Best Email Marketing Strategies for E-commerce Businesses in Canada

Mar 27, 2025

E-commerce businesses in Canada have a hidden weapon: email marketing. Unlike social media algorithms that keep changing faster than Toronto’s weather, emails land directly in a customer’s inbox, waiting to work their magic. But let’s be real no one enjoys getting generic, soulless emails that scream “spam.”

So, what separates a high-converting Canada email campaign from the dreaded ‘unsubscribe’ button? It’s all about industry best practices, personalization, and the right strategies. Let’s dive into the winning playbook.

1. Personalization

If an email starts with “Dear Valued Customer,” you’ve already lost the game. Email marketing for e-commerce benefits greatly from personalization. A tailored subject line increases the likelihood that an email will be opened by 26%, according to HubSpot.

Consider placing an order for a pair of winter boots from an online retailer in Toronto. A week later, you receive an email saying,

“Hey Mark, how are those boots treating you? Here’s 10% off on our winter socks!” That’s how you turn a one-time buyer into a loyal customer.

Pro Tip: Use customer purchase history and browsing behavior to tailor your Canada email campaigns. Making the email seem as though it was written just for them is more important than simply referring to them by name.

2. Timing

In e-commerce email marketing, timing is everything. Sending a promotional email at 3 AM? Not smart. But sending an abandoned cart reminder an hour after a shopper leaves your site? Genius.

Example: Amazon’s famous abandoned cart emails nudge customers just enough to make them reconsider their choices.

Industry Best Practices:

Welcome Emails: Sent instantly after sign-up. (Because excitement fades fast!)

Cart Abandonment Emails: Sent within 1-3 hours. (Strike while the impulse is hot!)

Re-engagement Emails: If a customer haven't come to shop in 3 months, remind them what they’re missing.

3. Subject Lines That Demand Attention

Your subject line is like a first impression—make it count. A boring “Winter Sale” email will get ignored, but a “Winter is Coming—And So Are Big Discounts!” email? Now that’s click-worthy.

Example: Dollar Shave Club’s subject lines often read like tweets from a hilarious best friend. “You’re running low on razors. We can smell it.”

Industry Best Practices:

Use curiosity: “You left something behind…”

Add urgency: “Last chance! 50% off ends at midnight.”

Be playful: “Oops, did you forget this in your cart?”

4. Mobile Optimization

According to Litmus, 46% of all emails are opened on mobile. Yet, some e-commerce email marketing campaigns still ignore mobile users.

Example: Imagine getting a promo email, but you have to pinch and zoom just to read the text. You’re not going to bother, right? That’s why mobile-friendly designs are a must.

Quick Fixes:

Use a responsive template.

Keep subject lines short (under 50 characters).

Use large, tappable buttons instead of tiny links.

5. A/B Testing

Even the best Canada email campaigns need fine-tuning. A/B testing helps you understand what works and what doesn’t.

Example:

Test Subject Lines: “Flash Sale—50% Off!” vs. “50% Off Today Only—Act Fast!”

Test Send Times: 8 AM vs. 8 PM

Test Call-to-Actions: “Shop Now” vs. “Claim Your Deal”

Data never lies, and tweaking your emails based on A/B testing results can skyrocket conversions.

6. Segmentation:

Mass emails feel robotic. Instead, segment your audience based on:

Location: A winter jacket promo won’t work for customers in Vancouver, but it will in Montreal.

Purchase History: Show complementary products instead of random picks.

Engagement Level: Reward your frequent buyers with exclusive discounts.

Example: Sephora’s Canada email campaigns segment customers based on past purchases, ensuring personalized recommendations.

Conclusion

Though trends in digital marketing go out of style, e-commerce email marketing is among the best methods to increase sales. Executed in the right way, personalization, segmentation, and constant optimization businesses in Canada can tap into Canada email campaigns and form long-term customer relationships.

Delivering value at the appropriate moment is the goal of email marketing, not only sending messages.

Businesses can cut through inbox congestion and foster real connection by adhering to industry best practices. The point is whether you're doing email marketing correctly, not if it works.