How to write and optimise order confirmations

An order confirmation is a written document confirming the acceptance of an order for a service or product. In this article we’ll be looking at email order confirmations as these are the most used form today. An email order confirmation should contain all the details relating to the order such as the service or product purchased, customer details, the order number and so on. There are also a few things to avoid doing, some of which are regulated by the government. Let’s take a closer look.

What is an order confirmation?

An order confirmation confirms an order made by a customer to them. It is a document that acts as a certification that an order has been placed. It may be an order for a product or service. For products that are sold online the order confirmation will generally be sent via email.

One of the purposes of an order confirmation is to provide the customer with precise information about the order they placed. This allows buyers and sellers to double-check whether an oversight or mistake has been made. As a rule, both parties can cancel or modify the order. As a provider, this is the beginning of customer care, in other words, your customer relationship management.

Is an order confirmation mandatory?

It’s not mandatory to send order confirmations to customers after orders have been received. However, it is generally good practice to do so. An order confirmation serves to provide customers with peace of mind that the order has actually been received. Particularly in eCommerce it can be helpful and reassuring for customers to get an order confirmation. For purchases on the web, an order confirmation is usually sent by e-mail.

When should an order confirmation be sent?

As a provider or supplier, you should respond as quickly as possible to an incoming order with an order confirmation. This is in the best interest of good customer service and promotes customer loyalty. If customers don’t receive a confirmation shortly after they placed their order, they may suspect a problem occurred with the order. In the worst case, they may decide to purchase the product elsewhere and cancel the order with you.

What should an order confirmation contain?

There are some important details to include in an order confirmation to ensure that your customers see the information they need:

• Mode of address to your customer – in line with your branding
• Name and full address of the company
• Billing address of the buyer
• If applicable, different delivery address of the customer
• Exact description of the goods or products
• Quantity of the goods or products
• Description of the goods or products, i.e. colour, size, material
• Net unit price and total amount
• Delivery method (standard or express delivery, pick-up) and delivery time
• Shipping costs, if applicable
• Final invoice total
• Desired payment method (e.g. PayPal, credit card, direct debit)
• Display of the corresponding value-added tax or sales tax

It’s not mandatory, but an imprint can be a good addition here, too. A link to your data protection information could also be included in your order confirmation.

It’s also advisable to provide contact details for any queries or complaints in order to make it easier for your customers to contact you.

What should you avoid order confirmations?

You should bear in mind the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 prohibits sending unsolicited marketing emails. Marketers can only include marketing content where consent has been given, such as by subscribers opting into your email newsletter.

In online commerce, email correspondence with customers after an order has been completed is often used to request ratings or newsletter subscriptions. This is acceptable, as long as consent has been given before by the recipient. If users only gave consent for specific purposes, marketers must honour this. UK companies should also be familiar with the GDPR to avoid hefty fines for misuse of customer data “GDPR”).

How do you optimise an order confirmation?

Order confirmations mainly serve the purpose of confirming that an order has been placed. However, they can also strengthen your brand’s relationship with your customers. Studies suggest that order confirmations have a much higher engagement and open rate and generate more sales than mass emails sent for marketing purposes. Optimising your order confirmation can also be worthwhile in terms of your marketing strategy. Here are some things to keep in mind:

Personalise your subject line

Address your clientele using a personal tone. Avoid simply listing data and facts. A kindly worded ‘Thank you for your order’ is more engaging and pleases the recipient if it appears alongside useful information.

Ensure a clear structure

A clear structure not only provides an overview, but also shows professionalism. Your customers will appreciate a clear order confirmation in which all information is available at a glance. A table, for example, is ideal for this.

Include recognisable elements of your brand identity

Your logo should definitely appear in your order confirmation! Placing it in the forefront of the minds of your clientele will increase the recognition value of your brand.

Keeping your corporate identity in mind, be sure to match the tone of your company, your clientele, and the presentation of your products.

Include relevant contact details

It’s also advisable to list your contact details in your order confirmation. This way your customers can easily contact you if they have further questions.

Optimise your content for mobile use

Many order confirmations are read on mobile devices. Make sure you have an optimised or responsive design. Use mobile-optimised elements such as touch-sensitive buttons, a large enough font size, and a single-column layout to ensure good readability on smaller screens.

Please note the legal disclaimer relating to this article.