Email retargeting is sending automated, personalized emails to people who interacted with your website, app or previous emails but did not finish an action, such as buying, booking or filling out a form. The email is triggered by what the person did (a product viewed, a cart left, a link clicked) and brings them back to finish. It is a digital marketing technique that only works with contacts whose email address you already have and who agreed to hear from you.
The two meanings of email retargeting
- Behavior-based emails (the most common meaning): your site or shop recognizes a known subscriber and sends a follow-up email based on what they viewed or left behind.
- Ads shown after an email: a tracking pixel in your email adds openers to an ad audience, so they later see your display or social ads. This second meaning is closer to remarketing, and it depends on images loading in the email.
How email retargeting works
- Identify the visitor: the person is a known contact, for example a subscriber who clicked a link in your newsletter or a logged-in customer.
- Track the behavior: your site or shop records the action (product viewed, cart created, form started).
- Trigger the email: a triggered email is sent automatically after a set delay, with content tied to that action.
- Stop when the goal is met: if the person buys or completes the form, the sequence ends.
For example, a visitor adds a jacket to their cart and leaves. One hour later they receive "You left something behind" with a photo of the jacket and a link back to the cart.
Common email retargeting triggers
| Trigger | Email sent | Typical timing |
|---|---|---|
| Abandoned cart | Reminder of the items left in the cart | 1 to 4 hours, then 1 day |
| Product or page viewed | The product viewed plus similar items | Same day or next day |
| Form or sign-up started | Invitation to finish, with the benefit restated | Within 24 hours |
| Email link clicked, no purchase | Follow-up on the topic or product clicked | 1 to 3 days |
| Past customer inactive | Win-back or replenishment reminder | Based on the usual buying cycle |
Benefits of email retargeting
- Higher conversion: you reach people who already showed interest, at the moment it is still fresh.
- More relevant messages: the content matches what each person looked at instead of a one-size-fits-all campaign.
- Low cost: once the automation is set up, each email costs a fraction of a paid ad.
- Recovered revenue: a well-timed reminder wins back part of the carts that would otherwise be lost.
Email retargeting vs remarketing
| Email retargeting | Ad remarketing | |
|---|---|---|
| Channel | Display, search and social ads | |
| Who you reach | Known contacts who opted in | Anonymous visitors tracked by cookies |
| Cost | Cost of sending the email | Pay per click or per impression |
| Personalization | Name, products viewed, order history | Product or category level |
Best practices
- Send the first email quickly: interest fades within hours.
- Use one clear call to action (CTA) that goes straight back to the cart or page.
- Segment your list by behavior so each person gets the right sequence.
- Cap the sequence at two or three emails and stop it as soon as the person converts.
- Respect privacy laws like GDPR: retarget only contacts who gave consent, and keep an unsubscribe link in every email.
Email retargeting with Mailpro
With Mailpro, you can set up email retargeting flows with our automation features: abandoned cart reminders, re-engagement sequences or follow-ups on links clicked in your campaigns, with real-time statistics and segmentation to measure the results. For a deeper comparison, read Email Retargeting vs. Traditional Campaigns: What Drives Better Results?
Email retargeting FAQ
Is email retargeting legal? Yes, when the person has opted in to receive your emails and your privacy policy explains the tracking. Without consent, sending behavior-based emails is not compliant with laws such as GDPR.
How many retargeting emails should I send? Two or three are usually enough. More than that tends to raise unsubscribes without adding sales.
Is an abandoned cart email a retargeting email? Yes. It is the most common type. See our guide to abandoned cart emails.
Ready-made designs: browse our free ecommerce email templates and customize one in minutes.
Mailpro and email retargeting
Retargeting in your owned channel, not on rented pixels
Mailpro fires retargeting emails based on opens, clicks and ecommerce events — your follow-up reaches the same contact even when the ad pixel drops, without ad-tech middlemen.