AM Inbox: Will Free Shipping Day become the next Cyber Monday?
The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:
J&R, 12/17 — FREE SHIPPING DAY!
Norm Thompson, 12/17 — It's Free Shipping Day + 15% off everything! Shop Top 20 Gifts.
Kudos to the folks behind Free Shipping Day for coming up with another occasion for retailers to promote at a critical time in the holiday season. Plus, retailers don’t have to do anything different to participate, because the vast majority was already offering free shipping anyway. While free standard shipping has already lapsed at some retailers, Dec. 17 was within the cutoff period for many retailers, allowing for broad participation. While part of me thinks that Free Shipping Day is much ado about nothing and hasn’t changed retailers’ behavior, another part of me thinks that Free Shipping Day could change consumer behavior if promoted vigorously. Who knows, maybe in a couple of years Free Shipping Day will enjoy success on par with Cyber Monday? However, for the time being, only two retailers—J&R and Norm Thompson—mentioned Free Shipping Day and only 48% of retailers sent one or more emails yesterday, which is not impressive retail email participation for this time of year.
J. Crew, 12/17 — ENDS TODAY. 20% off sweaters + FREE SHIPPING.
J. Crew promotes their new e-gift card offering. E-gift cards become a popular and important part of retail email messaging in the days right before Christmas, as detailed in the Retail Email Guide to the Holiday Season.
Omaha Steaks, 12/17 — You could get FREE Steaks just by opening this email!
I thought Omaha Steaks was running an open-based sweepstakes in the same vein as the clickthrough-based sweeps that Neiman Marcus ran a couple of years ago (see Nov. 14, 2007 AM Inbox). However, they were doing nothing of the sort. In actuality, the subject line was simply misleading. Sure you could get free steaks, but not just by opening the email—you had to order something. Misleading subject lines like this can cause you to lose your subscribers’ trust and may even get you in trouble with authorities. I’m not a CAN-SPAM expert, but I believe there’s something in there about misleading subject lines…
Old Navy, 12/17 — Last Minute Deals + Last Chance Standard Shipping!
Old Navy promotes their Fab-u-lister Facebook app, which leverages your friend data to…well, I’m not sure exactly what it does because I couldn’t get it to work. But it’s certainly an interesting idea, which I’m sure is easier to implement in the wake of Facebook resetting all its users privacy settings so that anyone can see all their information.
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Eddie Bauer, 12/17 — Last Chance This Year: Free Shipping, No Min. Purchase
L.L. Bean, 12/17 — Last Chance for FREE Shipping + FREE Gift Card
Fingerhut, 12/17 — Fingerhut: Don't Miss Out - Last Chance for FREE Shipping!
Northern Tool, 12/17 — Final Days For 12/24 Delivery w/ Standard Shipping + Last Chance Sale + Free Gift Card
Lane Bryant, 12/17 — Last Chance Holiday Savings: Up To 50% Off + Free Shipping
Toys “R” Us, 12/17 — LAST DAY for Free Shipping on ALL Toys!
Bluefly, 12/17 — Last Day! EXTRA 25% OFF All Sale Items + 2 Day Shipping!
The Company Store, 12/17 — Last Day - Free Upgrade on Delivery + Cozy Flannel
NikeStore, 12/17 — Last-Minute Gifts and Final Free Shipping Days
Diamond.com, 12/17 — 30% Off These 9 Fabulous Last-Minute Christmas Gifts - Plus Save 25% Site Wide
Crutchfield, 12/17 — Last-minute holiday savings: Thursday through Monday only
Lillian Vernon, 12/17 — Half Price Expedited Shipping, Plus 15% Off in Our Last Holiday Deal
TigerDirect, 12/17 — It's Not Too Late: New Netbook $259...Flip HD Camcorder $129...ViewSonic 23" 1080p $139...See All the Deals
Ralph Lauren, 12/17 — Free Shipping On All Orders + Last Minute Gifts
Sony, 12/17 — GREAT DEALS Stocking Stuffers + Last Minute Gifts
Barnes & Noble, 12/17 — 15% Online Coupon, plus 4 Days Left for Free Christmas Delivery
Sportsman’s Guide, 12/17 — Regular Ground Shipping Extended until 6:00 p.m CST Friday Dec. 18th. Guaranteed Dec 23rd Delivery.
Disney Store, 12/17 — There’s Still Time! Join Mickey and the Gang in Toyland
Sam’s Club, 12/17 — Get select electronics and toys in time with Premium or Express Shipping
Blair, 12/17 — Free shipping upgrade and up to 80% off men's
_____________________
SEARCH... Recent Posts / By Selling Season / By Topic / By Retailer / Monthly Archive
J&R, 12/17 — FREE SHIPPING DAY!
Norm Thompson, 12/17 — It's Free Shipping Day + 15% off everything! Shop Top 20 Gifts.
Kudos to the folks behind Free Shipping Day for coming up with another occasion for retailers to promote at a critical time in the holiday season. Plus, retailers don’t have to do anything different to participate, because the vast majority was already offering free shipping anyway. While free standard shipping has already lapsed at some retailers, Dec. 17 was within the cutoff period for many retailers, allowing for broad participation. While part of me thinks that Free Shipping Day is much ado about nothing and hasn’t changed retailers’ behavior, another part of me thinks that Free Shipping Day could change consumer behavior if promoted vigorously. Who knows, maybe in a couple of years Free Shipping Day will enjoy success on par with Cyber Monday? However, for the time being, only two retailers—J&R and Norm Thompson—mentioned Free Shipping Day and only 48% of retailers sent one or more emails yesterday, which is not impressive retail email participation for this time of year.
J. Crew, 12/17 — ENDS TODAY. 20% off sweaters + FREE SHIPPING.
J. Crew promotes their new e-gift card offering. E-gift cards become a popular and important part of retail email messaging in the days right before Christmas, as detailed in the Retail Email Guide to the Holiday Season.
Omaha Steaks, 12/17 — You could get FREE Steaks just by opening this email!
I thought Omaha Steaks was running an open-based sweepstakes in the same vein as the clickthrough-based sweeps that Neiman Marcus ran a couple of years ago (see Nov. 14, 2007 AM Inbox). However, they were doing nothing of the sort. In actuality, the subject line was simply misleading. Sure you could get free steaks, but not just by opening the email—you had to order something. Misleading subject lines like this can cause you to lose your subscribers’ trust and may even get you in trouble with authorities. I’m not a CAN-SPAM expert, but I believe there’s something in there about misleading subject lines…
Old Navy, 12/17 — Last Minute Deals + Last Chance Standard Shipping!
Old Navy promotes their Fab-u-lister Facebook app, which leverages your friend data to…well, I’m not sure exactly what it does because I couldn’t get it to work. But it’s certainly an interesting idea, which I’m sure is easier to implement in the wake of Facebook resetting all its users privacy settings so that anyone can see all their information.
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Eddie Bauer, 12/17 — Last Chance This Year: Free Shipping, No Min. Purchase
L.L. Bean, 12/17 — Last Chance for FREE Shipping + FREE Gift Card
Fingerhut, 12/17 — Fingerhut: Don't Miss Out - Last Chance for FREE Shipping!
Northern Tool, 12/17 — Final Days For 12/24 Delivery w/ Standard Shipping + Last Chance Sale + Free Gift Card
Lane Bryant, 12/17 — Last Chance Holiday Savings: Up To 50% Off + Free Shipping
Toys “R” Us, 12/17 — LAST DAY for Free Shipping on ALL Toys!
Bluefly, 12/17 — Last Day! EXTRA 25% OFF All Sale Items + 2 Day Shipping!
The Company Store, 12/17 — Last Day - Free Upgrade on Delivery + Cozy Flannel
NikeStore, 12/17 — Last-Minute Gifts and Final Free Shipping Days
Diamond.com, 12/17 — 30% Off These 9 Fabulous Last-Minute Christmas Gifts - Plus Save 25% Site Wide
Crutchfield, 12/17 — Last-minute holiday savings: Thursday through Monday only
Lillian Vernon, 12/17 — Half Price Expedited Shipping, Plus 15% Off in Our Last Holiday Deal
TigerDirect, 12/17 — It's Not Too Late: New Netbook $259...Flip HD Camcorder $129...ViewSonic 23" 1080p $139...See All the Deals
Ralph Lauren, 12/17 — Free Shipping On All Orders + Last Minute Gifts
Sony, 12/17 — GREAT DEALS Stocking Stuffers + Last Minute Gifts
Barnes & Noble, 12/17 — 15% Online Coupon, plus 4 Days Left for Free Christmas Delivery
Sportsman’s Guide, 12/17 — Regular Ground Shipping Extended until 6:00 p.m CST Friday Dec. 18th. Guaranteed Dec 23rd Delivery.
Disney Store, 12/17 — There’s Still Time! Join Mickey and the Gang in Toyland
Sam’s Club, 12/17 — Get select electronics and toys in time with Premium or Express Shipping
Blair, 12/17 — Free shipping upgrade and up to 80% off men's
_____________________
SEARCH... Recent Posts / By Selling Season / By Topic / By Retailer / Monthly Archive
Labels: AM Inbox, CAN-SPAM, Christmas, E-Gift Cards, J and R, J. Crew, Old Navy, Omaha Steaks, Social Networks
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posted at 3:00 PM by Chad White
I love Smith-Harmon's enthusiasm. It's so great to have a connection with people who really "get" and get excited by email marketing. (Truly, there are not that many of us out there!) I count myself very lucky to have found such accomplished enthusiasts to collaborate with on the REI program. They are helping to bring amazing opportunities to fruition with panache.
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