We live in a world of commoditized customer service and lightning-fast brand interactions.
This can be a curse, but also a blessing — you’d be surprised how much impact something as simple as a “thank you for your order” note can have.
Why?
Because even this small token of appreciation shows your customers that you care about them as an individual. That you care about their business and how satisfied they are after shopping with you.
I recently received a handwritten thank you note from Fleet Feet after buying a new pair of running shoes.
When I opened the box to unwrap my fresh new kicks, I was surprised and delighted to find that someone on the team went the extra mile:
This is just one example of an effective “thank you for shopping with us” note.
In this article, we’re going to look at several different examples, tips, and templates that you can start using today — no matter your resources, budget, or communication channels with customers.
Let’s do this.
Why Should I Write a “Thank You for Your Order” Note?
Are you unsure if the benefits of a thank you note will actually outweigh the effort needed to send them? Let’s look at the top reasons to start, and how they might positively impact your business.
Higher Customer Engagement
Acclaimed author and businessman Seth Godin once famously said: “It’s easier to love a brand when the brand loves you back.” This concept applies here too.
When you give a little extra to your customers, you’ll get more from them in return. They’ll want to voluntarily engage with your business, which often results in more sales and more loyal customers.
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This brings me to my next point...
Increased Loyalty
You’ve probably heard the statistic that it takes anywhere from five to 25 times more money to gain new customers than to keep existing ones.
In our competitive world, customer loyalty and customer retention are critical for your company’s long-term health. If you’re in a constant state of churn, where you’re losing customers and working hard to get new ones, you’ll find yourself spending a whole lot of money with less financial returns.
This can also damage your reputation, or at least cause you to lose out on important opportunities to get word-of-mouth customers.
More Word-of-Mouth Marketing
Happy customers share their experiences. They write positive reviews, post about them on social media, and tell their family and friends.
According to one study, 86% of participants said that family and friends impact their purchase decisions more than any other source.
Word-of-mouth is an incredibly powerful marketing tool because it builds on the trust and confidence of our peers and loved ones. (And on the flip side of that, negative word-of-mouth can be a disaster for companies too!)
Tips for Your “Thank You for Shopping With Us” Message
1. Greet Them By Name
Presumably, you have their first name from their order. Use it in your note to add a touch of personalization.
For bonus points, use a friendly or informal greeting to break through the transactional nature. You can try something like:
- “Hey Jane”
- “Hi there Jane!”
- Or even something more quirky, like “To the one-and-only Jane”
If it suits your brand, remember to have a little fun with it. Your customers will notice.
2. Add a Human Touch
Building off the first point, try to avoid sounding like a computer or a stuffy customer service script.
Use conversational language. Ask yourself: how would you thank a colleague, peer, friend, or family member?
As much as we talk about a “thank you for your purchase” message, get more creative than simply writing “thank you for your purchase.” Try something like:
- We’re so glad to call you a customer.
- It means the world to us that you’ve chosen us.
- Thanks so much for choosing us.
When you can show them there are actual humans behind the curtain, you’ll help to develop a deeper and more personal connection.
3. Handwrite It
There’s nothing like getting a handwritten letter. It immediately pops out and signifies that someone took the time to write it just for you.
Even if you use a message template for all your thank you notes, handwriting them will add a level of personalization that you just can’t beat with a printed message.
And if you’re worried about your handwriting: don’t be! In the “bigger picture,” your handwriting doesn’t matter as much as the sentiment behind writing a note. Your customer will appreciate it just as much.
4. Don’t Get Promotional
Now is not the time to sell! You’ve already accomplished that, remember?
If you use a thank you purchase note as an opportunity to mention a new product or sale, you’ll likely cheapen the authenticity and integrity of the note in the first place.
Your customer might feel like your carefully planned note is more of a mass sales brochure than an attempt to make a real, personal connection.
5. Keep it Short
Generally speaking, your thank you purchase note shouldn’t be longer than a few sentences. If you write a novella, you’re increasing the chances of losing the customer’s interest or lessening the impact of your note.
Stick to the basics: express your gratitude (with the addition of a couple of personal customer details), then you and your customer can both be on your merry way.
6. Sign off With a Real Person’s Name
Another human touch that you can add to your note is to sign it as a real person on your team. This can come straight from the founder or CEO, or it can be from a customer service rep at your company.
If you’d rather not use this approach, you can stick with signing off as a team. Here are some examples of how you can wrap up your note (using made-up names and businesses):
- Best wishes, Jennifer from JoJo Jewelers
- See you soon, The JoJo Jewelers team
- Take care, Your friends at JoJo Jewelers
7. Step Up Your Game With Personalized Stationery
Your thank you note will be powerful even if you send it on blank paper or cardstock, but you can add an extra punch by including a custom card with your branding on it.
Going back to the “thank you for your purchase” message I received from Fleet Feet, you’ll find that the other side of the card showed the company’s logo branding.
This can be a nice reinforcement for your brand, showing consistency in how your company presents itself to customers.
8. Send an Occasional Freebie
Reward your most loyal customers with a free gift every now and then. This can come in many forms, like a $10 discount on their next purchase, a gift card for something else, or a small item shipped to them with the letter.
This item can be something from your store, or something they’re likely to enjoy based on what they’ve bought from you.
For example, if your brand sells makeup products, send your customer a free lip gloss. If you sell clothing, send them a free t-shirt.
You can even send something smaller, like how this sock company included a bag of Skittles with a customer’s order.
You don’t have to spend a huge amount of money on these gifts, but thoughtfulness will go a long way.
“Thank You for Your Purchase” Examples
One of the best ways to learn is to see others in action. Let’s look at some “thank you for shopping with us” note examples that got the job done right.
The Word-of-Mouth Encourager Note
This note from a company called Stride is a great example of the human touch. It starts with “Howdy,” and goes on to say nice things like “You = Awesome” — complete with a smiley face.
It’s also a good example of how you can straddle the line of being promotional. As you can see, they didn’t try to sell anything, but they offered a discount code to share with their friends. It’s an offer that promotes word-of-mouth marketing, but with no pressure and no strings attached.
The Printed-But-Personal Note
Don’t have the time, resources, or desire to handwrite your “thank you for shopping” note? Here’s a great example of a note that’s printed, but still manages to establish a more personal connection with the customer.
The business owner DeAnna wrote: “Thank you for the confidence you have placed in my small business and for allowing me to do what I love.”
It shows a special vulnerability from DeAnna. She took a risk to sell her products and owning her own business simply wouldn’t be possible without the support of her customers.
This makes the customer feel like they’re part of something bigger than themselves, while feeling more connected to DeAnna as a person, not just a business.
The Short-and-Sweet Note
This example is from a wine company. As you can see, they have a professionally printed piece of stationery that says thank you and includes a short story about the company.
But they didn’t stop there. They also included another card, this time with a handwritten note from someone at the company.
This note was short, sweet, and to the point, and I’m sure it made Carol feel special!
“Thank You for Your Purchase” Template
Want some inspiration for your own thank you notes? Here are some templates you can customize. Just replace the text in brackets with your own information.
Post-Purchase Thank You Note Template
Hey there [Adila],
Thank you so much for supporting our business. I hope you love your shiny new [pair of yoga pants]. Shoot us a note and let us know what you think! And of course, reach out if you need anything.
Cheers!
[Sade from HappyPants]
Loyal Customer Thank You Note Template
To [Valentino], the best customer there is —
It’s amazing that you’ve been by our side for the past [3 years]. Customers like you are truly the backbone of our business, and we’re delighted that you still come to us for your [pet supplies]. So I just wanted to say thank you!
Here’s to many more years,
[The team at HappyPetz]
Fun Thank You Note Template
Hey hey [Miss Janelle],
You’re the coolest person we know. And we really mean that.
You had a million other [cookware companies] to choose from, but you chose us. That makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside. And we’ll never forget that.
Thanks for rocking!
[Your pals at HappyChef]
Business-to-Business Thank You Note Template
Hi [Alicia],
It’s been great getting to know you and your team over at [AliTech].
I’m excited about our new partnership and to see how we can both grow together! Looking forward to our first seminar in October. Until then, let me know if you need anything. You can reach me at [123-456-7890].
Take care,
[Zhao, Macro Byte]
Mastering the Thank You Note to Buyers
Sending a thank you note to your customers might seem insignificant, but it can have an impressive impact on your business.
It can strengthen the relationship you have with your current customers while opening the doors to bring in new customers more swiftly and seamlessly.
And the best part is: there are plenty of ways to approach it. No matter your budget, time, or resources, you can send a note that truly makes your customers feel special and appreciated.
A little bit goes a long way!
Summary: Tips to Write a Thank You For Order Note
- Greet customers by name
- Add a human touch
- Handwrite the note
- Don’t get promotional
- Keep it short
- Sign off with your real name
- Include a custom card
- Send an occasional freebie
