Examples of Shipping Confirmation Emails & Steps to Improve Them

These 6 steps to improve your shipping confirmation email look at the small details and have a big impact

The greatest sequence of words to exist: “Your order has shipped.”

Did you know there are entire gif categories dedicated to waiting for a package?

Urban Dictionary even has an entry for “pre-parcel anxiety”:

“The nervous impatience experienced when waiting for a parcel or package you've ordered to be delivered. Often accompanied by frequent glances at the front door for signs of the courier driver when you hear any audible or visual queues of their presence.”

According to UPS, 97% of U.S. consumers indicated that tracking information is essential or nice to have (versus just 3% who said it’s not important).

All of this to say, shipping emails matter to customers. Or, in other words, customers actually want to receive these, so why not make the most of this valuable inbox real estate? You certainly don’t have to – and shouldn’t! – leave these notifications plain or generic. Enhancing the post-purchase experience is one of the best steps you can take for retaining your customers.

So, if you're new to this, what is a shipping confirmation email?

A shipping confirmation email is a type of transactional email sent by an e-commerce store to customers once their order has been processed and dispatched. This email serves to confirm that the purchased items have left the warehouse and are en route to the customer’s delivery address.

A shipping confirmation email includes essential information such as the order number, a list of the items purchased, the shipping method used, and a tracking number or link for real-time tracking of the package. It may also include the expected delivery date and customer service contact information in case of questions or issues. By sending a clear and informative shipping notification email, businesses can enhance customer satisfaction, build trust, and reduce inquiries about order status.

Within transactional email, there lies huge potential for ecommerce brands to really impress their customers, and don’t brands don’t even know about it. So let’s dive into how to design your shipping notification emails to maximize their potential for your business and for your consumer.

How to design a shipping confirmation email with examples

We’ve designed a shipping confirmation email or two in our day. Here’s what we prioritize to optimize them for our clients:

1. Incorporate brand personality

Just because the email is transactional doesn’t mean you can’t infuse your brand’s personality. In fact, it’s the perfect opportunity! This email from Wildflower Cases makes great use of both design and copy to share a transactional message with a Gen Z aesthetic. Most importantly though, the design and copy are implemented strategically. As in, there’s no mistaking the objective of this email, even with its added razzle dazzle.

2. Make sure the most important information is at the top

When customers open a shipping confirmation email, they’re interested in one thing, and one thing only. OK, maybe two things: a) knowing that their order has shipped, and b) how to track that order. No need for cute banter, no need for wit. Tell them immediately that their order has shipped and share the tracking number so they can get rid of pre-parcel anxiety as soon as possible.

2a. That being said, it's OK to take the opportunity to insert clever copy into the nooks and crannies.

We love how this eyebrow text adds some cute humor to create a positive association with a plant-loving audience – without jeopardizing or stalling the main message.

2b. It's also OK to gently remind customers of why they placed an order in the first place.

In this case, “safety solution” is more impactful than saying “order.” While subtle, it’s still a great reminder of why the order was placed at all, and of the customer transformation that’s about to take place.

3. Highlight important customer service information

Never make your customer feel like they have to search high and low to find customer service contact info. Plus, you can take the opportunity to infuse some warmth and friendliness here, too. We wanted to make sure CattlePro (yes, there really is an ecomm store that sells cattle tags) sounded human and approachable.

4. Take the opportunity to emphasize brand values

Adding company values to any email strengthens brand loyalty and a customer’s emotional connection to your business’ ethical practices. At a moment of satisfaction (and excitement!), values remind them why they chose your brand, which reinforces a positive perception and enhances trust.

5. Use the banner to highlight any ongoing offers

Just because you’re sending your customer a notification about their most recent purchase doesn’t mean you can’t nudge them toward another one. If you’re running a sale – even the one they may have just taken advantage of – or are currently offering free shipping, make sure that info stays where the customer can see it.

6. Clarity above all

We may have just finished telling you all the ways to enhance these transactional emails. However, we want to stress that the clarity of the subject line and objective of the email should never, ever suffer. The order has shipped, and the customer wants to know, dang it! Clear communication reduces confusion, builds trust, and minimizes support inquiries.

A well-crafted shipping confirmation email not only delivers essential information but also serves as a touchpoint to encourage future engagement and loyalty. When done right, it can transform a routine communication into a powerful tool for deepening customer connections and driving long-term retention.

This post was guest written by our friend Jeanne Petrizzo at Fuel Made Agency.

Want to keep learning? Check out these related resources...

Examples of shipping emails

If you're a visual person, check out our resource library with some examples of email & SMS shipping notifications!

Briogeo tells their customers their order is shipping soon! What's their open rate and CTR on these transactional emails? 59% and 33%. Check out how they get those results

Check out how they get those results

Soylent sends their subscribed customers their segmented Shipment Fulfilled email. Note their highlight of their referral program in their email!

Want to brand your shipping confirmation email and more?

Get started today and get up and running with a few clicks!