AM Inbox: Sender address tactics
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The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:
Backcountry.com, 1/26 — Touring Essentials - Freshness Guaranteed
Backcountry debuts a new Outlet email. Backcountry’s email design has had its problems (see May 29 AM Inbox), so I was happy to see that the design for their Outlet emails was much better optimized for preview panes. (Hopefully they tested the image on the right and text on the left, in addition to the arrangement here.)
In addition to the design changes, Backcountry sent this email under the “BackcountryOutlet.com” sender name and a new sender address, email@service.backcountryoutlet.com. Using a new sender name to stress that the email is from a sub-brand and contains different content is smart, but I’m not sure why they felt the need to introduce a new sender address. Plenty of retailers that send outlet messaging—including Coldwater Creek, Ralph Lauren and REI—do so from their main sender address. The advantage of sticking with your usual address is that many of your subscribers will have added it to their address book, improving deliverability and rendering. A new address doesn’t have those advantages.
Avon, 1/26 — Look BEAUTIFUL for LESS + FREE Shipping
Also on the topic of sender addresses, Avon was indeed preparing to switch over to a new address when it started asking subscribers to whitelist two addresses (see Jan. 25 AM Inbox). This email was the first to be sent using the new address and now features a whitelisting request for only this new address. Avon would have been better off focusing on getting subscribers to add only the new address to their address book with their previous emails, instead of asking subscribers to whitelist two addresses.
Newegg, 1/26 — The Newegg Top 10 BEST-SELLERS: $19.99 Logitech Cordless Mouse, $89.99 WD 640GB Portable HDD...
Newegg has launched a new email that each month will present a top 10 list. The inaugural list is of best-sellers. I like the concept, but the design execution is poor. First, the product grid is so unstructured that the email is incredibly difficult to scan. Second, since it’s a top 10 list, I really expected the products to be numbered. Not only would that provide some markers that would make the email easier to scan, but it would bring more credibility to the fact that this is indeed a top 10 list. Third, the body copy is wider than the header and footer, which is really odd. And fourth, the “See More Deals > >” calls-to-action that are sprinkled here and there could be tied to the products that they’re next to. For instance, the one under the Asus notebook could say, “See More Notebook Deals > >.”
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Lands’ End, 1/26 — Swimsuits that take you down a size + Free Shipping
L.L. Bean, 1/26 — All New for Spring, All under $30 + FREE Shipping, Limited-Time Offer
Linens ’n Things, 1/26 — Sweetheart Savings! Save an Extra 14% Off Your Order.
Oriental Trading, 1/26 — Valentine Sale! Get FREE Shipping + Save up to 60%
Saks Fifth Avenue, 1/26 — Gifts Under $150 for Valentine's Day
JCPenney, 1/26 — Free Shipping + Sweet Surprises For Your Valentine
Barnes & Noble, 1/26 — This Week -- Coupons, 30% Off Valentine's Gifts, 75% Off Clearance, DVD Sale
GameStop, 1/26 — Get a Pikachu-Colored Pichu only at GameStop
Neiman Marcus, 1/26 — Now on InSite: Our buyers' favorite Spring handbags
_____________________
SEARCH... Recent Posts / By Selling Season / By Topic / By Retailer / Monthly Archive
The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:
Backcountry.com, 1/26 — Touring Essentials - Freshness Guaranteed
Backcountry debuts a new Outlet email. Backcountry’s email design has had its problems (see May 29 AM Inbox), so I was happy to see that the design for their Outlet emails was much better optimized for preview panes. (Hopefully they tested the image on the right and text on the left, in addition to the arrangement here.)
In addition to the design changes, Backcountry sent this email under the “BackcountryOutlet.com” sender name and a new sender address, email@service.backcountryoutlet.com. Using a new sender name to stress that the email is from a sub-brand and contains different content is smart, but I’m not sure why they felt the need to introduce a new sender address. Plenty of retailers that send outlet messaging—including Coldwater Creek, Ralph Lauren and REI—do so from their main sender address. The advantage of sticking with your usual address is that many of your subscribers will have added it to their address book, improving deliverability and rendering. A new address doesn’t have those advantages.
Avon, 1/26 — Look BEAUTIFUL for LESS + FREE Shipping
Also on the topic of sender addresses, Avon was indeed preparing to switch over to a new address when it started asking subscribers to whitelist two addresses (see Jan. 25 AM Inbox). This email was the first to be sent using the new address and now features a whitelisting request for only this new address. Avon would have been better off focusing on getting subscribers to add only the new address to their address book with their previous emails, instead of asking subscribers to whitelist two addresses.
Newegg, 1/26 — The Newegg Top 10 BEST-SELLERS: $19.99 Logitech Cordless Mouse, $89.99 WD 640GB Portable HDD...
Newegg has launched a new email that each month will present a top 10 list. The inaugural list is of best-sellers. I like the concept, but the design execution is poor. First, the product grid is so unstructured that the email is incredibly difficult to scan. Second, since it’s a top 10 list, I really expected the products to be numbered. Not only would that provide some markers that would make the email easier to scan, but it would bring more credibility to the fact that this is indeed a top 10 list. Third, the body copy is wider than the header and footer, which is really odd. And fourth, the “See More Deals > >” calls-to-action that are sprinkled here and there could be tied to the products that they’re next to. For instance, the one under the Asus notebook could say, “See More Notebook Deals > >.”
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Lands’ End, 1/26 — Swimsuits that take you down a size + Free Shipping
L.L. Bean, 1/26 — All New for Spring, All under $30 + FREE Shipping, Limited-Time Offer
Linens ’n Things, 1/26 — Sweetheart Savings! Save an Extra 14% Off Your Order.
Oriental Trading, 1/26 — Valentine Sale! Get FREE Shipping + Save up to 60%
Saks Fifth Avenue, 1/26 — Gifts Under $150 for Valentine's Day
JCPenney, 1/26 — Free Shipping + Sweet Surprises For Your Valentine
Barnes & Noble, 1/26 — This Week -- Coupons, 30% Off Valentine's Gifts, 75% Off Clearance, DVD Sale
GameStop, 1/26 — Get a Pikachu-Colored Pichu only at GameStop
Neiman Marcus, 1/26 — Now on InSite: Our buyers' favorite Spring handbags
_____________________
SEARCH... Recent Posts / By Selling Season / By Topic / By Retailer / Monthly Archive
Labels: AM Inbox, Avon, Backcountry, Deliverability, Design Issues, Newegg.com, Sender Lines
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posted at 12:48 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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