Customizing Email Templates

DemandLoop sends several types of emails to customers. Customize these templates to match your brand voice, colors, and messaging—improving engagement and conversion rates.

What you'll accomplish

• Understand the three email types DemandLoop sends
• Customize templates with your brand colors, logo, and copy
• Use template variables to personalize messages
• Apply best practices for subject lines, CTAs, and mobile rendering

Requirements

• Plan: Free plan or higher (email is included on all plans)
• Access: DemandLoop dashboard access
• For custom domain: DNS access to add SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records

Email Types

DemandLoop sends three main email types:

1. Subscription Confirmation

Sent: Immediately after customer subscribes

Purpose: Confirm subscription, set expectations

Default subject: "You're on the waitlist for {product_name}"

Contains:

• Subscription confirmation
• Product image and details
• Expected restock timeframe (if known)
• Manage subscription link
• Unsubscribe link

2. Restock Notification

Sent: When product comes back in stock (via Fair Queue)

Purpose: Alert customer, drive purchase

Default subject: "{product_name} is back in stock!"

Contains:

• Product image and details
• "View Product" button (with tracking)
• Limited stock urgency message
• Unsubscribe link

3. Preorder Confirmation

Sent: After customer places preorder

Purpose: Confirm order, provide expected ship date

Default subject: "Preorder confirmed: {product_name}"

Contains:

• Order confirmation
• Product details
• Expected ship date
• Order number and tracking
• Manage order link

Customization Options

Access Email Settings

Go to: Settings → Email Templates

Basic Customization

Logo

• Upload your store logo (recommended: 200x60px PNG)
• Appears at top of all emails
• Falls back to store name if no logo

Brand Colors

Primary Color: Button background
Text Color: Body text
Link Color: Clickable links
Background: Email background

From Name

Default: [Your Store Name]
Custom: "The [Store] Team" or "[Founder Name] from [Store]"

From Email

Default: [email protected]
Custom: [email protected] (requires DNS setup)

Subject Lines

Restock Notification:

Default: "{product_name} is back in stock!"

Alternatives:
- "{product_name} is back!"
- "We restocked {product_name} just for you"
- "Your wait is over: {product_name} available now"
- "Hurry! {product_name} back in stock (limited quantity)"

Confirmation Email:

Default: "You're on the waitlist for {product_name}"

Alternatives:
- "✓ Confirmed: We'll notify you about {product_name}"
- "You're first in line for {product_name}"
- "We'll email you when {product_name} is back"

Email Body

Greeting:

Default: "Hi there,"
Custom: "Hey {first_name}," or "Hello!"

Main Message (Restock Notification):

Default: 
"{product_name} is back in stock! 
Click below to view the product and complete your purchase."

Custom examples:
"Good news! {product_name} just restocked. 
Stock is limited—grab yours before it's gone!"

"You asked, we restocked! {product_name} is available now.
We saved one with your name on it (but only for the next 48 hours)."

Call-to-Action Button:

Default: "View Product"

Alternatives:
- "Shop Now"
- "Get Yours"
- "Buy Now"
- "See Product"
- "Grab It Before It's Gone"

Footer Message:

Default:
"You received this email because you subscribed to 
restock notifications for this product."

Custom:
"We only send you emails about products you want. 
Reply to this email if you have questions!"

Using Variables

Available Variables

Use these placeholders—they auto-fill with real data:

Product Variables:

{product_name} - Product title
{variant_name} - Variant details (e.g., "Blue / Large")
{product_price} - Price with currency
{product_url} - Direct product link
{product_image} - Product image URL

Customer Variables:

{customer_email} - Customer's email
{first_name} - Customer's first name (if available)
{subscription_date} - When they subscribed

Store Variables:

{store_name} - Your store name
{store_url} - Your store homepage
{support_email} - Your support email

Example usage:

Subject: {product_name} is back, {first_name}!

Body:
Hi {first_name},

Great news! {product_name} ({variant_name}) just came 
back in stock at {product_price}.

You subscribed on {subscription_date}, and we wanted 
you to be the first to know!

[View Product]

Thanks,
The {store_name} Team

Design Best Practices

Mobile-First Design

70% of emails opened on mobile - optimize for small screens:

• Single-column layout
• Large buttons (min 44x44px)
• Font size 14px+ for body text
• Clear hierarchy (big headline, short paragraphs)
• Fast-loading images (< 100KB)

Subject Line Optimization

Best practices:

Length: 40-50 characters (mobile truncates at ~30)

Good: "{product_name} is back!"
Bad:  "We're excited to let you know that the product you've been waiting for is finally back in stock and available for purchase!"

Front-load important info:

Good: "Premium Hoodie restocked - grab yours!"
Bad:  "Just wanted to let you know Premium Hoodie is back"

Use emojis sparingly:

Good: "{product_name} is back in stock"
Good: "New drop: {product_name}"
Bad:  "OMG! {product_name}"

Create urgency (when true):

Good: "Limited restock: {product_name} (only 15 left)"
Good: "{product_name} back - won't last long"
Bad:  "URGENT!!! BUY NOW OR MISS OUT FOREVER!!!"

Email Body Copy

Keep it concise:

Good:
"Good news! {product_name} is back in stock.

[Shop Now]"

Bad:
"We hope this email finds you well. We wanted to take
a moment to inform you that after careful consideration
and extensive planning, we have successfully restocked
the product you expressed interest in..."

Focus on benefits, not features:

Good: "Get the comfort you've been waiting for"
Bad:  "This product has 100% cotton fabric construction"

Use social proof (when available):

"Join 500+ happy customers who love this product"
"Our #1 bestseller is back"
"Rated 4.9/5 stars by 200+ reviews"

Call-to-Action

Make it obvious:

• Large button (not just text link)
• Contrasting color (stands out from background)
• Action-oriented text ("Shop Now" not "Click Here")
• Single primary CTA (don't overwhelm with choices)

Button placement:

• Above the fold (visible without scrolling)
• Repeated at bottom (for long emails)
• Mobile thumb-friendly (bottom of screen)

Testing Your Emails

Preview Mode

Before sending:

1. Go to Settings → Email Templates
2. Select template to edit
3. Make changes
4. Click Preview
5. See exactly how customers will see it

Check these:

• Logo displays correctly
• Colors match brand
• Variables populate correctly
• Buttons work (click to test)
• Mobile rendering looks good

Send Test Email

Send to yourself:

1. Edit email template
2. Click "Send Test Email"
3. Enter your email address
4. Check inbox (arrives in ~30 seconds)

Test on multiple devices:

• Desktop email client (Gmail, Outlook)
• Mobile phone (iOS Mail, Gmail app)
• Tablet
• Dark mode (if your customers use it)

A/B Testing (Manual)

Test different subject lines:

Week 1: Use subject line A
Week 2: Use subject line B
Compare: Open rates in Analytics (Growth plan)

Example:

Subject A: "{product_name} is back in stock"
Open rate: 42%

Subject B: "{product_name} restocked - limited quantity!"
Open rate: 58%

Winner: Subject B (16% improvement)

Email Deliverability

Best Practices for Inbox Placement

Avoid spam triggers:

• ALL CAPS SUBJECT LINES
• Excessive punctuation!!!!
• Spammy words (FREE, URGENT, LIMITED TIME ONLY)
• Too many emojis in subject lines
• Shortened URLs (bit.ly, tinyurl)

Do include:

• Clear unsubscribe link (required by law)
• Physical address in footer (CAN-SPAM requirement)
• Consistent from name/email
• Relevant, expected content
• Plain text version (auto-generated by DemandLoop)

Custom Domain Email (Advanced)

Benefits of custom domain:

• Builds trust (emails from @yourstore.com)
• Better deliverability (your reputation)
• Professional appearance

Setup required:

1. Verify domain ownership
2. Add DNS records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)
3. Warm up domain (gradually increase send volume)

Go to: Settings → Email Settings → Custom Domain

Real-World Examples

Example 1: Minimal & Clean

Store: Modern furniture brand

Subject: "Atlas Sofa restocked"

Body:

Hi Sarah,

Good news — the Atlas Sofa in Charcoal is back.

[Shop Now]

Thanks,
The Furn Team

Why it works:

• Simple, direct
• No fluff
• Clear CTA
• Brand-appropriate minimalism

Example 2: Friendly & Conversational

Store: Sustainable fashion

Subject: "Your favorite jeans are back!"

Body:

Hey there!

Remember those organic jeans you wanted? They're 
finally back in stock (and they won't last long).

We got a small batch this time, so grab your size 
before they're gone again!

[Get Your Pair]

Sustainably yours,
Emma @ EcoThreads

Why it works:

• Personal tone
• Creates urgency (honestly)
• Brand voice consistent
• Friendly, human touch

Example 3: Premium & Elegant

Store: Luxury jewelry

Subject: "The Diamond Collection has returned"

Body:

Dear Valued Customer,

We are pleased to announce the return of our 
signature Diamond Solitaire Collection.

Each piece is handcrafted and available in 
limited quantities.

[Explore Collection]

With appreciation,
Maison Bijoux

Why it works:

• Matches premium positioning
• Elegant language
• Exclusivity implied
• Brand-appropriate formality

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Generic, Boring Emails

Bad:

Subject: Product notification
Body: A product is now available.

Good:

Subject: Premium Sneakers back in stock!
Body: The kicks you wanted are here. Limited sizes remaining.

Mistake 2: Too Much Text

Bad:

We're thrilled to announce that after weeks of 
anticipation and careful planning, we've successfully 
secured additional inventory of the product you 
expressed interest in. This restock represents our 
commitment to customer satisfaction and...
[300 more words]

Good:

Great news! Premium Hoodie is back.

[Shop Now]

Mistake 3: Weak Call-to-Action

Bad:

[Click here] [View] [Go] [More info]

Good:

[Shop Now] [Get Yours] [Grab Your Size]

Mistake 4: No Mobile Optimization

Bad:

• Tiny font (12px or smaller)
• Tiny buttons (20x20px)
• Multi-column layout
• Large images (slow loading)

Good:

• Readable font (16px+)
• Large buttons (44x44px minimum)
• Single-column
• Optimized images (<100KB)

Mistake 5: False Urgency

Bad:

"ONLY 2 LEFT!!!" (when there are 200)
"EXPIRES IN 1 HOUR!" (no actual deadline)
"ONCE IN A LIFETIME!" (restocks weekly)

Good:

"Limited restock" (if true)
"While supplies last" (always true)
"Back for a short time" (if seasonal)

Troubleshooting

Emails Going to Spam

Check these:

1. Subject line - Remove spam trigger words
2. Sender reputation - Use custom domain with proper DNS
3. Content - Avoid excessive caps, punctuation, emojis
4. Unsubscribe link - Must be present and working
5. Email authentication - Verify SPF/DKIM records

Ask customers to:

• Add your email to contacts
• Mark as "Not Spam" if it's in spam folder
• Whitelist your domain

Variables Not Populating

Problem: Email shows {product_name} instead of actual name

Causes:

• Typo in variable name (case-sensitive)
• Invalid variable used
• Template cache needs clearing

Solution:

1. Check variable spelling exactly: {product_name} not {product-name}
2. Use only approved variables (see list above)
3. Save template and send test email to verify

Images Not Loading

Problem: Product images broken in email

Causes:

• Image URL invalid
• Image too large (>1MB)
• Email client blocking images

Solution:

1. Verify image URL is publicly accessible
2. Compress images (<100KB recommended)
3. Add alt text for accessibility
4. Include text description as backup

Low Open Rates

Problem: Emails sent but nobody opening

Check:

• Subject line (boring? too long?)
• From name (recognizable?)
• Send time (middle of night?)
• Email frequency (too many emails?)

Improve:

• Test different subject lines
• Send during business hours
• Reduce email frequency
• Personalize with {first_name}

Advanced Tips

Personalization Boosts Opens

Generic:

Subject: Product back in stock
Open rate: 28%

Personalized:

Subject: {first_name}, your {product_name} is back!
Open rate: 42%

Improvement: +50% open rate

Urgency Increases Clicks

No urgency:

Body: {product_name} is back in stock.
Click rate: 15%

With urgency:

Body: {product_name} is back! Limited stock—won't last long.
Click rate: 28%

Improvement: +87% click rate

Social Proof Boosts Conversion

No social proof:

Body: {product_name} is available now.
Conversion: 18%

With social proof:

Body: {product_name} is back! Join 500+ happy customers. 4.8/5 rating.
Conversion: 26%

Improvement: +44% conversion

FAQ

Q: Can I use HTML in email templates?
No. Templates use a simple text editor with variables. HTML could break email deliverability.

Q: Can I send different emails to different customer segments?
Not currently. All customers receive the same template. Segmentation is planned for future release.

Q: How do I add my logo?
Go to Settings → Email Templates → Upload Logo (recommended size: 200x60px PNG with transparent background).

Q: Can I schedule when emails send?
Emails send automatically when products restock. Use Fair Queue settings to control timing/batches.

Q: Will email changes affect past notifications?
No. Template changes only apply to future emails. Past emails remain unchanged.

Q: Can customers reply to notification emails?
Yes, if you set up custom domain. Replies go to your support email. With default sending, replies go to no-reply@ address.

Q: How do I test emails without sending to real customers?
Use "Send Test Email" button in template editor to send to your own email address.

Next Steps

• How Notifications Work - Understand email delivery flow
• Fair Queue Settings - Control notification timing
• Understanding Analytics - Track email performance