommerce site can use marketing automation to segment customers based on their behavior, interests, and purchase history, and target them with personalised offers and recommendations to increase engagement and sales. The key is to use the data available to create targeted campaigns that speak directly to the customer’s interests and needs.