The customer journey, email by email
Each bubble is one email. They appear in the order a customer experiences them. Click a bubble to read the full email content.
Shopify sends it
Mailchimp sends it (status update)
Customer Center sends it (new — in development)
Internal — goes to Kevin, not the customer
0
Before the order
quotes & browsers1
Order placed
checkout completed or deposit paid2
Customization
stain · hardware · fabric — until production starts3
In production
builder confirms · build begins4
Finishing
staining & finishing applied5
Complete — balance & shipping
builder done · payment · tendered to delivery team6
Delivered
delivery team confirms✦
Anytime
can happen at any point in the journeySmall-item orders (UPS-shipped) skip steps 4–9 and get tracking emails instead — covered under For Developers.
Email content for approval
The proposed wording for each email, in Kevin’s voice. Merge fields appear in {{double braces}}.
A · Your QuoteSHOPIFY
Hello {{first_name}},
Thank you for the conversation about your {{product_title}} — here’s the quote we put together for you, with all the details we discussed: wood species, stain, hardware, and dimensions.
This quote is valid for 30 days. When you’re ready to begin your order, just click below to confirm and place your deposit — that gets your piece onto the builder’s schedule.
[Confirm Order button · quote summary · deposit & balance terms]
Questions, or want to adjust anything? Just reply — nothing is set until you say so.
We would be blessed to have your business! God bless you.
Kevin · Amish Traditions · (540) 525-8168
← back to the journey
B · You left something in your cartSHOPIFY
Hello!
Kevin here with Amish Traditions — thanks for visiting our website!
Reaching out because we saw that you added our {{product_title}} to your shopping cart. I wanted to check whether you have any questions about it — sizing, wood species, stain options, lead times — or if we can be helpful in getting your order started.
[Items in your cart + return-to-cart button]
We would be blessed to have your business! God bless you and have a great day.
Kevin · Amish Traditions
www.AmishTraditionsUSA.com · (540) 525-8168
← back to the journey
1 · Order ConfirmationSHOPIFY
Hello {{first_name}},
Thanks so much for your order! We are grateful and blessed to have your business — truly, thank you.
Because your furniture is made to order by hand, it isn’t sitting on a shelf somewhere — it’s built specifically for you by our Amish craftsmen once your order comes in. The anticipated lead time on your {{product_title}} is {{lead_time}}, plus handling and transit time with our professional home delivery teams.
**Follow your furniture’s journey.** We’ve set up a Customer Center account where you can watch your order move through every stage — Order Placed, In Production, Finishing, Shipped, Delivered — plus submit stain and hardware selections, browse stain options and fabrics, and ask us questions directly on your order.
[Create your login / Sign in button]
If any selections are still open on your order (stain, hardware, fabric), you can submit them right in your Customer Center — and if you’d like to see finishes in person first, we’ll gladly mail you samples in your wood species, free of charge.
Questions about anything? Reply to this email, ask right in your Customer Center, or call/text (540) 525-8168.
Thanks again — God bless you!
The Amish Traditions Team
[order summary + totals]
Note: account creation/login flow at checkout to be confirmed with dev — see For Developers #1.
← back to the journey
i · New order alert → KevinINTERNAL
Existing Shopify staff notification — order #, customer, items, SKUs, payment & shipping details, fraud-risk flag, View Order button. No changes needed.
← back to the journey
2 · We received your selectionsCUSTOMER CENTER
Hello {{first_name}},
Thank you! We’ve received your selections for your {{product_title}}:
{{selections_list}}
We’re passing these along to your builder. If you sent back finish samples, we’ll take care of the rest — and if anything changes your mind in the next few days, just reply or give us a call and we’ll catch it before the finish goes on.
You can review everything anytime in your Customer Center.
God bless you!
The Amish Traditions Team · (540) 525-8168
New email — trigger built by dev (portal customization submit). Pairs with the internal alert below so Kevin forwards selections to the builder.
← back to the journey
3 · Reminder: selections neededCUSTOMER CENTER
Hello {{first_name}},
Your {{product_title}} is coming along! One thing we still need from you: your {{missing_selections}}.
There’s no panic — selections aren’t needed until about week 6 of the build — but choosing soon keeps everything right on schedule.
Two easy ways to decide:
• Submit your selection in your Customer Center: {{customization_link}}
• Want to see finishes in person first? We’ll mail you samples in your wood species free of charge, with a prepaid label to send them back. Just reply and say “samples, please.”
Many customers are matching existing furniture, trim, or flooring — if that’s you, send us a photo and we’ll help you find the closest match.
God bless you!
The Amish Traditions Team · (540) 525-8168
New email — trigger built by dev (missing selections + timer). Automates Kevin’s stain-sample chase, his single biggest back-and-forth.
← back to the journey
i · Selections submitted → KevinINTERNAL
Order #{{order_number}} · {{product_title}}
Customer: {{customer_name}}
Submitted selections:
{{selections_list}}
Next steps: forward to builder · send prepaid sample-return label if samples are out.
[View order]
New internal alert — critical. Without it, portal submissions sit unseen and orders stall.
← back to the journey
4 · Your build has startedMAILCHIMP
Hi {{first_name}},
Good news — your order has moved into production. Our craftsmen have begun building your piece by hand, using solid wood and the same joinery techniques that have made Amish furniture last for generations.
Order #{{order_number}} · Status: In Production
There’s nothing you need to do at this stage. We’ll let you know as soon as your piece moves into finishing — and you can check your order timeline anytime in your Customer Center.
Questions? Reply here, ask in your Customer Center, or reach us at (540) 525-8168 / Sales@amishtraditionsusa.com.
Warmly,
The Amish Traditions Team
Note: if selections can still be missing at this point, the reminder email (#3) carries that message — keeping this one calm and simple.
← back to the journey
5 · Being stained & finishedMAILCHIMP
Hi {{first_name}},
Your order has moved into finishing. This is where the wood gets its character — hand-stained and finished to bring out the grain and give your piece the rich, lasting look it’s known for.
Order #{{order_number}} · Status: Finishing
This step takes care and time, since it’s done by hand rather than rushed through a machine. Once finishing is complete, your order will be prepped and scheduled for shipping, and we’ll email you the moment that happens. Check your order timeline anytime in your Customer Center.
Questions? Reply here or reach us at (540) 525-8168 / Sales@amishtraditionsusa.com.
Warmly,
The Amish Traditions Team
← back to the journey
6 · Your piece is complete — balance dueSHOPIFY
Hello {{first_name}},
Great news! We’ve received notification from the builders that your {{product_title}} is now completed!
The remaining balance on your order is shown below. Once your payment is received, we’ll tender your piece to the delivery team that covers your area and follow up with your delivery window.
[Pay Now button · updated total · already paid · amount to pay]
Thanks so much for your business — God bless you!
The Amish Traditions Team · (540) 525-8168
Note: if payment isn’t received, Shopify’s payment reminder follows up automatically on the due date — no more manual chasing.
← back to the journey
7 · Payment receiptSHOPIFY
Standard Shopify receipt — amount charged, payment method, billing details, View Your Order button. Replaces the manually attached “Paid In Full” invoice PDF. Default wording; branded header.
← back to the journey
8 · Your order has shippedMAILCHIMP
Hi {{first_name}},
Your order has shipped! After weeks of careful handcrafting, your {{product_title}} is finally on its way to you.
Here’s how delivery works: your piece is blanket-wrapped and loaded onto an enclosed trailer by a team that specializes in shipping and delivering Amish furniture. As your order is picked up, delivery is arranged based on your location and where your home falls along the team’s route.
**The delivery team will reach out to you directly** to arrange your final delivery day, and you’ll receive notice at least 48 hours ahead of time. Your delivery window is {{delivery_window}}.
A couple of things to keep in mind:
• Deliveries typically arrive within two to three weeks of pickup, depending on routing.
• Please inspect your piece upon arrival and let us know right away if anything looks off.
You can check your order status anytime in your Customer Center.
We can’t wait for it to arrive in your home. Thanks again for your business — God bless you!
The Amish Traditions Team · (540) 525-8168 | Sales@amishtraditionsusa.com
Note: rewritten from the earlier draft — furniture deliveries have no carrier tracking, so this explains the delivery-team process instead. {{delivery_window}} should also populate the “Est. Delivery” field in the Customer Center.
← back to the journey
9 · Enjoy your new furnitureMAILCHIMP
Hi {{first_name}},
Your {{product_title}} has been delivered! We hope it looks even better in your home than you pictured.
If anything about your piece isn’t quite right, please reach out — we want to make it right. Just reply to this email, or call/text (540) 525-8168.
**One small favor:** if you have a moment, we’d love to see a quick photo of your new piece in its home and setting. Seeing all the correspondence with customers and builders come to life in a tangible way is one of our favorite parts of this work!
And if you’re happy with your new piece, we’d be truly grateful if you’d share a few words in a review — it helps other families find furniture that lasts. {{review_link}}
Thank you for choosing Amish Traditions. We hope this piece is enjoyed for generations to come. God bless you!
The Amish Traditions Team
Decision for Kevin: review link → Google review (current practice) or the Customer Center’s “Write Review” — pick one destination.
← back to the journey
✦ · Kevin answered your questionCUSTOMER CENTER
Hello {{first_name}},
Good news — we’ve replied to your question about your {{product_title}}:
“{{answer_preview}}”
You can read the full answer and continue the conversation in your Customer Center:
[View the answer]
Always happy to help — God bless you!
The Amish Traditions Team · (540) 525-8168
New email — trigger built by dev. Without it, customers never know their question was answered.
← back to the journey
i · New question → KevinINTERNAL
From: {{customer_name}} ({{customer_email}})
Order #{{order_number}} · {{product_title}} · Status: {{order_status}}
“{{question_text}}”
[Answer in Help Center]
New internal alert — trigger built by dev. Optional: daily digest of unanswered questions so nothing sits in “Pending.”
← back to the journey
✦ · Order on hold / back on trackMAILCHIMP
On Hold — “Your order has been placed on a temporary hold. This doesn’t affect the craftsmanship or care going into your piece — we simply need a bit more information (or time) before moving forward. We’ll follow up shortly with details specific to your order. Questions right now? Reply to this email or call/text (540) 525-8168.”
Hold Released — “Good news — the hold on your order has been released, and your piece is back on track! We’ll keep you posted as it moves through each remaining stage. Thanks for your patience — we’re glad to have this moving again.”
← back to the journey
i · Hold alert → KevinINTERNAL
Order #{{order_number}} ({{customer_name}}) was placed on hold / released.
Reason note: {{hold_note}}
Reminder: the customer email promises “we’ll follow up shortly with details” — that follow-up is yours.
[View order]
New internal alert — built in Shopify Flow.
← back to the journey
✦ · Edits, cancellations & payment issuesSHOPIFY
These keep their standard Shopify wording (branded header only):
• Order Edited — sent automatically when order details change in admin
• Order Canceled — reason-specific wording (request, payment declined, etc.)
• Payment Error — checkout payment failed, “return to cart”
• Payment Reminder — balance due today / overdue, with Pay Now
• Small items (UPS): Shipping Confirmation with tracking (“may not show movement for a few days while the builders pack it”), then automatic Out-for-Delivery and Delivered tracking emails
← back to the journey
For developers — overlaps & open items
Duplicate-send risks to resolve, new triggers to build, and items needing confirmation before QA.
⚠ Fix first — deliverability: Shopify shows “Email domain authentication: Needs setup” for sales@amishtraditionsusa.com (SPF/DKIM/DMARC). Until authenticated, sends fall back to store+…@shopifyemail.com and inbox placement suffers for every email in this plan. Verify Mailchimp domain auth as well.
Sending infrastructure — who sends what (no Shopify Plus required)
| Color on the map | Sent by | Setup |
|---|---|---|
| Green — Shopify | Native Shopify notification templates | Edit Liquid templates in Settings → Notifications. Available on every plan. |
| Blue — Mailchimp | Mailchimp automation | Shopify Flow (free on all plans) watches the order-status metafield → sends event → Mailchimp journey email. Already built by dev; verify mapping. |
| Purple — Customer Center | The custom portal app — NOT Shopify. Shopify has no triggers/templates for portal Q&A or customization events. | App sends via a transactional email service (Postmark / SendGrid / Resend / Mailchimp Transactional), or fires a Mailchimp event like the status emails. Dev team's build. |
| Gray — Internal | Mixed | New order = native staff notification (on). Hold alerts = Flow “Send internal email” (free). Question & customization alerts = portal app, same as purple. |
A · Duplicate-send risks (resolve before launch)
| Event | Conflict | Resolution | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Order placed | Native Order Confirmation + Mailchimp “Order Placed” template both exist | Native owns it. Never enroll the Mailchimp Order Placed email. | HIGH |
| Shipped (furniture) | Marking fulfilled fires native Shipping Confirmation; metafield fires Mailchimp Shipped | Fulfill furniture with “notify customer” UNCHECKED. Mailchimp Shipped is the only send. Document in admin guide. | HIGH |
| Delivered (small items) | Native tracking-based Delivered (toggle ON) + Mailchimp Delivered if enrolled | Exclude small items from the Mailchimp status journey entirely; tracking emails cover them. | MED |
| Abandoned cart | Native abandoned email + Shop app Cart Reminder (ON) + Kevin’s manual outreach = up to 3 touches | Keep native email; review Shop Cart Reminder; Kevin’s personal text reserved for high-value carts. | MED |
| Order edited | Admin edits auto-email the customer — including silent internal corrections | Confirm desired; train Kevin on when edits notify. | LOW |
| Delivered (photo/review) | Mailchimp Delivered asks for review AND portal has “Write Review”; Kevin also sends personal follow-ups | One review destination (Google vs portal — Kevin to decide); Kevin’s personal email becomes optional, not duplicate. | LOW |
B · New triggers to build (Customer Center app)
| Trigger | Sends | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Question submitted on order/product | Internal alert → Kevin (question inline + answer link) | HIGH |
| Support reply posted | Customer email “We’ve answered your question” + thread link | HIGH |
| Customization submitted | Customer confirmation + internal alert → Kevin (forward to builder) | HIGH |
| Customization still missing (timer, ~wk 4–5 of build) | Customer reminder w/ samples offer; repeat or escalate to Kevin if ignored | MED |
| Order status metafield change | (Existing) Flow → Mailchimp event → journey email. Verify: each status maps to right email; re-triggers allowed (hold→release→hold); small items excluded | HIGH |
| Hold / release | Internal alert → Kevin (Shopify Flow) | MED |
| Unanswered questions > 24h | Optional daily digest → Kevin | LOW |
C · To confirm with dev / Kevin
- Account creation: auto-created at checkout, or invite email needed? Order Confirmation copy assumes a “create your login / sign in” button — confirm the actual flow and link.
- Est. Delivery field: who populates it and when (shows “Not available yet”)? Plan: Kevin sets delivery window at tender; it feeds both the portal field and the Shipped email’s {{delivery_window}}.
- Merge fields available to Mailchimp: product_title, lead_time (per product), delivery_window, review_link — confirm these pass through the Flow → Mailchimp event payload.
- Review destination: Google review vs portal Write Review — one link everywhere.
- FAQ copy: “Can I return or exchange an item?” must state the no-returns policy so emails and portal agree.
- Website form leads: confirm form submissions notify Kevin (and/or feed Marblism).
- Staff alerts: keep New Order / New Change Request / New Draft Order ON; recommend Sales Attribution Edited OFF (noise).
- Retired manual emails (Kevin stops sending once live): PDF order confirmation, order-complete/balance email, delivery follow-up, review request, abandoned-cart first touch.
D · QA before launch
- One test order through all statuses — exactly one customer email per event (watch Order Placed and Shipped).
- Test separately: online furniture, offline/deposit (quote → confirm → balance → pay), small item w/ tracking, hold → release, portal question → answer, customization submit → confirmations.
- Every email: Customer Center links work, desktop + mobile rendering, light + dark mode.