Tech
Cold Email Playbook: E-commerce B2B
Sell to online stores and DTC brands. Fast cycles, clear metrics, performance-driven buyers.
35%
avg open rate
4.5%
avg reply rate
1.8%
meeting rate
18%
close rate
Who to target
Titles
CEO, Head of Growth, E-commerce Manager
Company size
$1M-50M revenue
Trigger
Scaling ad spend, launching new markets
Platform
Shopify Plus, WooCommerce, Magento
Budget signal
Running Meta/Google ads at scale
Geography
US, UK, EU, AU
Messaging angles that work
These are the 3 approaches that consistently get replies in this vertical. Pick the one that fits your prospect best.
1. CRO angle
"I looked at your checkout flow. You're probably leaving 15-20% of revenue on the table."
Why it works: Every e-com founder obsesses over conversion rate. Specific = credible.
2. Ad spend comparison
"You're spending $X/mo on Meta. Outbound can generate the same pipeline at 1/10th the cost."
Why it works: E-com founders understand CAC. Show them a better channel.
3. Competitor intel
"Your competitor just launched in [market]. Here's what their strategy looks like."
Why it works: E-com is hyper-competitive. Competitor moves get attention.
The 7-step sequence
Email + LinkedIn, orchestrated over 18 days. The channel alternation is what makes this work.
Day 1
CRO or competitor angle
Specific observation about their store.
Day 2
Connect
Short note. "Sent you something on {{company}}'s checkout flow."
Day 5
Engage with content
Like their product launch post. Show you know their brand.
Day 6
Ad spend comparison
CAC argument with numbers.
Day 10
Send message
"Curious -- what's your main acquisition channel right now besides Meta?"
Day 12
Case study
Similar brand, specific revenue impact.
Day 18
Breakup
Clean close.
Ready-to-use templates
Copy these directly into your campaign. Each one is pre-scored for deliverability.
CRO opener
Score: 86/100
Subject: {{company}} conversion rates
Hi {{firstName}},
I looked at {{company}} and noticed a few things on the checkout flow that might be leaving revenue on the table.
We helped 3 DTC brands in your space increase checkout conversion by 15-25% in the last quarter. Average uplift: $48K/mo in recovered revenue.
Would a 15-min walkthrough of what we found be useful?
Best,
Sarah
When they push back
The most common objections in this vertical and exactly what to say.
"We only do performance marketing"
Outbound IS performance marketing. Measurable, attributable, predictable. The difference: no ad platform takes a 30% cut.
"Our AOV is too low for outbound"
If your LTV is above $500, outbound works. We target based on lifetime value, not first purchase. B2B e-com and wholesale are especially strong.
Run this playbook in Overloop
Every template is ready to paste into a campaign. First meetings in 3 weeks.
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