Episode Number:

56

December 22, 2025

In this episode of The eCom Growth Show, host Danan Coleman sits down with David Wachs, founder of Handwrytten, to unpack why handwritten notes are becoming one of the most powerful and underutilized tools in modern eCommerce. As digital noise increases and customer loyalty declines, David explains how brands can stand out by reconnecting with customers on a deeply human level.

Meet David Wachs: Scaling Human Connection with Technology

David Wachs has spent more than 20 years at the intersection of messaging and marketing technology. Before founding Handwrytten, David built and exited Cellit, a mobile marketing platform used by enterprise brands like Abercrombie & Fitch and Walmart.

After witnessing digital channels become increasingly crowded and impersonal, David launched Handwrytten to help brands restore emotional connection at scale through real ink, real pressure, and truly handwritten notes powered by robotics.

Why Digital Marketing Feels Broken (and What Customers Are Missing)

David shares a powerful insight from Handwrytten’s consumer research:

  • Only 12% of consumers feel appreciated by the brands they buy from
  • That number has declined sharply over the past few years
  • When customers do feel appreciated, they:
    • Buy more often
    • Spend more
    • Leave more reviews
    • Refer more friends
The takeaway is simple: Appreciation drives revenue, but most brands never deliver it in a meaningful way.

Handwritten Notes: Personal, Memorable, and Surprisingly Effective

Among all forms of communication, handwritten notes stand out:

  • They’re one of the most personal forms of brand communication
  • They’re also one of the least annoying
  • And they’re consistently rated as the most surprising

Unlike emails or texts, handwritten notes are:

  • Opened and read at significantly higher rates
  • Physically kept, displayed, and remembered
  • Associated with effort, intention, and gratitude
Big Insight: Customers don’t just want to be thanked—they want to feel thanked.

How Handwrytten Makes Handwritten Scalable

Handwrytten uses custom-built robots that write with real pens, real ink, and real pressure, passing even the “smudge test.” The system replicates human writing by:

  • Varying letter shapes, spacing, and alignment
  • Randomizing handwriting styles
  • Mimicking natural imperfections in pen strokes

The result? Notes that look and feel authentically human, even when sent at scale.

Using Handwritten Notes in eCommerce (Amazon & Shopify)

David breaks down practical ways eCommerce brands can use handwritten notes:

For Amazon Sellers:

  • Include handwritten-style inserts inside product packaging
  • Focus on personal, not personalized messaging
  • Use notes to enhance the unboxing experience and encourage reviews

For Shopify Brands:

  • Automate handwritten notes directly through Handwrytten’s Shopify integration
  • Trigger notes based on:
    • First purchase
    • High order value
    • Customer anniversaries
    • Repeat purchases
Pro Move: Treat handwritten notes like a loyalty engine, not a one-time gimmick.

Why Handwritten Notes Increase Reviews and Retention

Handwritten notes outperform digital follow-ups because they:

  • Get opened more often
  • Create emotional reciprocity
  • Humanize the brand behind the product

David explains the difference between:

  • Being thanked (automated)
  • Feeling thanked (handwritten)

That emotional gap is what drives higher review rates, stronger loyalty, and longer customer lifetime value.

Standing Out in a Crowded Market

In a world dominated by automation and discounts, most brands make the same mistake:

  • Over-communicating digitally
  • Under-investing emotionally

David’s recommendation:

  • Send fewer messages—but make them meaningful
  • Create “surprise and delight” moments
  • Use handwritten notes sparingly (3–4 per year) for maximum impact
Key Principle: Loyalty isn’t bought with discounts—it’s earned through connection.

Tracking ROI from Handwritten Notes

While handwritten notes aren’t always directly trackable, David suggests:

  • Running A/B tests between customers who receive notes vs. those who don’t
  • Measuring downstream impact on:
    • Reviews
    • Repeat purchases
    • Lifetime value

The ROI often shows up in behavior, not clicks.

Connect with David Wachs & Handwrytten

Final Thoughts

As eCommerce becomes more automated, brands that win will be the ones that feel the most human. Handwritten notes may seem old-school, but that’s exactly why they work.

As David puts it best: Start by writing a few notes yourself. When the results become undeniable, scale it.

Stay tuned for more episodes of The eCom Growth Show, where real strategies help real brands grow.