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How to use SMS & email marketing to increase repurchase rate

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The Growth Guru Team
February 28, 2025

Discover how SMS and email marketing can transform customer retention and boost repurchase rates. Learn strategies to re-engage customers, leverage automation tools, and create impactful campaigns that foster loyalty and drive repeat sales.

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How to use SMS & email marketing to increase repurchase ate

In the fast-paced world of e-commerce, a staggering 80% of customers never make a second purchase from the same online store. This alarming statistic highlights the critical importance of customer retention and the need for effective strategies to combat churn. 

As an e-commerce business owner, you know that acquiring new customers is just the beginning of the journey. The real challenge lies in transforming one-time buyers into loyal, repeat customers who contribute significantly to your bottom line. 

In this blog post, we'll delve into the power of SMS and email marketing for e-commerce as potent tools to re-engage customers, foster loyalty, and ultimately boost your repurchase rates. By leveraging platforms like Klaviyo and Yotpo, you can create personalized, targeted campaigns that resonate with your audience and keep them coming back for more. 

What is the repurchase rate?

E-commerce businesses should pay close attention to their repurchase rate, also known as customer retention rate. This crucial metric measures the percentage of customers who return to make additional purchases from your e-commerce store. It's a powerful indicator of customer loyalty, satisfaction, and the overall health of your business. A high repurchase rate signifies that your customers value your products, trust your brand, and are likely to recommend you to others.

On the flip side, a low repurchase rate suggests that you're struggling to retain customers, which can have a detrimental impact on your revenue and growth. In fact, studies have shown that increasing customer retention by just 5% can boost profits by 25% to 95%. This underscores the vital role that repurchase rate plays in the success of your e-commerce venture.

Factors influencing consumers' repurchase behavior

To effectively leverage SMS and email marketing to drive repurchases, it's essential to understand the factors that influence consumer behavior. Let's explore three key aspects:

  1. Psychological factors: Trust, satisfaction, and perceived value are the cornerstones of customer loyalty. When customers feel that your products meet or exceed their expectations, they're more likely to make repeat purchases. Building trust through consistent quality, reliable customer service, and transparent communication is crucial.
  2. Social factors: Peer influence, reviews, and testimonials play a significant role in shaping consumer decisions. Positive word-of-mouth and social proof can be powerful motivators for repurchases. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews and showcase testimonials in your marketing campaigns.
  3. Situational factors: Ease of purchase, product availability, and past experiences contribute to a customer's likelihood of making a repeat purchase. Ensure that your e-commerce platform offers a seamless and user-friendly buying process. Maintain adequate inventory levels and provide exceptional customer service to create positive experiences that encourage repurchases.

Benefits of high repurchase rates

A high repurchase rate offers numerous benefits for your e-commerce business:

  1. Increased customer lifetime value: Repeat customers tend to spend more over their lifetime, contributing significantly to your revenue growth.
  2. Lower acquisition costs: Retaining existing customers is more cost-effective than acquiring new ones, allowing you to allocate resources towards other growth initiatives.
  3. Enhanced brand loyalty: Customers who make repeat purchases develop a stronger emotional connection with your brand, becoming loyal advocates and promoting your products to others.
  4. Valuable customer insights: Repeat customers provide valuable data on purchasing habits, preferences, and trends, enabling you to refine your product offerings and marketing strategies.
  5. Predictable revenue streams: A stable base of repeat customers ensures a more predictable and sustainable revenue flow, reducing the impact of market fluctuations.

So, how can SMS and email marketing help you capitalize on these benefits and drive repurchases? By nurturing customer relationships through personalized, targeted, and timely communications, you can keep your brand top-of-mind and encourage customers to return for more. Platforms like Klaviyo and Yotpo offer powerful tools to segment your audience, automate campaigns, and deliver compelling messages that resonate with your customers.

SMS vs Email for sales

How would you drive repeat customers through SMS marketing?

E-commerce SMS marketing is a powerful tool for re-engaging customers and driving repeat purchases.

Re-engaging customers with e-commerce SMS marketing

Why SMS marketing is effective

SMS marketing offers several unique advantages that make it a highly effective channel for re-engaging customers and driving repurchases:

  1. High open rates: SMS messages have an astounding 98% open rate, ensuring that your communications are seen by your customers.
  2. Immediate delivery: SMS messages are delivered instantly, allowing you to reach customers in real-time with time-sensitive offers and promotions.
  3. Personalization: SMS marketing allows for personalized messages based on customer data, making your communications more relevant and engaging.
  4. Direct communication: SMS provides a direct line of communication with your customers, fostering a sense of exclusivity and connection.
  5. Cost-effectiveness: Compared to other marketing channels, SMS is relatively inexpensive, offering a high return on investment.
  6. Mobile-friendly: With the majority of consumers using mobile devices, SMS marketing ensures that your messages are easily accessible and actionable.

Strategic use cases for SMS marketing

To effectively leverage SMS marketing for re-engagement, consider these strategic use cases:

  1. Post-purchase follow-up with exclusive offers: After a customer makes a purchase, send a personalized SMS message thanking them for their business and offering an exclusive discount code for their next purchase. This encourages repeat business and shows appreciation for their loyalty.
  2. Abandoned cart reminders with a discount incentive: If a customer adds items to their cart but fails to complete the purchase, send an SMS reminder with a limited-time discount code. Doing so motivates them to return and finish their purchase, reducing cart abandonment rates.
  3. Win-back campaigns for inactive customers: Identify customers who haven't made a purchase in a while and send them a targeted SMS campaign with a special offer or incentive. This re-engages inactive customers and encourages them to return to your store.
  4. Personalized birthday or anniversary promotions: Celebrate your customers' special occasions by sending personalized SMS messages with exclusive birthday or anniversary discounts. These messages make customers feel valued and appreciated, strengthening their connection with your brand.

Best practices for SMS marketing

To maximize the impact of your SMS marketing campaigns, follow these best practices:

  1. Keep messages concise and action-oriented: SMS messages have a limited character count, so ensure that your messages are clear, concise, and include a strong call-to-action.
  2. Offer value and avoid being overly promotional: Balance promotional content with valuable information, such as product tips, user guides, or relevant blog posts. This builds trust and positions your brand as a helpful resource.
  3. Segment your audience for targeted campaigns: Use customer data to segment your SMS list based on preferences, purchase history, or engagement levels. This allows you to send targeted campaigns that resonate with each segment, improving relevance and effectiveness.
  4. Respect opt-in and opt-out preferences: Ensure that you have explicit consent from customers before sending SMS messages and provide an easy way for them to opt-out if desired. Respecting privacy and preferences is crucial for maintaining trust and compliance.
  5. Monitor and analyze performance: Track key metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates to assess the effectiveness of your SMS campaigns. Use these insights to optimize your strategy and improve results over time.

How to turn first time buyers into loyal customers

How would you drive repeat customers through email marketing?

Email marketing remains a cornerstone of customer retention strategies.

The power of email marketing for repurchase

Why email marketing is effective

Email marketing is a powerful tool for driving repurchases and fostering customer loyalty. Here are six unique benefits of email marketing for re-engagement:

  1. Personalization at scale: Email marketing allows you to personalize messages based on customer data, such as purchase history, preferences, and behavior. This level of personalization creates a more engaging and relevant experience for your customers.
  2. Targeted segmentation: With email marketing, you can segment your audience based on various criteria, such as demographics, interests, or engagement levels. You can then send targeted campaigns that resonate with each segment, increasing the likelihood of repurchase.
  3. Cost-effectiveness: Email marketing is one of the most cost-effective channels for re-engaging customers. It offers a high return on investment, making it an attractive option for businesses of all sizes.
  4. Measurable results: Email marketing platforms provide detailed analytics and reporting, allowing you to track the performance of your campaigns and measure their impact on repurchase rates. This data-driven approach helps you optimize your strategy and allocate resources effectively.
  5. Automation capabilities: Email marketing automation tools, such as Klaviyo, enable you to set up triggered campaigns based on customer actions or milestones. You can then streamline your re-engagement efforts and ensure that the right messages are sent at the right time.
  6. Multichannel integration: Email marketing can be seamlessly integrated with other channels, such as social media or your e-commerce platform. This creates a cohesive customer experience and amplifies the impact of your re-engagement campaigns.

Strategic Use Cases for Email Marketing

To drive repeat customers through email marketing, consider these strategic use cases:

  1. Welcome emails with personalized product recommendations: When a customer makes their first purchase, send a welcome email thanking them for their business and showcasing personalized product recommendations based on their interests. This encourages them to explore more of your offerings and make additional purchases.
  2. Relevancy-based email campaigns showcasing new arrivals or restocked items: Keep customers engaged by sending email campaigns featuring new products or recently restocked items that align with their preferences. This keeps your brand top-of-mind and entices customers to return for fresh offerings.
  3. Educational content showcasing product benefits and use cases: Provide value to your customers by sending educational emails that highlight the benefits and use cases of your products. This builds trust, demonstrates your expertise, and encourages customers to make informed purchase decisions. Focus on creating content that empowers customers and positions your brand as a trusted resource.
  4. Loyalty programs and exclusive member perks: Implement a loyalty program that rewards customers for their repeat purchases and engagement with your brand. Send emails promoting the benefits of the program and highlighting exclusive perks, such as early access to sales, free shipping, or bonus points. This incentivizes customers to make repeat purchases and fosters long-term loyalty.

Best practices for email marketing

To maximize the effectiveness of your email marketing campaigns, consider these best practices:

  1. Craft compelling subject lines that drive opens: Your subject line is the first impression your email makes, so ensure that it's compelling, relevant, and entices customers to open your message. Use actionable language, personalization, and urgency to improve open rates.
  2. Personalize emails with customer names and purchase history: Leverage customer data to personalize email content, such as addressing customers by name and referencing their previous purchases. This creates a more engaging and tailored experience that resonates with customers and encourages repurchase.
  3. Design visually appealing emails with clear calls to action (CTAs): Create email templates that are visually appealing, mobile-responsive, and easy to navigate. Use eye-catching images, clear headings, and prominent calls to action to guide customers towards the desired action, such as making a purchase or exploring new products.
  4. Optimize email send times and frequency: Experiment with different send times and frequencies to determine what works best for your audience. Analyze engagement metrics and adjust your strategy accordingly to maximize open and click-through rates while avoiding oversaturation.
  5. Continuously test and refine your email campaigns: Implement A/B testing to compare different subject lines, content variations, or calls to action. Use the insights gained from these tests to continually refine and optimize your email campaigns for better performance and higher repurchase rates.

How SMS and Email work better together

Combining SMS & email marketing for maximum impact

To create a truly impactful re-engagement strategy, consider combining SMS and email marketing for a multi-channel approach. By leveraging the strengths of both channels, you can create a cohesive customer experience that maximizes the likelihood of repurchase.

When integrating SMS and email campaigns, ensure that the messaging and offers are consistent across both channels. This creates a seamless experience for customers and reinforces your brand's value proposition. For example, you can send an SMS message promoting a limited-time offer and follow up with a more detailed email that showcases related products and provides additional information.

Marketing automation tools like Klaviyo and Yotpo can streamline the process of combining SMS and email campaigns. These platforms allow you to set up automated workflows that trigger personalized messages based on customer actions or milestones, ensuring that the right message is delivered through the right channel at the optimal time. Automated emails for e-commerce can save you time and allow you to focus on your core business activities. Moreover, email automation for e-commerce, when combined with automated SMS messaging, can be a powerful tool for reaching your audience when it matters most.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good repurchase rate?

A good repurchase rate varies depending on your industry and the nature of your products. However, a repurchase rate above 20-30% is generally considered strong. Aim to benchmark your repurchase rate against industry standards and continuously work towards improving it.

Why is repurchase rate important?

Repurchase rate is a key indicator of customer loyalty, satisfaction, and the overall health of your e-commerce business. A high repurchase rate leads to increased customer lifetime value, lower acquisition costs, and predictable revenue streams. It also provides valuable insights into customer preferences and helps you refine your product offerings.

Does email marketing increase conversion rate?

Yes, email marketing can significantly increase conversion rates when executed effectively. By sending targeted, personalized, and relevant emails, you can nurture customer relationships, showcase your products, and guide customers towards making a purchase. Email marketing has been shown to have one of the highest returns on investment among marketing channels.

How can I segment my email list for repurchase campaigns?

To segment your email list for repurchase campaigns, consider factors such as:

  • Purchase history: Segment customers based on the products they've purchased, the frequency of their purchases, or the average order value.
  • Engagement levels: Identify customers who consistently open and click through your emails, as they are more likely to make repeat purchases.
  • Customer preferences: Use data on customer preferences, such as product categories or price points, to create targeted segments.
  • Lifecycle stages: Segment customers based on their stage in the customer journey, such as new customers, loyal customers, or inactive customers.

How do you use SMS and email marketing together?

To use SMS and email marketing together effectively, follow these best practices:

  • Ensure that messaging and offers are consistent across both channels to create a cohesive experience.
  • Use SMS for time-sensitive, urgent, or exclusive offers, and email for more detailed, informative, or visually rich content.
  • Leverage customer data to personalize messages and tailor them to each individual's preferences and behavior.
  • Set up automated workflows that trigger SMS and email messages based on customer actions or milestones, such as abandoned carts or post-purchase follow-ups.
  • Continuously monitor and analyze the performance of both channels to optimize your strategy and allocate resources effectively.

By combining the power of SMS and email marketing, you can create a comprehensive re-engagement strategy that boosts repurchase rates and fosters long-term customer loyalty.

Conclusion

In the ever-evolving world of e-commerce, mastering the art of customer retention is crucial for sustainable growth. Throughout this blog post, we've explored the powerful combination of SMS and email marketing as key drivers for increasing your ecommerce repurchase rate.

As you embark on your journey to increase repurchase rates, remember that personalization, relevance, and value are key. Leverage customer data to segment your audience, tailor your messaging, and deliver compelling offers that drive action. Continuously monitor and optimize your campaigns based on performance metrics to ensure that you're achieving the desired results.

At Growth Gurus, we understand the challenges and opportunities that e-commerce businesses face when it comes to customer retention and repurchase rates. As an e-commerce marketing agency specializing in email and SMS marketing, we have the expertise and tools to help you craft effective re-engagement strategies. Our team of experienced professionals can guide you through the process of segmenting your audience, designing impactful campaigns, and automating your workflows using platforms like Klaviyo and Yotpo.

Take the first step towards higher repurchase rates and sustainable growth. Contact Growth Gurus today to learn more about how we can help you harness the power of SMS and email marketing to re-engage customers and drive your e-commerce business forward.

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