My latest spin around the mediasphere turned up the following nuggets:
>>Rebekah Henson of AWeber shares advice on how to remove jargon from your sign-up forms, emails, preference pages, and opt-out pages. >>Follow the ping
>>Mark Brownlow of Email Marketing Reports compiles a list of top holiday resources. >>Follow the ping
>>Ros Hodgekiss of Campaign Monitor updates their list of which email clients block images by default. >>Follow the ping
>>Tim Watson of Emailvision talks about review request emails and what to include. >>Follow the ping
>>Ken Magill of the Magill Report comes around to how awful email appending is. >>Follow the mea culpa
>>Dennis Dayman of Eloqua explains how MTAs communicate. >>Follow the ping
>>In Responsys’ latest Email Insider column, Alex Madison and Wacarra Yeomans offer tips on A/B testing the creative elements of your emails. >>Follow the ping
_____________________
BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked
Friday, September 30, 2011
AM Inbox: Alibris template redesign
The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:
Alibris, 9/28 — Let us tempt you with impossible to resist books, Friend
Alibris has redesigned their email template, making it considerably softer and more free-flowing. The most apparent change is the new S-curve design that draws the end down through the design much more effectively than the boxy tiers used before. The use of “freehand” arrows and text also soften up the design and make it more casual and approachable. Even the “Selling your books…” banner at the bottom of the email has been recast in this friendlier tone. Also, in the header, the search box is more prominent than before and the navigation bar has been changed to highlight that Alibris sells more than just books now.
Here’s the new design (left) and the previous design from a Sept. 21 email:
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Barnes & Noble, 9/28 — Check Out the Newest Reasons to Love NOOK Color!
Fingerhut, 9/29 — Fingerhut: FREE Shipping on Halloween Products!
J. Jill, 9/28 — Top coats of the season. Plus 15% off!
Lands’ End, 9/28 — Give fleece a chance: lightweight, wind-defying, anti-static warmth.
Saks Fifth Avenue, 9/28 — Our exclusive Vince event is everything you love about fall
Nordstrom, 9/29 — Fall's Key Color : Fashion's Blue Period Is in Full Swing
Bass Pro Shops, 9/29 — Free Shipping with Ship to Store + Take 6 Months to Pay
Foot Locker, 9/29 — Combat the Dust with Court Grip - Game-Changing Traction Technology!
JCPenney, 9/28 — Love Liz? "Like" Us On Facebook For An Exclusive Offer & Contest
Kohl’s, 9/29 — Give the Gift That Gives Back – Over $180 Million & Counting
_____________________
BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked
Alibris, 9/28 — Let us tempt you with impossible to resist books, Friend
Alibris has redesigned their email template, making it considerably softer and more free-flowing. The most apparent change is the new S-curve design that draws the end down through the design much more effectively than the boxy tiers used before. The use of “freehand” arrows and text also soften up the design and make it more casual and approachable. Even the “Selling your books…” banner at the bottom of the email has been recast in this friendlier tone. Also, in the header, the search box is more prominent than before and the navigation bar has been changed to highlight that Alibris sells more than just books now.
Here’s the new design (left) and the previous design from a Sept. 21 email:
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Barnes & Noble, 9/28 — Check Out the Newest Reasons to Love NOOK Color!
Fingerhut, 9/29 — Fingerhut: FREE Shipping on Halloween Products!
J. Jill, 9/28 — Top coats of the season. Plus 15% off!
Lands’ End, 9/28 — Give fleece a chance: lightweight, wind-defying, anti-static warmth.
Saks Fifth Avenue, 9/28 — Our exclusive Vince event is everything you love about fall
Nordstrom, 9/29 — Fall's Key Color : Fashion's Blue Period Is in Full Swing
Bass Pro Shops, 9/29 — Free Shipping with Ship to Store + Take 6 Months to Pay
Foot Locker, 9/29 — Combat the Dust with Court Grip - Game-Changing Traction Technology!
JCPenney, 9/28 — Love Liz? "Like" Us On Facebook For An Exclusive Offer & Contest
Kohl’s, 9/29 — Give the Gift That Gives Back – Over $180 Million & Counting
_____________________
BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked
Thursday, September 29, 2011
AM Inbox: You are currently unsubscribed
The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:
Newegg, 9/25 — EggXtra, EggXtra! Limited-time deals on home goods, fashion, entertainment & more
I truly appreciate that Newegg doesn’t want to send their subscribers additional emails that are unwanted and that they give subscribers the opportunity to opt in to receive this new monthly email, but the copy they use in this email seems a little confusing to me. Saying I’m unsubscribed from something I never subscribed to and then asking me to subscribe is an odd way to word it. Honestly, I initially thought they were cancelling my subscription, which made me read it much more closely—and perhaps that was the strategy here. Other emails about new email offerings that I’ve seen are either opt-out or have a straightforward opt-in call-to-action, so Newegg’s approach was definitely novel.
HP, 9/25 — Colorful, lightweight, and a great value! Prices start at $399
The way that HP has hashtag-ified their “Move at the Speed of Life” slogan at the top of this email is really interesting. It’s then carried through in a banner further down with a #SpeedOfLife tweet from a customer.
Bed Bath & Beyond, 9/27 — Online clearance. Off-the-hook savings. PLUS, Don't forget your 20% off one single item online coupon!
As I mentioned in this article I wrote for ADOTAS, using Facebook as an event hall for chats is a nascent and growing trend. In this email, Bed Bath & Beyond promotes a Facebook chat with Emeril Lagasse. This is the second time in recent months that Bed Bath & Beyond has held a Facebook chat event and promoted it in their emails.
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Ross-Simons, 9/26 — Chad, 30% OFF! Sneak Peek - Holiday Preview.
Target, 9/26 — Surprise! It's a Cyber Monday in September (and a cyber sale all week).
Kohl’s, 9/26 — Calling All Ghouls & Goblins: Extra 10% Off Halloween Costumes. 2 Days Only!
Drs. Foster & Smith, 9/27 — Dog Halloween Costumes - CLEARANCE SALE!
Oriental Trading, 9/27 — Halloween Sale! Up to 50% off + free shipping
Disney Store, 9/25 — Ends Tonight! Free Shipping on Costumes
Linens ’n Things, 9/27 — Up To 60% Halloween Savings
Toys “R” Us, 9/27 — 2-Day Bonus Deals! 30% Off Halloween Costumes, $30 Off Power Wheels & MORE!
Dick’s Sporting Goods, 9/25 — We're Turning the Sports World Pink This October
Harry & David, 9/26 — What are the most common birthday months?
Hallmark, 9/27 — You could win a trip for sharing your story about the power of a card
Spiegel, 9/26 — Don't Be The Last One In: SWIM SALE, Now $15 Or Less!
Buy.com, 9/25 — BABY LOVE | There's some really cute stuff inside!
Saks Fifth Avenue, 9/24 — Moncler for her, for him, for winter's coldest days
Bloomingdale’s, 9/26 — Winter Gear: New Coats & Boot Styles For Him
_____________________
BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked
Newegg, 9/25 — EggXtra, EggXtra! Limited-time deals on home goods, fashion, entertainment & more
I truly appreciate that Newegg doesn’t want to send their subscribers additional emails that are unwanted and that they give subscribers the opportunity to opt in to receive this new monthly email, but the copy they use in this email seems a little confusing to me. Saying I’m unsubscribed from something I never subscribed to and then asking me to subscribe is an odd way to word it. Honestly, I initially thought they were cancelling my subscription, which made me read it much more closely—and perhaps that was the strategy here. Other emails about new email offerings that I’ve seen are either opt-out or have a straightforward opt-in call-to-action, so Newegg’s approach was definitely novel.
HP, 9/25 — Colorful, lightweight, and a great value! Prices start at $399
The way that HP has hashtag-ified their “Move at the Speed of Life” slogan at the top of this email is really interesting. It’s then carried through in a banner further down with a #SpeedOfLife tweet from a customer.
Bed Bath & Beyond, 9/27 — Online clearance. Off-the-hook savings. PLUS, Don't forget your 20% off one single item online coupon!
As I mentioned in this article I wrote for ADOTAS, using Facebook as an event hall for chats is a nascent and growing trend. In this email, Bed Bath & Beyond promotes a Facebook chat with Emeril Lagasse. This is the second time in recent months that Bed Bath & Beyond has held a Facebook chat event and promoted it in their emails.
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Ross-Simons, 9/26 — Chad, 30% OFF! Sneak Peek - Holiday Preview.
Target, 9/26 — Surprise! It's a Cyber Monday in September (and a cyber sale all week).
Kohl’s, 9/26 — Calling All Ghouls & Goblins: Extra 10% Off Halloween Costumes. 2 Days Only!
Drs. Foster & Smith, 9/27 — Dog Halloween Costumes - CLEARANCE SALE!
Oriental Trading, 9/27 — Halloween Sale! Up to 50% off + free shipping
Disney Store, 9/25 — Ends Tonight! Free Shipping on Costumes
Linens ’n Things, 9/27 — Up To 60% Halloween Savings
Toys “R” Us, 9/27 — 2-Day Bonus Deals! 30% Off Halloween Costumes, $30 Off Power Wheels & MORE!
Dick’s Sporting Goods, 9/25 — We're Turning the Sports World Pink This October
Harry & David, 9/26 — What are the most common birthday months?
Hallmark, 9/27 — You could win a trip for sharing your story about the power of a card
Spiegel, 9/26 — Don't Be The Last One In: SWIM SALE, Now $15 Or Less!
Buy.com, 9/25 — BABY LOVE | There's some really cute stuff inside!
Saks Fifth Avenue, 9/24 — Moncler for her, for him, for winter's coldest days
Bloomingdale’s, 9/26 — Winter Gear: New Coats & Boot Styles For Him
_____________________
BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
AM Inbox: Don't keep content siloed
>>I’m back from vacation and will be bringing us back up to date over the next few days.
The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:
Sephora, 9/21 — Ask the experts
Without doubt, Sephora is one of the savviest retailers when it comes to integrating email and social media. In this email, they bring forward some questions and answers from their BeautyTalk community. In the same way that B&H highlighted some social media comments when pitching subscribers to join their communities (see Sept. 21 AM Inbox) and J. Jill uses Facebook comments like they would product reviews (see Aug. 1 AM Inbox), if there’s a great conversation that happens between your brand and your customers, look for ways to propagate that across other channels like email. Don’t keep great content locked away in its channel of origination.
REI, 9/23 — Find Yourself on the Trail
REI partners the promotional content about GPS products with a quiz so subscribers can see how GPS-savvy they are. A promotional-educational combo like this engages subscribers on two levels and can garner clicks from subscribers who aren’t or didn’t think they were in the market for a new GPS device.
However, the landing page suffers from Back-Alley Syndrome. The whole survey takes place on pages without any REI branding or navigation and it’s only when you reach the final page of the survey (shown below in its entirety) that you are provided with a link to REI. Perhaps they didn’t want to be heavy-handed by pairing the quiz with products, but this is probably too hands-off. That said, the call-to-action to share your quiz score on Facebook is a nice viral touch. There’s also an opportunity on the final page of a quiz like this should present additional content or products related to the quiz—or even better, personalized to each quiz-taker’s answers. It would be worth testing to see if a sparse results page like REI uses here is better than one that includes more links for further engagement.
GameStop, 9/23 — Get More at GameStop – Free Upgrade, Creepy Crawler and "The Rock"
I keep expecting to see retailers touting many more digital goods—be they books, games, apps, or other digital goods—especially a day or two before major holidays. GameStop is a retailer that you’d expect to be pushing digital goods, but they haven’t made that focus. But that might be changing if the content block in this email because standard. Unfortunately, unless subscribers read the tiny type under the huge DLC logo or are familiar with DLC, they probably won’t realize that these are game downloads. Another aspect that’s user-friendly is that the Call of Duty: Elite pre-order is unclickable, so there’s no way to reach a pre-order page from the email.
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Fingerhut, 9/21 — Fingerhut: It’s Time! Take a SNEAK PEEK at the Holiday BIG Book!
Frederick’s of Hollywood, 9/21 — Mix and match costumes. Plus $20 Off and free fishnets.
Oriental Trading, 9/23 — Over 2,000 NEW costumes. Shipping is free!
J. Jill, 9/21 — Love to layer our luxe sweater. Plus, $20 off $80.
Orvis, 9/22 — Sweater weather! Shop 135+ styles for men and women.
Sports Authority, 9/22 — The New Storm Fleece – Get Ridiculously Comfortable
Home Depot, 9/22 — Get Everything You Need For an Easy Fall Clean Up
NFLshop, 9/22 — Bring The Game Home With NFL's Interactive Game Day Party
Sam’s Club, 9/22 — Folding tables are a fan favorite; Get game day ready
Dell, 9/23 — You know it's time to upgrade to a new PC when...
Ralph Lauren, 9/23 — Introducing Our First Ever Girls Runway Show
Nordstrom, 9/22 — TOMS Shoes & Chic Shades, All for a Great Cause
_____________________
BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked
The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:
Sephora, 9/21 — Ask the experts
Without doubt, Sephora is one of the savviest retailers when it comes to integrating email and social media. In this email, they bring forward some questions and answers from their BeautyTalk community. In the same way that B&H highlighted some social media comments when pitching subscribers to join their communities (see Sept. 21 AM Inbox) and J. Jill uses Facebook comments like they would product reviews (see Aug. 1 AM Inbox), if there’s a great conversation that happens between your brand and your customers, look for ways to propagate that across other channels like email. Don’t keep great content locked away in its channel of origination.
REI, 9/23 — Find Yourself on the Trail
REI partners the promotional content about GPS products with a quiz so subscribers can see how GPS-savvy they are. A promotional-educational combo like this engages subscribers on two levels and can garner clicks from subscribers who aren’t or didn’t think they were in the market for a new GPS device.
However, the landing page suffers from Back-Alley Syndrome. The whole survey takes place on pages without any REI branding or navigation and it’s only when you reach the final page of the survey (shown below in its entirety) that you are provided with a link to REI. Perhaps they didn’t want to be heavy-handed by pairing the quiz with products, but this is probably too hands-off. That said, the call-to-action to share your quiz score on Facebook is a nice viral touch. There’s also an opportunity on the final page of a quiz like this should present additional content or products related to the quiz—or even better, personalized to each quiz-taker’s answers. It would be worth testing to see if a sparse results page like REI uses here is better than one that includes more links for further engagement.
GameStop, 9/23 — Get More at GameStop – Free Upgrade, Creepy Crawler and "The Rock"
I keep expecting to see retailers touting many more digital goods—be they books, games, apps, or other digital goods—especially a day or two before major holidays. GameStop is a retailer that you’d expect to be pushing digital goods, but they haven’t made that focus. But that might be changing if the content block in this email because standard. Unfortunately, unless subscribers read the tiny type under the huge DLC logo or are familiar with DLC, they probably won’t realize that these are game downloads. Another aspect that’s user-friendly is that the Call of Duty: Elite pre-order is unclickable, so there’s no way to reach a pre-order page from the email.
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Fingerhut, 9/21 — Fingerhut: It’s Time! Take a SNEAK PEEK at the Holiday BIG Book!
Frederick’s of Hollywood, 9/21 — Mix and match costumes. Plus $20 Off and free fishnets.
Oriental Trading, 9/23 — Over 2,000 NEW costumes. Shipping is free!
J. Jill, 9/21 — Love to layer our luxe sweater. Plus, $20 off $80.
Orvis, 9/22 — Sweater weather! Shop 135+ styles for men and women.
Sports Authority, 9/22 — The New Storm Fleece – Get Ridiculously Comfortable
Home Depot, 9/22 — Get Everything You Need For an Easy Fall Clean Up
NFLshop, 9/22 — Bring The Game Home With NFL's Interactive Game Day Party
Sam’s Club, 9/22 — Folding tables are a fan favorite; Get game day ready
Dell, 9/23 — You know it's time to upgrade to a new PC when...
Ralph Lauren, 9/23 — Introducing Our First Ever Girls Runway Show
Nordstrom, 9/22 — TOMS Shoes & Chic Shades, All for a Great Cause
_____________________
BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked
Friday, September 23, 2011
Ping Time: Cart abandonment, email testing, etc.
My latest spin around the mediasphere turned up the following nuggets:
>>Loren McDonald of Silverpop shares some research from SeeWhy that will challenge your thoughts about cart abandonment. >>Follow the ping
>>MarketingSherpa shares the results of a survey about which email elements are most routinely tested. >>Follow the ping
>>Style Campaign shares a SavvyMom.ca case study about creating a mobile-friendly welcome series. >>Follow the ping
>>Email on Acid’s Emailology site contains lots of good information about email design and coding. >>Follow the ping
>>Return Path releases first half 2011 data showing that 1 in 5 emails continue to be blocked. >>Follow the ping
_____________________
BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked
>>Loren McDonald of Silverpop shares some research from SeeWhy that will challenge your thoughts about cart abandonment. >>Follow the ping
>>MarketingSherpa shares the results of a survey about which email elements are most routinely tested. >>Follow the ping
>>Style Campaign shares a SavvyMom.ca case study about creating a mobile-friendly welcome series. >>Follow the ping
>>Email on Acid’s Emailology site contains lots of good information about email design and coding. >>Follow the ping
>>Return Path releases first half 2011 data showing that 1 in 5 emails continue to be blocked. >>Follow the ping
_____________________
BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
AM Inbox: Pulling social content into social invites
The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:
B&H Photo Video, 9/20 — B&H invites you to connect with us in Social Media
Ignoring the word cloud (which is feeling pretty dated at this point), this email does a great job of supporting its invitation to connect with real-world examples from each social network. It becomes a lot less abstract with an example, in the same way that a pitch to sign-up for emails is strengthened by showing a sample email. Including tweets, wall posts and other items from social networks in emails is definitely a growing trend.
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
TigerDirect, 9/20 — What boots in 8 seconds, runs millions of apps, and has an 8.5 hour battery life? Introducing ... [promoting Chromebooks]
JC Whitney, 9/20 — Get Ready For Fall Driving - Wet Weather Ahead | Plus 15% Off
L.L. Bean, 9/20 — 70% Off Select Outerwear + Free Shipping
Williams-Sonoma, 9/20 — A Dazzling Choice - Exclusive New Baccarat Crystal
J&R, 9/20 — Learn To Play: Musical Instruments & Starter Packs for Beginners!
_____________________
BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked
B&H Photo Video, 9/20 — B&H invites you to connect with us in Social Media
Ignoring the word cloud (which is feeling pretty dated at this point), this email does a great job of supporting its invitation to connect with real-world examples from each social network. It becomes a lot less abstract with an example, in the same way that a pitch to sign-up for emails is strengthened by showing a sample email. Including tweets, wall posts and other items from social networks in emails is definitely a growing trend.
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
TigerDirect, 9/20 — What boots in 8 seconds, runs millions of apps, and has an 8.5 hour battery life? Introducing ... [promoting Chromebooks]
JC Whitney, 9/20 — Get Ready For Fall Driving - Wet Weather Ahead | Plus 15% Off
L.L. Bean, 9/20 — 70% Off Select Outerwear + Free Shipping
Williams-Sonoma, 9/20 — A Dazzling Choice - Exclusive New Baccarat Crystal
J&R, 9/20 — Learn To Play: Musical Instruments & Starter Packs for Beginners!
_____________________
BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
AM Inbox: Lane Bryant's fashion profiler
The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:
Lane Bryant, 9/19 — 3 Minutes To Flattering Fit & Styles – Genius
Looking to better understand their customers’ individual fashion needs and thereby making much more relevant product recommendations, Lane Bryant has launched Fashion Genius. The program reminds me of Sephora’s Beauty Insider loyalty program’s profile—which asked about skin type, coloration and more—and of Spiegel’s Signature Style Quiz (see Mar. 17, 2008 AM Inbox). Even small efforts at progressive profiling and preference building can yield significant increases in relevance if you can identify the highest yield question(s) to ask.
Art.com, 9/19 — Free Shipping on Fall Colors and Framing
This Art.com contest is emblematic of where things are headed. The contest engages professional and casual artists and art-lovers, whose votes determined the winners. The winners get their photos transferred to canvas, allowing Art.com to promote their Photos {to} Art service, but also get their photos featured on Art.com’s Facebook page, which is easily the bigger prize since most artists hunger for more visibility. The next step would have been to make the winners’ photos available for sale on Art.com. Perhaps we’ll see that next time around.
Target, 9/19 — This kitchen sale smells delicious.
I’m really enjoying Target’s emails since their redesign last month (see Aug. 30 AM Inbox). For instance, while this email isn’t very scannable, the nontraditional layout with differences in scale and the blender overlapping with the headline is visually quite different from everything else hitting my inbox.
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Barnes & Noble, 9/19 — Tony Bennett's Latest! Plus Emmy Award Winning DVD's
Disney Store, 9/19 — Halloween is on Its Way! Free Shipping with Any Costume
Williams-Sonoma, 9/19 — Bake + Decorate with Marvel™ Comics
J. Crew, 9/19 — Click here if you love sweater weather...
Lands’ End, 9/19 — We couldn't leave wool enough alone + Extra 25% off Sale & Clearance
Tiffany & Co., 9/19 — A Fresh Fall Palette
Northern Tool, 9/19 — Reduce Your Heating Costs This Winter
Abercrombie & Fitch, 9/19 — Perfectly soft, perfectly hot... The A&F Yoga Collection is perfect by a long stretch!
_____________________
BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked
Lane Bryant, 9/19 — 3 Minutes To Flattering Fit & Styles – Genius
Looking to better understand their customers’ individual fashion needs and thereby making much more relevant product recommendations, Lane Bryant has launched Fashion Genius. The program reminds me of Sephora’s Beauty Insider loyalty program’s profile—which asked about skin type, coloration and more—and of Spiegel’s Signature Style Quiz (see Mar. 17, 2008 AM Inbox). Even small efforts at progressive profiling and preference building can yield significant increases in relevance if you can identify the highest yield question(s) to ask.
Art.com, 9/19 — Free Shipping on Fall Colors and Framing
This Art.com contest is emblematic of where things are headed. The contest engages professional and casual artists and art-lovers, whose votes determined the winners. The winners get their photos transferred to canvas, allowing Art.com to promote their Photos {to} Art service, but also get their photos featured on Art.com’s Facebook page, which is easily the bigger prize since most artists hunger for more visibility. The next step would have been to make the winners’ photos available for sale on Art.com. Perhaps we’ll see that next time around.
Target, 9/19 — This kitchen sale smells delicious.
I’m really enjoying Target’s emails since their redesign last month (see Aug. 30 AM Inbox). For instance, while this email isn’t very scannable, the nontraditional layout with differences in scale and the blender overlapping with the headline is visually quite different from everything else hitting my inbox.
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Barnes & Noble, 9/19 — Tony Bennett's Latest! Plus Emmy Award Winning DVD's
Disney Store, 9/19 — Halloween is on Its Way! Free Shipping with Any Costume
Williams-Sonoma, 9/19 — Bake + Decorate with Marvel™ Comics
J. Crew, 9/19 — Click here if you love sweater weather...
Lands’ End, 9/19 — We couldn't leave wool enough alone + Extra 25% off Sale & Clearance
Tiffany & Co., 9/19 — A Fresh Fall Palette
Northern Tool, 9/19 — Reduce Your Heating Costs This Winter
Abercrombie & Fitch, 9/19 — Perfectly soft, perfectly hot... The A&F Yoga Collection is perfect by a long stretch!
_____________________
BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked
Monday, September 19, 2011
AM Inbox: Harry & David email template redesign
The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:
Harry & David, 9/16 — Last Call - Oregold Peaches Shipping Now + Free Delivery!
Harry & David has redesigned their email template, choosing to go with a much lighter-looking design, which has definitely been the trend this year. They drop the background image around their emails—although the oddly retain large spacer images instead of either left-justifying or centering the email content. Harry & David also eliminated the heavy navigation bar ribbon, moving the nav links to the right of their logo. There’s also a clearer hierarchy of text in the new design that aids in scanning. Harry & David last redesigned their email template in October of 2010 (see Oct. 7, 2010 AM Inbox) and in some respects this new design returns to that former design aesthete.
Here’s the new design (left) and the previous design from a Sept. 5 email:
Brookstone, 9/16 — Something good is waiting for you…
It’s rather inconspicuous, but at the bottom of this email, Brookstone announces the launch of their blog, which plans to tell the stories behind how the products they carry were invented. Knowing the story and about people behind a product can make it more appealing and having this content gives Brookstone the ability to make their product promotions both on their website and in their emails much richer in terms of information.
Kmart, 9/16 — You could win a spot in our next photoshoot + save on a Sylvania HDTV
The suggestive imagery in this email is really off-brand for Kmart. It’s what I’d expect from American Apparel, Calvin Klein or Abercrombie & Fitch.
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Crate & Barrel, 9/18 — Must-have recipes, tools and tips for the winning tailgate party.
Buy.com, 9/18 — Kick Off the Season with GameDay Savings
Frederick’s of Hollywood, 9/16 — 20% off the entire site, the hottest costumes + free shipping.
Orvis, 9/16 — Get ready for fall with warm sweatshirts.
Urban Outfitters, 9/16 — Get ready for fall with warm sweatshirts.
Bluefly, 9/16 — EMAIL ONLY: $30 Off | Must-Have Sweater Trends: Capes, Cropped & Color-Blocked!
Ann Taylor, 9/16 — 6 Must-Have Accessories + Enjoy 40% Off EVERYTHING!
Eddie Bauer, 9/16 — Heritage Style: Elevate Your Wardrobe with Vintage-inspired Pieces.
Coldwater Creek, 9/17 — Now Showing: Fall Jacket Style Tips
Chadwicks, 9/18 — New Fall Styles + Favorites in Rich New Colors!
Backcountry.com, 9/17 — Your Ski Showcase Source for 2011/2012 - Videos & More
The Company Store, 9/18 — 50% Off???
Sephora, 9/18 — Are you wearing the right mascara?
Yoox, 9/17 — London Eco-Fashion: Estethica at YOOXYGEN
_____________________
BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked
Harry & David, 9/16 — Last Call - Oregold Peaches Shipping Now + Free Delivery!
Harry & David has redesigned their email template, choosing to go with a much lighter-looking design, which has definitely been the trend this year. They drop the background image around their emails—although the oddly retain large spacer images instead of either left-justifying or centering the email content. Harry & David also eliminated the heavy navigation bar ribbon, moving the nav links to the right of their logo. There’s also a clearer hierarchy of text in the new design that aids in scanning. Harry & David last redesigned their email template in October of 2010 (see Oct. 7, 2010 AM Inbox) and in some respects this new design returns to that former design aesthete.
Here’s the new design (left) and the previous design from a Sept. 5 email:
Brookstone, 9/16 — Something good is waiting for you…
It’s rather inconspicuous, but at the bottom of this email, Brookstone announces the launch of their blog, which plans to tell the stories behind how the products they carry were invented. Knowing the story and about people behind a product can make it more appealing and having this content gives Brookstone the ability to make their product promotions both on their website and in their emails much richer in terms of information.
Kmart, 9/16 — You could win a spot in our next photoshoot + save on a Sylvania HDTV
The suggestive imagery in this email is really off-brand for Kmart. It’s what I’d expect from American Apparel, Calvin Klein or Abercrombie & Fitch.
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Crate & Barrel, 9/18 — Must-have recipes, tools and tips for the winning tailgate party.
Buy.com, 9/18 — Kick Off the Season with GameDay Savings
Frederick’s of Hollywood, 9/16 — 20% off the entire site, the hottest costumes + free shipping.
Orvis, 9/16 — Get ready for fall with warm sweatshirts.
Urban Outfitters, 9/16 — Get ready for fall with warm sweatshirts.
Bluefly, 9/16 — EMAIL ONLY: $30 Off | Must-Have Sweater Trends: Capes, Cropped & Color-Blocked!
Ann Taylor, 9/16 — 6 Must-Have Accessories + Enjoy 40% Off EVERYTHING!
Eddie Bauer, 9/16 — Heritage Style: Elevate Your Wardrobe with Vintage-inspired Pieces.
Coldwater Creek, 9/17 — Now Showing: Fall Jacket Style Tips
Chadwicks, 9/18 — New Fall Styles + Favorites in Rich New Colors!
Backcountry.com, 9/17 — Your Ski Showcase Source for 2011/2012 - Videos & More
The Company Store, 9/18 — 50% Off???
Sephora, 9/18 — Are you wearing the right mascara?
Yoox, 9/17 — London Eco-Fashion: Estethica at YOOXYGEN
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Sunday, September 18, 2011
Week-End Trends: Email volume down in respect for 9/11
Email activity and seasonal trends during the past week:
The Retail Email Index: The top online retailers sent each of their subscribers 2.9 promotional emails on average during the week ending Sept. 16, 2011. That’s down 9% week-over-week, down 7% from where it was four weeks ago, and up only 4% year-over-year.
The Retail Email Participation Rate: Friday was the most popular day to send retail emails last week.
As I mentioned in Monday’s AM Inbox, retail email volume was down on 9/11—which was somewhat odd because the somber anniversary hadn’t affected mailing schedules in recent years. When I saw that volume was below normal on Sunday I expected retailers to shift those emails to Monday or perhaps Tuesday, but that shift never happened. The emails that would have normally been sent on 9/11 just didn’t get sent at all, which is why volume fell so much this past week.
The Retail Email Seasonality Meter: We got our first reference to Thanksgiving last week. Typically there are a few Christmas references during the week after Labor Day, but that didn’t happen year. We’ll definitely start to get them this coming week.
Selling Seasons on the Horizon:
Columbus Day (Oct. 10): 2010 Season Finale
Halloween (Oct. 31): 2010 Season Finale
Thanksgiving (Nov. 24): 2010 Season Finale
Black Friday (Nov. 25) and Cyber Monday (Nov. 28): Black Friday & Cyber Monday 2010
Christmas (Dec. 25): 2010 Season Finale and Retail Email Guide to the Holiday Season 2011
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The Retail Email Index: The top online retailers sent each of their subscribers 2.9 promotional emails on average during the week ending Sept. 16, 2011. That’s down 9% week-over-week, down 7% from where it was four weeks ago, and up only 4% year-over-year.
The Retail Email Participation Rate: Friday was the most popular day to send retail emails last week.
As I mentioned in Monday’s AM Inbox, retail email volume was down on 9/11—which was somewhat odd because the somber anniversary hadn’t affected mailing schedules in recent years. When I saw that volume was below normal on Sunday I expected retailers to shift those emails to Monday or perhaps Tuesday, but that shift never happened. The emails that would have normally been sent on 9/11 just didn’t get sent at all, which is why volume fell so much this past week.
The Retail Email Seasonality Meter: We got our first reference to Thanksgiving last week. Typically there are a few Christmas references during the week after Labor Day, but that didn’t happen year. We’ll definitely start to get them this coming week.
Selling Seasons on the Horizon:
Columbus Day (Oct. 10): 2010 Season Finale
Halloween (Oct. 31): 2010 Season Finale
Thanksgiving (Nov. 24): 2010 Season Finale
Black Friday (Nov. 25) and Cyber Monday (Nov. 28): Black Friday & Cyber Monday 2010
Christmas (Dec. 25): 2010 Season Finale and Retail Email Guide to the Holiday Season 2011
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Friday, September 16, 2011
Ping Time: Engagement Index, haves vs. have-nots, etc.
My latest spin around the mediasphere turned up the following nuggets:
>>Tweet of the Week: @indiescott: Stop using a mobile-friendly link, start using mobile-friendly code. #mtwebinar
>>David Daniels of the Relevancy Group urges email marketers to create their own Engagement Index to track the activity level of their subscribers. >>Follow the ping
>>Tim Roe of Redeye International talks about the growing divide between the haves and have-nots in email marketing and how the ability to measure ROI is key. >>Follow the ping
>>Laura Atkins of Word to the Wise reports on MAAWG’s condemnation of email appending. >>Follow the ping
>>Linda Bustos of GetElastic suggests adding a “Like this product” call-to-action to your post-purchase triggered emails requesting product reviews. >>Like this ping
>>Joe Brockmeier of ReadWriteCloud shares an infographic that shows the number of accounts and daily activity for a number of channels, including email, search, Facebook, Twitter and Google+. >>Follow the ping
>>Elliot Ross of e-Dialog shares his list of the five most essential resources for coding HTML emails. >>Follow the ping
>>Melinda Plemel of Return Path continues their Marketer’s Field Guide series with a detailed look at deliverability and other issues around Comcast inboxes. >>Follow the ping
>>In my latest Email Insider column, I discuss ways that email and social are forging closer ties. >>Follow the ping
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>>Tweet of the Week: @indiescott: Stop using a mobile-friendly link, start using mobile-friendly code. #mtwebinar
>>David Daniels of the Relevancy Group urges email marketers to create their own Engagement Index to track the activity level of their subscribers. >>Follow the ping
>>Tim Roe of Redeye International talks about the growing divide between the haves and have-nots in email marketing and how the ability to measure ROI is key. >>Follow the ping
>>Laura Atkins of Word to the Wise reports on MAAWG’s condemnation of email appending. >>Follow the ping
>>Linda Bustos of GetElastic suggests adding a “Like this product” call-to-action to your post-purchase triggered emails requesting product reviews. >>Like this ping
>>Joe Brockmeier of ReadWriteCloud shares an infographic that shows the number of accounts and daily activity for a number of channels, including email, search, Facebook, Twitter and Google+. >>Follow the ping
>>Elliot Ross of e-Dialog shares his list of the five most essential resources for coding HTML emails. >>Follow the ping
>>Melinda Plemel of Return Path continues their Marketer’s Field Guide series with a detailed look at deliverability and other issues around Comcast inboxes. >>Follow the ping
>>In my latest Email Insider column, I discuss ways that email and social are forging closer ties. >>Follow the ping
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AM Inbox: 1-800-Flowers.com redesign highlights sister brands
The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:
1-800-Flowers.com, 9/15 — Check out our New & Exclusive Happy Hour Collection
1-800-Flowers.com has redesigned their email template, with the key changes appearing in the header. The biggest change is the addition of a full line-up of sister brand tabs, whereas only 1-800-Baskets.com was highlighted before. This is a great way to expose subscribers to your other brands. Too often marketers get an opt-in to one brand and then without permission or even the courtesy of a clear notification just start sending emails from their other brands. Retailers like Lane Bryant and the Gap Inc. brands include sister brand logos at the bottoms of their emails; the tabbed implementation by 1-800-Flowers.com is just a more prominent execution of that same idea. In addition to the new sister brand tabs, the curved edges of the tabs are carried down in to the primary message block. The new navigation bar looks like HTML text, but isn’t—which is a missed opportunity.
Here’s the new design (left) and the previous design from a Sept. 10 email:
Neiman Marcus, 9/15 — Valentino Rockstud Collection
As with a Coldwater Creek email in June (see June 27 AM Inbox), this Neiman Marcus email makes a striking use of white space. At a glance it gives you the impression that something is wrong with the email, that something is missing. That sensation draws you in to take a closer look. It’s in the same vein as Banana Republic’s use of clipped model shots (see May 3 AM Inbox).
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
J. Crew, 9/15 — Flirt with fall: new arrivals are here
Urban Outfitters, 9/15 — Tomorrow Night: Around The World Fall Preview
Ross-Simons, 9/15 — How will you spend your $25 Gift Coupon?
J&R, 9/15 — Love Your Computer & Everything On It? Then Back It Up!
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1-800-Flowers.com, 9/15 — Check out our New & Exclusive Happy Hour Collection
1-800-Flowers.com has redesigned their email template, with the key changes appearing in the header. The biggest change is the addition of a full line-up of sister brand tabs, whereas only 1-800-Baskets.com was highlighted before. This is a great way to expose subscribers to your other brands. Too often marketers get an opt-in to one brand and then without permission or even the courtesy of a clear notification just start sending emails from their other brands. Retailers like Lane Bryant and the Gap Inc. brands include sister brand logos at the bottoms of their emails; the tabbed implementation by 1-800-Flowers.com is just a more prominent execution of that same idea. In addition to the new sister brand tabs, the curved edges of the tabs are carried down in to the primary message block. The new navigation bar looks like HTML text, but isn’t—which is a missed opportunity.
Here’s the new design (left) and the previous design from a Sept. 10 email:
Neiman Marcus, 9/15 — Valentino Rockstud Collection
As with a Coldwater Creek email in June (see June 27 AM Inbox), this Neiman Marcus email makes a striking use of white space. At a glance it gives you the impression that something is wrong with the email, that something is missing. That sensation draws you in to take a closer look. It’s in the same vein as Banana Republic’s use of clipped model shots (see May 3 AM Inbox).
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
J. Crew, 9/15 — Flirt with fall: new arrivals are here
Urban Outfitters, 9/15 — Tomorrow Night: Around The World Fall Preview
Ross-Simons, 9/15 — How will you spend your $25 Gift Coupon?
J&R, 9/15 — Love Your Computer & Everything On It? Then Back It Up!
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Thursday, September 15, 2011
AM Inbox: First reference to Thanksgiving
The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:
Williams-Sonoma, 9/14 — Save up to 20% Today - 4 Hours Only
Williams-Sonoma gives us our first reference to Thanksgiving, which is Nov. 24 this year. For insights and inspiration for your campaigns, check out the 2010 Thanksgiving Season Finale.
Omaha Steaks, 9/14 — $0.00 Shipping | 61% Savings | 48 HOURS ONLY
Most of the email template redesigns that I write about stick, but it isn’t always the case. Sometimes the control beats the fresh-faced, best practices-filled test. That was apparently the case with the recent Omaha Steaks template redesign (Sept. 8 AM Inbox). Since that Sept. 7 email, they’ve reverted to their previous template. Perhaps the nav links were too muted and the community links too subtle. Perhaps the traditional logo placement pushed the primary message too far down. Hopefully Omaha Steaks won’t be daunted and will continue to test some changes to freshen up their design and find incremental gains.
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Brookstone, 9/14 — Crunch, smash… ooof! 25% OFF NFL Logo Gear
Kohl’s, 9/14 — Introducing the Jennifer Lopez Collection | Apparel, Accessories, Home
Ann Taylor, 9/14 — How We Wear Our Perfect Pieces + 40% Off EVERYTHING!
Apple, 9/14 — One amazing iPad. 100,000 apps and counting.
Montgomery Ward, 9/14 — Get Glowing: fireplaces as low as $30 a month
Cooking.com, 9/14 — Combining Beauty & Durability: Introducing Calphalon Bronze Contemporary Nonstick Cookware
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Williams-Sonoma, 9/14 — Save up to 20% Today - 4 Hours Only
Williams-Sonoma gives us our first reference to Thanksgiving, which is Nov. 24 this year. For insights and inspiration for your campaigns, check out the 2010 Thanksgiving Season Finale.
Omaha Steaks, 9/14 — $0.00 Shipping | 61% Savings | 48 HOURS ONLY
Most of the email template redesigns that I write about stick, but it isn’t always the case. Sometimes the control beats the fresh-faced, best practices-filled test. That was apparently the case with the recent Omaha Steaks template redesign (Sept. 8 AM Inbox). Since that Sept. 7 email, they’ve reverted to their previous template. Perhaps the nav links were too muted and the community links too subtle. Perhaps the traditional logo placement pushed the primary message too far down. Hopefully Omaha Steaks won’t be daunted and will continue to test some changes to freshen up their design and find incremental gains.
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Brookstone, 9/14 — Crunch, smash… ooof! 25% OFF NFL Logo Gear
Kohl’s, 9/14 — Introducing the Jennifer Lopez Collection | Apparel, Accessories, Home
Ann Taylor, 9/14 — How We Wear Our Perfect Pieces + 40% Off EVERYTHING!
Apple, 9/14 — One amazing iPad. 100,000 apps and counting.
Montgomery Ward, 9/14 — Get Glowing: fireplaces as low as $30 a month
Cooking.com, 9/14 — Combining Beauty & Durability: Introducing Calphalon Bronze Contemporary Nonstick Cookware
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Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Season Finale: 4th of July 2011
A look back on seasonal trends, email activity and standout B2C marketing:
Start to finish: The first reference to the 4th of July was on Mar. 15. The final reference was on July 9.
The biggest day for 4th of July emails was Monday, July 4. Retailers sent the majority of their 4th of July–themed emails after June 30.
Most interesting emails: This July 1 J. Jill email has a wonderful understatedness to it that takes you by surprise. The clever minimalism keeps the focus on the offer.
With free shipping becoming more and more expected—especially around holidays—it’s harder to stand out in the inbox with a free shipping offer. In this June 29 email with the subject line “Freedom From Return Fees,” Yoox trumpets a free returns offer, which is definitely different. I wonder if we’ll see more free returns offers this holiday season, when free shipping offers will become even more ubiquitous.
Noteworthy trend: A number of retailers seemed to jump the gun on wishing their subscribers a Happy 4th. For Independence Day as with most other holidays, typically retailers wish their subscribers a happy holiday on the day of or the day before. As you can see in these subject lines, retailers started sending their “Happy 4th” well-wishes more than a week ahead of the holiday, perhaps trying to reach folks before they left for the holiday weekend:
Gap, 6/28 — Happy 4th! Up to 70% Off + FREE Shipping Every Day
Dell, 6/30 — Happy 4th of July! Enjoy great savings and free shipping on all PCs
Sears, 7/1 — Happy 4th of July! Enjoy Free Shipping Now
Foot Locker, 7/1 — Don't Miss Your Chance to Save $15 Online - Happy 4th!
Standout subject lines:
Nordstrom, 6/25 — Effortlessly Cool Looks With Americana Appeal
Ralph Lauren, 6/30 — Show Your Pride With Our Flag Polo
Lands’ End, 6/30 — Oooh... Aaah... Yay! See what all the noise is about...
Lands’ End, 7/2 — Save from sea to shining sea: $40 off $100 including Sale!
Lands’ End, 7/3 — Stars, stripes, even solids! Big savings on everything.
Lands’ End, 7/5 — Oh, say can you see, that our sale ends tonight!
Lands’ End, 7/6 — Hurry! The last sparks are falling on the Stars & Stripes Savings Event
Subject lines that stand out for the wrong reasons:
JCPenney, 7/3 — FIREWORKS SALE!
What?! JCPenney is selling fireworks? Oh…no, they’re not. Umm, perhaps this subject line could have been more clear.
Read previous 4th of July Season Finales: 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007
Explore 4th of July tag.
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Start to finish: The first reference to the 4th of July was on Mar. 15. The final reference was on July 9.
The biggest day for 4th of July emails was Monday, July 4. Retailers sent the majority of their 4th of July–themed emails after June 30.
Most interesting emails: This July 1 J. Jill email has a wonderful understatedness to it that takes you by surprise. The clever minimalism keeps the focus on the offer.
With free shipping becoming more and more expected—especially around holidays—it’s harder to stand out in the inbox with a free shipping offer. In this June 29 email with the subject line “Freedom From Return Fees,” Yoox trumpets a free returns offer, which is definitely different. I wonder if we’ll see more free returns offers this holiday season, when free shipping offers will become even more ubiquitous.
Noteworthy trend: A number of retailers seemed to jump the gun on wishing their subscribers a Happy 4th. For Independence Day as with most other holidays, typically retailers wish their subscribers a happy holiday on the day of or the day before. As you can see in these subject lines, retailers started sending their “Happy 4th” well-wishes more than a week ahead of the holiday, perhaps trying to reach folks before they left for the holiday weekend:
Gap, 6/28 — Happy 4th! Up to 70% Off + FREE Shipping Every Day
Dell, 6/30 — Happy 4th of July! Enjoy great savings and free shipping on all PCs
Sears, 7/1 — Happy 4th of July! Enjoy Free Shipping Now
Foot Locker, 7/1 — Don't Miss Your Chance to Save $15 Online - Happy 4th!
Standout subject lines:
Nordstrom, 6/25 — Effortlessly Cool Looks With Americana Appeal
Ralph Lauren, 6/30 — Show Your Pride With Our Flag Polo
Lands’ End, 6/30 — Oooh... Aaah... Yay! See what all the noise is about...
Lands’ End, 7/2 — Save from sea to shining sea: $40 off $100 including Sale!
Lands’ End, 7/3 — Stars, stripes, even solids! Big savings on everything.
Lands’ End, 7/5 — Oh, say can you see, that our sale ends tonight!
Lands’ End, 7/6 — Hurry! The last sparks are falling on the Stars & Stripes Savings Event
Subject lines that stand out for the wrong reasons:
JCPenney, 7/3 — FIREWORKS SALE!
What?! JCPenney is selling fireworks? Oh…no, they’re not. Umm, perhaps this subject line could have been more clear.
Read previous 4th of July Season Finales: 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007
Explore 4th of July tag.
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AM Inbox: First reference to Columbus Day
The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:
Barnes & Noble, 9/13 — Irresistible Godiva Cafe Offer Plus Up to 30% Off Books & Toys!
It’s a little on the early side, but I’m going to call this the first reference to Columbus Day, which is Oct. 10 this year. For insights and inspiration for your own campaigns, check out the 2010 Columbus Day Season Finale.
PC Connection, 9/13 — Now’s a Great Time to Upgrade Your Home Entertainment System!
As with all advertising messaging, you have to be telling a compelling story—and in email you have to tell that story at a glance. New product, attractive savings, innovative technology, helpful advice that reduces reluctance to purchase—whatever it is, make sure you’re telling that story in a way that’s immediately clear.
The subject line on this PC Connection email sets up a story that just isn’t told by the email. Why is now a great time to upgrade? There’s no indication that any of the products are new. There’s no special free shipping offer (just their usual offer). There are prices but there’s no indication of how much lower they are than the MSRP. The central assertion of this email is unfortunately completely unsupported and therefore unlikely to motivate too many subscribers to action.
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Linens ’n Things, 9/13 — Halloween Kickoff! Up to 50% Off
Oriental Trading, 9/13 — Over 150 fun, simple Halloween crafts. Shipping is free
Crate & Barrel, 9/13 — Energize any room with this season's freshest color.
Abercrombie & Fitch, 9/13 — Get into something a little more comfortable...
Nordstrom, 9/13 — New from UGG Australia: Style Turned Inside Out
Saks Fifth Avenue, 9/13 — Introducing Fall EDIT - if it's happening in fashion, it's here
Sierra Trading Post, 9/13 — FREE SHIPPING & EXTRA 20% OFF + EXTRA 20-25% OFF Top-Searched Items!
Hallmark, 9/13 — Be one of the first to see our new Hallmark mini commercials.
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Barnes & Noble, 9/13 — Irresistible Godiva Cafe Offer Plus Up to 30% Off Books & Toys!
It’s a little on the early side, but I’m going to call this the first reference to Columbus Day, which is Oct. 10 this year. For insights and inspiration for your own campaigns, check out the 2010 Columbus Day Season Finale.
PC Connection, 9/13 — Now’s a Great Time to Upgrade Your Home Entertainment System!
As with all advertising messaging, you have to be telling a compelling story—and in email you have to tell that story at a glance. New product, attractive savings, innovative technology, helpful advice that reduces reluctance to purchase—whatever it is, make sure you’re telling that story in a way that’s immediately clear.
The subject line on this PC Connection email sets up a story that just isn’t told by the email. Why is now a great time to upgrade? There’s no indication that any of the products are new. There’s no special free shipping offer (just their usual offer). There are prices but there’s no indication of how much lower they are than the MSRP. The central assertion of this email is unfortunately completely unsupported and therefore unlikely to motivate too many subscribers to action.
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Linens ’n Things, 9/13 — Halloween Kickoff! Up to 50% Off
Oriental Trading, 9/13 — Over 150 fun, simple Halloween crafts. Shipping is free
Crate & Barrel, 9/13 — Energize any room with this season's freshest color.
Abercrombie & Fitch, 9/13 — Get into something a little more comfortable...
Nordstrom, 9/13 — New from UGG Australia: Style Turned Inside Out
Saks Fifth Avenue, 9/13 — Introducing Fall EDIT - if it's happening in fashion, it's here
Sierra Trading Post, 9/13 — FREE SHIPPING & EXTRA 20% OFF + EXTRA 20-25% OFF Top-Searched Items!
Hallmark, 9/13 — Be one of the first to see our new Hallmark mini commercials.
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Tuesday, September 13, 2011
AM Inbox: Width and height limits of inboxes
The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:
Costco, 9/12 — NEW Online-Only Coupon Offers Start Today!
Certain inboxes have width and height restrictions. For instance, Outlook 2007 won’t display email content that’s wider than 2,200 pixels. That should be kept in mind when designing horizontal-scrolling emails. Similarly, the new Yahoo Mail has a max pixel height of around 4,900 pixels, which I was reminded of when viewing this Costco email. After scrolling and scrolling to the bottom of the email, I was alarmed that their footer appeared to be missing—which means no unsubscribe link and no mailing address for CAN-SPAM compliance. Then I noticed the “This message has been truncated” message from Yahoo. Clicking the “Show Full Message” button revealed the rest of the email, which measured a full 8,900 pixels high. I found the footer intact and couldn’t help but chuckle a little when I saw that it included the statement: “In the past you provided Costco with your email address. Occasionally, you will receive brief advertising announcements regarding special items and services.”
It’s best to be mindful of such height restrictions imposed by mailbox providers. First, for those subscribers who are looking to unsubscribe, if the footer is truncated they may become confused and simply mark the email as spam. Second, as email volume continues to rise, the trend is clearly toward shorter emails, not longer ones. And finally, if you need 6,000 or 9,000 or more pixels to convey your message, that’s a sign that your message isn’t targeted well. Segmentation, dynamic content and personalization gives your emails more punch with less bulk and helps your emails avoid “kitchen sink syndrome.”
Here’s the truncated version (left) and the full email:
Neiman Marcus, 9/12 — Ralph Lauren Exclusive Fall Video
While about one in 12 retail emails contains an animated gif, video gifs continue to see minimal usage among retailers. The one in this Neiman Marcus email is only the fourth one I’ve seen this year from the retailers I track. Last year I saw video gifs used in six retail emails. See the video gif in action.
Urban Outfitters, 9/12 — Free Shipping: All Day, Every Day.
The “Free Shipping Every Day” movement has gained another supporter: Urban Outfitters. As I said when Nordstrom joined up (see Aug. 30 AM Inbox), free shipping is becoming the status quo. Free returns is becoming the new differentiator.
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Lands’ End, 9/12 — 7 ways to wear your new favorite pants + Enjoy $20 off $75
Coldwater Creek, 9/12 — 100 new ways to LOVE fall!
CB2, 9/12 — the bed everyone's talking about starts at just $599.
Target, 9/12 — Patio price cuts. Get 'em while they're hot.
Spiegel, 9/12 — Split-Second Style Savings! EXTRA 20% OFF For 3 Hours, Today Only!
HP, 9/12 — See What's New at HP and Join the Conversation
J. Crew, 9/12 — It's here. Get a copy of Madewell's first-ever catalog.
The Company Store, 9/12 — Changing Leaves. Short Days. The First Chill.
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Costco, 9/12 — NEW Online-Only Coupon Offers Start Today!
Certain inboxes have width and height restrictions. For instance, Outlook 2007 won’t display email content that’s wider than 2,200 pixels. That should be kept in mind when designing horizontal-scrolling emails. Similarly, the new Yahoo Mail has a max pixel height of around 4,900 pixels, which I was reminded of when viewing this Costco email. After scrolling and scrolling to the bottom of the email, I was alarmed that their footer appeared to be missing—which means no unsubscribe link and no mailing address for CAN-SPAM compliance. Then I noticed the “This message has been truncated” message from Yahoo. Clicking the “Show Full Message” button revealed the rest of the email, which measured a full 8,900 pixels high. I found the footer intact and couldn’t help but chuckle a little when I saw that it included the statement: “In the past you provided Costco with your email address. Occasionally, you will receive brief advertising announcements regarding special items and services.”
It’s best to be mindful of such height restrictions imposed by mailbox providers. First, for those subscribers who are looking to unsubscribe, if the footer is truncated they may become confused and simply mark the email as spam. Second, as email volume continues to rise, the trend is clearly toward shorter emails, not longer ones. And finally, if you need 6,000 or 9,000 or more pixels to convey your message, that’s a sign that your message isn’t targeted well. Segmentation, dynamic content and personalization gives your emails more punch with less bulk and helps your emails avoid “kitchen sink syndrome.”
Here’s the truncated version (left) and the full email:
Neiman Marcus, 9/12 — Ralph Lauren Exclusive Fall Video
While about one in 12 retail emails contains an animated gif, video gifs continue to see minimal usage among retailers. The one in this Neiman Marcus email is only the fourth one I’ve seen this year from the retailers I track. Last year I saw video gifs used in six retail emails. See the video gif in action.
Urban Outfitters, 9/12 — Free Shipping: All Day, Every Day.
The “Free Shipping Every Day” movement has gained another supporter: Urban Outfitters. As I said when Nordstrom joined up (see Aug. 30 AM Inbox), free shipping is becoming the status quo. Free returns is becoming the new differentiator.
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Lands’ End, 9/12 — 7 ways to wear your new favorite pants + Enjoy $20 off $75
Coldwater Creek, 9/12 — 100 new ways to LOVE fall!
CB2, 9/12 — the bed everyone's talking about starts at just $599.
Target, 9/12 — Patio price cuts. Get 'em while they're hot.
Spiegel, 9/12 — Split-Second Style Savings! EXTRA 20% OFF For 3 Hours, Today Only!
HP, 9/12 — See What's New at HP and Join the Conversation
J. Crew, 9/12 — It's here. Get a copy of Madewell's first-ever catalog.
The Company Store, 9/12 — Changing Leaves. Short Days. The First Chill.
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Monday, September 12, 2011
AM Inbox: 9/11 10th anniversary quiets inboxes
The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:
Home Depot, 9/11 — Up to 60% Off Overstock Items, Only While Supplies Last
I’ve seen very few references to 9/11 from retailers, but this is the only one that wasn’t outright exploitive (see Sept. 9 AM Inbox). It’s good to see a retailer giving back to our veterans and I like that Home Depot found an on brand way of doing it by addresses their housing needs.
Even though 9/11 was mentioned by only a handful of retailers, the somber anniversary was clearly on retailers’ minds based on volume trends. Unlike other 9/11 anniversaries over the past five years that I've been tracking retail email trends, email volume dipped significantly this time around, with only 18% of retailers sending email yesterday—roughly half the usual level. The last time the percentage of retailers sending email was that low was February of 2009.
This Home Depot email also gave us our first reference to Veterans Day.
Orvis, 9/9 — News on Vermont's Recovery from Hurricane Irene.
With this email, Orvis seeks to reassure subscribers that were unaffected by Hurricane Irene and they are open for business. They also take the opportunity to thank those customers who expressed their concern and offered to lend a hand—and they sought to redirect those offers of help to their fellow Vermonters with a “Donate” call-to-action. Orvis did a nice job of taking what starts as a defensive measure and turns it into to a message of community support.
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
J. Jill, 9/9 — Silk + tweed = one extraordinary fall. Don't forget 15% off pants, too!
Coldwater Creek, 9/9 — 1 jacket = half-priced pants!
Lane Bryant, 9/9 — New Suit Looks For The Office + 99¢ Shipping
Cooking.com, 9/9 — Free Shipping + Save $90 on Best-Selling Calphalon Everyday Pans
REI, 9/9 — Fall Hiking Gear + Mega Deals at REI-OUTLET.com
Oriental Trading, 9/9 — Decorations your mummy would love + $0 shipping
Apple, 9/9 — Sept. 20 is your last chance to get a $100 Back to School Card.
Office Depot, 9/9 — Time For a New Chair? Need to Replace That Old Printer? Savings Inside...
Costco, 9/9 — Searching For A New Computer? Shop Costco.com For Top Selling Computers!
Toys “R” Us, 9/9 — New. Exclusive. And very stylish. Meet Little Rue.
Crate & Barrel, 9/11 — Make a statement with bold new rugs in exclusive designs.
Neiman Marcus, 9/11 — Exclusive Fragrances + Free tote & shipping at any price
_____________________
BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked
Home Depot, 9/11 — Up to 60% Off Overstock Items, Only While Supplies Last
I’ve seen very few references to 9/11 from retailers, but this is the only one that wasn’t outright exploitive (see Sept. 9 AM Inbox). It’s good to see a retailer giving back to our veterans and I like that Home Depot found an on brand way of doing it by addresses their housing needs.
Even though 9/11 was mentioned by only a handful of retailers, the somber anniversary was clearly on retailers’ minds based on volume trends. Unlike other 9/11 anniversaries over the past five years that I've been tracking retail email trends, email volume dipped significantly this time around, with only 18% of retailers sending email yesterday—roughly half the usual level. The last time the percentage of retailers sending email was that low was February of 2009.
This Home Depot email also gave us our first reference to Veterans Day.
Orvis, 9/9 — News on Vermont's Recovery from Hurricane Irene.
With this email, Orvis seeks to reassure subscribers that were unaffected by Hurricane Irene and they are open for business. They also take the opportunity to thank those customers who expressed their concern and offered to lend a hand—and they sought to redirect those offers of help to their fellow Vermonters with a “Donate” call-to-action. Orvis did a nice job of taking what starts as a defensive measure and turns it into to a message of community support.
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
J. Jill, 9/9 — Silk + tweed = one extraordinary fall. Don't forget 15% off pants, too!
Coldwater Creek, 9/9 — 1 jacket = half-priced pants!
Lane Bryant, 9/9 — New Suit Looks For The Office + 99¢ Shipping
Cooking.com, 9/9 — Free Shipping + Save $90 on Best-Selling Calphalon Everyday Pans
REI, 9/9 — Fall Hiking Gear + Mega Deals at REI-OUTLET.com
Oriental Trading, 9/9 — Decorations your mummy would love + $0 shipping
Apple, 9/9 — Sept. 20 is your last chance to get a $100 Back to School Card.
Office Depot, 9/9 — Time For a New Chair? Need to Replace That Old Printer? Savings Inside...
Costco, 9/9 — Searching For A New Computer? Shop Costco.com For Top Selling Computers!
Toys “R” Us, 9/9 — New. Exclusive. And very stylish. Meet Little Rue.
Crate & Barrel, 9/11 — Make a statement with bold new rugs in exclusive designs.
Neiman Marcus, 9/11 — Exclusive Fragrances + Free tote & shipping at any price
_____________________
BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Week-End Trends: Post-Labor Day spike in email volume
Email activity and seasonal trends during the past week:
The Retail Email Index: The top online retailers sent each of their subscribers 3.2 promotional emails on average during the week ending Sept. 9, 2011. That’s flat week-over-week, up 4% from where it was four weeks ago, and up 9% year-over-year.
The Retail Email Participation Rate: Tuesday, the day after Labor Day, was the most popular day to send retail emails last week. The spike in volume tied it for the busiest retail email day of the year thus far. There was not an equivalent spike the day after Labor Day last year. I can’t quantify it, but there did appear to be more extensions of Labor Day sales this year, which perhaps was the reason behind the bump in volume.
The Retail Email Seasonality Meter: While Labor Day now out of the way, Halloween and Christmas messaging will start to slowly gain some momentum. Back-to-school messaging will slowly dwindle away over the next month or so.
Selling Seasons on the Horizon:
Columbus Day (Oct. 10): 2010 Season Finale
Halloween (Oct. 31): 2010 Season Finale
Thanksgiving (Nov. 24): 2010 Season Finale
Black Friday (Nov. 25) and Cyber Monday (Nov. 28): Black Friday & Cyber Monday 2010
Christmas (Dec. 25): 2010 Season Finale and Retail Email Guide to the Holiday Season 2011
_____________________
BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked
The Retail Email Index: The top online retailers sent each of their subscribers 3.2 promotional emails on average during the week ending Sept. 9, 2011. That’s flat week-over-week, up 4% from where it was four weeks ago, and up 9% year-over-year.
The Retail Email Participation Rate: Tuesday, the day after Labor Day, was the most popular day to send retail emails last week. The spike in volume tied it for the busiest retail email day of the year thus far. There was not an equivalent spike the day after Labor Day last year. I can’t quantify it, but there did appear to be more extensions of Labor Day sales this year, which perhaps was the reason behind the bump in volume.
The Retail Email Seasonality Meter: While Labor Day now out of the way, Halloween and Christmas messaging will start to slowly gain some momentum. Back-to-school messaging will slowly dwindle away over the next month or so.
Selling Seasons on the Horizon:
Columbus Day (Oct. 10): 2010 Season Finale
Halloween (Oct. 31): 2010 Season Finale
Thanksgiving (Nov. 24): 2010 Season Finale
Black Friday (Nov. 25) and Cyber Monday (Nov. 28): Black Friday & Cyber Monday 2010
Christmas (Dec. 25): 2010 Season Finale and Retail Email Guide to the Holiday Season 2011
_____________________
BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked
Friday, September 09, 2011
AM Inbox: Letter from some person we assume you know
The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:
Roger Goodell, 9/8 — Letter from Roger Goodell
For no good reason I opened this email rather than simply marking it as spam and flushing it into oblivion. It turns out that Roger Goodell is the commissioner of the NFL and that I received this email because of my NFLshop subscription. As I’ve warned in the past, it’s dangerous to mess around with your sender name. It’s like changing the name of your company. You’d only do that if you absolutely have to. If that reasoning doesn’t appeal to you, I ask you this: Which is better known—the NFL or Roger Goodell? Of course, it’s the NFL by a huge, huge margin—especially among casual fans like myself. This email might have seen higher open rates and lower spam complaints had they used the subject line to add even a little additional context rather than just repeating the sender name. Something like “Letter from the NFL Commissioner” probably would have improved results significantly.
NFLshop, 9/8 — New York Giants Fans - Celebrate The Beginning Of The Season With Free Shipping On All Orders!
The NFLshop has added a request for users of Gmail’s Priority Inbox to mark their emails as “important.” They added the request starting with a Sept. 3 email and are the first retailer I’ve seen make this request. Whitelisting requests are generally not a good use of valuable preheader space, so while novel, this is probably not an effective use either—at least not for more than a few emails. This request would have been more effective had NFLshop segmented their list by ISP. For instance, I received this email in a Yahoo Mail account, so the request was completely meaningless to me. Even using segmentation so only Gmail users see the request, the best place for such messaging is on the opt-in confirmation page and the welcome email.
Target, 9/8 — Cool kitchen stuff + home theater sale = happy home squared.
The messaging in this Target email is similar to the nesting and “staycation” messaging of 2008 and 2009. With times tough and the political discourse making folks more conscious of the weak economy, I expect that we’ll see more of this kind of messaging through the holiday season (at least).
Blair, 9/8 — Special buy at $9.99 plus free shipping
Just as I was a few weeks ago when I saw Costco apparently exploiting 9/11 to sell flags (see Aug. 15 AM Inbox), I was shocked to see this Blair email trying to capitalize on the somber anniversary by pitching keepsakes. Retailers would be wise to treat 9/11 like they treat Martin Luther King Jr. Day—which is to say not as an occasion to hold a sale or sell exploitive products, but as an opportunity for charity efforts. Target offers a nice example. They’ve used MLK Jr. Day as a call to service (see Jan. 14, 2010 AM Inbox) and have celebrated the holiday by sponsoring an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show about Dr. King (see Jan. 22, 2008 AM Inbox). There are certainly the same opportunities around 9/11 to support first responders, veterans, medical research and cultural projects.
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Sephora, 9/8 — What's B.B. Cream? Try it free.
Williams-Sonoma, 9/8 — Want to Win a Vespa? Enter our Sweepstakes Now
J&R, 9/8 — Are You Moving In Stereo? Sweet Deals on Portable Audio
Eddie Bauer, 9/8 — Email Exclusive: Free Shipping on New Outerwear.
Nordstrom, 9/8 — Skirts: Your Fall Wardrobe Foundation
Newegg, 9/8 — GET YOUR GEAR for Football Season! $579.00 LG 42" 1080p HDTV, $59.99 14 MP Camera...
Musician’s Friend, 9/8 — Crank Up The Volume With Back To School Savings On Band Gear!
NikeStore, 9/8 — Breathable Warmth for Cool-Weather Runs: The Nike Element Half-Zip
_____________________
BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked
Roger Goodell, 9/8 — Letter from Roger Goodell
For no good reason I opened this email rather than simply marking it as spam and flushing it into oblivion. It turns out that Roger Goodell is the commissioner of the NFL and that I received this email because of my NFLshop subscription. As I’ve warned in the past, it’s dangerous to mess around with your sender name. It’s like changing the name of your company. You’d only do that if you absolutely have to. If that reasoning doesn’t appeal to you, I ask you this: Which is better known—the NFL or Roger Goodell? Of course, it’s the NFL by a huge, huge margin—especially among casual fans like myself. This email might have seen higher open rates and lower spam complaints had they used the subject line to add even a little additional context rather than just repeating the sender name. Something like “Letter from the NFL Commissioner” probably would have improved results significantly.
NFLshop, 9/8 — New York Giants Fans - Celebrate The Beginning Of The Season With Free Shipping On All Orders!
The NFLshop has added a request for users of Gmail’s Priority Inbox to mark their emails as “important.” They added the request starting with a Sept. 3 email and are the first retailer I’ve seen make this request. Whitelisting requests are generally not a good use of valuable preheader space, so while novel, this is probably not an effective use either—at least not for more than a few emails. This request would have been more effective had NFLshop segmented their list by ISP. For instance, I received this email in a Yahoo Mail account, so the request was completely meaningless to me. Even using segmentation so only Gmail users see the request, the best place for such messaging is on the opt-in confirmation page and the welcome email.
Target, 9/8 — Cool kitchen stuff + home theater sale = happy home squared.
The messaging in this Target email is similar to the nesting and “staycation” messaging of 2008 and 2009. With times tough and the political discourse making folks more conscious of the weak economy, I expect that we’ll see more of this kind of messaging through the holiday season (at least).
Blair, 9/8 — Special buy at $9.99 plus free shipping
Just as I was a few weeks ago when I saw Costco apparently exploiting 9/11 to sell flags (see Aug. 15 AM Inbox), I was shocked to see this Blair email trying to capitalize on the somber anniversary by pitching keepsakes. Retailers would be wise to treat 9/11 like they treat Martin Luther King Jr. Day—which is to say not as an occasion to hold a sale or sell exploitive products, but as an opportunity for charity efforts. Target offers a nice example. They’ve used MLK Jr. Day as a call to service (see Jan. 14, 2010 AM Inbox) and have celebrated the holiday by sponsoring an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show about Dr. King (see Jan. 22, 2008 AM Inbox). There are certainly the same opportunities around 9/11 to support first responders, veterans, medical research and cultural projects.
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Sephora, 9/8 — What's B.B. Cream? Try it free.
Williams-Sonoma, 9/8 — Want to Win a Vespa? Enter our Sweepstakes Now
J&R, 9/8 — Are You Moving In Stereo? Sweet Deals on Portable Audio
Eddie Bauer, 9/8 — Email Exclusive: Free Shipping on New Outerwear.
Nordstrom, 9/8 — Skirts: Your Fall Wardrobe Foundation
Newegg, 9/8 — GET YOUR GEAR for Football Season! $579.00 LG 42" 1080p HDTV, $59.99 14 MP Camera...
Musician’s Friend, 9/8 — Crank Up The Volume With Back To School Savings On Band Gear!
NikeStore, 9/8 — Breathable Warmth for Cool-Weather Runs: The Nike Element Half-Zip
_____________________
BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked
Thursday, September 08, 2011
AM Inbox: Omaha Steaks email template redesign
The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:
Omaha Steaks, 9/7 — $0.00 SHIPPING | 64% SAVINGS | ONE DAY ONLY
Omaha Steaks is the latest retailer to redesign their email template. Their changes are focused entirely on the preheader, header and social bars. In the preheader, they’ve added icons to their “view on mobile” and “view with images” links, just like REI used to do (see Mar. 8, 2010 AM Inbox).
In the header, they’ve adopted the traditional logo placement in the upper left-hand corner—although oddly, they still have their logo integrated into the primary message as well. Neiman Marcus also made this change recently (see Aug. 2 AM Inbox). They keep their 5-link navigation bar, although they’ve changed up some of the links. Omaha Steaks has also added an “About Us” content block to their header, stressing their guarantee.
The social bar is cleaned up in the redesign, making room for order by phone information. They’ve also repeated the SWYN call-to-action here, placing it alongside their Facebook and Twitter community links under a “Stay Connected” subhead. While doing the research for the Viral & Community Links in Email report, I saw community links and SWYN often intermingled, sometimes under a “Share” subhead and sometimes under a “Join Us” subhead. The poor differentiation between community and SWYN links was partially responsible for how surprised many marketers were at the low SWYN adoption rate.
Here’s the new design (left) and the previous design from a Sept. 6 email:
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Coldwater Creek, 9/7 — New Fall Sweaters (you can really embrace).
Spiegel, 9/7 — Just In! The Most Amazing Fall Looks Made Affordable.
Ann Taylor, 9/7 — Our New Fall Collection Is Here + Buy ONE Full-Price Item, Get ANY Second 50% Off!
Williams-Sonoma, 9/7 — Officially Licensed NFL Aprons - Personalize yours today!
_____________________
BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked
Omaha Steaks, 9/7 — $0.00 SHIPPING | 64% SAVINGS | ONE DAY ONLY
Omaha Steaks is the latest retailer to redesign their email template. Their changes are focused entirely on the preheader, header and social bars. In the preheader, they’ve added icons to their “view on mobile” and “view with images” links, just like REI used to do (see Mar. 8, 2010 AM Inbox).
In the header, they’ve adopted the traditional logo placement in the upper left-hand corner—although oddly, they still have their logo integrated into the primary message as well. Neiman Marcus also made this change recently (see Aug. 2 AM Inbox). They keep their 5-link navigation bar, although they’ve changed up some of the links. Omaha Steaks has also added an “About Us” content block to their header, stressing their guarantee.
The social bar is cleaned up in the redesign, making room for order by phone information. They’ve also repeated the SWYN call-to-action here, placing it alongside their Facebook and Twitter community links under a “Stay Connected” subhead. While doing the research for the Viral & Community Links in Email report, I saw community links and SWYN often intermingled, sometimes under a “Share” subhead and sometimes under a “Join Us” subhead. The poor differentiation between community and SWYN links was partially responsible for how surprised many marketers were at the low SWYN adoption rate.
Here’s the new design (left) and the previous design from a Sept. 6 email:
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Coldwater Creek, 9/7 — New Fall Sweaters (you can really embrace).
Spiegel, 9/7 — Just In! The Most Amazing Fall Looks Made Affordable.
Ann Taylor, 9/7 — Our New Fall Collection Is Here + Buy ONE Full-Price Item, Get ANY Second 50% Off!
Williams-Sonoma, 9/7 — Officially Licensed NFL Aprons - Personalize yours today!
_____________________
BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked
Wednesday, September 07, 2011
AM Inbox: The early bird returns again later
>>Viral & Community Links in Email: Download the 9-page report for free.
The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:
Oriental Trading, 9/6 — Early bird gets the squirm. Free shipping too!
Now that Labor Day is out of the way, Halloween will be the strongest seasonal messaging hook until mid October when Christmas messaging will take over and utterly dominate until the end of the year. The subject line on this Halloween-focused Oriental Trading email is really fresh and fun. But I also like the $10 gift card with purchase that they promote in the secondary message banner. In the Retail Email Guide to the Holiday Season 2011, we recommend that as a pre-holiday messaging tactic. Putting a gift card in a customer’s hands now increases the chances that they’ll come back during the holiday season.
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Kmart, 9/6 — Labor Day Sale Extended! Save an extra 5-20%
Linens ’n Things, 9/6 — Extended! 50% Off Labor Day Blowout
Dell, 9/6 — Shop our Post-Labor Day 48 Hour Sale
Musician’s Friend, 9/6 — Extended for One Day Only! Save Up to $100 On the Gear You Need + Free Shipping!
Overstock.com, 9/6 — LAST DAY 10% OFF BEDDING & FURNITURE
Newegg, 9/6 — Last Chance for Back-to-School Deals! $299.99 2GB Laptop, $149.00 24 inch LED-LCD TV...
1-800-Flowers.com, 9/6 — Free Upgraded Shipping-right on time for Grandparent's Day
Blair, 9/6 — Fun facts, money-saving tips, even a recipe inside
Spiegel, 9/6 — Get A Slim Silhouette In Fall's New Leggings! Stock Up Now, From $14
Bluefly, 9/6 — Exclusive 1-Day Sneak Peek: FRESH from the FALL '11 Collections!
Target, 9/6 — Furniture that's 30% off: our favorite kind.
_____________________
BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked
The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:
Oriental Trading, 9/6 — Early bird gets the squirm. Free shipping too!
Now that Labor Day is out of the way, Halloween will be the strongest seasonal messaging hook until mid October when Christmas messaging will take over and utterly dominate until the end of the year. The subject line on this Halloween-focused Oriental Trading email is really fresh and fun. But I also like the $10 gift card with purchase that they promote in the secondary message banner. In the Retail Email Guide to the Holiday Season 2011, we recommend that as a pre-holiday messaging tactic. Putting a gift card in a customer’s hands now increases the chances that they’ll come back during the holiday season.
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Kmart, 9/6 — Labor Day Sale Extended! Save an extra 5-20%
Linens ’n Things, 9/6 — Extended! 50% Off Labor Day Blowout
Dell, 9/6 — Shop our Post-Labor Day 48 Hour Sale
Musician’s Friend, 9/6 — Extended for One Day Only! Save Up to $100 On the Gear You Need + Free Shipping!
Overstock.com, 9/6 — LAST DAY 10% OFF BEDDING & FURNITURE
Newegg, 9/6 — Last Chance for Back-to-School Deals! $299.99 2GB Laptop, $149.00 24 inch LED-LCD TV...
1-800-Flowers.com, 9/6 — Free Upgraded Shipping-right on time for Grandparent's Day
Blair, 9/6 — Fun facts, money-saving tips, even a recipe inside
Spiegel, 9/6 — Get A Slim Silhouette In Fall's New Leggings! Stock Up Now, From $14
Bluefly, 9/6 — Exclusive 1-Day Sneak Peek: FRESH from the FALL '11 Collections!
Target, 9/6 — Furniture that's 30% off: our favorite kind.
_____________________
BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked
Tuesday, September 06, 2011
AM Inbox: What do your discount codes say about you?
>>Viral & Community Links in Email: Download the 9-page report for free.
The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:
Lane Bryant, 9/2 — 40% Off Sitewide and Storewide - Hurry, Final Weekend
I don’t talk about discount codes very often—occasionally about how personalized discount codes can mess up rendering (see 2010 Oopsy Hall of Fame) or how they can be used for branding (see Dec. 31, 2008 AM Inbox). That latter point came to mind when I saw this Lane Bryant email with the very unfortunate discount code GET40LB. Clearly “LB” is meant as an abbreviation for “Lane Bryant,” but it also happens to be the abbreviation for pounds—which makes for a regrettable discount code message for a plus-size retailer.
Cooking.com, 9/3 — Isn't it Time You Made the Ultimate Dessert
Cooking.com does a good job marrying up cooking products with recipes —or as is more often the case, recipes with products. In this email, they use a Facebook contest winner as an occasion to promote a brownie pan, while also supporting that message further with recipes. Most retailers like to start with the product and support it with content, but Cooking.com proves that the reverse is just as valid an approach.
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Spiegel, 9/3 — A Labor (Day) of Love: Take 30% OFF your order of $100+
GameStop, 9/3 — No Labor, All Play at GameStop
REI, 9/2 — Ends Monday: Labor Day Sale and Clearance + Fall Footwear for Town and Trail
TigerDirect, 9/2 — Labor Day Weekend HDTV Sale: Over $2000 in Coupons...$39 HD FLip...22" Lenovo LCD $99...and more
Harry & David, 9/2 — Save on great gifts at our Labor Day Sale + Free Delivery!
Cooking.com, 9/2 — Labor Day Weekend Savings - Save up to 80%!
Sears, 9/5 — Last 2 days: Big Labor Day Sale ends Tuesday
The Company Store, 9/4 — Labor Day Sale | Sleep In With 15% Off Your Entire Order!
Crate & Barrel, 9/5 — Don't hit snooze. Only 4 days left to get Free Shipping.
Oriental Trading, 9/2 — Tackle party planning for less. Shipping is FREE
Kmart, 9/2 — Extra 5-20% OFF almost everything + a great deal on Halloween costumes
Spiegel, 9/2 — Coat Transition Time: Slip Into September With The Right Topper, From Just $29
Victoria’s Secret, 9/2 — Cause a Scene in These Sexy Dresses. Plus, $15 Off $100.
TigerDirect, 9/4 — LEARNING SERIES: Internet TVs
J. Crew, 9/4 — What are you going to wear to work tomorrow?
Abercrombie & Fitch, 9/4 — Your perfect butt never looked hotter!
_____________________
BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked
The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:
Lane Bryant, 9/2 — 40% Off Sitewide and Storewide - Hurry, Final Weekend
I don’t talk about discount codes very often—occasionally about how personalized discount codes can mess up rendering (see 2010 Oopsy Hall of Fame) or how they can be used for branding (see Dec. 31, 2008 AM Inbox). That latter point came to mind when I saw this Lane Bryant email with the very unfortunate discount code GET40LB. Clearly “LB” is meant as an abbreviation for “Lane Bryant,” but it also happens to be the abbreviation for pounds—which makes for a regrettable discount code message for a plus-size retailer.
Cooking.com, 9/3 — Isn't it Time You Made the Ultimate Dessert
Cooking.com does a good job marrying up cooking products with recipes —or as is more often the case, recipes with products. In this email, they use a Facebook contest winner as an occasion to promote a brownie pan, while also supporting that message further with recipes. Most retailers like to start with the product and support it with content, but Cooking.com proves that the reverse is just as valid an approach.
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Spiegel, 9/3 — A Labor (Day) of Love: Take 30% OFF your order of $100+
GameStop, 9/3 — No Labor, All Play at GameStop
REI, 9/2 — Ends Monday: Labor Day Sale and Clearance + Fall Footwear for Town and Trail
TigerDirect, 9/2 — Labor Day Weekend HDTV Sale: Over $2000 in Coupons...$39 HD FLip...22" Lenovo LCD $99...and more
Harry & David, 9/2 — Save on great gifts at our Labor Day Sale + Free Delivery!
Cooking.com, 9/2 — Labor Day Weekend Savings - Save up to 80%!
Sears, 9/5 — Last 2 days: Big Labor Day Sale ends Tuesday
The Company Store, 9/4 — Labor Day Sale | Sleep In With 15% Off Your Entire Order!
Crate & Barrel, 9/5 — Don't hit snooze. Only 4 days left to get Free Shipping.
Oriental Trading, 9/2 — Tackle party planning for less. Shipping is FREE
Kmart, 9/2 — Extra 5-20% OFF almost everything + a great deal on Halloween costumes
Spiegel, 9/2 — Coat Transition Time: Slip Into September With The Right Topper, From Just $29
Victoria’s Secret, 9/2 — Cause a Scene in These Sexy Dresses. Plus, $15 Off $100.
TigerDirect, 9/4 — LEARNING SERIES: Internet TVs
J. Crew, 9/4 — What are you going to wear to work tomorrow?
Abercrombie & Fitch, 9/4 — Your perfect butt never looked hotter!
_____________________
BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked
Saturday, September 03, 2011
Week-End Trends: Labor Day messaging spikes
Email activity and seasonal trends during the past week:
The Retail Email Index: The top online retailers sent each of their subscribers 3.2 promotional emails on average during the week ending Sept. 2, 2011. That’s down 4% week-over-week, up 2% from where it was four weeks ago, and up 11% year-over-year.
The Retail Email Participation Rate: As it has so many times this year, Friday was the most popular day to send retail emails last week.
The Retail Email Seasonality Meter: Back-to-school messaging continues its decline as Labor Day messaging spikes. Last week we had our first reference to Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Selling Seasons on the Horizon:
Back to School (June-Sept.): 2010 Season Finale
Columbus Day (Oct. 10): 2010 Season Finale
Halloween (Oct. 31): 2010 Season Finale
Thanksgiving (Nov. 24): 2010 Season Finale
Christmas (Dec. 25): 2010 Season Finale and Retail Email Guide to the Holiday Season 2011
_____________________
BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked
The Retail Email Index: The top online retailers sent each of their subscribers 3.2 promotional emails on average during the week ending Sept. 2, 2011. That’s down 4% week-over-week, up 2% from where it was four weeks ago, and up 11% year-over-year.
The Retail Email Participation Rate: As it has so many times this year, Friday was the most popular day to send retail emails last week.
The Retail Email Seasonality Meter: Back-to-school messaging continues its decline as Labor Day messaging spikes. Last week we had our first reference to Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Selling Seasons on the Horizon:
Back to School (June-Sept.): 2010 Season Finale
Columbus Day (Oct. 10): 2010 Season Finale
Halloween (Oct. 31): 2010 Season Finale
Thanksgiving (Nov. 24): 2010 Season Finale
Christmas (Dec. 25): 2010 Season Finale and Retail Email Guide to the Holiday Season 2011
_____________________
BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked
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