Email marketing provides a great avenue for new customers to find your ecommerce store and ultimately pruchase from your ecommerce solution.  By sending out a broadcast email campaign you are instantly getting in touch with your customers and continuing to build a good relationship.  The key with sending out an email newsletter is to make the design compelling that the customer will purchase.  Make sure you tell your customer the latest offers that you are offering, for example 'if you buy £100 worth of widgets today, put in the promotional code at the bottom of this email newsletter and you will receive a £5 gift voucher.'  Everybody likes to feel they are getting a good deal!