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How to set & customize WooCommerce order confirmation emails

Reading Time: 12 minutes

You might think the default WooCommerce order confirmation email is good enough for your store. However, while it keeps customers updated about their orders and facilitates transparency, it doesn’t do much to contribute to your sales or marketing goals.

That’s why you should customize it. At the very least, you’ll want to brand it and include tracking numbers to improve customer trust and satisfaction. However, you can go much further, and share product recommendations, offer coupon codes, or encourage subscriptions to your loyalty programs. Customers tend to open confirmation emails, so don’t miss an opportunity to turn a one-time sale into repeat business. 

In this post, we’ll look at how to send order confirmation emails in WooCommerce. We’ll also discuss the best ways to customize post-purchase emails and show you how to troubleshoot deliverability problems.

Personalize and automate your WooCommerce order confirmation email with Omnisend

How to send WooCommerce confirmation emails with in-built options

By default, WooCommerce sends order confirmation emails to your customers. However, you’ll want to make sure that this feature is enabled. 

Step 1: Head to the WooCommerce tab in the WordPress dashboard and select Settings, as you can see below:

How to send WooCommerce confirmation emails

Step 2: Move to the Emails tab and find the Processing Order option. Click on the Manage button:

email notifications

Step 3: Check the box to enable email notifications. Then, enter your subject line and email heading:

How to send WooCommerce confirmation emails: processing order template

You can also add additional content and change the email type.

Step 4: If you want to make changes to the content of the email, click on View template. This reveals the template file that WooCommerce uses for the email, as you can see here:

html template

You can customize the code in an HTML editor or by using the theme file editor.

Step 5: You could also go to WooCommerce > Settings > Emails to modify post-purchase emails with the global settings.

Scroll down to the Email template section, as we’ve shown below:

email template

Here, you can edit elements like the header image, background color, and footer text. Note that when you save your changes, they’ll be applied to all WooCommerce emails, not just your confirmation email template.

Advanced order confirmation emails using Omnisend

Another way to send post-purchase emails is to use WooCommerce plugins. This can be quicker and more flexible than using the default functionality. 

Plus, you’ll get a variety of pre-built templates and more customization options, so you can send professional emails with ease.

For this tutorial, we’ll be using the Omnisend plugin, designed to take care of all your WooCommerce email marketing tasks. You can register for a free plan which gives you access to all the ecommerce-based features.

Here are the steps to follow:

  1. Install the Omnisend plugin for WooCommerce
  2. Create an order confirmation automation workflow
  3. Customize the post-purchase automation workflow
  4. Design the email

Let’s get started!

Step 1: Install the Omnisend plugin for WooCommerce

The first step is to install Omnisend. So, go to Plugins > Add New Plugin and search for the tool. 

Select Install Now > Activate, as you can see in the image below:

How to send WooCommerce confirmation emails: adding plugin

Now, go to Omnisend in the WordPress dashboard and click Connect your account. If you don’t have an existing Omnisend account, select Create new account instead:

starting with omnisend

Clicking on Connect your account will open a popup where you’ll need to supply your username and password. Then, approve the Omnisend connection below:

How to send WooCommerce confirmation emails: approve app

That’s it! You now have Omnisend on your WordPress site. 

Step 2: Create an order confirmation automation workflow

The next step is to create an automation workflow for your order confirmation emails.

Head to the Automation tab and click on Create workflow. Then, pick the Order Confirmation workflow, as demonstrated below:

automations

Adjust the trigger settings according to your preferences. The default trigger is set to Paid for order, but you can tweak the settings to target your desired automation more specifically. 

For instance, you can use the Audience filters to target specific customers, as you can see here:

How to send WooCommerce confirmation emails: adding filters

You can also use the Exit conditions to stop the workflow when certain events happen (like if the order is canceled), and change the Frequency settings to limit how often a customer can enter the workflow.

Add and customize the messages you want to send in your order confirmation workflow. You can use different channels like email, SMS, or push notifications. 

You might even include dynamic content like order details and shipping addresses. So, your WooCommerce order confirmation email could look something like this:

How to send WooCommerce confirmation emails: adding order details

As you can see, your post-purchase emails will look more professional and unique compared to the built-in WooCommerce templates.

Step 3: Customize the post-purchase automation workflow

Now that your account is active, it’s time to build your WooCommerce post-purchase email workflow.

Select Automation > Create workflow from the main menu and choose Post-Purchase

There are other workflow types available, which you can look into later. For now, let’s stick with a post-purchase series.

Once you’ve selected Post-Purchase, click on Customize workflow in the Cross-sell box, as you can see in the image below:

creating automation

Step 4: Customize the workflow

As a first step, edit the trigger for entering this workflow and sending the email. 

You can set this up so that an email is sent if any product is purchased, not just one specific item:

How to send WooCommerce confirmation emails: adding filters

Once the trigger is set to your liking, you can choose the delay. This describes the period between the purchase being made and the first email arriving. By default, it’s set to three days.

Step 5: Design the email

After setting the delay, it’s time to edit the email. You can also set your subject line here. 

Our free subject line tester will give you a score, as well as tips to improve it. You can preview it for both desktop and mobile devices. 

You can also set the preheader and sender name from the box shown here:

Omnisend automation workflow

Once you’ve set those details, click on the Edit content button, which leads you to the email editor. This is where you’ll customize the email to your liking. 

The email builder has drag-and-drop functionality, so it’s easy to use. Plus, since Omnisend was built specifically for ecommerce, you’ll find several handy features. 

For instance, you can easily add discount codes or pull products directly from your store, as you can see in the image below:

How to send WooCommerce confirmation emails: Omnisend builder

Once you’re happy with the results, click on the green Finish editing button to complete the design. Then, save your progress on the workflow editor page.

Your first WooCommerce post-purchase email is ready. Now, it’s time to test the WooCommerce email to see how it displays. If everything looks good, you can send it to your customers.

Customize WooCommerce order confirmation email: Best practices

So far, you know how to set-up the WooCommerce order confirmation email and improve it with the help of Omnisend. Now, let’s take a look at three ways to customize your post-purchase messages:

Basic customizations with WooCommerce settings

The simplest way to customize the WooCommerce confirmation email is to use the built-in settings.

Note that options here are limited. Also, the changes you make will be applied to all WooCommerce emails, not just the WooCommerce post-purchase email. 

To proceed, go to WooCommerce > Settings > Emails and scroll down to the Email sender options, as demonstrated below:

email sender options

Here, modify how the sender name and email address appear in your outgoing emails. 

In the Email template section, you can ensure consistency across your messages by setting a header image, base color, text color, etc. These changes will take effect across all email communications.

Customizations using code

If you have the technical skills, you might prefer to customize the WooCommerce order confirmation email using code. This allows you to edit the actual content in your email layout.

As we mentioned earlier, it requires overriding the WooCommerce post-purchase email. Using a child theme is a good idea so you don’t lose the edits during theme updates.

Open the Processing order email from the Emails page in WooCommerce. Then, click on Copy file to theme, which you’ll find in the bottom right-hand corner:

processing order

There are two ways to access this file. You can either use File Manager/FTP, or you can go to Appearance > Theme File Editor from the WordPress dashboard.

You’ll see all theme files listed in the column to the right. Here, click on woocommerce > emails and select customer-processing-order.php, as we’ve shown below:

editing themes

This will load the file content to the left of the screen, which is where you’ll add your code snippets to customize the template.

For instance, if you want to add a message before the order details, you could use a code snippet like the following:

add_action( ‘woocommerce_email_before_order_table’, ‘ts_email_before_order_table’, 10, 4 );
function ts_email_before_order_table( $order, $sent_to_admin, $plain_text, $email ) {
echo “Thank you for shopping at our store. We hope to see you soon”;
}

You might also wish to change the email heading to reflect the name of the recipient. In this case, you can change the $email_header () function to get_billing_first_name (). This uses the customer’s first name in the billing details. 

Advanced, easier customization with Omnisend

The main issue with the method above is that it’s too technically demanding for non-developers. 

If you want more control than what WooCommerce offers but don’t know how to code, the best option is to use a plugin like Omnisend.

Designed specifically for ecommerce stores, Omnisend gives you access to a variety of message types, including WooCommerce order confirmation email, items in cart reminders, back-in-stock notifications, onboarding messages, and more.

Here are just some of the things you can achieve with Omnisend:

  • Deliver branded emails that feature your business colors, fonts, logo, and more
  • Automate an entire email series (rather than a single post-purchase confirmation email)
  • Use pre-built campaigns to speed up the process and ensure professional results
  • Customize emails using an intuitive drag-and-drop editor, so you don’t need to code
  • Utilize advanced modules like product recommendations and discount codes
  • Build unique mailing lists so you can target specific groups of customers
  • Preview and test order confirmation emails so you know exactly how they look
  • Create multiple audience segments and personalize order confirmation emails based on customer behavior

Omnisend integrates seamlessly with WordPress. Once the connection is established, you’ll design your emails in Omnisend’s sleek editor:

Omnisend email builder

Omnisend also integrates with WooCommerce. You can configure emails so they’re sent when a customer performs a particular action on your website.

For instance, you might instruct WooCommerce to send the email immediately after an order, or seven days after a shopper has abandoned their cart.

Troubleshoot “WooCommerce order confirmation email not sending”

While WooCommerce is a reliable platform, you might experience issues that interfere with its ability to send order confirmation emails. Let’s take a look at the main causes and solutions:

Common causes of WooCommerce email not sending

There are various reasons why WooCommerce is not sending your order confirmation emails

Here are some of the most common deliverability issues:

  • Your web hosting server may not be configured to use PHP mail, which is how WordPress sends emails
  • Your emails may be identified as spam, causing messages to land in the junk folder 
  • You may have accidentally disabled WooCommerce email notifications 
  • The SMTP server that authenticates messages may not be properly integrated 
  • You might be using incompatible plugins

Once you’ve identified the cause of the WooCommerce order confirmation email not sending, you’re in a better position to fix it. You may need to edit your WooCommerce email settings or deactivate your plugins. 

You can resolve most of these issues by using a quality email marketing platform like Omnisend.

Using Omnisend to ensure email deliverability

Your emails aren’t of much use if they land in subscribers’ spam folders or aren’t even delivered at all. Even if you set up the technical details correctly, this can still happen for a variety of reasons — like using spammy subject lines, acquiring a poor sender reputation, or failing to get any engagement from subscribers. 

Thankfully, Omnisend offers advanced features to help ensure that your emails make it to your customers’ inboxes. 

For starters, all emails will be sent using the SPF and DKIM authentication protocols, which confirm that your emails are legitimate. You’ll also get access to email list cleaning tools to avoid falling into spam traps. 

You can keep track of emails with Omnisend’s built-in analytics. This way, you’ll know if your messages have been delivered, and you can identify opportunities to improve your opens, clicks, and conversions. 

Examples of how to monetize WooCommerce order confirmation emails

The primary goal of the WooCommerce order confirmation is to keep customers up-to-date about their order status. However, there are many clever ways to use post-purchase emails to get more sales.

Let’s look at some examples:

1. Promote referral programs

One great way to monetize the WooCommerce post-purchase email is to encourage shoppers to join your referral program. Satisfied customers will endorse your products in exchange for a reward.

To provide some quick motivation, consider sending a unique discount code to share with friends and family, as shown in the example below:

You might also ask customers to promote your products through social media. Whichever method you choose, you’ll need to provide an appealing incentive like a discount on the next order. 

Rewarding customers is an effective way to boost retention rates and increase traffic to your store.

2. Cross-sell related products

Another way to leverage post-purchase emails for more sales is to cross-sell related products, as shown in the example below:

How to monetize WooCommerce order confirmation emails
Image via Milled

Since the customer has already expressed interest in your products, it can be easier to convince them to make another purchase. 

For this method to be effective, you must make relevant product recommendations that are closely linked to the items they bought in the past. 

While cross-sells match customers with related products, you could also take the opportunity to upsell items. For instance, if you sell electronic devices, you could pitch device upgrades.

3. Offer a discount on the next purchase

Exclusive discounts and coupons can also encourage future spending. 

The difference between this strategy and referral programs is that the customer doesn’t need to perform any further action to get the discount. It’s simply a way for you to thank customers and show your appreciation, as demonstrated below:

jet email
Image via Really Good Emails

It’s often best to stick to percentage-based discounts. For instance, you might offer ten percent off the next order or perks like free shipping.

4. Include a limited-time offer on trending products

Trending products are popular for a reason, so your customers may already be thinking about a purchase.

To nudge them across the finish line, provide a limited-time deal to urge them to act fast, as you can see in the example here:

How to monetize WooCommerce order confirmation emails
Image via Really Good Emails

This way, you can leverage FOMO (fear of missing out) marketing and benefit from quick decision-making. The limited nature of the discount also increases exclusivity. 

5. Invite customers to your VIP or subscription list

Unlike the strategies discussed above, this one isn’t intended to generate immediate revenue. 

Monetization is still the long-term goal, but it’ll be achieved here by methodically warming customers up to the idea of a sale. 

Initially, you need to encourage customers to join your subscription list. Then, once you’ve captured the customer’s email address, you can develop more meaningful connections through regular communication. 

You might even create a VIP list, as shown in the example below:

VIP access
Image via Really Good Emails

People are more likely to sign up for your mailing list if they can access exclusive perks like pre-sales or insider announcements. This incentive costs you nothing but often works as well as anything else. 

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FAQs

This tutorial has covered all aspects of sending personalized WooCommerce order confirmation emails, but you might still have some questions. Let’s answer them:

Does WooCommerce send order confirmation emails?

Yes. By default, WooCommerce has a built-in system for sending confirmation emails. You’ll just need to make sure it’s enabled within WooCommerce settings. The default WooCommerce post purchase email uses a generic design with minimal customizations on offer.

How do I send an order confirmation email manually?

You can send a manual order confirmation email from the WooCommerce dashboard. You’ll have to create a new order and enter an email address in the Billing details. Then, use the Order actions dropdown menu to select Resend new order notification and click on Update.

Where is the WooCommerce order confirmation page?

You can edit and preview the WooCommerce order confirmation page in the WooCommerce settings. You’ll need to move to the Email tab and click on Manage next to the Processing order option. To see how it looks, scroll down to the Email template section and use the preview link.

How do I send an email order status in WooCommerce?

By default, WooCommerce sends email order updates for several statuses:

— On-hold
— Processing
— Completed
— Refunded

If you want to edit one of these emails, navigate to WooCommerce > Settings > Emails and select the one you want to work with.

There may be times when you want to add steps to the process. In this case, you’ll need to use an extension like Order Status Manager for WooCommerce. This allows you to create new order statuses and send emails for each one.

Karolina Petraškienė
Article by

Karolina is a content project manager and team lead at Omnisend, where she blends creative strategy with a keen focus on competitive intelligence. Outside of work, Karolina finds balance through her love of gardening, exploring new hiking trails, biking, and raising a bunch of boys.