How To Write A Thank You For Your Purchase Note [Templates]

Do you go out of your way to say ‘thank you for your purchase’ to your customers?

No?

I mean, why would you? What’s in it for you?

Well, what if I told you that by simply saying thanks to your customer, you can completely change the way your brand is perceived.

This is good ol' fashion customer service 101.

Design and order custom thank you cards to write your greetings on!

The most basic ‘thank you for your purchase’ note goes a long way in delighting your customer - and delighting your customer means that they'll remember you.

When I talk about saying thanks, I don’t mean via email, either. Thank you emails are great, in fact, they're an integral part of any e-commerce email automation flow. 

But it’s the true authenticity in a handwritten note that makes your customer feel truly loved.

It might be for a customer, or a friend, a business partner. If there’s a reason to show kindness, take it and show thanks.

In this article you’ll see how to write a thank you note to your customers, as well as:

• Why you should never use the word ‘business’
• How heartfelt customer appreciation can change the way you do business
• Why the ‘hand’ in handwritten is the most important part of a thank you note

Saying thanks requires so little effort and returns so much. In fact, it's so easy to do that you can print it on the inside of your mailing box:

Using your packaging to express your gratitude is a common packaging trend, and one more brands are using to make their customers feel special.

Now let's take a look at the difference a simple thank you note can make for your brand:

Why should I write a thank you note?

‘Gratitude is the most exquisite form of courtesy’
- Jacques Maritain

In business, just like in life, we occasionally rely on the help of others in the pursuit of success and happiness. Without the help and input of others, business would be a lot harder than it already is.

If you’re a small brand that’s selling online, those ‘others’ that you rely on are your customers.

See how Hemp Juice thanks their customers 

You wouldn’t be doing what you’re doing if it weren’t for the input and support of your repeat customers - no matter how many or how few there are.

When your customer feel like they’re making a difference to what you do, they feel empowered.

They invest more in your brand on an emotional level because they see the difference they make.

Sure, this is great for the customer, but what’s in it for you?

When your customer is more invested in your brand, they like you more. And when they like your brand, they’re more likely to buy from you again.

Below you can see how basic this system actually is:

Knowing your customer wants plastic-free packaging or packaging designed within Royal Mail's standards is a great way to surprise your customer and makes it easier for them to like you more.

The small gesture of a ‘thank you for your purchase’ note is a bit of a shock, your customer doesn’t expect it.

It's this shock and surprise that gives them more of an emotional investment in your brand. 

A thank you message makes your customer feel important

Nowadays when you purchase something online, you pay for your product and then you get it. End of transaction.

So uncommon is an act of genuine gratitude, that when it happens, it builds a relationship.

The relationship between you and your customer.

The act of sending a personalised thank you note is a way to build this relationship. It’s a more traditional old-fashioned way of genuine, heartfelt sincerity.

Plus a 'thank you note' is a core element of a quality unboxing experience!

It doesn’t matter where you sell your products online, either. It’s actually more important to send a note if you're selling on a marketplace like Amazon, eBay or Etsy.

In addition, a follow up message also shows care, so following up on your customers is the right thing to do.

Why?

Because when people buy from marketplaces like this, they don’t remember your name.

They remember the name of the marketplace. ‘I got this on Etsy, it was discounted on Amazon’.

For example:

No mention of the brand name, no reference to the seller or the store name. Etsy takes all the credit.

This same problem happens when we talk about many modern services.

"I watched Netflix last night", no mention of what watched.

"I had UberEats last night", no mention of which restaurant.

This diminishes the effect of one of the most potent forms of marketing - Word of mouth marketing.

A handwritten note for your marketplace purchases puts your brand name in the hand of your customer.

You increase your chances of your brand name being remembered by your satisfied customer.

A multichannel sales strategy works hand in hand with custom packaging as well as a thank you note and making your customer feel special.

Custom tissue paper, custom tape and other packaging supplies can add a little class, and you increase the chances of your customer saying 'Oh I get this from Fred's online store!'

See how Concrete Jungle thank their customers

Customer appreciation = your success

Here’s you: ‘Handwriting notes is a waste of time, I’m too busy with other stuff’.

Here’s me: ‘Handwritten notes are a better investment than PPC advertising’.

Wait, what?

Ask yourself this question:

What percentage of your marketing efforts are focussed on getting people who have never heard of you, to buy from you?

I’m guessing that percentage is going to be quite high.

And that’s fine, that’s pretty normal. Traditionally, we think of marketing as getting more sales by driving traffic to your website.

More sales from new customers.

But what about more sales from previous customers?

This brings us to the next question:

How much energy do you spend getting people to buy from you for a second time?

Noticed how I said energy, not time or money?

That's because the success rate of selling to a customer you already have is 60-70%, while the success rate of selling to a new customer is 5-20%.

Thanking your customers for their initial purchase is the first step in getting them to buy from you again.

You’re making your customer feel great about the decision they made.

Ultimately, increased happiness leads to a higher lifetime spend with your brand. That means that in their lifetime, they will stay loyal to your brand and spend more money with you.

Your customer is less likely to go and try other brands because they’re happy with you and your products.

What’s more, a happy customer that has a high lifetime spend is more likely to become a brand advocate.

A brand advocate is someone who spreads your name amongst their trusted friends because they simply love your brand.

All this, from spending less than a minute to write a note.

Here’s a thank you for your purchase note that a customer of velocitybikeco.com received:

Short, simple, to the point - and most importantly, it’s honest.

Are you still thinking it’s a waste of time?

Well, let’s take a look at just a few of the other benefits of saying thank you for your order:

• Higher customer engagement
• Greater customer satisfaction
• Increased loyalty
• More word-of-mouth marketing

So what’s the main thing to take away from all this?

Everything good happens when you stop and thank your customer for their purchase.

Let’s take a little look at how and why these things happen:

Higher customer engagement

When your customer is engaged with your brand, it means that they’re following you and paying attention to what you do.

This is obviously a good thing, as it means that your customer genuinely likes you. A customer who liked your brand is a satisfied customer.

Customer engagement comes in many forms. Here, you can see Buffer to support and engage users on Twitter.

Because there is trust between Buffer and it’s customers, they don’t hesitate to reach out and talk to the company.

Greater customer satisfaction

Remember how you felt when your favourite aunt sent you that birthday card? What about when your doctor sent you a birthday card, too.

It made you feel special, important and valued.

You then went made a phone call to your aunt or went back to that doctor the next time you got sick.  

So by doing something similar to your customers, you’re reinforcing the idea that your customer made the right decision to buy from you.

Increased loyalty

It’s obvious that loyal customers are a good thing. It means that they’re not going to go and buy from another brand because they value your brand so highly.

It means that they’ll keep coming back to you.

A loyal customer is also likely to spend more money with you in a single transaction.

This is valuable, as it’s harder to make a first-time buyer spend a lot in their first transaction.

More word-of-mouth marketing

As mentioned earlier, a loyal customer is more likely to become a brand advocate and tell their friends how happy they are with your product.

That may happen through a word of mouth mention. It may also happen through a social media share.

Today, a happy customer that’s using social media is a powerful asset to you and there are many social media monitoring tools to help you. 

So by now, the benefits of a simple thank you note should be evident.

No matter what you sell or where you sell it, a thank you note can do a lot at empowering your customers.

So now that you know why they’re important, let’s take a look at how to write a ‘thank you for your purchase’ note.

How to be genuine when saying ‘thank you for your purchase’.

There is one golden rule you need to know before writing your note.

Don’t say ‘Thank you for your order’ or ‘Thank you for your business’.

Yes, these are business thank you notes, but you don't want to be seen as a 'business'.

Learn more about Anthem's packaging here

By labelling touch-points with your customer with words like ‘order’, ‘patronage’ or ‘business’, you devalue the transaction. You make your customer feel like just another number in your finance books.

Have a think, what other phrases sound a little too ‘business-ey’?

• Thank you for shopping with us
• Thank you for your business
• Thanks for your order

These just sound bad. Using phrases like this don’t make your customer feel warm and welcome. It makes them feel like you’re just glad they’ve finally paid you.

Avoid thank you for your order by using something like:

• Your support is invaluable
• Thanks so much for shopping with us
• Choosing us means a lot to us
• Thank you very much for supporting us

The main takeaway here is this:

Business means a transaction. Support means a relationship.

Here are a few other things to remember when writing your thank you note:

Do:

• Send the physical note in the customer’s purchase - not afterwards
• Be genuine when you show gratitude.
• Use the same tone of voice that’s used in your branding
• Use the most appropriate stationery. Not a torn-off piece of paper, or an overly fancy letterhead.

Don’t:

• Don’t talk about things that aren’t relevant
• Don’t try and sell more products
• Don’t be negative, cynical or doubting
• Use different coloured pens - blue or black

The thank-you note is about your customer, not you. Focus on being sincere and honest. Don’t think ‘more sales’.

Now that you know the dos and don’ts of your thank you note, let’s get stuck into writing one!

How to write a thank-you note

For some people, writing is hard. Whether it’s a lengthy letter or a simple ‘don’t forget to feed the cat’ note, writing can be tricky.

Which is exactly why you’re now going to see a step by step guide to using the perfect elements in your thank you letter.

By the time you’re done here, you’ll be able to create your own template and modify it for each and every customer.

1. Introduction

You only get one first impression, so start off on the right foot by you know, using your customers’ name.

• Hey Mike,
• Dear Mike,
• Dear Mike
• Mike,

2. The ‘Thank you’ part

Get straight down to business. You’re writing to say thanks, so say thanks straight away.

• Thanks a lot for shopping with us. It really means a lot that you decided to support us, I’d love to hear your feedback.
• You could have gone with one of our competitors, so I’m writing to say thanks for giving us a chance
• I just wanted to send you a quick little something to say thanks. So, thanks for your order, and for picking us.

3. Personalise it a little

You can really push your sincerity home by offering a little personalisation, something specifically for that one buyer. Be honest, don’t be weird.

• is one of my personal favourites. I think you’ll love it and I’d love to hear what you yourself think about it.
• I was packing your order and noticed your postal address in Dublin. I studied there as a kid and have nothing but great memories of that part of the world.

The most important part here is that you’re honest. If there’s nothing you can personally relate to, don’t make something up just for the sake of a few extra letters.

4. Wrap it up

Close off your thank you note in a casual manner.

• Thanks once again
• All the best
• Thanks, heaps

Don’t forget though that each part of your thank you note needs to be written for specifically who you’re sending it to.

Not each one of your customers is named Mike.

Maybe.

Also, ensure that what you’re sending is relevant to the reason you’re sending it to.

The above examples aren’t going to work if you’re thanking someone for recommending you to their friend.

Still not confident to write a thank you note yourself?

Look at the following examples to see how a ‘thank you for your business’ note can be written.

Customer thank you note example

So now you know the different elements that come together for a genuine thanks for your order note, it’s a great time to see how to write a thank you note yourself. Feel free to use these following examples to create your own thank you for purchasing template for whatever purposes you need.

There's one thing you need to remember - they are examples. Each example will have to be customised for your own brand, product and message.

Thank you for your purchase template for customers:

‘Hey Steve

 I’m Tom, the co-founder of Barbarian belts. I’m sending you a little note just to say thanks. The Viking belt and buckle you bought are some of my personal favourites.

Try them out and let me know your thoughts. I’m very interested to know how you find them.

Remember that you can swap them over, no questions asked, if you’re not happy.

Thanks, mate

-Tom’

Business style thank you note example:

‘Dear Pete

After talking with you for the last few weeks about our merger problem, I’m feeling a lot more comfortable. Thank you so much for your support, insight and direction.

I’m personally excited for a future working alongside Transparent Inc. and I can assure you that the rest of us are, too. You guys managed to make us feel good and put a smile on our face in this difficult time. 

Our competition won’t know what’s hit them.

-Tom’

Thank you for shopping with us template:

“Hey Sally

It’s not often we get people who make a first purchase as big as you just have. That’s why I’m writing you this note, firstly to say thank you (thank you very much!) and secondly to get your feedback.

Our new range of Angel foundation brushes are growing in popularity, but I’d still love to know what you think.

To sweeten the deal please accept an extra 15% off your next purchase - Just use WELOVEYOUSALLY at the checkout.

Once again, thanks, and please tell us your thoughts!

-Tom’

Thank you for your order example:

“Hey Sebastian

I’ve seen your name come up quite a few times in recent months, so I thought I’d take the time to personally thank you for your support in these tough times.

Judging by your purchases, you have a killer taste in fashion. I guess you won’t need me to tell you how good our new Winter range looks with a well-cut jacket.

Thanks once again, I’m just an email away whenever you need me!

-Tom

PS - Your name looks Spanish - Muchos Gracias!"

Thank you for your support example:

"Hey Michael

The other day, you bought a few little accessories from us. I just thought I’d take a moment to say thanks.

In our industry, it’s obvious that there’s a lot of competition. It’s loyal customers like you that keep us at the top of the industry.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

-Tom"

Thank you for your ongoing support template:

"Hi George

I’ve noticed that every few weeks you’re placing an order with us.

Thank you.

It means a lot that you constantly keep coming back to us. We’d love any feedback on how to make you even happier.

On a side note, I can assure you that the packs you’ve been buying from us are some of our most popular even - thanks to your efforts!

All the best

-Tom"

Now you know how to write a thank you note for a wide range of situations!

Remember that you need to customise each and every one specific for your situation, but these should help you out if you’re stuck.

But writing a thank you note doesn’t end there - let’s take a look at how to continue the customer appreciation.

There’s more to customer appreciation than a thank you note

The whole point of writing a thank you note is to make your customer feel as special and as important as they actually are.

And if you’re already sending these notes, you may be already benefiting from an increase in customer loyalty.

But combine a ‘thank you for your order note’ with a few other customer appreciation techniques, and you’ll see your brand’s popularity skyrocket.

So, how else can you make your customer feel well and truly appreciated?

Be Charitable

Pair up with a charity and donate to them. Either a certain percentage of each sale or hold an annual drive to raise funds for them.

Why?

By aligning your brand with a charity whose message resonates with your customers, you improve the way your brand is perceived.

Is there something that all your customer have in common? Find a charity that’s relatable to that, and work with them.

If your customer knew that their purchase would help this little guy from N.E.A.D.S become someone’s helper, would they be more likely to buy from you?

I think they would.

Which charities do we like?

• NEADS World Class Service Dogs
• The Amazon Conservation Association
• Books for Africa

A free thoughtful gift

Every now and then, pick a random past customer. Send them a small gift box full of freebies.

Why?

Your customer has a sense of winning something.

Learn more about Noray and their gift boxes here

Plus it reactivates them and can get you some fantastic social media content!

Encourage more loyalty

One very overlooked metric of selling online is lifetime value.

By creating and implementing a loyalty program, you encourage your customers to increase their lifetime value. Loyalty programs are often cheap to implement but have a very large ROI in the long run.

Give a treat

Selling cookie jars? Surprise your customer with a pack of cookies.

Selling high-end coffee with fancy coffee packaging? Surprise your customer with a free sample of a different brand.

See where I’m going here? Surprise your customer by including a free little treat, something that compliments what they bought from you.

Upgrade

If your products come at a tiered level, considering giving out the occasional free upgrade. Does your ‘Model S’ have more bells and whistles than your ‘Model X’?

Give one lucky buyer a free upgrade to the top-shelf version.

Gift cards

From time to time, throw a gift card into a random package in a gift box. It may be a gift card for your own store, it may be a gift card for Amazon or eBay (since everyone has an account there).

By giving your customer the sense of winning, you’ll help build that rapport with them.

Show the difference

If you’re regularly asking your customers for feedback (and you should be), show them that they’re making a difference.

If you’ve changed the way you operate because of customer feedback, show that to your fans.

Even if a customer didn’t suggest the change, you’ll be saying ‘Hey, I listen to you and because one of you said this, I fixed it’.

Another way to differentiate from competition: humanize the post-purchase experience, right from the order-confirmation page.

Thank you notes and branding

Every brand knows the importance of good quality branding.

You spend a lot of time building your image, your tone of voice, visuals, everything like that.

Learn more about Hemp Juice and their CBD packaging & branding

But when writing your ‘thank you for your purchase’ note, it’s important that you don’t let your branding take over.

While it may be tempting to pull out a bit of paper with the fanciest letterhead and logo on the top, that might not be your best option.

Considering using just a stock standard piece of notepaper. By going the ‘branded’ route, you increase your chances of coming off as a bit of a salesman.

If you really want to push your branding home, throw in a few branded stickers - everyone loves stickers and can find somewhere for them.

4 more tips for writing a thank you for your order note:

1 - Your handwriting is great

Yeah, sure, your handwriting is bad. Everyone’s handwriting is bad.

But that’s where the charm is. If you plan on printing your notes, well then don’t both. The trust is built on your non-perfect handwriting. Go with it!

2 - Keep it short and to the point

You’re writing a thank you note, not a novel. Keep it short and get straight to the point and you’ll keep your reader engaged. Think between 30 and 60 words.

3 - Yes, this will take time

Thank you notes are an investment in your time. If you get hundreds of sales a day, writing for each one may be a bit much. But the point is, that you spend some time each day writing something personal for a select few customers, for someone's help, a job interview or something niche like a baby shower.

This investment will come back with a return in many areas.

4 - You’re not selling anymore

By this point, your customer has already bought from you. It’s your job to now enhance their trust with you by being an open, relatable person.

Don’t spend this time promoting new products or upselling products.  

Summing up

Making your customer happy is a relatively simple process once they’ve bought from you.

But delighting them takes a little more effort. That effort pays off in the form of a bigger lifetime spend and more advocates of your brand.

Quality custom packaging combined with gratitude is the perfect combination to turn first-time buyers into brand advocates.