Reading Time: 15 minutes

Have you ever received a thank you email after purchasing, leaving feedback, or referring a friend? That’s a brand nurturing your relationship and nudging you through its customer journey.

Perhaps you didn’t realize it, but that’s the point — the best thank you emails feel like a natural part of the brand experience. They achieve that by triggering based on subscriber actions (e.g., purchases) and being non-promotional.

I’ve found that thank you emails can positively impact conversions and satisfaction and build cohesiveness in the customer experience.

Join me below to learn how I write thank you emails and discover examples, templates, and tips for making them as effective as possible.

What is a thank you email?

A thank you email is an automated message of appreciation triggered by your email marketing tool. These messages serve dual purposes: showing customers you value them while guiding them toward future engagement.

Why are thank you emails important?

In my experience, thank you emails deepen the customer relationship, and unlike promotional messages, they arrive when customers engage with my brand and expect communication. That perfect touch of timing provides opportunities to:

• Build customer trust and satisfaction
• Encourage repeat purchases
• Generate positive reviews
• Open up referral and loyalty opportunities
• Create positive emotional connections with customers

How to write a thank you email

Some of the content in your thank you email will be automated, such as order details and recommended products. However, you have complete control over subject lines, headings, text, call to action (CTA) buttons, and their layouts.

Here’s how I write highly effective thank you emails:

1. Choosing a subject line

I write subject lines under 50 characters to prevent truncation by email apps like Gmail and Outlook. I also say “thank you” or “thanks” before anything else — for example, “Thank you for your order” instead of “We’ve got your order, thanks!”

Omnisend’s AI subject line generator helps me create subject lines for thank you emails (among others). When I put the words “thank you” into it, it gave me these:

2. Personalizing your greeting

Thank you emails that use the customer’s name and reference past purchases and other interactions have higher engagement metrics.

I look for opportunities to personalize these email elements:

• Subject lines
• Message content
• Content blocks
• Automation flows

Omnisend makes personalizing emails intuitive with liquid syntax with double square brackets, such as [[contact.first_name]]. I add these to my email, and they get replaced with the customer’s information during sending.

Manually inserting these is one option, but in the email automation workflow editor, there’s a personalized variables option for the subject line under Edit email:

Additionally, there’s a personalized variables option in the email design editor:

3. Writing the main text

Right after the first heading, I go straight into the thank you message using concise content directly tied to the customer’s action.

Did they place an order? Join my list? Refer a friend? I acknowledge it and get to the point of the message, be it a general thank you note or information on the next steps I want them to take, such as creating an account.

I write or edit content within Hemingway or Grammarly to ensure no spelling errors and size the typography within my template for good readability.

4. Including a next step

It isn’t always the case, but when I want my customer to take another step within their thank you email, I add a CTA button like this one:

The example above thanks the customer for creating an account and provides a link to their abandoned cart. Your CTA button should be similarly relevant and tied to their actions. For instance, if they purchase, your button could say, “Track your order.”

5. Signing off with personality

I know my thank you email’s closing is the last chance to leave an impression — so I don’t waste it! My sign-offs reflect my brand’s warm, casual, and sometimes playful feel. Your closing should also match your brand without losing professionalism.

Example closing elements:

• Friendly phrase: “Thanks again”
• Name: Your team name or a personal name
• Brand name
• Optional: A support link (helps reduce inquiries)

Also, I change my email footer depending on the message’s purpose. Social media links, privacy statements, and delivery information are helpful in some emails.

Best practices for writing a professional thank you email

These are the best practices I follow to write professional thank you emails:

• I create descriptive subject lines that capture the purpose of thanking my customers, such as “Thanks for your review” and “Thank you for your order“
• The first heading my customer sees after opening their email reinforces its intent, e.g., “Thank you for referring a friend”
• My subject lines and the first heading or sentence in my emails mention the customer’s first name to create an instant connection
• I write my content so it’s on-brand, such as with conversational language and emojis
• The content I write when describing steps and explaining information is concise and doesn’t use any adjectives
• I add value when appropriate (e.g., a discount or VIP access)
• My CTA buttons use action-oriented language (e.g., “Grab my discount”), and I give them a contrasting background color to stand out
• I always proofread my writing with an editing tool, including the subject line and CTAs, and I’m not afraid to ask other people to double-check it

Thank you email examples

These are my favorite thank you email examples. Use their content and layouts to inspire your own and create similar ones with Omnisend’s automation templates.

1. Thank you for your order email

Subject line: Thank you for your order (#R650000650)

I love mattress retailer Casper’s to-the-point subject line, “Thank you for your order (#R650000650),” and how it switches to a value proposition in the first heading (“better sleep”) to build excitement and anticipation before shipment.

Adding a link to the order number for customers to quickly access their accounts is a nice touch, as is listing items in their order with images to avoid confusion. The email also offers a phone number and email address at the bottom for any questions.

Key takeaways

• Order confirmations should display ordered items with images so customers can instantly recognize their purchase, and provide a link to the customer’s account to streamline post-purchase interactions
• They can build excitement and set expectations for future communications

2. Thank you for your purchase email with a discount

Subject line: Thank You for Your Purchase! Save $10 on Your Next Order.

Fine teas retailer Harney & Sons sends customers a thank you email with a discount following a purchase. I love that it mentions the discount’s value ($10) in the subject line and reinforces it in the first heading to build value.

Another thing this email gets right is disclosing discount terms, such as “we’re offering you $10 off an order of $50 or more!” and “OFFER EXPIRES IN 15 DAYS” — these build urgency into the offer and encourage customers to act soon.

Key takeaways

• Incentives can drive additional sales after purchases
• Rewarding purchases encourages loyalty and increases satisfaction

3. Post-purchase thank you email with content

Subject line: WE WANT YOU TO KNOW…

This thank you email example from Bubble Skincare is one of my favorites for packing in lots of content without looking like a mess. The subject line “WE WANT YOU TO KNOW…” builds curiosity, and the email immediately thanks the customer with 20% off sitewide.

Five paragraphs sound like too many, but Bubble sells a vision and demonstrates genuine appreciation to its customers. Its email warrants reading and builds a greater connection than a simple thank you.

Key takeaways

• Longer thank you emails can work if sincere
• Significant discounts, such as 20% off, are too good to miss

4. Thank you for your feedback email

Subject line: Thanks for helping us

I always send a thank you email to customers who leave feedback, and Revolution Tea’s example is one I’d happily call my own. Its subject line, “Thanks for helping us,” gets to the point, and the email shares feedback results to make the customer feel part of its community.

The 10% off discount code is another way to say thank you, and to encourage additional shopping sessions, as are the review listings showing what people had to say.

Key takeaways

• Thank you emails after feedback show you care about your customers’ opinions
• Showing the results from feedback surveys helps to build a sense of community

5. Thank you email with product recommendations

Subject line: Thank you for your interest in Hyundai.

Product recommendations are one of my secret weapons for introducing unknown items to subscribers. Hyundai has the same idea, recommending multiple car models in its signup thank you email to encourage customers to find out more.

Hyundai’s approach is to promote its complete car range rather than recommend individual models — this makes sense when it has no preference data to go on. You can do the same in your emails and use engagement metrics (click-throughs) for future targeting.

Key takeaways

• Product recommendations can enrich your customer experience
• They can be generic or personalized based on behavior and preferences

6. Thank you for signing up email

Subject line: Thanks for subscribing! We’re glad you’re here 💚

I’m a big fan of using emojis in subject lines, as is Top of the Mornin’ Coffee. Its signup thank you email uses a green heart emoji to capture attention, and the email opens to reveal a cartoon image of a yellow person happily taking a stroll. 

This message gives off positive vibes, perfectly matching the brand’s casual, feel-good positioning. I love its use of images for headings and how it introduces best-sellers after describing what makes its coffee so good.

Key takeaways

• Emojis help your thank you emails stand out and can influence customer emotions
• Covering selling points before product recommendations can increase click-throughs

7. Thank you for your referral email

Subject line: Freebies incoming! 🎁💨

Water retailer Cirkul’s email is another brilliant example of using emojis in subject lines. It incentivizes the referrer to keep interacting with the brand and asks them to continue referring people for more rewards.

The email’s heading, “Thanks For Sharing The Cirkul Love,” and CTA, “CLAIM YOUR REWARD,” clarify how the customer should take the next step. I think the image countdown of three referrals out of 10 is also brilliant for encouraging additional referrals.

Key takeaways

• Make your customers feel special after successful referrals
• Use your thank you email as an opportunity to request additional referrals

8. Thank you for stopping by email

Subject line: Thanks for stopping by

Patagonia’s thank you for stopping by email wins my personality award! Its photo of a child driving a truck and dogs riding on the back of it captures the brand’s free-spirited nature and sets the tone for a relaxed customer experience.

The email takes a different approach to layout, listing CTAs for stories, protecting lands and waters, and watching films. The option to shop new arrivals is last on the list (it aims to connect with customers, not sell).

Key takeaways

• Thank you emails sent after browse abandonment influence content consumption
• Promoting branded content helps to spread the word about your mission and causes

9. Thank you email with a social media CTA

Subject line: Thanks for your order!

To encourage additional brand interactions, I add social sharing/follow CTAs to some of my first-time purchase thank you emails. Clothing retailer Chrome Industries does, too, with a prominent Instagram CTA at the top of its email in the above example.

Chrome Industries’ email references future communication (delivery) before promoting its Instagram account. It then lists the purchased products and provides an order summary, closing with links to shoppable categories.

Key takeaways

• Thank you emails can break the ice for requesting social media follows
• Your email should still provide all necessary order information

10. Thank you email with a brand story

Subject line: Thank You For Your Purchase!

I love Homes Alive’s use of brand storytelling in its thank you email. Its subject line and first heading confirm its purpose (thanks!), while the email’s text block covers the company’s history, mission, and charitable donations.

It uses on-brand imagery to create a connection with customers, provides a simple Purchase Summary, and ends with a personal closing, “We’re Here If You Need Us,” with links to its FAQ page and contact details.

Key takeaways

• Brand storytelling creates customer connections
• On-brand imagery and content build familiarity into your shopping experience

Thank you email templates

Feel free to steal my thank you email templates below (remember to replace the (Placeholders) with your details to make them your own):

Thank you for your purchase email template

A thank you for your purchase email should trigger within minutes to reassure customers you have their order and set expectations about the next steps.

Order confirmation with a simple receipt

You should send this straightforward confirmation email to deliver order information without extra frills — perfect for complex orders with lots of details.

Post-purchase check-in with a discount

You can send this “thank you for choosing us” email a week or so after delivery to build your customer relationship and encourage the next purchase.

Welcome to our community email

Embrace new subscribers and make them part of something special with a welcome email introducing your brand and products.

Thank you for your feedback

Acknowledge customer opinions and show you’re listening with an authentic email. To encourage additional purchases, consider offering a discount, too.

Newsletter signup appreciation

Make new subscribers happy while setting expectations for your communications with a newsletter signup appreciation email.

Thank you for your referral

Show appreciation when customers spread the word about your business. Since they have shown loyalty, a small reward makes sense.

How to automate thank you emails

My thank you emails run on autopilot and reach customers based on the triggers I define to guarantee good timing and relevance.

Here’s how I automate thank you emails in Omnisend:

Setting up email automation workflows

Automated emails save me hours each week. Instead of manually sending emails after each purchase, I set them up once and focus on other tasks.

To get my thank you email automation running:

1. I log into Omnisend and head to the Automations tab

2. After clicking Create workflow, I look for the Order Followup option:

3. For the trigger, I stick with Placed order and make sure the filter shows Order status is paid:

4. I’ve learned through trial and error that timing matters — sometimes, I delay the email by 30 minutes so it doesn’t get lost in the order confirmation flurry

When setting up these workflows, I found that segmentation based on purchase value made a difference. My higher-value customers receive a slightly different message than first-time buyers to create a more premium experience.

One trick I discovered is that exit conditions prevent email fatigue. If someone places three orders in two days, I set up conditions so they don’t get three identical messages back-to-back.

Filling out the automated thank you email

My thank you emails evolved through many iterations. The current version includes:

1. The customer’s first name (not just “Dear Customer”)
2. A brief, genuine thank you that doesn’t sound like a robot wrote it
3. Order details for their reference
4. A single next action — usually an invitation to join our community

I keep testing different approaches. Last month, I removed the promotional language and saw my reply rate increase. People responded with questions and comments, starting conversations rather than just clicking through.

A/B testing different versions of my thank you messages has been eye-opening. I tested two different subject lines and discovered that “Thanks for your order, (Name)!” significantly outperformed “Your order is confirmed.”

I also use dynamic content blocks to make each email feel custom-made. My click-through rates jumped when I added recommended products based on my customers’ purchase history.

When to send a thank you email

The best time to send a thank you email is when your customer expects it (immediately following a purchase) or when they perform an action requiring confirmation. Here are some of the timing practices I use for thank you emails:

• After purchase: I send these within 30 minutes of purchase completion — after the order confirmation but before shipping notification when excitement is the highest
• After newsletter signup: My welcome emails go out immediately after signup, as delays here can cause confusion and lead to my customers reattempting signup
• After feedback: I automate these to send within three hours of receiving feedback to show we’re actively listening
• After a referral: I set up these emails to arrive within one hour of the referral and follow up with an additional email a few days after to incentivize additional ones
• After a milestone (loyalty tier, anniversary): Anniversary emails go out on the milestone date, and loyalty tier achievements go out within 24 hours of achievement
• After abandoned cart recovery: I send these thank you emails two hours after the recovered purchase is complete to separate the thank you from the standard order confirmation

Conclusion

I’ve created thank you emails for multiple stages of my customer journey, and they consistently rank in the top 10% for engagement.

My customers receive automated thank you emails after signing up for my newsletter, ordering, leaving feedback, or referring a friend. I also have a workflow that triggers a thank you email to non-subscribers following abandonment if they enter their email during checkout.

You can also send thank you emails to close out customer actions and create additional opportunities for sales and engagement. Another top tip is to A/B test two email versions and refine your subject lines, content, and offers to maximize results.

FAQs