E-commerce
September 18, 2026
Wondering how to analyze email marketing metrics in 2022? The essential is to track five indicators: bounces, deliverability, opens, clicks, and unsubscribes. This data allows you to adjust your campaigns and improve your sales.
Be careful, each metric has its limits. For example, the open rate is disrupted by Apple features, and deliverability does not measure placement in the inbox. It is therefore necessary to interpret these figures with caution.
So how to analyze email marketing metrics in 2022? On the agenda:
What is the bounce rate and how to reduce it?
Why deliverability doesn't guarantee the inbox?
How to interpret the open rate despite iOS 15?
What is the difference between unique clicks and total clicks?
How to react to an increase in unsubscribes?
Let's go.
In this guide, we will detail each indicator, explain how to calculate it, and above all how to use it to make better marketing decisions. Whether you are a beginner or experienced, you will find practical tips to optimize your campaigns and maximize your return on investment.
Summary
What is the bounce rate in email marketing?
The bounce rate measures the percentage of emails that did not reach their recipient. There are two types of bounces: soft bounces and hard bounces.
A soft bounce is a temporary blockage, such as a full mailbox. A hard bounce is permanent, for example, a deleted or non-existent address. Most providers retry soft bounces three times over 24 hours before classifying them as hard bounces.
The bounce rate varies based on the age of your list and the frequency of sending. Frequent sendings reduce bounces, as invalid addresses are eliminated faster. In e-commerce, a bounce rate of around 1% is common. A dormant list can reach 5 to 10%.
To reduce your bounces, regularly clean your list by removing invalid addresses. Use a double opt-in to verify the accuracy of addresses right from subscription. Also monitor spam complaints, as they can increase your hard bounces. A high bounce rate harms your sender reputation and can land you in spam.
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Why deliverability does not guarantee the inbox?
Deliverability is the percentage of sent emails minus bounces, divided by the total. For example, five bounces out of 100 subscribers give a deliverability rate of 95%. The bounce rate plus the deliverability rate must equal 100%.
Most campaigns show a deliverability of 98 to 100%. But this figure does not measure inbox placement. A rate of 99% can mean that 25% of emails arrive in the main inbox and 74% in spam.
No software accurately tracks emails placed in spam or secondary folders. Therefore, other signals, such as opens and clicks, must be monitored to assess the real quality of your deliverability.
To improve your deliverability, work on your sender reputation: send regularly, avoid spam traps, and segment your list to send relevant content. Use deliverability tools to test your emails before sending and identify potential problems.
How to interpret the open rate despite iOS 15?
The open rate is calculated using an invisible image inserted into each email. A recipient who downloads this image is counted as an open. This system is imperfect, as users who do not download images are not counted.
Apple disrupted this tracking in the fall of 2021 with its Mail Privacy Protection feature in iOS 15. Apple no longer discloses image downloads. All users who enable this feature are classified as opens, even without actual engagement.
The impact on open rates is, however, less severe than expected. Most marketers see a slight increase in reported opens. Readers on desktop and Android devices are unaffected.
To interpret your opens, compare them over a long period and take into account the share of your subscribers using Apple. If this share is high, your open rates are likely overestimated. Instead, use clicks and conversions to assess actual engagement.
What open rates can be expected in e-commerce?
Open rates vary depending on the audience, subject lines, and send time. In e-commerce, they can range from a few percent for an acquisition campaign to over 50% for a targeted and engaged audience.
Transactional emails and important notifications generally have the highest open rates. These messages, which are expected by the customer—such as an order confirmation or delivery tracking—naturally generate more engagement.
To improve your open rates, work on your subject lines and segment your audience. A qualified and interested list will respond better to your campaigns than a broad and poorly targeted list.
Test different subject lines, lengths, and tones to find what resonates with your audience. Use personalization, such as first name or purchase history, to increase relevance. Send at the right time, based on your subscribers' time zones and habits.
What is the difference between unique clicks and total clicks?
The click-through rate measures the interest of recipients in your message. Unlike opens, clicks are precise and reliable. We distinguish between unique clicks and total clicks.
Unique clicks count the number of recipients who clicked. Total clicks measure the overall volume. For example, 100 recipients who click five times each represent 100 unique clicks and 500 total clicks.
Promotional emails have lower click-through rates. Transactional and triggered emails, such as abandoned carts, have the highest rates. The call to action heavily influences clicks. Some messages convey all the information without requiring a click.
To increase your clicks, use clear and visible calls to action, place them strategically in your email, and create a sense of urgency. Test different buttons, colors, and texts to optimize your click-through rate.
How to calculate the click-through rate and the click-to-open rate?
Email providers report the click-through rate as a percentage of total sends and as a percentage of opens. These two metrics provide complementary information.
Let's take an example: 20 out of 100 recipients open your email, and five click. The click-through rate is 5%. The click-to-open rate is 25%, which is five divided by 20.
In e-commerce, click-through rates hover around 1%. Click-to-open rates range from 5 to 30%. A high click-to-open rate indicates that your content aligns well with your audience's expectations.
A low click-to-open rate can mean that your content is not relevant enough or that your call to action is not very visible. Analyze the emails that perform well and replicate their characteristics in your next campaigns.
What is churn rate and how to monitor it?
The unsubscribe rate is the percentage of recipients who click the unsubscribe link, divided by the number of delivered emails. Unsubscribes are not included in the click-through rate.
In e-commerce, the unsubscribe rate is generally under 1%. First-time mailings to new subscribers can, however, show higher rates as these people test your content.
A sudden spike in unsubscribes requires immediate action. Common causes are a change in frequency, audience, or content. Analyze your recent mailings to identify the issue.
Monitor this rate on a monthly basis and compare it with your previous campaigns. If you notice an upward trend, survey your subscribers to understand their expectations and adjust your strategy accordingly.
How to react to an increase in unsubscribes?
An increase in unsubscribes is a warning sign. It indicates that your emails no longer meet your audience's expectations. Several factors can explain this phenomenon.
First, check if you have changed your sending frequency. Going from two emails a week to a daily email can trigger unsubscribes. Next, look at your audience: did you buy a list or broaden your targeting?
Finally, analyze your content. A change in tone, offer, or design may displease. Test your changes on a small segment before rolling them out to your entire list.
If the increase persists, offer your subscribers the option to choose your email frequency or customize their preferences. This can reduce unsubscribes while maintaining high engagement.
Why do transactional emails perform better?
Transactional emails, such as order confirmations or delivery notifications, show the best open and click-through rates. The reason is simple: the recipient is expecting this message.
A customer who has just ordered is in an active process. They will naturally open your email to track their package or verify their order. This attention translates into high engagement rates.
Take advantage of these moments to strengthen the customer relationship. Add product recommendations or useful links in your transactional emails. These messages are an additional sales opportunity.
Make sure your transactional emails are well-designed, with a responsive design and clear information. A customer satisfied with their post-purchase experience is more likely to return and recommend your brand.
How to use email metrics to improve your sales?
Email metrics are not just numbers to monitor. They help you make concrete decisions to improve your sales. Each indicator provides precise information.
A high bounce rate indicates a list that needs cleaning. Low deliverability signals technical issues. A low open rate suggests working on your subject lines. A low click-through rate invites you to review your content and calls to action.
Cross-reference this data with your conversion rate to identify the most profitable campaigns. The emails that generate sales are those that combine a good open rate and a good click-through rate.
Set up A/B tests to optimize each element of your campaigns. Analyze the results of each test and apply the learnings to your future mailings. Continuous improvement of your metrics will translate into an increase in your sales.
How does Qstomy help analyze your email campaigns?
Qstomy, an AI agent for Shopify, helps you transform your email data into concrete actions. By analyzing customer conversations, Qstomy identifies recurring questions and the expectations of your audience.
This information allows you to adapt your email campaigns: more relevant subject lines, better-targeted content, and offers aligned with real needs. As a result, you improve your open and click-through rates.
Qstomy also supports your customers after the click: product recommendations, package tracking, cart management, and assistance. A seamless experience that increases the conversion of your email campaigns.
By integrating Qstomy into your email strategy, you benefit from a complete view of the customer journey, from open to purchase. This allows you to personalize every interaction and maximize your return on investment.
What is the checklist for analyzing your email metrics?
Here is a checklist to analyze your email campaigns effectively.
In brief
Bounces: aim for less than 1% and clean your list regularly.
Deliverability: monitor the inbox placement, not just the rate.
Opens: interpret with caution due to iOS 15.
Clicks: distinguish between unique clicks and total clicks.
Unsubscribes: react quickly in the event of an increase.
FAQ
What is a good open rate in e-commerce? It varies from a few percent to over 50% depending on the audience and the type of email.
How can I improve my deliverability? Clean your list, send regularly, and monitor your bounces.
Are transactional emails important? Yes, they have the best engagement rates and strengthen the customer relationship.
To go further: E-commerce CRM and customer support: using the right data to respond better - Qstomy, How to optimize an e-commerce site for Google (step-by-step guide) - Qstomy, Can you use Wix for an e-commerce site? - Qstomy, E-commerce conversation analysis: understanding real customer questions - Qstomy, E-commerce searchandising: optimizing internal search with customer words - Qstomy, E-commerce SEO strategy for category pages - Qstomy, FAQ, search, or AI chatbot: choosing the right tool to help the customer - Qstomy.
By applying this checklist to every campaign, you will be able to quickly detect issues and optimize your performance. Remember that metric analysis is an ongoing process: test, measure, learn, and improve.
Enzo
September 18, 2026
