Order confirmation email templates: Structure, copy, and design that hold up in every inbox

An order confirmation can still be useful even after the purchase is complete. A few days later, the customer may need the order number to check the shipment status. And someone who purchased a digital product can return to that same email to open it again. The content of the message depends on what happens after the purchase.

We’ve put together eight examples and Stripo templates to help you prepare yours. You’ll find copies for different orders, along with guidance on filling in each customer’s purchase details, setting up when the email is sent, and checking the design before you start using it.

Key takeaways

1. Confirm the order’s current status. Receiving an order does not necessarily mean receiving its payment.
2. Give the customer the instructions for this purchase, whether they need to open a file, wait for delivery, or attend an appointment.
3. Reuse your design with the items, quantities, and prices recorded for each order.
4. Place a test order to check the message that arrives and review the design in preview.

What an order confirmation email is

An order confirmation email lets the customer know that you have received their order. It gives them a record of the purchase and explains what to expect next.

Payment may still be outstanding. For example, someone paying by bank transfer may need the payment instructions in this email before you can prepare the order.

Order confirmation vs. receipt vs. invoice vs. shipping confirmation

Each message answers a different question:

 

You can confirm the order and payment in one email when the customer has already paid. The shipping confirmation follows when you send the goods. For an order that leaves in several parcels, the confirmation email needs to identify which items have been sent.

Why it is transactional, not promotional

An order confirmation concerns a purchase the customer has already made. It is a transactional message, so the customer needs it, even if they don’t subscribe to your newsletter.

A promotional email campaign encourages another purchase or marketing action. Adding an offer to a confirmation can bring marketing rules into play as well. The legal section below covers the differences between markets.

What to include: The 8 required elements

Customers may return to a confirmation email long after placing their order. They might need the order number for a support request or want to check how much they paid. Include these eight elements when building your order confirmation email template. 

Depending on what you sell and where you do business, you may need additional legal information:

1. Business name. Use the store name shown at checkout. Customers should be able to tell who the email is from, even if your registered business name is different.
2. Confirmation and order number. Tell the customer you have received their order. Include the order number and the date it was placed.
3. Purchase summary. List the items ordered, their quantities, and any choices made at checkout, such as size or color.
4. Price breakdown. Show the item costs, delivery charge, tax, and discounts, followed by the total. Keep all amounts in the currency used at checkout.
5. Payment details. Receiving an order does not always mean receiving payment. Show the amount paid and anything still owed. If you mention the card used, include only the last four digits.
6. Delivery or access details. For goods being shipped, include the delivery address and an estimated arrival date, if available. Digital purchases require access instructions. Appointment confirmations need the time and location.
7. Next step. Explain what happens now. The customer may need to pay a balance or download a file. If there is nothing for them to do, tell them when to expect your next update.
8. Help and terms. Include your support contact, business details, and the terms that apply to the purchase.

Optional add-ons that do not hurt trust

A store address is enough to say where an order can be collected, but a map helps the customer get there. You can take the same approach with appointments: include the booking details, then offer an “Add to calendar” link so the customer doesn’t have to copy them. These additions earn their place by saving someone a little work.

The same goes for product photos. A customer who bought several similar items may recognize them more easily from pictures than from product names. Just keep the names and prices in the email text too. With images turned off, the customer should still be able to check the whole order.

What to leave out

There may be another offer you’d like to share, but the customer has just made a purchase. Let them check it first. A promotional banner above the order summary forces them to scroll past extra content to reach the information they came for.

Before the template goes into use, find and remove anything left over from preparing it: a test price, a placeholder, or a note to a colleague. Full card numbers have no place in the email either.

Delivery dates deserve a little care. You may have received the order without knowing when it will arrive, and that’s something you can explain. Say when you expect to have an update. Once there’s a shipment to track, you can send the tracking link.

Order confirmation email structure, block by block

Keep the order number near the top beside the confirmation itself. It’s a small detail that the customer may need again when asking you about the purchase.

The rest of the email can be structured as follows: a list of items, amounts paid or due, and delivery or pickup terms. After reviewing the details, the customer may have a question or notice a mistake. Your contact information should be included at the end of the email so that the customer knows how to get assistance.

Preheaders and headers

The preheader is the short preview text that many inboxes display beside or below the subject line. Use it to tell the customer a little more about the order.

For example, the subject “Order received: [Order number]” already confirms that the order reached you. If you have a delivery estimate, the preheader can add “Estimated delivery: [Date range].” The two lines then give the customer different information before they open the email.

Stripo has a hidden preheader field for this text. The header within the email is a separate part of the design; a logo or your store name is enough before the order information begins.

Confirmation line and order number placement

You don’t need a long opening here. “Thank you for your order,” followed by the order number and date, gives the customer the references they may need when they contact you or return to the email later.

For an unpaid order, put the payment instructions near the top as well. The customer should see what they need to pay before moving on to the delivery information.

Order table and totals

Use a row for each item, with the selected options and quantity beside its name. If the customer bought more than one, show both the unit price and the total amount charged for the purchased quantity.

Under the items, keep the breakdown the customer saw at checkout. Delivery and other charges belong here, with wording that tells them whether tax was already included or has been added.

These amounts should come from the saved order. If a promotion ends after checkout, the catalog may now show a higher price, but that does not change what the customer agreed to pay.

(Source: Vuori email from Email Love)

Addresses and delivery window

A customer may have several addresses in their account and choose a different one for this purchase. The confirmation should show where this particular order is going. You can include the billing address as well, with labels that make it clear which address is for delivery and which is for billing.

For digital products, explain where to find the download or how to get access. If the customer booked an appointment, include the time and time zone, along with the location or a link to join online.

When items will arrive separately, list what is coming in each delivery and when the customer can expect it.

(Source: Email Love)

CTA, support links, and footer

The main button should take the customer to the next step in the purchase. That may be the order page, a download, or a booking. A label such as “View order” tells them what will open when they click.

Make it easy to ask about the purchase by including a support contact or an email address that someone on your team reads. Mention any deadline for requesting changes. Your business information and the applicable return or cancelation terms can sit in the footer.

(Source: Blueland email from Email Love)

Subject lines and preheaders

Customers see the subject line and preheader before opening the email. You have two places to tell them what the message contains, so there’s no need to repeat the same wording in both.

Subject line rules

An order confirmation email subject line should identify the purchase and be easy to search for later. “Order received: [Order number]” does both without adding much text.

Start with the useful information because a phone may cut off the end. “Your download is ready” tells the customer why they should open the email. A phrase such as “Great news!” doesn’t give them that information.

Subject lines by scenario

 

Choose wording that matches the order’s status. Only announce a ready download when it is available, and only confirm a renewal payment after it has succeeded.

Preheader formulas

Use the email preheader to continue the subject rather than repeat it. Depending on the purchase, you could write:

• after payment: “Payment received. Your order information is inside”;
• for a download: “Open your files and follow the setup instructions”;
• after a change: “Your address has been updated. You don’t need to do anything else.”

Include any instructions in the body as well. Some customers won’t see the preheader in their inbox.

Eight order confirmation email templates

Each example comes with a sample copy and a link to a Stripo template. You may find a useful layout, even if the design was originally made for a different industry. Change the wording and content to suit your customer’s order.

The text in brackets shows where your platform will insert the order information. You’ll need to use the platform’s own fields in those places, with a product row for each item purchased. You can leave out any lines that don’t apply to the order. Once you receive a test email, compare the amounts with checkout details, including the prices, tax labels, and fees.

Use your own support information and purchase terms in the footer. You can start with “Hi there” if you don’t collect customers’ first names.

1. Standard retail

Use this eCommerce order confirmation email template for products going to one address. It includes the item list, payment status, and delivery information in the same message.

If you don’t yet have a delivery estimate, say when you’ll provide an update. Add payment instructions and a due date if the customer still needs to pay.

2. Digital product and download

For a download, the customer needs access before anything else. Put the button and sign-in instructions above the payment summary so that they can open the product without searching through the email.

Use this version after payment, once the customer can access the product. If access will come later, confirm the order and say when to expect it. Leave out the expiry line if the link does not expire.

3. Subscription and recurring billing

A subscription confirmation needs to show what the latest payment covers. Include the plan and billing period, with the next payment date and a way to manage the subscription.

For a first purchase, change the opening to confirm that the subscription is active. Don’t give a fixed amount for the next bill if you charge by usage; explain how it will be calculated.

4. Preorders and backorders

A preorder is for a product that has not been released. A backorder is for one that is currently out of stock. In either case, tell the customer when you expect to send it and how the payment will work.

No dispatch estimate yet? Give a date for the next availability update instead. Change the subject and opening for a backorder so the customer knows they are waiting for stock.

Match the payment wording to your setup. The WooCommerce Pre-Orders extension, for example, allows payment at checkout or on release; the sample above assumes that an amount has already been paid.

5. Multiseller and split shipment

Group items by how they will arrive. For a marketplace order, identify the seller for each delivery and provide a contact for questions about it.

Repeat the delivery groups as needed. Label any parcel subtotals separately from the order total. One support contact is enough if your team handles every delivery.

6. Service and appointment booking

In an appointment confirmation, put the time and location near the beginning, with any preparation instructions. The customer may need to refer to it on the way there. Payment information can follow.

Use “confirmed” only when the appointment is reserved. If you still need to approve the requested time, acknowledge the booking request and tell the customer when you’ll reply.

7. B2B and purchase orders

Include both your order number and the buyer’s purchase order number in a B2B confirmation. The buyer may pass it to purchasing or finance, where a colleague will need those references to look up the order.

Use the terms agreed upon with this buyer. Don’t keep “Net 30” from a sample unless the customer really has 30 days to pay.

8. Order modified after checkout

An order amendment needs to explain what has changed since the original confirmation. Keep the same order number, show the change first, and follow it with the revised order.

Where money is being returned, show the amount and state whether the refund has been requested, is pending, or has been processed. Delete the line when there is no refund. A lower total does not explain what will happen to money already paid.

Design rules that hold up in real inboxes

Try the design with a full address, several products, and at least one long product name. A layout that fits a short sample order may require more space for these.

Mobile-first layout

A single main column gives you a starting point for the mobile version. Try it with a filled-in order, including longer product names. When a name takes up two or three lines, the customer should still be able to tell which quantity and price go with it. Short placeholders won’t show you where the layout needs adjusting.

Mobile-first email design needs room for product names to wrap. Avoid reducing the font just to fit more columns across the screen.

Use Stripo’s mobile view to adjust text size, spacing, and buttons, then return to desktop to review the same email there.

Dark mode: Where order tables break

A dark mode preview is worth reading all the way through. The heading is easy to notice, but the smaller text in the product rows also needs attention, including prices, tax labels, and delivery charges. You may also find that a pale border is barely visible against the new background.

Stripo lets you set separate colors and images for dark mode. Enable theme emulation: Dark, then use the toggle beside a supported color or image setting to choose its dark version.

The dark mode preview shows the result in Stripo as you work. Email apps can display it differently, and support for custom dark mode styles is limited. Test the finished email in the apps your customers use.

Here’s the email in Stripo’s desktop and mobile dark mode preview. The recipient’s email app may display it differently.

Accessibility for itemized order tables

Someone using a screen reader needs the same order information as someone looking at the email. Keep that information in text, and provide link names that explain where they lead. “View order,” for example, tells the customer what to expect after opening the link.

Tables need some attention here. A quantity or price means little if the listener cannot tell which heading it belongs to. Your developer can refer to the W3C guidance on tables when checking how those cells and headings are connected.

The WCAG minimum contrast ratio for ordinary text is 4.5:1. Include the small price labels in the contrast check, even if the main total is already easy to read.

Open Test → Accessibility → Run a Test in Stripo for the accessibility check. It flags issues such as missing alt text, low contrast, and table markup problems. Then, review an order with a screen reader to check that the information makes sense when read in sequence.

Brand consistency

Use the store name and delivery wording that the customer saw at checkout, along with your usual colors. If an option was called “Click and collect,” keep that name in the confirmation.

Themes in Stripo store your heading and button styles. Save the header as a module when you want to reuse the entire section.

How to build it once and reuse it

Build the shared header and footer in the Stripo email editor, then add the payment and delivery sections each purchase needs. Those saved parts give you a starting point for the next email order confirmation template.

Modular blocks for the order table, totals, and footer

Save a footer as a reusable module once you’ve checked its support links and contact information. Add that saved section to your other confirmations.

Save the order row and totals section too. In Stripo, a module can hold a container or a full stripe, so you can keep related parts together.

Your store or sending platform repeats the product row for each item in the order.

Smart and dynamic elements for line items and prices

The design and the order information come together at different stages:

 

Add the tags supported by your sending platform to the Stripo design. Before sending, that platform replaces them with values such as the customer’s name and order number.

Take quantities and prices from the order record. A price change in the catalog should not change the confirmation for an earlier purchase.

Syncing changes across every confirmation type

For a shared footer, synchronized modules let you update its linked copies in Stripo. Enable Synchronization when saving it, then select Update Module after you edit it.

A shared footer isn’t a good place for instructions that apply only to some orders. Put those in the email body, where you can give delivery information for a parcel or explain how to access a download, depending on what the customer bought.

An exported template is a separate copy. If you later edit the module in Stripo, you’ll also need to update the version in your sending platform. The changes won’t appear there automatically.

Sending and automation

Once the template is ready, decide what should trigger it. The wording and the sending rule should agree on what has happened to the order. 

Triggering on payment success, not on a schedule

An order may reach your store before the money does. You can send a confirmation then, as long as it explains that payment is still pending. If the email says “Payment received,” it should go out after a successful payment. That event should trigger the message, rather than the time set for a scheduled campaign.

 

Shopify sends its order confirmation when an order is placed. The card may be charged later, according to your payment settings.

Shopify setup

You can edit the notification in Shopify:

1. Go to Settings → Notifications → Customer notifications.
2. Open the notification you want to change, and then select Edit code.
3. Copy the existing code somewhere safe so you have it to return to. You can then change the subject and copy, keeping the fields that insert the order information.
4. Use the preview and send yourself a test email to review the result.
5. After saving, place test orders with the payment methods that your store offers to check how the notification works for each.

Shopify’s notification templates contain Liquid code for order data. When changing the layout, work with your developer to keep those fields and the code that repeats the product rows.

Before adding another sending service, check the existing notifications. Most Shopify customer notifications cannot simply be disabled; Shopify Plus stores can ask Support about disabling certain ones.

WooCommerce setup

Open WooCommerce → Settings → Emails and choose Manage for the relevant notification.

Choose the notification in WooCommerce’s email settings according to who needs it and when. “Processing order” follows payment, and “Order on-hold” applies to an order in that status. A new order normally goes to the store’s designated recipients, so it is not the buyer’s confirmation.

Also review “Completed order” for digital products. An order made up entirely of products marked both virtual and downloadable skips Processing.

Edit the subject and copy through the settings available in your store. The options depend on your version and extensions. A test order will show you what the buyer receives.

You will need a suitable import method or email service to use the Stripo design in WooCommerce. The store or sending service must still insert the order data and send the message.

Avoiding double-sends

Check the sender and time of both emails against the logs. Your store and a second connected service may each be sending a confirmation.

Read both before disabling either one. An order acknowledgment and a payment receipt can be two intended messages about the same purchase.

The same notification may reach your integration twice. Stripe explains that webhook events can be delivered more than once, so ask your developer what stops a repeated event from sending another email. This check should still let customers receive a copy they requested or an update when their order actually changes.

Exporting a Stripo template to your ESP

An email service provider (ESP) is the service that sends your emails. In Stripo, open Export and find your provider. The export guide lists the available connections.

Your provider may still work with Stripo, even if it isn’t on the list. Check whether you can import an HTML export and send the transactional messages your store needs. After importing the template, add your platform’s order fields and set the event that sends the email.

A test order will let you see what actually reaches the customer. Compare the email with the order you placed, and then follow the buttons to check where they lead. There may also be a plain-text version generated by your platform; if so, read through it as well.

Why confirmations do not arrive

Before sending another copy, find out what happened to the first one.

The order record and sending logs can show whether the notification was created, is still waiting to go out, or has reached the customer’s email provider:

1. Order status. Has the order reached the stage that sends this email? A notification set up for paid orders may be waiting for payment.
2. Message creation. If you cannot find a message, check whether the notification is turned on and whether the order has the correct customer email address.
3. Sending. A message may be in a queue or have a recorded error. An earlier delivery failure may also have put the address on a blocked list.
4. Receiving. If the customer’s provider has accepted the message, ask the customer to look in spam and other folders. A mailbox rule may have moved it out of the inbox.

What you do next depends on what those records show. A wrong address needs correcting, but changing it will not fix a problem with the sender’s digital signature.

SPF, DKIM, and DMARC in plain language

These names refer to checks that help an email provider verify the sender. Your sending service or the person managing your domain can help you configure them:

• SPF identifies which services may send email for a domain;
• DKIM gives the message a digital signature that the receiving provider can check;
• DMARC connects those checks with the domain the customer sees in the “From” address. It checks that this domain matches the domain authenticated by SPF or DKIM under its alignment rules. You can also use DMARC to request reports and tell receiving providers how to handle failing messages.

Google requires SPF or DKIM for senders targeting personal Gmail accounts. For those sending more than 5,000 messages a day to those accounts, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are required. The visible “From” domain must align with the SPF or DKIM domain.

Even when authentication is set up correctly, confirmation may not arrive. The customer’s address could contain a typo, or the problem may involve your sender reputation.

Spam triggers inside transactional copy

The sender’s name and the subject line should make it clear that this is a message from the store about the customer’s purchase. Inside the email, links to the order or purchased content help them take the next step. There may be room for another offer further down after they’ve had a chance to review their purchase.

Changing a particular word will not guarantee that the email reaches the inbox. Mailbox providers consider sender reputation and complaints, along with other signals. The sending records are a better place to start looking for an explanation than a list of supposedly troublesome words.

For WooCommerce stores, the email troubleshooting guide covers how to find out whether a message was created. If the transactional-emails log is available under WooCommerce → Status → Logs, you can look there for a record of the notification.

How to resend a confirmation

A resend gives the customer another copy of an existing order’s confirmation. Check the email address on that order first, and then use its resend option. There is no need to create a new order or take another payment.

In Shopify, you can do this from the order’s Timeline. Select “Resend email” and review the recipient before sending.

In WooCommerce, select Send order details to customer under Order actions. Check the copy first: paid and unpaid versions differ, and the message may request payment.

If the copy still doesn’t arrive, investigate the error in the sending records. Avoid changing the order status just to trigger an email, as that can send other notifications too.

Legal and regional requirements

The rules differ by market and purchase type. These are the main points to check:

 

A link to a web page you can edit may not be enough. The EU’s purchase-confirmation guidance requires a record that the buyer can keep and the seller cannot change unilaterally.

For UK recipients, adding promotional content to a service message makes it direct marketing under the ICO’s guidance. Putting the offer in the footer does not change this. General branding is different.

If you plan to use the confirmation as a tax invoice too, find out what that invoice must contain. The order details alone may not be enough. Depending on what you sell, subscriptions and digital products may also require further information.

Common mistakes

Some things are easy to overlook when you’re adapting a template. Give these a final check before you use it for customer orders.

• Leaving sample policies in a finished template

“Free returns” may look like ordinary sample text while you’re editing. Once it reaches a customer, it is a promise from your store. Replace it with your own returns policy, and check that the cancelation and order-change terms are yours too.

• Choosing a logo that disappears on another background

Your logo may look fine on white and be difficult to see on a dark background. Check it against both, along with any background contained in the image file itself. What matters is how the whole image looks when the email app changes the colors around it.

• Checking order links only while signed in

Try opening the guest-order link after you’ve signed out. While you’re logged in, your account may give you access that a guest customer doesn’t have, so a successful check there won’t tell you whether the link works for them.

Wrapping up

Choose the example for the purchase you need to confirm, and then adapt its copy and design in Stripo. Keep the order status clear and include the instructions that the customer needs next.

Before using the template for customers, send it through a test order and review the filled-in email. Save the sections you’ll use again as modules.

FAQ

1. How soon should an order confirmation email be sent?

Once the order appears in your store, let the customer know you’ve received it. If you’re still waiting for payment, say so in that email. You can confirm receipt of the money after the payment goes through.

2. Is an order confirmation email the same as a receipt?

A receipt confirms payment; an order confirmation confirms receipt of the order. When the customer has already paid, you can cover both in the same email.

3. What is the difference between an order confirmation and a shipping confirmation?

The customer first needs to know that their order has reached you. That’s what the order confirmation is for. When the goods are sent, the shipping confirmation tells them which items are on the way, with delivery details or a tracking number if available.

4. Is an order confirmation email legally required?

For EU and UK distance sales covered by the rules above, a contract confirmation is required in a format the buyer can keep. Email can provide it. The information and deadline depend on the purchase.

5. Can I include promotional content in an order confirmation email?

An offer can make the email subject to marketing requirements. Check the rules for your market; the legal section above explains the US and UK differences.

6. What should an order confirmation email subject line say?

Identify the purchase and what has happened, for example, “Order received: [Order number].” A subject such as “Your download is ready” only fits when the customer can access the files.

7. Why is my order confirmation email going to spam?

A message marked “delivered” has usually been accepted by the customer’s email provider. That entry doesn’t tell you which folder it reached, so the customer may still find it in spam. Review the sending logs alongside your authentication setup and sender reputation when looking into the problem.

8. Why are customers receiving two confirmation emails for one order?

Your store and another sending service may both be sending the email, or an integration may have processed the same event twice. Compare the messages and logs before disabling anything. Also, a receipt for payment and an order acknowledgment may both be needed.