The short answer: The best post-purchase email examples do one job each: thank the customer, help them use what they bought, ask for a review once it has arrived, and suggest what to buy next. Shopify sends the order and shipping notifications; a thank-you, a review request and a cross-sell are the marketing emails you add.
The days after an order are when a customer pays most attention to your emails: they're waiting for a parcel. Below are seven post-purchase email examples written out in full, how to time them, how to ask for reviews without breaking review rules, and how to set each one up on Shopify.
What is a post-purchase email?
A post-purchase email is any email a customer gets after placing an order. They fall into two groups:
- Transactional notifications: order confirmation, shipping confirmation, out for delivery, delivered. Shopify sends these automatically when the order event happens (Shopify customer notifications).
- Marketing follow-ups: a thank-you, product tips, a review request, a cross-sell or a refill reminder. These go to customers who agreed to marketing email and are sent by Shopify Messaging or an email app.
Keep the order confirmation factual and fast. Use the follow-ups to build the relationship.
Which post-purchase emails should a Shopify store send?
| Purpose | When | Sent by | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Order confirmation | Receipt and order details | Immediately | Shopify notification |
| Shipping and delivery updates | Tracking and arrival | When the order ships and is delivered | Shopify notification |
| Thank-you | Make the first order feel personal | Same day to 2 days after the order | Marketing email |
| How to use it | Help the product live up to its promise | Around delivery | Marketing email |
| Review request | Collect honest reviews | Once the customer has used the product | Marketing email or review app |
| Cross-sell | Suggest what goes with it | 1 to 3 weeks after delivery | Marketing email |
Omnisend suggests sending engagement emails such as review requests and cross-sells a few days after delivery, and two to three of them over the following month (Omnisend). Fewer, well-timed emails beat a long sequence that overlaps your newsletters.
7 post-purchase email examples to adapt
Each example gives a subject line, preview text, body and button. Replace anything in [brackets] and rewrite the words in your brand's voice.
1. The thank-you from the owner
Use it for: first-time customers.
Subject: Thank you, [first name]
Preview text: A quick note from the person packing your order.
Body: Hi [first name], I'm [your name] and I started [store] in [year]. Every order still makes our day, and yours is being packed now. You'll get tracking details as soon as it ships. If you have any questions, just reply to this email.
Button: none, or "Read our story"
Why it works: it's personal and asks for nothing. Shopify's own receipt covers the order details, so this email doesn't need to repeat them.
2. The "how to get the most from it" email
Use it for: products that need setup, care or a routine: skincare, coffee, plants, clothing, tech.
Subject: Before your [product] arrives
Preview text: Three tips to get the best from it.
Body: Your [product] is on its way. Here's how customers get the most from it: [tip 1, e.g. how to store it], [tip 2, e.g. how often to use it], [tip 3, e.g. what to avoid]. Our full guide is here if you want more.
Button: Read the guide
Why it works: a customer who uses the product well is more likely to be happy with it, and more likely to leave a good review later.
3. The simple review request
Use it for: most products, after they've arrived and been used.
Subject: How are you finding your [product]?
Preview text: Two minutes, and it helps other shoppers choose.
Body: Hi [first name], you've had your [product] for a little while now. How is it? Your honest review helps other shoppers decide, and helps us make it better. [Product image] [Star rating or link to the review form]
Button: Write a review
Why it works: one product, one question, one click. It asks for an honest review, not a good one.
4. The photo review request
Use it for: products that look different in real life: clothing, home décor, jewellery.
Subject: Show us your [product] in real life
Preview text: Your photo helps the next customer pick their size.
Body: Customers tell us real photos help them choose more than ours do. If you have a moment, add a photo to your review of [product]: how it fits, how it looks at home, anything you think others should know.
Button: Add my review
Why it works: it gives a specific reason that matters to other shoppers, so it reads as helpful rather than self-serving.
5. The cross-sell
Use it for: products with natural partners: a bag and a wallet, a lamp and bulbs, shampoo and conditioner.
Subject: Goes perfectly with your [product]
Preview text: A few things customers pair with it.
Body: Now that your [product] has arrived, here are a few things that go well with it. [Three related products with images and prices]
Button: See the picks
Why it works: it's tied to what the customer chose, and it arrives once they've had time to like their first order.
6. The check-in
Use it for: higher-priced products, or anything that can arrive damaged or the wrong size.
Subject: Did everything arrive OK?
Preview text: If not, reply and we'll sort it.
Body: Hi [first name], your order should have reached you by now. If anything's damaged, missing or not quite right, reply to this email and we'll put it right. Our returns policy is here: [link].
Button: none, just the reply
Why it works: it catches problems before they become a one-star review, and shows a person is behind the store.
7. The refill reminder
Use it for: products that run out on a predictable schedule.
Subject: Time for a top-up?
Preview text: Your [product] should be running low.
Body: Your [product] usually lasts around [number] weeks, so you might be near the end. Reorder now and it'll arrive before you run out. [Product with image and price]
Button: Reorder
Why it works: it's timed to a real need. If a customer doesn't reorder at all, move them to your win-back emails.
How to write a review request email that gets answers
- Wait until they've used it. Trigger the email from fulfilment or delivery, not from the order. Omnisend's review template suggests about two weeks after delivery; fast-use products can go sooner, slow ones later.
- Name the product. "How's your linen shirt?" beats "Rate your recent purchase".
- Make it one click. Link straight to the review form for that product, or put the star rating in the email.
- Ask everyone, not just happy customers. The FTC says asking only customers you think are happy could violate the FTC Act (FTC Q&A).
- If you offer an incentive, don't tie it to a positive review. The FTC's rule allows incentives for reviews only where there's no express or implied requirement for a particular sentiment, and reviewers may need to disclose the incentive.
- Send one reminder at most. A single follow-up a week later is enough; then stop.
The rules above are US rules; if you sell in other markets, check the local consumer rules too.
How to send emails to customers after purchase on Shopify
- Edit Shopify's notifications under Settings > Notifications > Customer notifications to match your brand. These cover confirmation, shipping and delivery.
- Use Shopify Messaging's post-purchase automations. Thank customers after they purchase sends a thank-you after a customer's first and second purchases, and Upsell customers after their first purchase follows a first order (Shopify Help Center).
- Use a review app if you want reviews displayed on product pages; most send their own request emails, so switch off duplicate requests elsewhere.
- Use an email app that writes and sends the full sequence from your Shopify order data.
Where tinyAlbert fits
tinyAlbert is a Shopify app that writes your email marketing, including two post-purchase automations prepared during setup:
- Thank You For Purchase builds customer loyalty with a thank-you email after an order.
- Product Review follows up after a purchase with a friendly review request that also features other popular items the customer might like, so the review request and the cross-sell share one email.
Both are written in the tone of voice and layout you choose. You can preview them on desktop and mobile, edit them, send yourself a test or ask for an AI rewrite with Regenerate, and nothing sends until you switch on the Activate toggle. To change timing, tinyAlbert's visual workflow builder starts from Shopify's Order Placed or Order Fulfilled events, adds time delays and conditional splits, and shows the revenue each workflow brings in. See them, with the Win Back Flow, on the win-back and post-purchase emails page, or read more about segments and workflows.
Post-purchase email mistakes to avoid
- Asking for a review before the parcel arrives. Trigger from fulfilment, then add a delay.
- Selling in the order confirmation. A receipt cluttered with offers makes the order details harder to find.
- Two tools sending the same email. A review app and an email app both asking for reviews means double requests.
- Review gating or paid praise. Ask every customer, and never make an incentive depend on a good review.
- Treating every customer the same. A tenth order deserves a different email from a first.
For the rest of your email programme, from welcome emails to campaigns, read the Shopify email marketing guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is a post-purchase email?
A post-purchase email is any email sent after a customer places an order. Transactional ones, such as the order confirmation and shipping updates, are sent by Shopify automatically. Marketing ones, such as a thank-you, product tips, a review request or a cross-sell, go to customers who agreed to marketing email and are sent by Shopify Messaging or an email app.
When should you send a review request email?
After the customer has received and used the product, not when they order. Trigger the request from fulfilment or delivery and add a delay that matches how quickly your product shows results. Omnisend's template suggests about two weeks after delivery. Send one reminder at most, then stop asking for that order.
How do I send an email to customers after purchase on Shopify?
Shopify sends order confirmation and shipping notifications automatically; edit them under Settings, Notifications, Customer notifications. For marketing follow-ups, use Shopify Messaging's post-purchase automations, such as Thank customers after they purchase, or an email app. tinyAlbert prepares Thank You For Purchase and Product Review emails you switch on with one toggle.
Can you offer an incentive for a product review?
In the US, the FTC's rule allows incentives for reviews as long as there's no express or implied requirement that the review be positive or negative. Offer the same reward for every honest review, and remember that failing to disclose an incentive could break the FTC Act. Review platforms may have stricter policies of their own.
How many post-purchase emails should you send?
Shopify's order and shipping notifications, plus two or three marketing emails over the following month, is a sensible start: a thank-you, a review request and a cross-sell. Add a how-to email for products that need setup and a refill reminder for consumables. Pause newsletters during the sequence if customers start getting several emails a week.
Want these written for you? Install tinyAlbert for a 7-day free trial, then from $3 a month for up to 100 contacts.
tinyAlbert is an AI email marketing app for Shopify stores, made by tinyCo, the company behind tinyEmail. About tinyAlbert.