AM Inbox: Cyber Tuesday + here comes Hanukkah

The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:

Toys “R” Us, 11/29 — Bonus! Cyber Monday Extended through Tuesday! Up to 70% OFF Thousands of Items! Plus, FREE Shipping!
First, many more retailers extended their Cyber Monday sales this year, including Toys “R” Us. This year, 41% of retail emails on Tuesday mentioned Cyber Monday—or “Cyber Week,” which is the new trend of extending those sales for the entire week. Last year, just 13% of emails mentioned Cyber Monday. This is just more evidence of the growing influence and effectiveness of Cyber Monday.

Second, in this email, Hanukkah gets a rare mention. It’s exceedingly rare for an entire email to be dedicated to this Jewish holiday, as Harry & David did a couple of years ago (see Dec. 3, 2009 AM Inbox). Most often, Hanukkah references are subtle…



Bed Bath & Beyond, 11/29 — Don't forget! Your holiday online offer for 20% off 1 single item is ready to use!
…as in this Bed Bath & Beyond email, where there’s a visual reference. HP has also promoted gift cards with Hanukkah imagery—and in 2007 fell victim to the wild date changes of Hanukkah from year to year (see Dec. 18, 2007 AM Inbox). Hanukkah starts on Dec. 20 this year, but in 2013 starts in November. Some retailers like OfficeMax also include date references to Hanukkah when listing their shipping order-by dates.



Kohl’s, 11/29 — It's The Big One! Biggest 50% Off Sale Starts Today
Long-time readers know that I’m a big fan of breaking the grid on email designs, as Kohl’s does in this email. When flipping through your emails—especially on high-volume days—it can look like rectangle, rectangle, rectangle. But a different shape, a ragged edge or protruding box can really break the monotony.



SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Alibris, 11/29 — Wake up to another Cyber Monday | 15% off through 11/30
HP, 11/29 — The Cyber Monday Savings End Tonight
Avon, 11/29 — Ends Today! Cyber Monday Savings!
SmartBargains, 11/29 — Last Chance! Get your Cyber Monday deals while you can!
Musician’s Friend, 11/29 — Extended! Cyber Monday Savings Up To $100 + Free Shipping
Backcountry, 11/29 — We Extended Cyber Monday - Get 50% Off Now + Free 2-Day Shipping
Overstock.com, 11/29 — CYBER MONDAY DEALS EXTENDED
Sportsman’s Guide, 11/29 — Cyber Monday Extended + Free Shipping!... from The Guide
Linens ’n Things, 11/29 — Cyber Deals Extended: Today Only
Ross-Simons, 11/29 — Cyber Celebration Continues! 30% Off PLUS Totally Free Shipping
JC Whitney, 11/29 — LAST CHANCE! Cyber Deal - FREE Shipping No Minimum 'til Midnight!
JCPenney, 11/29 — 1 MORE DAY! Our Biggest Cyber Sale Ever-Extended
Newegg, 11/29 — Encore Tuesday Deals: FINAL DAY to shop our ultimate holiday sale!
Omaha Steaks, 11/29 — Missed Free Shipping & 60% Savings yesterday? Get it today...
Walmart, 11/29 — Cyber Week Online Specials End Friday, 12/2 — Shop Today While Supplies Last!
Office Depot, 11/29 — TWO DAYS ONLY! $27.99 Case Paper + Cyber Monday Week-Long Deals
Northern Tool, 11/29 — Announcing New Cyber Week Specials - While Supplies Last
TigerDirect, 11/29 — Cyber Week Continues with 11 Hot HDTVs, 5 Amazing Monitors, Gaming, MP3 & More Electronics
Walgreens, 11/29 — 33% OFF All Same Day Pickup Photo Gifts - Savor The Holiday Season Today!
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AM Inbox: New Cyber Monday deals added

The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:

OfficeMax, 11/28 — Last Chance to Shop Cyber Monday + New Deals Added
In addition to a record percentage of retailers sending email on Cyber Monday (see Alert: Retail email volume hits all-time high on Cyber Monday), about a third of retailer sent 2 or more emails to their subscribers, with many of those extra emails being “Final hours” and “Last chance” emails. This year on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, many more retailers injected more relevance into these reminder-type emails by promoting the fact that new deals or products had been added to their sale, as OfficeMax does in this email. For those subscribers that saw your first email, this messaging gives them a new reason to go to clickthrough to your site—perhaps even for the second time.



SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
HP, 11/27 — Cyber Monday Sale Starts Now!
dELiA*s, 11/27 — Cyber Monday Starts Now! FREE Shipping on EVERYTHING + Site Wide Sale!
SmartBargains, 11/27 — Cyber Monday Coupons START NOW + Free Shipping!
Linens ’n Things, 11/27 — Cyber Monday Deals Start Now + Free Shipping Sitewide
PC Connection, 11/27 — Get a Head Start on Cyber Monday Deals – Shop Us Now!
Staples, 11/27 — Cyber Monday deals are here early. Plus coupons and free shipping!
Macy’s, 11/27 — Cyber Monday starts early! Get Free Shipping at $75!‏
Harry & David, 11/27 — Cyber Monday Sale - our best deals of the season. You're invited to shop early!
Office Depot, 11/27 — We Decided Not To Wait For Cyber Monday...Neither Should You! View This Week's Store Ad.
Norm Thompson, 11/27 — Email Exclusive | Get Cyber Monday's 25% DISCOUNT TODAY!
GameStop, 11/27 — Cyber Monday Deals for everyone on your list!
Kmart, 11/27 — Cyber Monday: Savings on electronics, entertainment, toys and more
Toys “R” Us, 11/27 — Our Biggest Cyber Monday EVER starts TONIGHT 6pm! Thousands of Toys up to 70% OFF!
Barnes & Noble, 11/28 — Cyber Monday Savings Are Here, Plan Your Lunch Break Accordingly!
The Company Store, 11/28 — Cyber Monday Is Here | 20% Off + Free Shipping!‏
J&R, 11/28 — Cyber Monday. . . The Season's Best Online Deals!‏
Dell, 11/28 — Cyber Monday. Dell.com. Enough said.
Kohl’s, 11/28 — It's Cyber Monday! Take an Extra 20% Off Everything Online
Newegg, 11/28 — 24-HOUR CYBER MONDAY DEALS: Our ultimate holiday sale continues!
Omaha Steaks, 11/28 — Cyber Monday Sale - see what's FREE...
Disney, 11/28 — Cyber Monday Savings! Free Shipping PLUS Up to 25% Off
JCPenney, 11/28 — CYBER MONDAY: Up To 75% Off!
NFLshop, 11/28 — Cyber Monday Sale - Today Only, Take 20% Off Your New York Giants Gear!
Lane Bryant, 11/28 — Cyber Monday Only – 50% Off Online + Free Shipping
Dell, 11/28 — New Cyber Monday Bonus Coupons!
HSN, 11/28 — CYBER MONDAY DEALS + FREE SHIPPING OFFER (one day only!)
The Children’s Place, 11/28 — 30% Off Everything + Free Shipping - Cyber Monday!
Staples, 11/28 — Cyber Monday ends today. Plus free shipping on all orders!
Costco, 11/28 — Cyber Monday Brings Amazing Items With Fantastic Savings - While Supplies Last!
Dick’s Sporting Goods, 11/28 — 25% Off a Single Item Plus Free Shipping!
Cooking.com, 11/28 — Cyber Monday Deal: Free Stow-A-Way Potlucker with Purchase
Backcountry, 11/28 — Cyber Monday Steals Up to 50% Off 17,000+ Items & Free 2-Day Shipping
Office Depot, 11/28 — 24 Hour Cyber Monday Sale On Technology & Furniture Starts Today 8AM EST | 5AM PST
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Alert: Retail email volume hits all-time high on Cyber Monday

After a record-breaking Black Friday and Thanksgiving Day (see the latest Week-End Trends post), retail email volume hit a new all-time high on Cyber Monday, with 87% of major retailers sending at least one promotional email to their subscribers, up from 77% last year.

This year’s Black Friday was briefly the busiest promotional email day of all time before Cyber Monday reclaimed the crown. Cyber Monday has now been the biggest retail email day of the year for five consecutive years.


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AM Inbox: Black Friday recap

>>Email Engagement & Deliverability Study: Download this free report that examines how major retailers treat subscribers who have been inactive for 40+ months.

The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:

The Company Store, 11/25 — 15% Off + Free Shipping | Black Friday Starts Now!
More than in past years, there was a lot of email messaging about buying online being easier, less stressful and a way to avoid crowds and lines, as The Company Store does in this email. Black Friday this year was definitely not just about buying in stores, which has historically been the focus.

Every Black Friday there are a few retailers that go with a reverse type treatment of white text on a black background. Periodically the text in the preheader and footer is also rendered in white, making it essentially invisible on the white background that’s often used in preheaders and footers. It happened to J&R a couple of years ago (see Nov. 9, 2009 AM Inbox) and unfortunately it happened to the Company Store this year, although not all the text was reversed.

Here’s the email (left) and here it is highlighted to show the “invisible” text:



Eddie Bauer, 11/25 — Amazing Black Friday Deals!
Also this year, more multichannel retailers promoted their online sales just as vigorously as their in-store sales, just as Eddie Bauer does in this email. In past years, Black Friday promotions have been very focused on driving subscribers to store. But this year, even big box retailers like JCPenney and Office Depot promoted both online and offline deals in equal fashion.



Crate & Barrel, 11/25 — Top 10 gourmet items up to 30% off. This weekend only.
Crate & Barrel, 11/25 — Black Friday Deals: This weekend only up to 30% off our top 10 gourmet items.‏
Crate & Barrel tried to stand out in the crowded Black Friday inbox using a horizontal-scrolling design. This email had a couple of novel design elements: First, it has a navigation bar that spans the content blocks at either end of the email and acts as a continuation of the primary call-to-action button. And second, they placed the footer at the far right side of the design rather than along the bottom of the email. That move strikes me as somewhat risky as it may confuse some subscribers looking to unsubscribe.

I also received this email twice with different subject lines, so apparently they were doing some A/B subject line testing and there was a glitch in the segmentation. I see this kind of error many times a year and it’s also insightful to see what elements they were testing and how.



SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
ShopNBC, 11/25 — A better Black Friday: Great offers, no stress.‏
Musician’s Friend, 11/25 — Black Friday Savings Up To $500 - Forget The Crowds & Shop From Home
Frederick’s of Hollywood, 11/25 — Shop Black Friday online. 25% off everything + free shipping & amazing doorbusters.
Sony, 11/25 — All the Deals, None of the Crowds | Up to 50% OFF + Free Shipping
Harry & David, 11/25 — Don't shop 'til you drop. Click and save 20% or more! Black Friday Sale going on now.
Avon, 11/25 — Black Friday SALE! No Lines, No Crowds
Orvis, 11/25 — FREE shipping! Holiday shopping made easy.
SmartBargains, 11/25 — Black Friday Doorbusters & Free Shipping. Why even leave the house?
JCPenney, 11/25 — Black Friday's Here! Shop Stores At 4am Or Online Now
OfficeMax, 11/25 — Black Friday is Here – Shop In-Store or Online
Office Depot, 11/25 — Shop Black Friday Online Specials Today Or Plan Your In-Store Visit -- Most Stores Open at 6:00AM
Sears, 11/25 — Over 900 Doorbusters and up to $3000 in Savings
Toys “R” Us, 11/25 — ALL Black Friday Doorbusters and Bonus Deals Extended to 10PM! Save ALL DAY LONG!‏
JC Whitney, 11/25 — Black Friday Starts Now! Unbelievable Door Busters Plus Most Orders Ship Free!‏
SmartBargains, 11/25 — Black Friday DOORBUSTERS start NOW + Free Shipping!
Kmart, 11/25 — Save big on Blue Friday doorbusters + Receive a $5 or $10 eGift Card with layaway
Bluefly, 11/25 — It’s HERE…Black FLY Day Event: Shop 10 AMAZING Sales (Now Up To 75% Off Retail)
JCPenney, 11/26 — Black Saturday Deals: Giftbusters, jcp cash & More!
Home Depot, 11/26 — Save up to 50%: Super Saturday Only
Brookstone, 11/26 — Black Friday Specials Extended
Barnes & Noble, 11/26 — Forgot a Few Things Yesterday? Our Black Friday Sale is Still On!
Dell, 11/26 — More leftovers or more Black Friday?
J&R, 11/26 — The Hits Keep Coming. . . Black Friday Deals All Weekend Long!
Neiman Marcus, 11/26 — Free NM Cookies + Sweet Deals! Just TODAY
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Week-End Trends: Record-setting Thanksgiving and Black Friday propel email volume to all-time high

Email activity and seasonal trends during the past week:

The Retail Email Index: The top online retailers sent each of their subscribers a new all-time high of 4.9 promotional emails on average during the week ending Nov. 25, 2011, eclipsing the previous record of 4.6 set last year at the height of the holiday season. That’s up 18% week-over-week, up 35% from where it was four weeks ago, and up 19% year-over-year. Weekly email volume should rise for another couple of weeks before starting to decline as the holiday season begins to wind down.



The Retail Email Participation Rate: Friday, which was Black Friday, was the most popular day to send retail emails last week. In fact, more retailers sent promotional email on Black Friday this year than on any other day on record.

This year’s Black Friday emails were much more focused on buying online than in past years, with even large store-based retailers like JCPenney and Office Depot promoting their online sales just as prominently as their in-store sales. “Avoiding crowds” and “skipping lines” were common messaging themes. This messaging bodes well for an extremely active Cyber Monday, which has been the busiest email marketing day of the year for four years running.

But probably more important than the record-breaking Black Friday volume is the email marketing activity on Thanksgiving Day. A massive 75% of major retailers sent at least one promotional email to their subscribers on Thanksgiving Day this year—making it the third busiest promotional email day ever behind this year's Black Friday and last year's Cyber Monday. Last year, only 60% or retailers sent promotional email on Thanksgiving, and that was up from just 45% in 2009.

Big box retailers opening their stores on Thanksgiving last year has very quickly turned it into a highly promotional and hotly contested shopping day. This shift was also catalyzed by the rapid adoption of smartphones and tablets, which has made it much easier for consumers to shop after feasting at grandma’s house. While some may bemoan the creep of commercialism into this family holiday, there’s no putting the genie back in the bottle at this point.



The Retail Email Seasonality Meter: There was a greater emphasis on Black Friday messaging last week compared to the same week last year. This year, 40% of retail emails during Black Friday week referenced Black Friday versus only 31% last year.



Selling Seasons on the Horizon:
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
New Year’s (Jan. 1): 2011 Season Finale
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AM Inbox: Why wait until Black Friday?

>>Email Engagement & Deliverability Study: Download this free report that examines how major retailers treat subscribers who have been inactive for 40+ months.

The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:

J. Jill, 11/23 — 25% off & free shipping. Why wait until Friday? Shop today!
“Why wait?” was a major messaging point during the early part of this week, with many retailers offering up “Pre-Black Friday” deals, Thanksgiving Day deals, and releasing their Black Friday deals early. More than at any other time, retailers pushed online sales on Thanksgiving Day, like J. Jill did in this email that includes some fun animation that helps bring your eye down through the design. Stay tuned for full details on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday email volume in tomorrow’s Week-End Trends post.



Brookstone, 11/23 — Flight delay? Save $10 while you wait.
Looking to take advantage of the fact that Thanksgiving Eve is busiest travel day of the year, Brookstone sent this email targeting holiday travelers, particularly folks in airports. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen an email promoting an airport store discount before, so that’s novel—and it got me thinking about how airport travelers might be targeted and how this campaign might have been improved. Definitely room to test alternative approaches.



SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Buy.com, 11/23 — PRE-BLACK FRIDAY | Haier Wine Cellar $55.99, Camping Lantern $10.99, KOSS Headphones $49.99,...‏
Linens ’n Things, 11/23 — Pre-Black Friday Specials + Free Shipping
JCPenney, 11/23 — See Black Friday Deals Now - Enjoy Thanksgiving Tomorrow!
Omaha Steaks, 11/23 — Black Friday Savings NOW: FREE Shipping - FREE Steaks - $10 Reward Card - 63% Savings
Costco, 11/23 — Black Friday Starts Now! Save on Electronics, Toys, Jewelry & More!
Newegg, 11/23 — BLACK FRIDAY STARTS NOW -- Newegg’s biggest sale of the year is on!
Williams-Sonoma, 11/23 — Up to $170 off – Black Friday Deals Start Today
Sears, 11/23 — Black Friday prices tonight + preview over 900 doorbusters!‏
Toys “R” Us, 11/23 — Over 150 Doorbusters Start 9pm Thursday Night! Black Friday Deals Preview! Plus, Hot Toy Alert!
Brookstone, 11/24 — Relax. Shop. Recover on the couch.
Lands’ End, 11/24 — Stuffing. Sleeping. Saving. What a Thanksgiving!
JCPenney, 11/24 — Happy Thanksgiving! Stay Home & Shop Black Friday Now!
Toys “R” Us, 11/24 — Thanksgiving Cyber Sale! Save Today Up to 60% OFF Hot Toys! Plus Save Up to 70% for Baby!
Saks Fifth Avenue, 11/24 — Thanksgiving Sale: Get up to 70% off
Sam’s Club, 11/24 — Early savings start now! Shop The Day After Thanksgiving Event on SamsClub.com
The Company Store, 11/24 — Thanksgiving Day Offer - 30% Off!
Walgreens, 11/24 — EXTRA $10 OFF $50 Thanksgiving & Black Friday Sale | 25% OFF All Contact Lenses
Walmart, 11/24 — Walmart Shopper, Today Only! Shop Thanksgiving Day Online Specials & Plan Your Black Friday Store Trip.
Office Depot, 11/24 — Don't Wait For Black Friday...Deals Are Online Today at 7:00AM EST & Most Stores Open 11/25 at 6:00AM
J&R, 11/24 — Why Wait? Our BLACK FRIDAY DEALS Start Now!
Sears, 11/24 — Black Friday prices now + Free shipping!‏
HP, 11/24 — Black Friday Sale Starts Now!
The Children’s Place, 11/24 — 30% OFF EVERYTHING + Free Shipping - BLACK FRIDAY STARTS NOW!
dELiA*s, 11/24 — FREE SHIPPING + EVERYTHING'S on SALE! Black Friday Starts Now!
Home Depot, 11/24 — Get Early Black Friday Savings Now - Up to 40% Off
OfficeMax, 11/24 — Shop Black Friday Deals Online Today
Art.com, 11/24 — Early BLACK FRIDAY Special - 25% off Everything!
Crate & Barrel, 11/24 — Exclusive Black Friday sneak peek. Save up to 30% off.
Target, 11/24 — Happy Almost Black Friday Sale.
B&H Photo Video, 11/24 — Black Friday Specials, DSLR and Zoom Lenses Roundup, Portable Digital Recorders Buying Guide
PC Connection, 11/24 — Black Friday Deals Announced! Prices Effective at Midnight - Take a Sneak Peak Now
Sports Authority, 11/24 — Black Friday is Just Hours Away! What's Your Game Plan?
Neiman Marcus, 11/23 — Your Holiday Looks Planner
Saks Fifth Avenue, 11/23 — We've Revamped Our Blog + See Our Holiday Display
Lands’ End, 11/23 — Give some ZZZs, save some $$$s
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AM Inbox: Looking for birthday gifts?

>>Email Engagement & Deliverability Study: Download this free report that examines how major retailers treat subscribers who have been inactive for 40+ months.

The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:

TheGift, 11/22 — Introducing TheGift.com from 1-800-Flowers.com
In this email, 1-800-Flowers.com introduces their subscribers to their new gift-giving site, TheGift.com, but the introduction could have been much stronger. First, they used the unfamiliar “TheGift” brand name for their sender name instead of using the “1-800-Flowers.com” name that their subscribers were used to seeing in their inboxes (see Cross-Promoting Sister Brands Safely). That will likely result in more than a few spam complaints due to poor brand recognition. On the upside, they included their 1-800-Flowers branding prominently in the body copy and used it in the subject line as well.

Second, the email seems to only acknowledge the Christmas holiday season only in passing, squandering the opportunity to be seasonally relevant. After all, why would someone go to TheGift.com or sign up for their emails right now? Nine times out of 10 it would be because of Christmas. So instead of saying, “Love giving gifts?” how about “Need holiday gift ideas?” and use more holiday imagery. 1-800-Flowers could then send a follow-up email of introduction in mid January pegged to Valentine’s Day.

And lastly, this email seems at least a week too late. This week consumers are ready to start pulling the trigger on purchases. Not that there isn’t more gift planning to do, but the first round of gift planning happened earlier this month.



Office Depot, 11/22 — Sneak Peek Black Friday Deals| Shop ONLINE Thursday 11/24 & IN-STORE Friday 11/25
This Office Depot email is representative of the approach that many multichannel retailers are taking to Black Friday this year. They’ll be releasing some “Black Friday” deals on Thursday online and then promoting their store hours for Black Friday along with a sneak peek at the deals that will only be available in stores on Friday.



SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
TigerDirect, 11/21 — Black Friday Week Starts Now: Toshiba 40" 1080p TV $399...4.3" TomTom $49...15.6" Laptop $249...too many to list
Office Depot, 11/21 — Online Only | Private Sale: Black Friday Pricing Starts Today at 9:00am EST --Limited Quantities
Musician’s Friend, 11/21 — Exclusive Black Friday Deals Start Now - Up To 80% Off
Dell, 11/22 — Black Friday Starts Today - Exclusively for you
Lane Bryant, 11/22 — 50% Off Everything – Get Black Friday Savings Today Online
Staples, 11/21 — Pre-Black Friday deals! Save up to 75%.
Sony, 11/21 — Pre-Black Friday Offers | Save Big On HDTV, Cameras and More
Buy.com, 11/22 — PRE-BLACK FRIDAY | Toshiba 320GB HD $62.99, Microsoft Mouse $12.99, Garmin 5" GPS $153.00 AR,...
Newegg, 11/22 — The Black Friday Countdown Begins with 18 Exclusive Deals!‏
Eddie Bauer, 11/22 — 2-Day Only Sale! Gifts from $9.99 – Beat the Black Friday Rush.‏
TigerDirect, 11/22 — Black Friday Pre-Release: $199 32" HDTV...17.3" DELL Core i3 Laptop $499...Samsung LCD $79...See them all
Walmart, 11/21 — Plan Your Black Friday Store Trip & Save on Pre-Black Friday Specials With Free Shipping
Barnes & Noble, 11/22 — 2 Days Until Black Friday: $79 NOOK, 50% off Toys & Games, and More!‏
Home Depot, 11/21 — Monday Only: Start the Holiday Savings Early
Abercrombie & Fitch, 11/22 — This Friday, the A&F Tradition is back... Starting at 12 AM!
Apple, 11/22 — Friday only: the special one-day Apple shopping event.
Crutchfield, 11/22 — Get a head start on the best deals of the season with Crutchfield
Cooking.com, 11/22 — Last Chance! Order Today for Thanksgiving Delivery + Save 15% on Essentials
Brookstone, 11/21 — Destination...toyland
Urban Outfitters, 11/21 — Free Shipping: No Minimum, No Code, No Joke.
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Alert: Black Friday week messaging up dramatically

UPDATED on 11/23 with new data from Tuesday's retail email campaigns.

References to Black Friday during Black Friday week are up 48% as of yesterday. If the trend continues, retail email volume will likely hit all-time highs on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday. Driven by store hours pushing into Thanksgiving and the increased adoption of smartphones and tablets that allow shopping from grandma’s house, Thanksgiving Day should see another big jump in retail email volume, after it increased 32% in 2010 compared to 2009.



The spike in Black Friday week messaging follows a just slight increase in references to “Black Friday” during the first three weeks of November—or “Black November” messaging—which were up just 4% this year compared to 2010.

I was surprised that Black November messaging didn’t rise more this year, as retailers generally jump at opportunities to spur shopping earlier in the holiday season. That said, there was a huge expansion last year, so it’s possible that retailers pushed consumers too hard in a single year to change their shopping habits.

On the plus side, Black November campaigns were much more coherent this year, with retailers branding their campaigns and running them every Friday in November. For example, Office Depot ran an “Every Friday Is Black Friday” campaign; OfficeMax a “It’s Black Friday Every Friday”; J&R a “Fade2Black” campaign; and Newegg a “Black November” campaign. Because of these campaigns, I expect consumers to be more aware of and more on the lookout for Black November campaigns next year.
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AM Inbox: 12 Days of Cyber Monday

>>Email Engagement & Deliverability Study: Download this free report that examines how major retailers treat subscribers who have been inactive for 40+ months.

The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:

Avon, 11/18 — Starts Now! CyberMonday Countdown - Save Up to 70%
Avon, 11/19 — Over 60% Off on This Sparkling Deal
Avon, 11/20 — Bundle up with 40% OFF
Quite few retailers run “12 Days of Christmas” campaigns where they send daily deal emails, usually starting on or shortly after Cyber Monday. Avon is turning the “12 Days” campaign on its head and instead counting down 12 days of deals to Cyber Monday. During a time when nearly every retailer is talking about Black Friday deals, Avon stands out by talking about Cyber Monday. The question is whether their subscribers will be receptive to this messaging.



Sports Authority, 11/20 — Sneak Peek on BIG Black Friday Savings
Last year a number of pioneering retailers, including Sports Authority, ran check-in campaigns on Black Friday (see Nov. 29, 2010 AM Inbox). Sports Authority was clearly happy with the results of their campaign as they’re doing it again and building up awareness of check-ins ahead of time, which they didn’t do last year. I expect more retailers to experiment with check-ins this Black Friday.



Walgreens, 11/20 — Get a Sneak Peek at Our 3-Day Black Friday Sale
Walgreens is promoting a mobile coupon app in this email. Mobile is expected to have a bigger effect on holiday shopping this year. While I’ve seen a number of retailers promoting their mobile apps, Walgreens is the only one I’ve seen talking about mobile coupons.



SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
OfficeMax, 11/18 — We Couldn’t Wait ‘til Black Friday - $44.99 Digital Camera
Brookstone, 11/18 — Gifts that can't wait for Black Friday!
J&R, 11/20 — Why Wait for Black Friday? We are Fading2Black Now!
Dell, 11/18 — We decided not to wait for Black Friday... Neither should you.
Hallmark, 11/20 — Your Black Friday deal awaits!
Ross-Simons, 11/18 — Our Sale Just Got Better! Pre-Shop Black Friday Deals
TigerDirect, 11/18 — Early Black Friday II: $279 New Dual-Core Laptop + Order Now & Get $20 OFF a Future Order
SmartBargains, 11/18 — 10 Time-Sensitive Deals & More. Get a head start on Black Friday.
Linens ’n Things, 11/20 — Sneak Peek on BIG Black Friday Savings
JC Whitney, 11/20 — Get a Sneak Peek at Black Friday + Free Shipping
TigerDirect, 11/20 — Samsung & Sony SLASHED for Black Friday Week!‏
Alibris, 11/20 — YOU WIN | Score your $10 Black Friday coupon early
Crutchfield, 11/20 — Black Friday Savings, Crutchfield-style
Drs. Foster & Smith, 11/20 — Black Friday Mega-Sales & LIVE Video Coming!
Sierra Trading Post, 11/20 — EXTRA 25% OFF & FREE SHIPPING + EXTRA 20-25% OFF Pre-Black Friday Sale!
JCPenney, 11/18 — Good Deals Come To Those Who DON'T Wait!
Cooking.com, 11/18 — Only at Cooking.com - Exclusive Gift Ideas
ShopNBC, 11/20 — Holiday Diamond Day starts NOW
Harry & David, 11/20 — Saying thanks. Top 5 gifts to show your gratitude. Free Delivery.
Neiman Marcus, 11/19 — Visa & MasterCard now accepted at Neiman Marcus stores
Bloomingdale’s, 11/18 — Olympian Tucker Perkins Wears RLX Ralph Lauren
Lands’ End, 11/19 — Up to 50% off + Free Shipping: brave winter's worst in our best
Nordstrom, 11/18 — Get Our Free Apps for Your iPhone & iPad
Blue Nile, 11/19 — Always on the Go? Check Out New Mobile Site Features!
Barnes & Noble, 11/18 — NOOK Tablet Has Arrived! Try It in Store or Get FREE Shipping Online
Buy.com, 11/20 — Alert: $300 PRICE DROPS on the BlackBerry PlayBook Tablet
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Week-End Trends: Black Friday approaches

Email activity and seasonal trends during the past week:

The Retail Email Index: The top online retailers sent each of their subscribers 4.0 promotional emails on average during the week ending Nov. 18, 2011. That’s up 2% week-over-week, up 18% from where it was four weeks ago, and up 12% year-over-year.



The Retail Email Participation Rate: Tuesday and Friday were the most popular days to send retail emails last week.



The Retail Email Seasonality Meter: Last week we got our first reference to New Year’s. The holiday shopping season kicks into overdrive this week with Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday, which are followed closely by Cyber Monday. More than a third of all retail emails this week will mention Black Friday and the percentage of emails referencing the holidays should exceed 70%.



Selling Seasons on the Horizon:
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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Ping Time: Passing of J.D. Falk, please-reply vs. do-not-reply, etc.

My latest spin around the mediasphere turned up the following nuggets:

>>MainSleaze writes about the passing of J.D. Falk and links to other tributes to the founder of the Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial Email (CAUCE). >>Follow the ping

>>Kara Trivunovic of StrongMail argues that marketers should allow subscribers to reply to your marketing emails, explaining the deliverability benefits and how to roll out a program. >>Follow the ping

>>@BadNewsBenjamin: @RetailEmailBlog Did you see this Anthro email today? 1st use of #Cinemagraph I've seen. LOVE: http://goo.gl/OSAk9 @Anthropologie #email

>>Scott Hardigree of Indiemark looks into the future and describes what email marketing will look like in 2017. >>Follow the ping into the future

>>@tom_sather: Give spam a second chance: hang Spamghetto on your walls http://www.spamghetto.com

>>@drewmiller: RT @JimGaffigan: In email they should change “Save As New” to “Ugh, I’ll Deal With That Later.”
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AM Inbox: Where have all the wish lists gone?

>>Email Engagement & Deliverability Study: Download this free report that examines how major retailers treat subscribers who have been inactive for 40+ months.

The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:

J. Crew, 11/17 — The Very Merry Gift Guide has arrived!
Wish list messaging is way down compared to a few years ago. Social media and other tools seem to have supplanted their usefulness to a significant degree. In this email, J. Crew uses the wish list concept for editorial purposes, having a variety of models, designers and celebrities curate selections of products. Clicking through to the landing page provides you with a smidge more detail about who these folks are. Clicking through from there takes you to a Q&A with the person and then on to their “wish list.” The whole time I was expecting a “create your own wish list” call-to-action to pop up prominently somewhere…and it never happened. When a large wish list-themed editorial package like this doesn’t even prompt you to make a wish list of your own, that’s a pretty strong sign of how low the wish list has sunk on retailers’ priority list.



Dick’s Sporting Goods, 11/17 — The Gift Guide is Here!
Yesterday I praised Coach’s creative use of their tags to create festive objects (see Nov. 17 AM Inbox and then in this Dick’s Sporting Goods email, they created a Christmas tree inspired by football play X’s and O’s. Festive and very on brand.



TigerDirect, 11/17 — HURRY: Crazy 32GB TouchPad Bundle Deal...22" ViewSonic LED $129...XBOX + 55" LG 3D TV Bundle and much more
With this campaign, TigerDirect is trying to turn pre-Cyber Monday buying into post-Cyber Monday buying. It’s a tactic that we’ve seen used in past years by Overstock.com and others that reward early or pre-holiday purchases with discounts or gift cards toward later holiday purchases.



SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Crutchfield, 11/17 — Appy Holidays: The new Crutchfield Catalog is here
Dell, 11/17 — To: You, From: Dell
Brookstone, 11/17 — Finding the perfect gift is as easy as opening this email
Kohl’s, 11/17 — Find this season's hottest toys here at Kohl's!
Ann Taylor, 11/17 — Unwrap Our Latest Gift Guide...
ShopNBC, 11/17 — Customer Choice gifts...see what made the list
HP, 11/17 — Shop Our Holiday Gift Guide + Free Shipping
NikeStore, 11/17 — Custom Build the Perfect Gift
Tiffany & Co., 11/17 — Holiday Gifts That Will Dazzle
Lowe’s, 11/17 — Save up 48% on Kitchen Upgrades — Just in Time for the Holidays
Barnes & Noble, 11/17 — Gobble Up 15% Savings for the Holidays
Sam’s Club, 11/17 — Limited time offer; special financing on electronics purchase of $289 or more!
Staples, 11/17 — Just in! Kindle Fire, plus more eReaders to choose from.
Apple, 11/17 — Make their holiday light with MacBook Air
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AM Inbox: 'Inactive subscriber' vs. 'inactive customer'

>>Email Engagement & Deliverability Study: Download this free report that examines how major retailers treat subscribers who have been inactive for 40+ months.

The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:

SmartBargains — We Are Sorry!
In the Email Engagement & Deliverability Study that we released today, we discuss the importance of developing a definition of an “inactive subscriber” that’s separate from any definitions of an “inactive customer” that you might have. From a deliverability perspective, behavior in the inbox is all that matters. SmartBargains’ reengagement program is apparently triggered by inactive customer thresholds, as I received this email recently in an account that is an active opener and occasional clicker. This email includes an incentive offer to get reluctant customers to buy, which is a solid practice, but this email goes awry with the banner that asks you to “customize your email subscription.” Clicking on that banner…



…takes you to this landing page, which prominently suggests that you unsubscribe. By not using an email-centric definition of inactive, SmartBargains is surely hurting their deliverability by losing or reducing the frequency that some engaged subscribers receive emails. Consumers don’t always shop the way that we want them to—they use different email addresses to make purchases, buy without clicking through the email, visit stores in response to emails, pass along news of deals to their spouse, etc.—so be careful about how you apply your inactive customer definition to your subscribers. For the sake of your deliverability, you’re better off sticking with an “inactive subscriber” definition as a primary trigger for reengagement efforts.



Coach, 11/16 — Coach News: what to give, what to wear.
There’s a long holiday tradition of making snowflakes out of products
(see Nov. 13, 2009 AM Inbox). Coach puts their own spin on this meme by creating a Statue of Liberty and Christmas tree out of Coach tags. Fun and great branding.



Saks Fifth Avenue, 11/16 — Introducing Saks for iPad
Saks uses some animation to demonstrate their iPad app content in this email. Having the content reorient when the iPad is turned 90-degrees is novel compared to the usual implementations when animation is just used to flip through several screens of content.



SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Foot Locker, 11/16 — It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Kicksmas with Free Shipping on New Shoes!
Spiegel, 11/16 — Your Holiday Style Strategy Starts Here, Take 60% OFF Today Only!
Williams-Sonoma, 11/16 — Personalized Gifts Ship Free - 5 Days Only
Staples, 11/16 — Save on Keurig K-Cup(R), including holiday flavors!
Coldwater Creek, 11/16 — Presenting: Factory Online's fastest-selling holiday looks
Crate & Barrel, 11/16 — Holiday Gift Guide is here. Find hundreds of gifts + free shipping.
Brookstone, 11/16 — 25% Off Holiday Décor—Sparkle and Save!
Saks Fifth Avenue, 11/16 — Holiday: Small pleasures, big smiles
Ralph Lauren, 11/16 — Little Luxuries: Perfect Gifts For Under $150
Sony, 11/16 — Shop Sony Must-have Gifts Under $300 | Cameras, PS3 Bundles and More
Omaha Steaks, 11/16 — The Early Bird gets the...EXTRA 15% Off & Free Shipping!
Ann Taylor, 11/16 — Gift Yourself! Enjoy 30% Off Your ENTIRE Purchase!
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Email Engagement & Deliverability Study

Being an email subscriber is a temporary commitment. Interests and circumstances change; expectations may not be met over time; email addresses are changed; perhaps other channels become preferred. And while things change, subscribers often don’t bother to unsubscribe for various reasons, leaving marketers with inactive subscribers. What a marketer does next can have serious repercussions on their deliverability, in addition to depressing their email metrics.

To examine the state of inactivity management, we subscribed to the email programs of over 100 major retailers using fictional personas. We opened and clicked on the emails we received until one day we stopped—and let 40 months pass…

At the end of that more than 3-year period, we found that the majority of retailers were still sending emails, many of them at exactly the same frequency that they mailed their active subscribers.

According to Return Path research, only 81% of all permissioned email worldwide make it to the inbox, with the remainder either routed to junk or undelivered. Poor list hygiene and management of inactivity levels are big contributors to the reduced deliverability, which translates directly into lost revenue.

In order to consistently achieve high levels of inbox placement, marketers must develop a comprehensive plan to address inactives. This report will cover all the necessary steps to creating such a plan.

Get the Full Report
>>Download the “Email Engagement & Deliverability Study” from Responsys’ Downloads page for free.

Other reports available from Responsys:
Viral & Community Links in Email
Retail Email Guide to the Holiday Season
Email Design Look Book 2011
Email Design & Coding Recommendations
Retail Email Year-End Trends for 2010
Black Friday & Cyber Monday 2010
…and you can find even more reports on Responsys’s Downloads page.
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Bird Watching: Netflix email tries to woo back former members

In case you missed this conversation on Twitter:

@RetailEmailBlog: What do you think of this Netflix email sent to former members? http://yfrog.com/nzufcrvj

@becskr: @RetailEmailBlog Do you think they want you to come back?! It's a little direct isnt it, no airs and graces there

@kristinhersant: @RetailEmailBlog In this case, it's all about the offer. Given that most of the defectors were price sensitive, I think it will work.

@remybergsma: @RetailEmailBlog I'm missing the 'extra' to lure one back to Netflix. This seems just a standard 'promo' email without winback thought.

@demandycom: @retailemailblog lame. They didn't even address the possible reasons why someone may have left!

@SupaTrey: @RetailEmailBlog As a rule, a giant banner at the top annoys me, but overall I think it's a solid design with a clear message.

@RetailEmailBlog: @demandycom I agree. Why is now a good time to come back if the offer you're making is the reason I left? Where's the incentive?

@RetailEmailBlog: Also, does it bother anyone that they're emailing former members? I kind of assumed that my email permission ended when I canceled.

@BillMcCloskey: @RetailEmailBlog I think that is the definition of a win-back campaign

@fspereira: @RetailEmailBlog kind of too agressive, while it doesnt highlight none advantage of a former customer

@remybergsma: @RetailEmailBlog well, I imagine for 'best practices' they could (should?) have used a different channel, regardless which one.

@RetailEmailBlog: @BillMcCloskey Win-back campaigns are designed to reengage inactive subscribers. This is different in my mind.

@blutz: @RetailEmailBlog I was wondering the same thing (re: permissions). I receive very similar emails from eMusic, years after cancellation.

@RetailEmailBlog: @remybergsma Yes, you know Netflix has my home address. Why not mail me a postcard trying to lure me back?

@BillMcCloskey: @RetailEmailBlog win-back campaigns are designed to bring back customers who have cancelled as well. Dating sites often use this technique

@remybergsma: @RetailEmailBlog exactly. That would both be better on the 'be nice' front, and have more impact :)

@RetailEmailBlog: @BillMcCloskey Sort of gray territory. Canceled membership = no business relationship. But it was tone-defness of the message that irked me.

@BillMcCloskey: @RetailEmailBlog Canceled membership implies a previous business relationship, which is fine under CAN-SPAM according to my understanding.

@jvanrijn: @remybergsma @RetailEmailBlog Hmm, i wonder if switching to postcard is the first step to take, maybe its tiered #icandreamcanti

@RetailEmailBlog: @BillMcCloskey You're right. Legally under CAN-SPAM the email is fine. But I wonder if consumers will be fine with it.

@BillMcCloskey: @retailemailblog From a business standpoint, it is good business practice: If you win back even a small percentage of customers,

@BillMcCloskey: @RetailEmailBlog If they have already cancelled who cares? you are not going to lose the business twice. You might get a percentage back

@remybergsma: @RetailEmailBlog reminds me of that 'definition of spam' Q on Focus :)

@BillMcCloskey: @retailemailblog If it were me, I'd fire someone if the didn't try to do this

@BillMcCloskey: @retailemailblog In the end the purpose of Email Marketing is to make money.

@RetailEmailBlog: @BillMcCloskey Campaigns that generate significant spam complaints and negative word of mouth can lose you money. There's a balance.

@BillMcCloskey: @RetailEmailBlog My guess is that this is negligible.

@RetailEmailBlog: @BillMcCloskey Honestly, had the message been more thoughtful with a real incentive, I probably wouldn't have thought about permission issue

Want to join the conversation? Just reply to @RetailEmailBlog to chime in.
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AM Inbox: First reference to New Year's + mobile e-gift cards

The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:

Gilt Groupe, 11/15 — Hickey, Incotex, Tailor Vintage, Ferguson Copeland Furniture, Projek Raw, 20% off Bubby's Pumpkin Pecan Praline Pie, Elie Tahari Outerwear, Four Ways to Wear Blazers and more Starts Today at Noon ET
Gilt Groupe gives us our first reference to the New Year. For insights and inspiration for your campaigns, check out the 2011 New Year’s Season Finale.



American Eagle Outfitters, 11/15 — Men's Thermals & Women's Sweaters On Sale Now!
I’ve seen retailers promote e-gift cards delivered via Facebook before (see Dec. 21, 2010 AM Inbox), but this is first time I’ve seen one offer to deliver an e-gift card via SMS.



B&H Photo Video, 11/15 — Special Holiday Offers + Gift Buying Guides
The sentiment expressed in the opening of this B&H newsletter is dead on. B&H is recognizing that during the holiday season consumers’ needs and desires change. Subscribers are busier, they’re more focused on what’s available now, and much more focused on deals. For many retailers, email content strategy is quite different during November and December versus the other 10 months of the year.



SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Sam’s Club, 11/14 — Holiday Taste of Sam's Club - this weekend!
Brookstone, 11/14 — Put "relaxing" on your holiday to do list
Williams-Sonoma, 11/15 — Order Today: Fresh Christmas Trees Delivered to Your Door
Toys “R” Us, 11/15 — Our Layaway Gives YOU 10% Back!
Lands’ End, 11/14 — 25% off + Free Shipping: it's beginning to look a lot like Family & Friends
Art.com, 11/14 — 25% off Everything + Inspirational Holiday Décor!‏
Disney Store, 11/14 — Find the Toys on Every Kid's List
Neiman Marcus, 11/15 — TOP 100 GIFTS!
Ann Taylor, 11/15 — Our Must-Gift Lists...
HP, 11/14 — What are the Best Gifts for Everyone on your List?
Avon, 11/14 — Come Home with AVON Holiday
Northern Tool, 11/14 — Great Gift Idea + Free Gift Card Offer
Montgomery Ward, 11/15 — Toys Galore + New Food Gifts from The Swiss Colony
Tiffany & Co., 11/14 — Letter-perfect Gifts
Yoox, 11/15 — Welcome to the Yooxmas Party - Gifts for Her
Bluefly, 11/15 — It's Party Season! ALL Dresses on SALE Today (now up to 70% off through email only!)
J. Jill, 11/14 — NEW holiday Wearever! Plus, free shipping.
SmartBargains, 11/14 — Extra 50% Off Holiday Dresses & Shoes.
Spiegel, 11/14 — Half Off All Dresses Today. Yes, that’s 50%!
Kohl’s, 11/14 — Enter our Love to Give, Happy to Save Contest!
J&R, 11/15 — Thanksgiving's Just Around the Corner, Get Prepared for Holiday Cooking
Omaha Steaks, 11/14 — Black Friday Savings NOW! Shop early & ship later.
Saks Fifth Avenue, 11/14 — Prada Cruise 2012: Exclusive event for her & him
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Season Finale: Columbus Day 2011

A look back on seasonal trends, email activity and standout B2C marketing:

Start to finish: The first reference to Columbus Day was on Sept. 13. The final reference was on Oct. 10, the day after Columbus Day.

The biggest day for Columbus Day emails was Friday, Oct. 7, followed closely by Monday, Oct. 10. Retailers sent the majority of their Columbus Day-themed emails after Oct. 7.



Most interesting emails: While conversions are always the primary goal with email, elevating engagement in the form of clicks can be a very worthwhile goal, especially going into the holiday season when deliverability can be more challenging. In this Oct. 8 email with the subject line “Take our Pop Quiz and get a DOUBLE DISCOUNT!” Chadwicks looked to generate some additional clicks by presenting subscribers with a one-question quiz. This clever approach is likely to appeal to even those subscribers who aren’t interested in the discount and just want to see if they know the answer. So the campaign works on two levels, both of which pay off for Chadwicks.



Regardless of which answer you choose, you’re taken to this single landing page, which simplifies the campaign production:



Standout subject lines:
Dick’s Sporting Goods, 10/10 — Today Only - Take 14.92% Off Your Online Order!
Sports Authority, 10/10 — Discover up to 50% Savings This Columbus Day
1-800-Flowers.com, 10/10 — Columbus Day Exclusive: Discover 24 Assorted Roses for just $24!

Read previous Columbus Day Season Finales: 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007

Explore Columbus Day tag.
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Season Finale: Back to school 2011

A look back on seasonal trends, email activity and standout B2C marketing:

Start to finish: The first reference to back to school was on June 16. The final reference was on Oct. 18.

The biggest day for back-to-school emails was Wednesday, Aug. 10. Retailers sent the majority of their back-to-school-themed emails after Aug. 9.



Most interesting emails: While the vast majority of back-to-school emails are promoting electronics, clothes, backpacks, and school supplies, Williams-Sonoma goes out of the box with this Aug. 15 email promoting kitchen tools to make after-school snacks. The subject line was “Exclusive Tools For Great Family Snacks.” When everyone’s zigging right, you can really standing out by zagging left.



Ahead of College Colors Day, Dick’s Sporting Goods launched this viral campaign that tapped into college student’s school pride. This Aug. 26 email had the subject line “We've Got Spirit - How About You?” While the prize could have used some amping up, the concept was different and really stood out.



In a Sept. 15 email, TigerDirect also took a nonconventional approach by holding a back-IN-school sale for procrastinators who went back to school without supplies. It’s just a bit of clever wordplay, but it helped the email standout.



Standout subject lines:
Bed Bath & Beyond, 7/21 — Everything they need but won’t buy for themselves. PLUS Don't forget your $15 off $75 or more online coupon!‏
HP, 7/31 — How to Rule the Campus Quad
HP, 8/24 — HP's Campus Pre-reqs On Sale Now
GameStop, 8/12 — Forget Back to School. Get Back to Gaming!
Foot Locker, 8/18 — Our Kind of Math - Save 20% Online on All Your Back-to-School Needs!
Lands’ End, 7/6 — For smart students, smart backpacks
Crate & Barrel, 7/17 — Ace Back to School with new dorm-ready items that make the grade.
eBags, 7/28 — Campus Style Guide: 25% Off Our Fall Favorites
Foot Locker, 7/22 — Our Kind of Math - Save 20% Online on All Your Back-to-School Needs!
Target, 7/27 — Saving 101: Sale on college kitchen picks.
J&R, 7/28 — Back To School Essentials: Everything You Need for the Classroom or Dorm Room
NFLshop, 8/1 — Back To School - Go Back With The Latest New York Giants Gear!
Buy.com, 8/2 — STUDENT & TEACHER Essentials: Stock up on Back to School SUPPLIES for LESS!
Toys “R” Us, 8/5 — Free Lunch Kit! Plus Over $350 in Back to School Savings!
Victoria’s Secret, 8/11 — It's Here! The New Exclusive PINK COLLEGIATE COLLECTION.
Disney Family, 8/18 — Back-to-School Crafts: Personalize a lunch box and back pack!
Staples, 8/22 — Up to 60% savings — from backpacks to everything that goes in them!
PC Connection, 8/31 — Kids are Off to School – Shop These Great Deals Just for You!

Subject lines that stand out for the wrong reasons:
Dell, 7/30 — Back-to-School Event-Up to 50% off select products
“Event-Up” reads like a hyphenated word. They should have used a colon or something else to separate “Back-to-School Event” from “Up to 50% off select products.”

Read previous Back-to-School Season Finales: 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006

Explore back-to-school tag.
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AM Inbox: Engagement becomes content hook

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, 11/11 — One-day Thanksgiving sale. Save 15% through this email only.
In a Nov. 8 email, Harry & David included this simple banner asking subscribers whether they were staying home or going away for Thanksgiving:



Polls can be a nice no-pressure way of getting some email engagement clicks—and in this case also driving additional traffic to your Facebook page. That’s all I thought it was at the time, but then in this Nov. 11 email Harry & David leverages that engagement by sharing the poll results and suggesting a call-to-action for each scenario.



Toys “R” Us, 11/11 — Win a $1,000 FREE Black Friday shopping spree! Enter the Red Carpet Black Friday Sweepstakes Now!
Kudos to Toys “R” Us for coming up with a new spin on Black Friday sweepstakes. While they offer the chance to win money for shopping, the new twist is awarding early access to stores on Black Friday. Shopping in an empty store while throngs of people are lined up outside is surely a huge thrill.



SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
JCPenney, 11/11 — We Salute YOU! Save Big During Veteran's Day Sale
Spiegel, 11/11 — In Honor Of Veterans: 40% OFF Our Entire Site This Weekend.
JC Whitney, 11/11 — Happy Veterans Day - Get 20% Off Your Order, 2 Days Only!
Sports Authority, 11/13 — Why Wait? Get Black Friday Prices Now!
Newegg, 11/11 — 3 DAYS ONLY: EARLY Black Friday Deals available exclusively on the e-Blast!
Fingerhut, 11/11 — Fingerhut: New Products Added to Our Black Friday Deals Shop!
OfficeMax, 11/11 — Preview our November 13 Ad + Black Friday Every Friday
Sam’s Club, 11/11 — View our Day After Thanksgiving ad today!
Williams-Sonoma, 11/12 — Time to Order Turkey + Wine
Nordstrom, 11/11 — Dresses That Impress at the Office Christmas Bash
Sam’s Club, 11/11 — Enjoy easy dinners for your busy holiday evenings
Bass Pro Shops, 11/11 — New Christmas Catalog + Take 6 Months to Pay!
Brookstone, 11/11 — Top Gifts: An early look at our picks for Holiday 2011
Bloomingdale’s, 11/11 — Introducing Our Guide for the Fabulous Gift Giver + Free Shipping & 20% Off
Ralph Lauren, 11/11 — Our Favorite Gifts: Personalized Gifts From Ralph Lauren
Lands’ End, 11/11 — Make a list, check it twice: 25% off EVERYTHING is really nice!
Harry & David, 11/12 — Send a basket full of goodies from America's gift basket authority. Plus Free Delivery.
NikeStore, 11/11 — Can Your Hoodie Do This? We Didn't Think So.
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Week-End Trends: Email already reaching Black Friday levels

Email activity and seasonal trends during the past week:

The Retail Email Index: The top online retailers sent each of their subscribers 4.0 promotional emails on average during the week ending Nov. 11, 2011. That’s up 8% week-over-week, up 17% from where it was four weeks ago, and up 17% year-over-year.



The Retail Email Participation Rate: With a number of retailers running “Black Friday Every Friday” campaigns, Friday was the most popular day to send retail emails last week. In fact, Friday’s participation rate of 69% tied that of Black Friday last year, a clear sign that this year’s Black Friday email volume will be greater than last year’s.



The Retail Email Seasonality Meter: The majority of retail emails contain a reference to the holidays and it will remain that way until after Christmas.



Selling Seasons on the Horizon:
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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Ping Time: POS email opt-ins, cart abandonment emails, etc.

My latest spin around the mediasphere turned up the following nuggets:

>>Rick Buck of e-Dialog provides some sage advice for safely collecting email opt-ins at the point of sale. >>Follow the ping

>>Fawn Young of Bronto Software details her good and bad experiences with Overstock.com’s post-purchase email stream. >>Follow the ping

>>Linda Bustos of GetElastic shares advice in how to effectively recover abandoned carts. >>Follow the ping

>>Tal Nathan of Strongmail discusses progressive profiling including several examples. >>Follow the ping

>>Econsultancy provides seven tips on writing stellar subject lines. >>Follow the ping

>>And for a little fun, Mark Brownlow of Email Marketing Reports shares 14 email marketing predictions for 2031. >>Follow the ping to the future!

>>In my latest Email Insider column, I put SMS and mobile apps on my Marketing Channel Deathwatch list. >>Follow the ping
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AM Inbox: Speaking to mobile users on their level

The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:

Dell, 11/10 — Download the New Dell Mobile App
This email targets subscribers that are on their mobile devices a lot, so it makes perfect sense that the email would be extremely optimized for smartphones. It’s just 320 pixels wide, has text that’s easy to read, doesn’t include a navigation bar, and has a call-to-action button that’s easy to tap, and none of the other links (besides a few in the footer) are crowded too closely. I’ve seen a lot of emails from retailers asking subscribers to download mobile apps, but this is the first that’s gone this far to be mobile-friendly so subscribers can take action right from their smartphone.



SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
JCPenney, 11/10 — Celebrate 11/11/11: Special Day, Special Savings!
Musician’s Friend, 11/10 — Veterans Day Savings Up To $500 On Your Order – Coupon Code Inside!
Crate & Barrel, 11/10 — 50% off or more at the Outlet Veterans Day Sale + Free Shipping.
Omaha Steaks, 11/10 — Why wait for Black Friday? FREE Shipping & 70% Savings Today!
Home Depot, 11/10 — Get Early Black Friday Savings on Appliances
Toys “R” Us, 11/10 — Expanded Layaway! Take time to pay on ALL Toys! Plus Our Biggest Rewards Ever!‏
Victoria’s Secret, 11/10 — One to Gift, One to Keep: Angel Sleep Tees, 2 For $49.50!
Kohl’s, 11/10 — Find the Perfect Gift at an Extra 30%, 20% or 15% Off!‏
Linens ’n Things, 11/10 — Artificial Christmas Trees Starting at $29.99 + FREE Shipping
Sony, 11/10 — Ring In the Holidays with Savings on Tablet and Sony Internet TV + More
J. Jill, 11/10 — It's our Holiday Dressing Event! Save 15% and free shipping.
Staples, 11/10 — 40% off holiday cards, calendars and invitations!
Apple, 11/10 — The gifts they'll love all year long.
Macy’s, 11/10 — Create your letter to Santa & help make wishes come true!
CB2, 11/10 — Donate and save 15% off at our Can Do food drive.
Orvis, 11/10 — All you need to stay warm and dry all winter.
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AM Inbox: And the winning deal is…

The Retail Email Blog monitors the email marketing campaigns of more than 100 top online retailers. Here are highlights from my inbox this morning:

Fingerhut, 11/9 — Fingerhut: The Winning Facebook Deal is FREE SHIPPING - Shop Now!
This email is the culmination of the “You Pick the Deal” campaign that Fingerhut ran on Facebook and promoted in an email a couple of weeks ago (see Oct. 27 AM Inbox). The campaign allowed folks to vote for free shipping on $50 purchases, 20% off with no minimum, or $20 off a $50 purchase—and shoppers’ love affair with free shipping has been confirmed once again, even in the face of what would be richer offers in most cases. While this voting set up was pretty simple with only three choices, I expect to see fewer of these kinds of campaigns as we get into the thick of the holiday season. Consumers are just too busy to bother with voting or watching videos or participating in conversations. They’re much more tactical in their use of email, social media and other channels. ‘Tis the season to keep things simple and very, very direct.



SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Walmart, 11/9 — Black Friday Specials Revealed! Plus, Get Free Shipping on All Online Specials.
Target, 11/9 — Fun fact: The Toy Catalog has coupons worth $300.
Kmart, 11/9 — Featured games starting at $11.99 + up to 25% OFF Christmas outdoor décor
Alibris, 11/9 — Hand-picked books || Get your party started
JCPenney, 11/9 — Adopt An Angel! We Need Generous Hearts Like Yours
The Company Store, 11/9 — Top 5 Reasons To Shop Online + Free Shipping!‏
Williams-Sonoma, 11/9 — 20% Off All Roasters – Today Only
Cooking.com, 11/9 — Top Turkey Roasters and Other Thanksgiving Essentials
Disney Store, 11/9 — The Muppets Are Back! Join in on the Fun
Walgreens, 11/9 — Get 20% Off Any Prestige Beauty Order From Beauty.com
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