Let us ask you something straight up:
When was the last time you looked at your email marketing metrics and asked, “Are we where we should be?”
Today, we’re pulling back the curtain on the latest 2025 ecommerce email benchmarks – and I’ll show you how you can use Retainful to push past “average” and land squarely in the top-performing tier.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
✅ Average open rates, click-through rates, and abandoned cart recovery
✅ Why most ecommerce brands underperform (and how you can fix it)
✅ Practical strategies + insider tips to outshine competitors
✅ How Retainful directly improves these numbers for you
Ready? Let’s dive in.
No complex tools. No manual follow-ups. Just more repeat sales.
You work hard to win every sale – Retainful helps make sure it’s not the last.
Manual follow-ups take time. Discount codes can only go so far. Customers today need smart, timely nudges to come back.
🛒 Automated abandoned cart recovery
📬 Post-purchase emails that drive repeat sales
🔗 Campaigns & Newsletters that build long-term loyalty
The 2025 Email Benchmarks You Need to Know
According to fresh industry data, ecommerce brands are seeing:
- Open rates averaging 25 – 40%
- Click-through rates sitting around 2.5 – 3%
- Abandoned cart recovery rates hovering at ~10%
These numbers set the industry baseline – but here’s the kicker:
The best-performing brands? They consistently outperform these averages, sometimes by double.
Why Are So Many Brands Stuck Below the Average?
Picture this:
You send a gorgeous campaign to 10,000 customers.
2,500 people open it.
Only 250 click through.
Barely 25 come back to recover their abandoned carts.
That’s thousands in lost potential.
And the main culprits?
- Poor segmentation (same email to everyone)
- Weak or generic subject lines
- Lack of automation
- No testing or optimization
If this feels familiar – you’re not alone. But you can fix it.
How to Beat the Benchmarks (Step by Step)
Step 1: Lift Your Open Rates
First impressions count. Your subject line, send time, and sender name are everything.
✅ Use personalized, engaging subject lines (even emojis help!)
✅ Test send times – mornings vs evenings, weekdays vs weekends
✅ Clean your list regularly to remove inactive addresses
With Retainful’s built-in smart sending & smart delays, you can experiment effortlessly and lock in what works best.
Step 2: Improve Click-Through Rates
Once they open, you need them to act.
✅ Offer clear, direct CTAs (no more “Learn More” – try “Shop 20% Off Now”)
✅ Add dynamic product recommendations
✅ Ensure your design is mobile-optimized – over 60% of ecommerce emails are opened on phones!
Retainful’s drag-and-drop editor + pre-built responsive templates make this process a breeze, even if you’re not a designer.
Step 3: Recover More Abandoned Carts
Here’s where many brands leave money on the table.
70% of online carts are abandoned – but with a solid recovery strategy, brands using Retainful are pulling in 15 – 20% recovery rates, compared to the industry’s 10%.
✅ Send a series of three reminders, not just one
✅ Include product images to jog memory and excitement
✅ Offer a limited-time discount in the final reminder to seal the deal
Retainful’s abandoned cart workflows are plug-and-play – no tech headaches, just real results.
PODCAST CONTAINER
But Don’t Stop at Email – Add Affiliate Power
While Retainful maximizes your email-driven sales, pairing it with Afflr supercharges your affiliate and referral marketing.
Here’s why that combo matters:
- Retainful brings back existing customers and recovers lost sales
- Afflr brings new customers through trusted affiliate and referral networks
Imagine running a special affiliate offer alongside your abandoned cart recovery:
You win back a customer and they bring you someone new – multiplying your gains.
With Afflr, you can:
✅ Launch custom affiliate programs effortlessly
✅ Reward your top advocates
✅ Track performance with detailed analytics
Why Email Still Rules (and Will in 2025)
Here’s a reminder you need to hear:
For every $1 spent on email marketing, ecommerce brands earn an average $42 back.
That’s a 4,200% ROI – higher than social, higher than ads, higher than almost anything else.
If you’re under-investing in email, you’re missing the easiest path to more revenue.
What’s Next? Let Retainful Do the Heavy Lifting
Most brands we work with see:
- 20 – 30% higher open rates
- 25% more click-throughs
- 50% better cart recovery within the first few months of using Retainful
Help Us Help More Brands!
Did you find this newsletter helpful?
👉 Share it with your team or peers – help other ecommerce marketers level up their game.
And if you want to hear from us less often, you can always update your email preferences or opt out here – no hard feelings!
Final Takeaway: Mistakes You Can Fix Today
❌ Sending generic emails → ✅ Start segmenting
❌ Not testing subject lines → ✅ Use short, crisp, effective subject lines
❌ Ignoring mobile → ✅ Make designs responsive
❌ Sending one cart recovery email → ✅ Use a multi-step recovery sequence
With just a few tweaks and the right tools, you’ll not only measure up – you’ll outperform.
We’re here to help you every step of the way. 💪
Catch you in the next edition!
Cheers,
The Retainful Team
