The following is a guest post provided by Chosen Payments

Over the past few years, you’ve likely noticed merchants asking if you would like your receipt emailed to you when completing an in-person transaction. You might have wondered why they don’t just print a receipt and hand it to you as merchants have done for centuries. Merchants asking if you want your receipt emailed to you are embracing the power of technology and statistics and we’ll share why emailing receipts to your own customers has many marketing benefits.

Merchant Benefits

Emailed receipts have the highest open rate of any type of email received. This means, it’s not just a record of purchase. It represents an opportunity to further engage with your customer after the sale and might even offer an opportunity for another transaction. Emailing receipts presents an opportunity to create stronger and deeper relationships with your customers and drive more sales. All you need to do is provide customers with valuable and interesting content in the process.

The Subject Line

Making sure your customer knows what’s in the email makes all the difference in the world in getting them to open the email. The subject line must clearly spell out what’s inside. Here are a few examples you can use:

• Your purchase for $59.99
• Your recent purchase of Jordan Cabernet Wine
• Your March 2023 purchase of Jordan Cabernet Wine

Note: Do not include your company name in the subject line. It would be redundant since the name of the sender/company already tells the recipient who the email is from.

The Details

Your receipt should contain all the details of the transaction, including the method of payment using the card brand name, such as Visa, and the last 4 or 5 digits of the card number. Nothing gets someone’s attention faster than realizing you have their credit card number. Include the billing date and name on the card. If the purchaser’s name is different than the cardholder’s name, be sure to include it. In B2B transactions, it is quite possible the purchaser is using a company credit card not in their own name and this can help avoid chargebacks if the Accounting Department doesn’t know who made the purchase. If the customer is waiting on delivery of an item, include shipping information as the first part of your email. Include:

• Date of shipping
• Shipping method
• Estimated date of delivery
• A package tracking link

Say Thanks

Emailed receipts provide an opportunity to say “Thank You” with a heartfelt message in a large graphic. Don’t just type the words in the body of your message as it likely won’t be read. Make it pop! Here’s the message that Abercrombie & Fitch uses when emailing receipts:

“We’re honored that when it comes to style, you think of us. There’s a lot of choices out there but you singled us out and that means a lot. We just want to express how much we appreciate your business. When you’re looking for something truly special, we hope that we’ll continue to be the place you think of first. Thank you! Abercrombie & Fitch”.

Special Offers

Emailed receipts offer an opportunity to gain another sale. If you’re a jeweler, consider adding a special Mother’s Day offer on your receipts from April 1st through May 14th. If you operate a limousine service, you might include an offer to add a dozen roses for $69 for all limo reservations celebrating an anniversary, birthday or Valentine’s. Include personalized recommendations based on past purchases into the emailed receipt. Provide links to relevant blog posts or videos that help your customers even more. Turn receipts into a coupon by offering a certain percentage off of the next purchase. The sky is the limit on promotions. Just having your customer’s email address means you can send them offers as often as you want, and it doesn’t always have to be a sales receipt.

Double Down

Increase your customer base and loyalty by providing coupons that can be shared with friends. Create a sense of urgency by including a limited time offer like a One Day sale that has the coupon expire at midnight the same day. Your email can indicate that your customer is part of an exclusive VIP Club. Invite existing customers to provide emails addresses for friends to be included in your VIP Club. Offer the existing customer a referral bonus such as $10 off their next order for each referral and your new customers a special VIP Club Welcome discount of 25% off their first purchase. Turn your customers into sales reps for your business. 

Ask for a Review

Make it easy for customers to review your business. Reviews help boost your search engine results. People like to read reviews before doing business with merchants. Emailed receipts almost always elicit a positive review. Provide links to share feedback on your social media page or other review sites such as Yelp. Ask them to include photos of your products or business and use a hashtag with your business name. 

Key Takeaways 

Email receipts have a much higher open rate than regular email marketing campaigns, yet they’re the most underutilized form of email marketing. A well-designed email receipt is the perfect opportunity to strengthen your brand building.

• Write a clear subject line
• Share shipping details
• Thank your customers
• Share details of the purchase
• Provide convenient links (reviews/shipping/product information)
• Include special offers to entice additional purchases
• Request and reward referrals
• Ask for reviews
• Use graphics
• Write fun and compelling copy and offers

Who is Aurora?

Aurora Payments is a network of professionals providing Merchants with reliable payment solutions for any industry and any environment. We help businesses increase efficiency and growth. Our proprietary technology provides One Ecosystem – One Contract – One Partner – One Aurora. As a Full-Service Provider (FSP), we have the all the products, services, solutions, and support Merchants need – all-in-one place. We’re an organization driven by a passion for helping our Merchants succeed. Interested in learning how you can eliminate credit card processing fees? Send us an email at hello@risewithaurora.com or call us at 833-287-6722. You’ll be saving money in no time!