How To Boost Customer Loyalty By Sending POS Emails

As a retailer, you’re always looking for ways to boost sales and build customer loyalty. While you may have explored various strategies, one powerful tool often goes unnoticed: the POS email.

POS (point of sale) emails are much more than digital receipts or automated thank you notes. These overlooked messages can transform routine transactions into opportunities for deeper customer engagement and increased revenue.

Explore how POS emails can improve your customer communication and drive your business forward in this article.

Why send emails after a POS purchase?

Let’s look at why sending emails after a purchase is helpful for building customer relationships.

Keep local customers informed

Your retail store might be local, but communication doesn’t stop at the door. Post-purchase emails keep your customers informed about what’s happening in your store. 

Do you have a new product line about to launch? Are you hosting a special event? Use these emails to spread the word. By keeping customers informed, you’re not just selling—you’re building a community around your brand. 

POS emails are personalized

These days, personalization isn’t just nice—it’s expected. POS emails give you an edge here because you know what the customer bought, when they bought it, and even their purchase history. 

Use this data-rich treasure trove to tailor your communications. Give customers care instructions, recommend complementary products, or suggest reorders for consumables. This shows customers you care about them, setting you apart from generic, one-size-fits-all marketing emails.

Encourage shoppers to purchase again

Keeping existing customers is more cost-effective than acquiring new ones. Post-purchase emails are your secret weapon for retaining them. 

You can use them to give discounts on related products, announce new arrivals your customers will like, or even reward frequent shoppers with loyalty programs. When you give customers a reason to return, you’re building a sustainable business model based on customer loyalty.

Increase revenue

In the end, your business needs to make money, and post-purchase emails can help you do that. 

While one-time emails often get all the praise, automated post-purchase flows generate up to 30x more revenue per recipient than regular campaigns, as Klaviyo found in a recent report. They also aim to increase customer lifetime value, not just make immediate sales. 

By keeping your brand top of mind, providing value through personalized recommendations, and incentivizing repeat purchases, you’re creating multiple touchpoints for potential sales. 

How to build a POS email strategy

A robust point-of-sale email strategy can boost your customer engagement and drive repeat business. Here’s what you need to do.

1. Choose how you will collect customer data

The foundation of any good email strategy is good data. With POS systems, you’ve got a golden opportunity to gather valuable customer information right at the point of purchase. 

Think about offering perks or incentives in exchange for a customer’s email address. For instance, you could provide a small discount on their next purchase or a monthly prize draw entry. 

Customers can also opt-in to email communications via your POS terminal. Shopify's email capture feature at POS checkout automatically matches customer payment data with Shop Pay accounts to surface email and phone information, enabling seamless digital receipt delivery and marketing opt-ins.

With Shopify POS, you can send email receipts or email cart details to customers automatically. Not only is this convenient, but you get direct contact with your customers.

💡 Tip: Transparency is important when collecting customer data. Always be clear about how you’ll use their information, and give them the option to opt out if they wish.

2. Decide what you'll communicate to customers

Now that you’ve got their email, it’s time to make the most of it. Your POS emails should provide value beyond just transaction details. 

Consider including:

• Personalized product recommendations based on their purchase history
• Exclusive in-store offers or early access to sales
• Loyalty program updates and points balances
• Helpful content related to their purchases (e.g., care instructions, styling tips)
• Invitations to in-store events or product launches

The goal is to create emails that your customers actually want to open and engage with. Keep your content fresh, relevant, and tailored to their interests.

3. Consider when you'll send POS emails

Well-timed emails are more likely to be opened and acted upon. Proper timing also helps prevent email fatigue. Bombarding customers with too many emails too quickly can lead to unsubscribes or even complaints.

 For POS emails, you’ve got several key moments to capitalize on:

• Immediately after purchase: Send a thank you note with the digital receipt.
• A few days post-purchase: Follow up with care instructions or usage tips.
• When their loyalty points reach a certain threshold: Remind them to redeem.
• Before their next likely purchase: Based on the average time between transactions.
• During slow periods: Encourage them to visit with a special offer.

💡 Tip: Find the balance when timing your POS emails. You want to stay top of mind without overwhelming your customers’ inboxes. Pay attention to engagement metrics and adjust your frequency accordingly.

4. Measure the success of POS emails

To refine and improve your email strategy over time, you need to track its performance. 

Here are some key metrics to keep an eye on:

• Open rates: Are your subject lines compelling enough?
• Click-through rates: Is your content engaging and relevant?
• Conversion rates: Are your emails driving additional purchases?
• Revenue per email: How much value is each email generating?
• List growth rate: Are you adding new subscribers consistently?
• Unsubscribe rate: Are you maintaining a healthy list?

Remember, these metrics shouldn’t be viewed in isolation. Look for trends and correlations between different metrics to gain deeper insights. For example, you might notice that emails with higher open rates don’t always lead to more conversions, suggesting a need to align your subject lines more closely with email content.

Set up a regular reporting schedule, perhaps monthly or quarterly, to review these metrics comprehensively. Use data visualization tools to spot trends more easily and share insights with your team.

What POS emails should you send?

With the right strategy, these emails can transform one-time shoppers into loyal fans. Here’s the lowdown on the must-send emails that’ll grow your business:

Email post-purchase

Right after a purchase is your golden opportunity to make a lasting impression. Send a killer thank you email that goes beyond the standard order confirmation. Toss in some personality, maybe a cheeky GIF, and you’ve got their attention.

💡 Tip: Use this email to set expectations for delivery, share care instructions, or even suggest complementary products. It’s all about adding value and keeping that post-purchase excitement alive.

Emails based on segmentation 

One size doesn’t fit all in email marketing. Segmentation is your ticket to sending messages that really hit home. For local customers, why not ping them about in-store events or exclusive local offers?

Got a bunch of fashionistas who always snag your latest styles? Give them a sneak peek at upcoming collections. The key is to make each group feel like you’re speaking directly to them. When you nail this, your open rates will soar, and your customers will love you for understanding their unique vibes.

Back-in-stock emails

Ever had a customer desperately searching for that one item that’s always out of stock? Back-in-stock emails are your chance to be the hero. When that hot product finally hits the shelves again, send them a quick heads up.

Make it urgent, make it exciting. “Your wish just came true!” or “Quick, before they’re gone again!” These emails tap into the FOMO (fear of missing out) and can drive some serious sales. Plus, customers will appreciate that you remembered their interest. It’s like you’re their personal shopping buddy.

New products/ranges emails

Fresh stuff is exciting, period. When you’ve got new products or ranges dropping, shout it from the rooftops, or at least from the inbox. These emails are your chance to build some serious buzz.

Show off those shiny new items with drool-worthy photos and snappy descriptions. But here’s the kicker: Don’t just list features. Paint a picture of how these new products will level up your customers’ lives. 

Email carts

Email Cart is a feature for Shopify POS that allows merchants to create a cart and send customers an email with a link to complete their checkout online. These are helpful:

• When a customer wants to complete their purchase later
• For customers who prefer to pay online rather than in-store
• For saving time during busy periods by allowing customers to check out at their convenience

Send more effective emails with Shopify POS

Shopify POS lets you send highly targeted emails by integrating in-store and online data. Its robust features let you create engaging, sales-driving communications based on customer insights. 

With Shopify POS, you can automate and optimize your email strategies, so the right message reaches the right person at the right time. Use this powerful tool to send email campaigns that not only land in inboxes, but also boost sales and retain customers.