The 10 Most Useful Email Formats for Online Stores

Have you ever received those cheese emails and messages from Zomato or Swiggy that caught your attention? What if we tell you it is not just a marketing gimmick or random message? Is this a well-planned marketing strategy?

These push notifications and emails are helping brands get noticed even if their customers are busy or not planning to buy from them. It's a smart move. Email remains one of the most widely used business communication channels. From order confirmations and support replies to partnership discussions, email is still the backbone of professional communication.

A proper email format is still important — but format alone doesn’t guarantee your message will be read or acted on. However, how people read and respond to emails has changed.

Today’s customers receive dozens of emails daily including promotions, updates, and notifications from multiple brands. Even well-written emails often go unnoticed, opened late, or ignored completely—no matter how important the message is. This doesn’t mean email is ineffective.

It simply means email works best when:

• The message is structured clearly
• The intent matches the situation
• The timing is not urgent

That’s why understanding the proper email format for business communication is still essential. But just as important is knowing when email works best—and when another channel might work better. This guide covers both.

What Is a Proper Email Format?

A proper email format is a clear, structured way of writing emails so the reader immediately understands:

• Who the email is from?
• Why it was sent?
• What action (if any) is required?

At a minimum, a professional email includes:

• Subject Line
• Greeting
• Body
• Closing
• Signature

Let’s break these down with a modern, business-focused approach.

Core Elements of a Proper Email Format

1. Subject Line (Clarity Over Creativity)

Your subject line should explain the purpose of the email in one line.

Good examples:

• Order Confirmation – #45821
• Update on Your Support Request
• Quick Follow-Up on Yesterday’s Call

Avoid:

• “Hello”
• “Important”
• “Just Checking In”

A clear subject line increases open rates and sets the right expectation.

2. Greeting (Professional but Human)

Choose your greeting based on context:

• Formal: Dear John,
• Semi-formal: Hi John,
• Casual (internal or ongoing conversations): Hello John,

Avoid outdated or overly stiff greetings unless required.

3. Email Body (Short, Focused, Skimmable)

This is where most emails fail.

Best practices:

• Keep paragraphs short (2–3 lines max)
• Focus on one main purpose
• Use bullet points when explaining steps or details

4. Closing (Clear Next Step)

End your email by guiding the reader:

• “Let us know if you need any help.”
• “Please reply to confirm.”
• “We’ll update you once it’s shipped.”

5. Signature (Trust & Context)

A professional signature should include:

• Name
• Role
• Company name
• Contact details (if relevant)

For example: Sample Format for Welcome Emails

Proper Email Formats for Common Business & eCommerce Use Cases

Using one generic email format for every situation is one of the biggest mistakes businesses make.

A support email, an order confirmation, and a promotional email all have very different goals. When the format doesn’t match the intent, customers feel confused, ignored, or even spammed.

Below are the most important email types for eCommerce businesses, how their format should change — and how smart brands now combine email with WhatsApp messaging for faster responses and higher conversions.

1. Customer Support Email

Best tone: Polite, calm, solution-focused

What matters most: Speed and clarity

Support emails should:

• Acknowledge the issue immediately
• Avoid long explanations
• Clearly mention the next step or resolution

Customers don’t want essays — they want answers. Many Shopify brands now shift urgent support updates to WhatsApp via Chatix, where responses feel faster and more human.

2. Order Confirmation Email

Best tone: Clear, reassuring, professional

What matters most: Trust and confirmation

These emails should:

• Confirm the order clearly
• Highlight order details and next steps
• Avoid heavy promotions

At this stage, customers just want peace of mind. Smart stores also send instant WhatsApp order confirmations which reduce support tickets and increase trust.

Sample Format for Order Emails

3. Follow-Up Email

Best tone: Friendly and respectful

What matters most: Context

Always mention:

• Why you’re following up
• What action is expected

For higher replies, brands increasingly move follow-ups to WhatsApp, where conversations feel more natural.

4. Promotional or Announcement Email

Best tone: Engaging, clear, focused

What matters most: One goal per email

Avoid:

• Multiple offers
• Too many CTAs

Promotional emails work best when followed by:

• WhatsApp broadcasts
• Limited-time reminders
• Personalized follow-ups

This multi-touch approach feels helpful, not spammy.

5. Apology or Delay email

Best tone: Empathetic and transparent

What matters most: What went wrong and how it’s being fixed

Customers value honesty more than perfection. A clear explanation and timely update helps retain trust.

6. Shipping & Tracking Emails

Best tone: Informative and reassuring

What matters most: Transparency

Customers expect:

• Dispatch updates
• Tracking links
• Estimated delivery timelines

Delays or silence here hurt retention. Many brands now send real-time shipping updates on WhatsApp, which customers are far more likely to open than emails.

Sample Format for Order Emails

7. Abandoned Cart Emails

Best tone: Friendly, helpful, not pushy

What matters most: Gentle reminders

Good cart recovery emails:

• Remind customers what they left behind
• Reduce hesitation (returns, support, delivery info)

However, email alone often gets ignored. Pairing abandoned cart emails with WhatsApp reminders using Chatix dramatically improves recovery rates.

Sample Format for Abandoned Emails

8. Newsletter Emails

Best tone: Informative and light

What matters most: Value, not selling

Use newsletters to:

• Share tips
• Educate customers
• Build brand recall

Then redirect high-intent readers to WhatsApp for offers, updates, or support, keeping email clean and valuable.

Sample Format for Newsletter Emails

9. Product Recommendation Emails

Best tone: Helpful and personalized

What matters most: Relevance

Recommendations work best when:

• Based on browsing or purchase behavior
• Kept simple and visual

Many stores now follow up recommendations on WhatsApp, where customers can ask questions instantly before buying.

10. Feedback & Review Request Emails

Best tone: Appreciative and honest

What matters most: Timing

Ask for feedback:

• Shortly after delivery
• When the experience is still fresh

WhatsApp review reminders often get quicker responses than email alone.

Sample Format for Review/Feedback Emails

Common Email Formatting Mistakes to Avoid

• Long, dense paragraphs
• Vague subject lines
• No clear call-to-action
• Overly formal language for simple issues
• Emails that are hard to read on mobile

Must Read: Can WhatsApp replace Email for Shopify Updates?

Conclusion

A proper email format is still a foundational business skill. It improves clarity, professionalism, and trust.

But in today’s fast-moving eCommerce environment, email works best when paired with faster, more visible communication channels—especially for customer-facing updates. By combining structured emails with real-time messaging tools like Chatix, businesses can deliver better experiences without overwhelming customers.