Transactional email

What is a transactional email?

A transactional email is an automated message sent to a single recipient as a result of an action they performed on a website or app.

There are many types of transactional emails, and you have likely received one recently.

Some common triggers for transactional emails include password recoveries, purchase validations, form registration confirmations, email address verifications, service review requests, order tracking, and more.

Unlike mass email campaigns, transactional emails are sent to a single person. The goal is to communicate important information, a required action, or an event triggered by the user.

A well-known example is a transactional email containing an order summary. These are highly useful because they provide us with a personal record of our purchases.

But there are many more:

Subscription confirmation emails
Emails containing account login details
Or order status updates

All of these provide relevant information for a specific user and must arrive immediately at the right time.

Characteristics of transactional emails

In summary, the key characteristics of a transactional email are:

Unique trigger: It is sent automatically after a specific user action (e.g., a purchase or registration).
High relevance: The user is expecting it, which leads to very high open rates.
Personalized content: It includes details exclusive to the recipient (names, order numbers, links).
Functional purpose: Its goal is to inform or confirm, not to mass sell.
Immediacy: Delivery must happen in real-time to be effective.
No mandatory unsubscribe link: Since it is service-related information, they typically don’t require an unsubscribe link.

Advantages of transactional emails

Transactional emails are crucial for any business, and you should care for their content just as much as you do when creating an email marketing campaign.

Some of the advantages of transactional emails include:

Increased loyalty. When sent at the right time and in the right format, these emails build loyalty and create a sense of closeness.
Boost brand awareness. Customers welcome transactional emails because they provide valuable information, creating a clear opportunity to enhance your branding.
Reduce customer service workload. By providing customers with up-to-date information, you avoid general inquiries or questions about order statuses.
Improve user experience. They are highly valuable for ensuring a satisfactory experience in any situation.
Personalize communications. Even though they are automated, they are sent individually to each contact, allowing for a personal touch with every customer.
Enable cross-selling and up-selling. Since customers expect to receive these emails, their open rates are very high, making them a great tool for increasing sales.

Differences between email marketing and transactional emails

Sending mass emails or email marketing campaigns is very different from sending transactional emails. Here are the main differences between both types of email communications:

Email marketing allows you to reach many recipients simultaneously, whereas transactional emails are more personalized communications, as they are a direct response to a specific action taken by an individual.
Transactional emails are not required to include an unsubscribe link, which is mandatory when running mass email campaigns.
The recipients of a transactional email are people who have interacted with our website or app (they don’t necessarily have to be customers). On the other hand, email marketing targets established or potential customers.
Transactional emails must arrive as quickly as possible, acting as an immediate response to an action. In contrast, email marketing campaigns can be scheduled since the recipient is not expecting an immediate response or notification.

Is it possible to send transactional emails using a mass email service?

Although mass email services, such as Mailrelay, are designed to send large volumes of emails to thousands of contacts, they sometimes also include features for sending transactional emails.

Below we will look at the alternatives, all of which are available with a free Mailrelay account.

► Transactional emails sent from the user interface itself

As mentioned, mailing tools are used for sending large volumes; however, there are situations where sending a transactional email is necessary.

For example:

Subscription confirmation emails (double opt-in)
Automated emails (in response to a subscription, on a birthday, upon registering for a new list, etc.)
Even to confirm an unsubscription

All of these emails are usually managed from the email marketing tool’s dashboard, which allows you to edit, schedule, and track them.

Once configured, you won’t need to do anything else, as the software will handle the sending process and deliver them at the right time.

What about other types of emails, like purchase summaries?

In this case, they are not sent from the platform itself because there is no direct communication between the external tool and Mailrelay.

Even so, it is possible to use Mailrelay to send transactional emails for an online store.

► Transactional emails sent via SMTP

Today, most e-commerce platforms, such as:

PrestaShop
WooCommerce
Magento
Shopify

Allow you to configure sending via SMTP.

Typically, these platforms use the server where they are hosted to send emails, bringing along the usual limitations.

At first, when your e-commerce site is “fresh out of the oven”, you likely won’t notice anything or run into any problems.

However, as your store grows in sales volume and sends out more emails, you will likely hit the limits imposed by hosting services.

Keep in mind that a lot of emails can be sent:

Purchase summaries
Purchase status updates
Potential errors or modifications
Related product promotions
Etc.

All of this needs to be sent out consistently, every day.

And there comes a point where doing this with a hosting service is no longer viable.

In that case, you can easily configure Mailrelay’s SMTP so that these emails are sent from the email marketing software instead of your hosting server.

This provides an immediate solution for delivering all these transactional emails from an efficient sending platform.

► Transactional emails sent via API

The final option for sending transactional emails with Mailrelay is by using the developer API.

This is an effective alternative for use with apps, CRMs, or similar systems, integrating that software with Mailrelay to send transactional emails in a wide variety of situations:

When the user performs a specific action
Based on certain conditions (usage time, preferences)
As a confirmation or event reminder
Etc.

These are highly varied actions and therefore difficult to manage from a conventional email marketing application. Having an API that allows you to link both tools is the best option.

Examples of transactional emails

1. Account Management

Welcome: Account creation confirmation after registration.
Verification: A code or link to confirm an email address.
Password reset: A temporary link to change login credentials.
Security alert: Notification of a login from a new device.

2. Purchase Cycle (E-commerce)

Order confirmation: A summary of purchased products and the total amount paid.
Receipt or invoice: Attached legal document or details of the payment made.
Shipping notice: Notification that the package has left the warehouse.
Tracking: A link to view the package’s real-time location.
Delivery confirmation: A final message when the product reaches its destination.

3. Activity and Notifications

Terms updates: Notices regarding changes to privacy policies or terms and conditions.
Activity summary: A weekly or monthly usage report (common in finance or health apps).
Comments or mentions: Notification that someone interacted with the user on a social platform.
Support request: Confirmation that a support ticket has been received.

4. Events and Bookings

Appointment confirmation: Date and time reminder for a service (doctor, salon, etc.).
E-ticket: Delivery of tickets for an event, flight, or movie.
Cancellation: Confirmation that a booking or subscription has been canceled.