RetailEmail.Blogspot monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 of the top online retailers. Here are highlights from our inbox this morning:
SmartBargains, 12/19 — Last-minute gifts: extra 20% off + express delivery
Barnes & Noble, 12/19 — This Week -- Coupons, 46% Off Last-Minute Gifts, More
I want to give props to SmartBargains and Barnes & Noble because they are two of the few retailers who know how to properly use “last-minute” as an adjective—there’s a hyphen in there, folks. I hate to be a grammar-Nazi again, but I hate to see marketers embarrassing themselves with poor grammar. In recent weeks, Diamond.com, Coach, Kmart, Linens ’n Things, Crate & Barrel, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Old Navy, Montgomery Ward and Furniture.com have all left the hyphen out when using “last-minute” as an adjective in a subject line. Needless to say, many other retailers have made the same mistake in their body copy as well.
RedEnvelope, 12/19 — FREE 2-day shipping when you use your MasterCard card -- ends 12/20
I’m extremely wary of advertising in promotional emails, but I don’t have a problem with sponsorships and promotional deals like this one between RedEnvelope and MasterCard. MasterCard gets their name out there (and in the subject line no less), RedEnvelope gets their shipping costs defrayed and customers get a deal on 2-day shipping when they use their MasterCard. It’s an unobtrusive win-win-win.
Why am I wary of ads in promotional emails? First, subscribers have already given you permission to promote products to them; adding ads is like saying, “That’s not good enough. I need more from you.” And second, because bigger lists mean you can charge more for ads, selling ads in your emails disincentivizes you to follow best practices and prune your list of nonresponders and other inactives and use strong permission practices.
Banana Republic, 12/19 — 3 days only! Take 30% off any purchase - only in stores!
I’m not a photography expert but I do believe that smiles are contagious and reflect well on your brand. During the holiday season, Banana Republic has been very consistent with their model shots—the models are always active, happy and a little whimsical at times. It stands in sharp contrast to the models used by Saks Fifth Avenue and Bloomingdale’s who have been static and almost unhappy-looking. When I look at those models I certainly don’t think to myself, “Boy, I want to look like them.”
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER:
TigerDirect, 12/19 — There's Still Time...Just Choose 2 Day Air Service
Dell, 12/19 — Last Day to Order a Select PC for a Scheduled Delivery by 12/24
Art.com, 12/19 — 24 Hour Sale! + FREE UPGRADE to get it by Christmas
Overstock, 12/19 — FREE EXPRESS SHIPPING
Neiman Marcus, 12/19 — Last day for Free Christmas Delivery!
Eddie Bauer, 12/19 — LAST DAY for Guaranteed 12/24 Delivery + Free Shipping to Boot!
Diamond.com, 12/19 — Last Minute Christmas Gifts. Save 20% Plus Free Overnight Shipping!
Alloy, 12/19 — Order by 12/21 to get it by Christmas
Road Runner Sports, 12/19 — Like Nike? Guess Today's Secret Sale Deal!
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1 comments:
Chad:
Here's one for you...
From: NYTimes.com
Date: Dec 14, 2007 3:32 AM
Subject: Today's Headlines: Steroid Report Sites "Collective Failure"
Notice anything "grammatically incorrect" about the subject line?
Hey...we all make *mistakes, right?
I have clients who are in such a huge hurry to send out their messages (Deadlines?) that they sometime miss the easy ones. It happens...just work on minimizing those errors!
dj at bronto
*I felt the pressure on this post to make sure I had no grammar errors. Crossing my fingers now.
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