WooCommerce Automated Emails: The Complete Setup Guide

WooCommerce automated emails are messages your store sends automatically when a customer triggers a specific event, such as placing an order, abandoning a cart, creating an account, or going 90 days without activity.

WooCommerce sends transactional emails (order, shipping, password reset) by default, which most stores still rely on.

But you need a plugin to send marketing automations, such as abandoned-cart recovery and win-backs.

In this guide, you'll learn how to help you create high-converting automated email flows right from your WordPress dashboard, no coding required.

We'll also walk you through the 9 highest-ROI emails to run and the best plugin for your store.

What Are WooCommerce Automated Emails?

WooCommerce automated emails are pre-built messages your store sends automatically when a shopper takes a specific action or a defined event occurs, no manual sending required.

They're also called triggered emails, because each one fires off a trigger (order placed, cart abandoned, account created) rather than being blasted to everyone at once.

Unlike a one-time newsletter blast, automated emails are timely, personalized, and behavior-driven.

And this is exactly why they consistently earn higher open, click, and conversion rates.

There are two distinct categories, and the difference is the single most important thing to understand on this page:

WooCommerce handles transactional emails with basic customization. It cannot handle marketing emails, where the real revenue and opportunity growth are.

Does WooCommerce Send Automated Emails by Default?

Yes, WooCommerce sends automated emails by default, but only transactional ones (not marketing emails).

Head to WooCommerce ⇨ Settings ⇨ Emails and you'll see a list of order-status notifications:

• New Order (admin)
• Canceled Order (admin and customers)
• Failed Order (admin and customers)
• Order On-Hold
• Processing Order
• Completed Order
• Refunded Order
• Order Details or Customer Invoice
• Customer Note
• Reset Password
• New Account
• Updated Order (admin and customers)

With the default emails, you have limited customization options, such as header and footer text, base and background colors, etc.

You cannot:

• Add a time delay (example, send the email 3 days after delivery)
• Trigger on behavior (cart abandonment, inactivity, browsing)
• Build a multi-step sequence with different channels, like SMS
• Personalize beyond basic merge fields
• A/B test subject lines or email design

This is why store owners install an automation plugin.

How to Set Up WooCommerce Automated Emails (Step-by-Step)

We’re going to build one of the most profitable and relationship-building workflows: a post-purchase “thank you” email that automatically offers a discount to your best customers.

For that, we’ll send a personalized 10% discount coupon to customers who spend over $200 to encourage repeat purchases.

We’ll be doing this using FunnelKit Automations, the complete, beginner-friendly tool built specifically for WooCommerce email automation.

It also offers a generous free version that supports abandoned cart recovery and post-purchase flows.

If you want conditional workflows, smart triggers, dynamic coupons, etc., get FunnelKit Automations Pro.

Step 1: Create a new automation

Navigate to FunnelKit Automations ⇨ Automations and click on the ‘Create Automation’ button.

You get a library of ready-to-use automation recipes for real WooCommerce use cases.

Here we will select the “Post Purchase” template, which sends a “Thank You” email to users after they place an order.

Now, click on ‘Import Recipe’, enter the name of your automation, and click on ‘Create’.

Your automation will now be imported. Here is the automation workflow:

• The automation starts whenever an order is created (i.e., when someone successfully places an order).
• Delay of 1 day.
• Check whether the order total exceeds a certain amount.
  • If the condition is met, the automation will create a dynamic coupon and email the user the discount. 
  • If the condition is unmet, the automation will send a different email thanking the user for placing the order.

Note: The automation uses the Order Created event, which means this automations will run every time users place an order. You can leave the event trigger as it is.

Step 2: Configure the delay to 3 days

The automation has a 1-day delay. You can adjust it according to your strategy.

To do this, click the Delay step and set the time period. Here, we set a 3-day delay, since most people are likely to receive their physical product by the third day.

Hit ‘Save’ when done.

Step 3: Set the condition to offer a post-purchase discount

Make sure you set an order total that ensures you still profit after the discount you plan to offer on the next purchase.

Let's set the condition that the order total must exceed $200.

Click on ‘Save’ once you’re done.

Step 4: Create the 10% discount coupon

Now it’s time to set the discount coupon. To do this, click the Create Coupon step and set the discount.

With FunnelKit Automations, you can personalize coupon codes using merge tags. Here, we are adding “ThankYou10” appended with the customer's first name to personalize the coupon.

Our experts also recommend setting an expiry period to create a sense of urgency among users.

Time-sensitive discount coupons encourage users to place orders faster to redeem the discount.

Once done, click on the ‘Save’ button.

Step 5: Design your email with the coupon

Now, we will design the email with the coupon code that will be sent to users who meet the conditions and qualify for a discount on their next purchase.

To design the email with the Coupon code, click on the Send Email step below the Create Coupon step.

After that, customize the email subject and preview the text if you want to. Personalizing the subject line can boost the open rate.

After that, choose Visual Builder and click ‘Edit’ to start designing your email.

You get access to 15+ email templates from which you can choose.

Hover on the Personalized Coupon email template and click on ‘Preview’.

Then, hit “Import This Template” to import.

After importing, customize the email template to fit your brand. Change the logo, heading, etc.

Choose the discount code that will be emailed to you. On the left side, select the Automation tab and then choose the dynamic coupon you created in the previous step.

You can also add a Product block from FunnelKit Automations to encourage users to place another order.

Select the product feed to showcase related products, best-selling, latest items, and more.

After customizing, make sure to click on save. 

Step 6: Design another email without a discount coupon

To design the thank-you email without a coupon code, click the Send Email action, which will be activated if the condition is not met.

Like you imported and customized the email with the discount, you can do the same here. This time, import the Post Purchase Education template.

After importing, customize it according to your needs. You can also recommend related products in this email.

Make sure to save all the changes.

Step 7: Activate the automation

Now that the campaign is ready, it’s time to make it live. To activate the campaign, turn on the toggle button.

And that’s it! Your WooCommerce automated email campaign is now live and self-running.

Top 3 Best Plugins to Send WooCommerce Automated Emails (Compared)

Whether you want to recover abandoned carts, send custom transactional emails, or nurture customer relationships, the right email automation plugin can skyrocket engagement and revenue on autopilot.

Here's an honest comparison of the most-used options, including the all-in-one tools people actually compare on forums (Klaviyo, Omnisend, MailPoet).

Let's look at the plugin one by one.

1. FunnelKit Automations

FunnelKit Automations is the #1 choice for WooCommerce store owners looking to automate customer interactions, recover lost revenue and boost sales without coding.

You can send automated transactional and marketing emails in minutes using an ever-growing library of pre-built automations, view real-time analytics, customize emails with a built-in drag-and-drop visual builder, and more.

Features of FunnelKit Automations: 

• Transactional email customization: FunnelKit Automations lets you customize transactional emails beyond the default WooCommerce templates.
  
• Automated workflows: Create automated email sequences that trigger based on customer actions. Just set up event triggers, add conditions, delays and actions to automate your business processes. These workflows are abandoned cart recovery, post-purchase, customer winback, birthday and anniversaries, subscription and membership automations, and more.
  
• Pre-designed email templates: Get access to 15+ pre-designed email templates that can be imported with a single click. These are optimized for all devices and can be customized to your preferences.
  
• Enhanced visual builder: Customize your automated emails with a drag-and-drop builder featuring content blocks. In addition to the general blocks, you get WooCommerce-specific blocks, such as order summaries, cart items, coupons, and products, to include in your emails.
  
• Dynamic personalization: Use merge tags to send personalized emails relevant to your users that drive higher engagement.
  
• In-depth analytics: Optimize performance with detailed reports for emails, carts, contacts, engagement, and more.
  
• A/B testing: FunnelKit Automations lets you A/B test your workflows and emails with different subject lines, designs, coupons, CTA buttons, and more.

FunnelKit Automations is compatible with 800+ plugins, CRMs, and apps, helping you scale your marketing campaigns to a whole new level.

Pricing plan: 

• FunnelKit Automations has a lite (free) version available. Its premium version starts at $99.50 a year.

Customer reviews: FunnelKit Automations has received a 5/5 rating from over 333 reviews and has 20,000+ active installations. [Source: wordpress.org]

2. AutomateWoo

AutomateWoo lets you send personalized, behavior-driven emails to your customers without manual effort.

From cart recovery to loyalty programs, AutomateWoo lets you create automated workflows that drive conversions and boost retention.

Features of AutomateWoo: 

• Automated sequences: Create powerful automations that help enhance conversions and take your business to the next level. You can create follow-ups, abandoned cart recovery messages, winback messages, SMS notifications, and more.
  
• Email customization: It offers basic options, but there is no drag-and-drop builder. You can edit your emails with plain text (using the WordPress editor) and raw HTML code.
  
• Detailed reports: AutomateWoo lets you track the performance of your workflows, email/SMS tracking, conversions, conversion lists, etc.

Pricing:

• AutomateWoo does not have a free or demo version. Its pricing starts at $159 for one year.

Customer testimonials: AutomateWoo has received a 3.5/5 rating from 28 reviews and has over 30,000 active installations. [Source: woocommerce.com]

3. WooCommerce Follow Up Emails

This automation plugin from ShopMagic is designed specifically to enhance customer engagement through automated follow-up emails and other marketing strategies. 

Features of WooCommerce Follow Up Emails: 

• WooCommerce automated emails: It offers limited automated workflows, such as follow-up emails and cart abandonment recovery.
  
• Advanced segmentation: Set up advanced filters and conditional logic to segment your customer base for targeted marketing campaigns.
  
• User-friendly interface: Navigate a modern dashboard that simplifies workflow creation and management. It has a pretty basic screen to create emails without drag-and-drop content blocks.

Pricing:

• WooCommerce Follow Up Emails has a free version. Its Pro plan starts at $69 annually for a single website.

Customer testimonials: WooCommerce Follow Up Emails has a 4.6/5 rating, 68 reviews, and 10,000+ active installations. [Source: wordpress.org]

What About Klaviyo, Omnisend, and MailPoet?

These come up constantly when store owners want an “all-in-one” replacement for separate platforms:

• MailPoet: Easiest if you mostly want newsletters with light automation, all inside WordPress. Common concerns are sending speed at scale.
• Klaviyo: Best-in-class segmentation and reporting, but pricing scales with contacts, and it lives outside WordPress.
• Omnisend: Strong if you want email and SMS in one omnichannel flow.

If you want everything native to WordPress, with transactional and marketing controls in one tool, FunnelKit Automations or MailPoet makes sense.

If you’re a larger, data-driven store and don’t mind an external platform and a bigger bill, Klaviyo or Omnisend earn their keep.

9 Highest-ROI WooCommerce Automated Emails to Set Up in Your Store

Don't try to build all nine at once. Start with #1, #2, and #4, then expand.

Here’s each one, with what to send and when.

1. Welcome series

A welcome series is sent to users when they subscribe to your newsletter and provide their email addresses.

Deliver whatever your opt-in promised (a coupon or guide) immediately, then introduce your brand and best-sellers.

Take a look:

The welcome email takes the conversation forward by giving new subscribers a 15% off code right away.

Action Tip: Continue the conversation the signup started. Lead with the promised value above the fold, then a single clear CTA.

2. Abandoned cart sequence (3 emails) 

A cart abandonment sequence is triggered when someone adds an item to the cart, lands on the checkout page, and leaves the process in between after entering their email.

Sending three emails:

• Email 1: to check if there was a problem. This should ideally be sent between 30 minutes and 4 hours after abandonment.
• Email 2: Highlights some benefits of the products in the cart and also offers a discount coupon to entice the customer. This should go within 24 hours of abandonment.
• Email 3: Maintain pressure with an element of urgency, especially given the coupon code's expiration. This final mail should go out within 72 hours of abandonment.

Here's an example of a well-crafted cart abandonment email from Beardbrand:

If they still don’t buy, roll them into your newsletter list. This sequence alone recovers the bulk of automation revenue for most stores.

3. Shipment or post-delivery check-in

A shipment check-in email is a follow-up email that asks customers for feedback on their shopping experience.

Keep the subject short and human (“How was it?”). Tell them what to do if the order hasn't arrived, and keep the answer quick.

Here's an example of a WooCommerce automated email from Moo:

4. Personalized product recommendations

Buyers open post-purchase emails far more than prospects do.

So, it makes a lot of sense to send them relevant emails containing product recommendations based on the item(s) they have just bought. 

Have a look at an incredibly persuasive WooCommerce automated email from Mackenzie:

Recommend up to 3 items related to what they just bought, optionally with a time-boxed coupon (example, 30-day expiry) and a referral nudge.

5. Priming for the next sale (rapport drip)

Educational content offers value to your customers while building rapport, helping promote the feeling that you’re truly invested in their success and aren't after a quick buck.

Here's an example of BOOM! By Cindy Joseph. Take a look:

This builds trust and primes the next purchase without pitching. Focus on the customer’s pain points and how to get the most from what they bought.

6. Review collection

Reviews lift both conversions and SEO. Make the email on-brand, lead with the single ask, and include a couple of testimonials so customers can follow others’ lead.

Here's an incredible example from Biscuiteers that converts at a jaw-dropping 18%. Take a look:

Send a thank-you after they submit, and time the request 7-10 days post-purchase (or 3 days after delivery).

7. Purchase anniversaries

Fires a set number of days after the first purchase (3-month, 6-month, 1-year).

Here's an email from True Citrus:

Acknowledge the milestone, add a time-limited coupon (example, 48-hour deadline), and use it to deepen loyalty.

8. Replenishment reminders

For consumables, remind customers right before they run out. These often post the highest CTR of any lifecycle email.

Two emails beat one (example, 10 days out, then 3-4 days out). You usually don’t need a discount; timing is the value.

Love this email from Just Right by Purina:

9. Product-launch buzz sequence

Don’t announce a launch with a single email.

Lead with an announcement (“Introducing… / Meet the new…”), then follow with 4–5 emails covering ingredients/specs, testimonials, FAQs, and a final buy nudge.

Common Mistakes to Avoid (Deliverability & Strategy)

Automation only works if your emails actually land and stay relevant.

Avoid these:

• Deliverability gaps

Poor sender reputation can cause emails to land in spam folders. To resolve deliverability issues, regularly monitor and maintain a good sender score.

You must also authenticate your emails with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to verify their legitimacy and improve deliverability. Clean your list regularly and avoid spam trigger words.

• Spam traps and bounces

Spam traps are email addresses used to identify spammers, and falling into these traps can severely damage your sender's reputation.

To avoid them, regularly update and clean your email lists, removing inactive subscribers.

• No segmentation

Sending the same email to first-timers and loyal customers trains everyone to ignore you.

Use IF/THEN logic on purchase history, spend, and category.

• Unsubscribes and opt-outs

To ensure your emails are highly relevant to your audience, segment your email list by customer behavior and preferences to deliver more personalized content.

Ensure your email frequency strikes a balance to avoid overwhelming subscribers and high unsubscribe rates. Provide an easy opt-out option with a clear unsubscribe link.

• Sending the same emails to every user

Sending the same email to everyone is not good. Use merge tags like contact first name, order items, and personalized product recommendations to instantly make your messages feel more human.

Send offers based on purchase history, total spend, or product categories using IF/THEN logic in your automation platform.

• Bad timing

Sending a cart abandonment email seconds after someone leaves your store feels weird. Or sending a review request before the order is delivered can be frustrating.

Wait 1 hour for the first cart reminder, not instantly. Or, send review requests 7-10 days post-purchase (or 3 days after delivery).

• No clear or multiple competing CTAs

A newsletter packed with three links, a blog mention, and multiple CTAs confuses the reader. No clarity means no clicks.

Each campaign should have one purpose, such as Shop Now, Leave a Review, or Read This Guide. Use a large, bold button to make that single CTA impossible to miss.

Frequently Asked Questions

Start Driving Repeat Sales With WooCommerce Automated Emails

WooCommerce automated emails are a game-changer for any store owner looking to drive engagement, increase sales, and build lasting customer relationships all on autopilot.

By leveraging effective automations, you ensure timely, relevant, and personalized communication without constant manual effort.

You can start with welcome series, abandoned cart recovery and post-purchase follow-up emails.

Pick a plugin that matches your stage, build those three, measure revenue per automation, and expand from there.

To achieve the best results, you can go with FunnelKit Automations. With its intuitive visual builder, deep customer insights, and powerful triggers and actions, you can create high-converting email sequences tailored to your business goals.

Ready to set up your first one? Get started with FunnelKit Automations!

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