How Casper Uses Handwritten Notes To Create A Personalized Customer Experience
E-commerce has made shopping faster, easier, and more convenient than ever before, and at the same time has made many customer experiences feel remarkably similar. Once an order is placed, most brands rely on the same automated marketing emails to stay in touch.
Casper is one example of a company blending a digital-first shopping experience with more traditional customer touchpoints, like handwritten letters. In this article, we’ll look at how Casper uses handwritten notes, what research says about why they work, and what ecommerce brands can learn from their handwritten direct mail strategy.
Ready to build your own handwritten direct mail program? Scribe integrates directly with the CRM and ecommerce tools you already use, automatically sending real handwritten notes when customers reach the milestones you choose. Contact Scribe today to get 200 handwritten letters free.
How Casper Uses Handwritten Notes
Casper helped redefine how people buy mattresses by moving the shopping experience online. For a company built around convenience and a digital-first buying experience, handwritten notes are an unexpected addition, which is exactly what makes them memorable.
Some mattress buyers even receive complimentary sleep accessories, such as pillows or sheets, along with a handwritten thank you note. Rather than asking customers to leave a review or promoting another product, the note simply thanks them for choosing Casper.
It’s a small gesture, but one that adds something personal to a customer journey that is otherwise almost entirely digital.
The Research Behind Handwritten Notes
While Casper hasn’t published performance data on its handwritten note program, independent research helps explain why this type of outreach can be so effective.
In a randomized field experiment involving more than 1,200 e-commerce customers, researchers found that customers who received a handwritten note spent roughly twice as much on future purchases as customers who received no handwritten note.
One of the most interesting findings was that the strongest results came from customers who already had a relationship with the brand. Rather than serving as a tool for acquiring new customers, handwritten notes were most effective at strengthening existing customer relationships. That aligns with how many ecommerce brands use handwritten outreach today by recognizing loyal customers, celebrating milestones, or thanking VIP buyers instead of sending notes with every order.
The researchers also found that adding discounts or giveaways reduced the impact because the note felt less genuine. Customers responded most positively when the handwritten note was simply a thoughtful expression of appreciation rather than another marketing message.
While Casper hasn’t shared results from its own program, the research suggests that the value of handwritten notes isn’t simply that they’re handwritten. They’re most effective when they’re used to strengthen an existing customer relationship, making Casper’s approach a good example of how personal touches can complement a broader customer experience strategy.
Create More Memorable Customer Experiences With Scribe
Automation is essential for growing an e-commerce business, but customers still want to feel like more than an order number. Casper’s approach shows that even in a highly automated business, there is room for thoughtful moments that make the experience feel more personal.
The challenge is delivering those experiences consistently as your business grows. Writing every note by hand isn’t realistic for most brands, but relying entirely on automated emails can make every interaction feel the same. The opportunity is to use automation to deliver personal moments that customers don’t expect. And that’s where Scribe comes in.
Scribe integrates directly with the CRM and ecommerce platforms you already use to automatically send real handwritten notes when customers reach the milestones you choose. Whether you’re thanking a first-time buyer, recognizing a repeat purchase, celebrating a VIP customer, or marking another meaningful event, Scribe helps you create memorable customer experiences without adding manual work to your team’s day.
Ready to create your own handwritten note program? Contact Scribe today and get 200 handwritten letters free.