Many marketers spend more time copying a competitor's template than thinking about what their email actually needs to do. The result is a campaign that looks fine but doesn't convert.
Structure matters. If your email is built correctly, getting someone to click through to your store becomes much easier. That click is the goal. Everything in your email should push toward it.
Here are the 10 components every e-commerce email needs:
Before anyone opens:
- Your subject line
- Your preview text
Above the scroll: 3. Your email header 4. Secondary header 1 5. Call-to-action 1
Below the scroll: 6. Secondary header 2 7. The email body 8. Call-to-action 2 9. Additional or supporting information 10. Your email footer
The copy in each section is yours to write, but it needs to fit the purpose of that section. If you work with an external team on your email design (yes, we do this too), use this list as your brief. It saves everyone time and gets you better results than sending over a wall of text.
1. Your subject line
You have roughly 8 to 10 words to convince someone to open. Curiosity, humour, and emotion all work. Just make sure the subject line reflects what's actually in the email. Misleading subject lines kill trust and spike unsubscribes.
2. Your preview text
Preview text supports your subject line. It adds context and gives the reader one more reason to open. A simple example:
- Subject line: "Hey [name], sale on now!"
- Preview text: "Only 24 hours left to buy"
That combination creates urgency without being aggressive.
3. Your email header
The hard part is over once someone opens. Now your header takes over. It can echo the subject line, but it has more room to be polished and visually appealing. It should make the reader want to scroll.
For a 25% discount email, something like "We're taking the worry out of Febru-worry with 25% off" works well. It's specific, relevant, and gives the reader a reason to keep reading.
4. Secondary header 1
Two to three short sentences. Explain what the email is about and what you're offering. Keep the reader's attention and make the value clear.
Using the same discount example: "There are great offers out there. But this one may just be the greatest. Take advantage of 25% off before the clock runs out."
Short, specific, and focused on the offer.
5. Call-to-action 1
Use a button. It tells readers exactly where to click. The label can be as straightforward as "Buy now" or as playful as "I want this", use whatever fits your brand and the offer. Don't overthink it.
6. Secondary header 2
Yes, another header. Your first section made the offer. This section catches the readers who scrolled past it and needed a little more persuasion.
Use this space for supporting offers, related products, or social proof. "See our other best-sellers" or "Don't take our word for it, see what other customers say" are solid starting points.
7. The email body
This is the content that sits under secondary header 2. If you're showing additional products, customer testimonials, animated GIFs, or product images, this is where they live. Keep everything relevant to your main offer. The goal is to get readers interested in specific items or show them that other customers already love what you're selling.
8. Call-to-action 2
A second CTA gives readers another chance to click through to your store. By this point in the email, the undecided reader has seen your offer, your supporting content, and some proof. Give them a clear next step.
9. Additional or supporting information
This sits near the bottom, so use it to reinforce your credibility. Product reviews work well here. So does a prompt to follow your social channels. It's a low-pressure way to extend the relationship beyond the inbox.
10. Your email footer
The footer needs to tell readers three things: how to contact you, why they're receiving this email, and how to update their preferences or unsubscribe. From a POPIA compliance standpoint, a clear unsubscribe option is not optional. Standardise your footer template once and reuse it, it saves time and keeps your emails legally sound.
Our team designs e-commerce emails for a number of trusted online retailers. If you want help putting this structure to work, get in touch at solutions@touchbasepro.com or visit our agency services page.
Frequently asked questions
- How many calls-to-action should an e-commerce email have?
- Two is the standard. The first appears above the scroll to catch readers who are ready to act immediately. The second appears lower down, after supporting content and social proof, to capture readers who needed more context before clicking.
- What is preview text in an email and why does it matter?
- Preview text is the short snippet of copy that appears next to or below the subject line in a recipient's inbox. It gives you extra space to support your subject line and add context. A well-written preview text increases open rates because it gives readers a second reason to click.
- What must an e-commerce email footer include to be POPIA compliant?
- At minimum, your footer should include your company's contact details, a clear explanation of why the recipient is receiving the email, and a working unsubscribe or preference-management link. POPIA requires that subscribers can opt out at any time, so a missing or broken unsubscribe link is a compliance risk.
- How do I brief an external email design team effectively?
- Use the 10-component structure as your brief template. Write copy for each section separately rather than sending a single block of text. This gives your designer clear content boundaries and reduces the number of revision rounds.