In your journey as an Etsy seller, you may occasionally ponder why your targeted offers seem to be lost in cyberspace, never reaching the intended shoppers. But don’t worry, we’re here to help you understand why this happens and how to address it.
Crafting and Sending Targeted Offers to Engage Shoppers
Delivering targeted offers is a strategic way of attracting potential buyers who have shown an interest in your items. By creating unique promo codes, you can automatically email these enticing offers to shoppers. The recipients can then use these codes at checkout when they decide to purchase.
Types of Targeted Email Promotions
There are three types of targeted email promotions that you can utilize for shoppers who are open to receiving marketing messages:
1. Abandoned Cart Offers
When a shopper leaves an item from your shop in their cart for over 24 hours, they will receive an email offering them a discount for that item, 24 hours post-abandonment. This type of targeted offer can be sent once every two days and may include up to 12 different discounts per mail. However, if the shopper removes the item from their cart within 24 hours, no offer will be sent.
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Example 1:
A potential buyer left a pair of artisanal ceramic mugs in their cart. After 24 hours, they would receive an email like: “Your chosen Ceramic Mugs are waiting for you! Complete your purchase in the next two days with the code CART20 to enjoy a 20% discount.”
Example 2:
A customer added a unique leather journal to their cart but didn’t check out. The following day, they’d get an email saying: “Don’t forget about that stunning Leather Journal. Use code JOURNAL15 at checkout within the next three days and get it for 15% off!”
2. Recently Favorited Item Offers
If a shopper favorites one of your items, they’ll be in line to receive a special offer 48 hours later. These offers are sent every seven days and each email might contain up to six different discounts. If the favorited item is removed within this two-day window, the offer won’t be delivered.
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Example 1:
Suppose a shopper favorited one of your handmade scarves. Two days later, this message: “The Handmade Scarf you loved is still available! Get it at a special price with the code LOVE10 - offering you a delightful 10% off.”
Example 2:
If a customer favorited some antique silver earrings from your store, after two days they might receive an email like: “The Antique Silver Earrings you favored are just one click away! Use FAVSILVER for an exclusive 15% discount!”
3. Post-Purchase Appreciation Offers
Once a buyer makes a purchase from your shop, sending them a targeted appreciation offer encourages repeat business. This promotional mail is dispatched after order completion as part of your customer retention strategy.
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Example 1:
After purchasing a vintage table runner from your shop, customers could get this message: “Thanks for buying our Vintage Table Runner! We’re offering you THANKYOU25 -a special coupon allowing you to enjoy a gracious discount of 25% on your next purchase!”
Example 2:
Once customers have bought a custom-made stationery set from your store, they may find this in their inbox: “We appreciate your purchase of our Custom-Made Stationery Set. Here’s a 20% discount code, RETURN20, for your next visit. We look forward to serving you again!”
Setting Up Your Targeted Offer Campaign
To initiate these engaging campaigns:
- Visit Etsy.com and navigate to your Shop Manager.
- Under the Marketing tab, select Sales and Discounts.
- Look for ‘Automatically send offers to interested shoppers.’
- Choose which targeted offer you’d like to set up.
- Specify options suitable for your campaign.
- Wrap it up by clicking on ‘Create Offer.’
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How Long Do My Targeted Offers Last?
Your targeted offer campaign will run indefinitely until you choose to halt it. You can do this by selecting ‘Details’ under the discount section on your Sales and Discounts page. Remember, effective campaign management is crucial for achieving desirable results with your promotional strategies.
Check Your Sales and Discount Analytics Timeframe
When viewing your Sales and Discount analytics, note that the default setting presents information from This Month only. To gain a comprehensive understanding of how your offers perform, adjust the timeframe to All Time via the dropdown menu.
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Reasons Why Your Targeted Offers Might Be Missing Their Mark
Here are some potential explanations for why your targeted offers may not be reaching shoppers:
1. Understanding Buyer Opt-Outs
Remember that buyers have the choice to opt out of receiving targeted promotional offers. Therefore, not every shopper who favorites an item or leaves something in their cart will receive your special offer.
2. Timing is Everything
Promo codes targeting buyers who have favorited your items are sent 48 hours after the item was favorited. Moreover, shoppers can receive an offer email from your shop once every seven days and are limited to a maximum of six offers per send. If a buyer removes an item from their favorites within 48 hours, they won’t receive an offer email.
3. Cart Abandonment Offer Schedules
Offers targeting buyers who have left items in their cart are sent 24 hours after the cart abandonment. These shoppers can receive an offer email for this item every two days, up to a maximum of six offers per send. However, if a buyer removes the item from their cart within 24 hours, they will not get an offer email.
A Word of Caution:
While crafting targeted offers can boost your sales, it’s vital to respect Etsy’s guidelines for seller-customer communication. Specifically, you cannot send unsolicited discounts or coupon codes to customers when they favorite an item or make a purchase from you. These are considered marketing emails that require customer opt-in. Even if customers have opted in to receive Etsy’s marketing emails, this does not include permission for individual sellers to send messages or emails unless they’ve subscribed to your specific email list.
Although some sellers may freely send coupons and sale offers, doing so without proper consent is against Etsy’s Terms Of Service and can be marked as spam by recipients. If your messages are frequently flagged as spam, Etsy may restrict your ability to communicate with customers - even those who initiate contact with you.
To safely offer discounts, consider utilizing the message box at checkout where you can include a coupon code that is sent automatically when an order is placed. Alternatively, create a regular discount code in the shop coupons section and add this code to your buyer communication.
Key Advantages
When it comes to e-commerce, personalized marketing can significantly enhance your customer engagement and conversion rates. One such powerful tool at your disposal on Etsy is the use of targeted offers. Let’s explore five compelling advantages that might inspire you to implement this strategy:
1. Customer Retention
Targeted offers, particularly post-purchase thank-you coupons, can encourage repeat purchases from existing customers. By offering discounts on future transactions, you foster loyalty and increase the likelihood of subsequent sales.
2. Conversion of Interested Shoppers
By sending special offers to shoppers who have favorited items or left them in their carts, you increase the chances of transforming potential sales into actual ones. These personalized incentives often make buyers feel valued and nudge them toward completing a purchase.
3. Upselling Opportunities
Once a buyer is ready to use a coupon code for an item they’ve shown interest in, there’s also a chance they may browse other items in your shop and add more to their cart - effectively upselling themselves!
4. Enhanced Shop Reputation
Regularly offering discounts can create a positive impression about your shop among customers – it demonstrates appreciation for their interest or loyalty to your store.
5. Increased Sales Volume
Ultimately, all these factors contribute towards increased sales volume for your Etsy shop by encouraging both new and returning customers to make purchases.
Conclusion:
Navigating the world of Etsy’s targeted promotional offers may seem complex at first glance, but with a deeper understanding of its mechanics and strategic application, it can significantly boost your shop’s performance. By leveraging these tools wisely - from setting up campaigns to respecting Etsy’s communication policies - you can optimize the reach of your promotions, enhance customer engagement, and ultimately drive sales.
Remember that each buyer interaction presents an opportunity for growth. Whether it’s a favorited item or an abandoned cart, each represents a potential sale waiting to be secured through well-timed and appropriately targeted offers. However, while discounts and promotional codes are powerful tools in your marketing arsenal, they should not compromise the integrity of your communication with customers or violate Etsy’s Terms of Service.