Speak Their Language; 76% of online shoppers prefer to buy products with information in their preferred language
Author: Alessandro Mancini
In a multicultural country like Canada, especially in regions like Quebec, language is more than a medium; it’s a connection. For e-commerce brands, the language of your email campaigns can directly influence engagement, trust, and ultimately, sales.
While many businesses default to bilingual emails (French and English), this approach often comes at the cost of clarity and connection. Instead, targeted language campaigns, where customers receive emails in their preferred language, have been proven to outperform generic bilingual blasts.
The Problem with Single Bilingual Emails
Many businesses choose to send bilingual emails, including both French and English versions in the same message. While this approach seems inclusive, it often leads to unintended consequences:
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- Emails become unnecessarily long, especially on mobile
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- Readers may miss the key message while skimming past the language they don’t use
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- Engagement metrics such as click-through and conversion rates tend to drop
Instead of making customers feel understood, bilingual emails can feel impersonal, cluttered, or even confusing.
The Power of Preferred Language
According to CSA Research, 76% of online shoppers prefer to buy products with information in their native language, and 40% will never purchase from websites in other languages. When emails are tailored to customers’ preferred languages, businesses see significant improvements in:
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- Open rates: Customers are more likely to read content they instantly understand.
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- Click-throughs: A clear, native-language CTA feels trustworthy.
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- Conversions: Buyers feel valued and are more confident in their purchase journey.
The Power of Personalization in Email Marketing
Beyond language, personalization is a proven revenue driver in e-commerce.
When emails address recipients by name, reference past purchases, or align with browsing history, they feel more relevant and relevance drives results. A major driver of this success? Personalized subject lines.
Emails with personalized subject lines see up to a 50% higher open rate, according to DemandSage.
This kind of tailored messaging signals to the recipient that the email is meant for them, not just anyone. It builds trust, grabs attention in a crowded inbox, and increases the chance that the message gets read—and acted upon.
With SeeMyApps, you can take full advantage of personalization by:
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- Inserting dynamic fields like first name, last order, or favorite category.
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- Personalizing subject lines for each segment.
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- Creating triggered flows based on customer behavior.
Whether you’re selling fashion, food, or fitness, personalization isn’t optional—it’s expected.
Real-World Scenario: Email Campaign for a Quebec-Based Fashion Store
Customer Base:
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10,000 subscribers
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6,000 prefer French
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4,000 prefer English
Goal: Promote a 25% weekend sale
|
Metric |
One Bilingual Email |
Segmented by Language Only |
Segmented by Language + Personalized Subject Lines |
|
Open Rate |
15% |
22% (FR) / 20% (EN) |
33% (FR) / 30% (EN) (+50% from personalization) |
|
Opens |
1,500 |
1,320 / 800 |
1,980 / 1,200 |
|
Click-Through Rate |
2.5% |
4% (FR) / 3.5% (EN) |
5% (FR) / 4.5% (EN) |
|
Clicks |
250 |
240 / 140 |
300 / 180 |
|
Conversion Rate |
2% |
3% (FR) / 2.5% (EN) |
3.5% (FR) / 3% (EN) |
|
Purchases |
5 |
7.2 / 3.5 |
9 / 5.4 |
|
Total Purchases |
5 |
~11 |
~14.4 |
|
Avg. Order Value |
$60 |
$60 |
$60 |
|
Total Revenue |
$300 |
$660 |
$864 |
Result: Language-segmented emails more than doubled revenue compared to a bilingual version demonstrating how preferred-language communication drives results.
How SeeMyApps Makes It Effortless
With SeeMyApps, businesses can easily:
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- Store each customer’s language preference
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- Design and schedule separate email versions
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- Automatically send the right version to the right person
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- Track analytics for each language variant
Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, you connect with customers the way they prefer—personally and profitably.
Final Takeaway
Language-specific email marketing isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a proven strategy to increase engagement, build trust, and drive more sales. In a competitive e-commerce environment, especially in Canada and Quebec, speaking the right language makes a measurable difference.
With SeeMyApps, you don’t have to choose between efficiency and personalization. You get both.
Ready to deliver email campaigns that speak louder? Let SeeMyApps show you how.
References
Demandsage. (n.d.). Email Marketing Statistics. demandeSage.