eCommerce Success Case Warby Parker (3)
Miguel Nicolás
17/12/2024
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We conclude the Warby Parker eCommerce success story by analyzing their email marketing strategy.
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Of course, Warby Parker definitely deserves three posts: one describing their business model, another to explain their Social Media marketing strategy, and this final one where we are going to analyze how they use email marketing.Why split it like this? Basically, because when we started writing the previous post, we realized that their approach has significant depth and, more importantly, that it is something many could draw inspiration from and apply to their online stores.Would you like to see what does the most famous online optical brand do with their email marketing? How do they use it? What style do they give it? What tone and copywriting do they use? Well, you just need to keep reading.
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The Importance of Email Marketing for Warby Parker
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From the beginning, they identified the potential of this tool. Like most eCommerce businesses, they know that well used, email gives us direct access to customer, allows us to act at various stages of the purchase process from user onboarding to promotions or newsletters that build community and, of course, offers segmentation possibilities that are hard to match.So, since the best way to understand concepts is through examples, this post will highlight different real-life cases of Warby Parker, depending on the strategy behind each one.
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#1 – eCommerce Onboarding in Email Marketing
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The onboarding process in eCommerce is critical, it is the first direct contact with the user, and you know what they say about first impressions.In general, it is better for each email to focus on a single concept or strategy.For onboarding, you should showcase your best cards: highlight your product, explain who you are, what you offer, and any arguments that help build customer trust and rapport. This is your chance to grab their attention and demonstrate why your brand deserves to be part of their life.
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INSIGHT: Warby Parker manages to seduce and inform from the very first moment with a clean design, so much so that it might seem almost sparse in terms of content.
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Key elements of this email:
- A header featuring the brand prominently where expected.
- Business links defining the brand (sunglasses, prescription glasses, and physical stores). With this alone, we already know who they are and what they sell.
- A link showing they design their own frames.
- Corporate responsibility with their program: “Buy a Pair, Give a Pair.”
- They mention their blog, because, as we have pointed out, they are content creators and want to build loyalty through that channel.
- A link to their music playlist, a way to stay connected with the brand in a non-commercial way.
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INSIGHT: I find their button CTAs brilliant, each expressing exactly what you will find when you click, not a simple “click here.” Combined with the well-structured content, it makes for a smooth and lightweight read.
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#2 – Abandoned Cart
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Recovering abandoned carts should be a priority for all online stores, and of course, Warby Parker recognizes the potential this has for increasing sales.Buying glasses is not usually impulsive, as they impact our image and health. Therefore, before taking the plunge, customers will carefully reflect and evaluate their options. This directly influences the number of products left behind in carts, waiting for someone to make a final decision.Let’s see how Warby Parker addresses this situation and tries to convince a user who has already surpassed many key phases of the customer journey.
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INSIGHT: While in onboarding they “simulated simplicity,” here they are genuinely simple and direct: a single concept with the product as the protagonist, aiming to make it more desirable.
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Key elements of this email:
- An attention grabbing headline that directly addresses the reader: “Want to look better?” or “Want a better look?”
- Corporate branding through subtle colors and typography.
- In one short phrase, they overcome two potential purchase barriers: free shipping and returns.
- Handwritten typography, creating a sense of closeness.
- A large photo highlighting the collection and model.
- In case the purchase was abandoned due to unresolved doubts, a phone number is provided.
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INSIGHT: This email is a great example of balance and hierarchy, where attention flows intuitively from the headline to the frames, back to the shipping copy, and down to the purchase button.
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#3 – Order Confirmation
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At this stage, customer moves from being receptive and interested to directly expectant. They have just made a purchase, overcoming doubts and barriers, so now we need to be clear and build trust.The order confirmation email is always one of the most important transactional emails. For Warby Parker, with their unique business model, it is even more relevant and looks like this:
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Key elements of this email:
- Expressing gratitude is the best way to start such an email while explaining the nature of the order.
- They describe the next step (we have received your order and are packing it), necessary to reassure the customer that progress is being made.
- A visual summary of the order, with the selected products.
- Delivery time (2 days to the specified address), reducing the volume of inquiries.
- A “Just for you” message that makes the customer feel unique and special.
- A footer with social media links and contact details, crucial for generating a sense of accessibility.
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INSIGHT: Their model of ordering 5 frames to choose one requires clear communication to ensure customers understand the process, it is not a market standard, which is why email marketing serves this explanatory purpose effectively.
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There is much more to an email than meets the eye, right? What do you think of how Warby Parker uses email marketing? It is truly an eCommerce case study worth analyzing, isn´t it?