The Retail Email Blog

The Do's and Don'ts of Father's Day Emails

noreply@blogger.com (Lyla Reinero) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 19:46:00 +0000

Have neckties become a weird new motif in all of your dreams? Then Father's Day must be around the corner! I've gathered up a few of the biggest creative trends from this year's crop of Father's Day emails. You might say they're the top of the pops. (Or not. Sorry.)

DO inject some humor into your subject line.

Dad's not afraid of a cheesy one-liner. You shouldn't be, either. Catch your subscriber's eye with a lighthearted joke, a little wordplay, or that hallmark of dad style, a corny pun.

Tommy Bahama, 6/11--Everydad style for Father’s Day | FREE 2-day shipping ends tomorrow!
UncommonGoods, 6/6--25 Ways to Make a Grown Man Cry
DailyCandy, 6/4--Seattle - Put Your Gifts to the Paternity Test
Tablespoon, 6/10--Just Add Beer & Bacon: 20 Treats to Do Dad a Solid

DON'T be afraid to get sappy.

The best Father's Day copy this year proves the way to a man's heart is through his...heart. These examples from Dean & Deluca do a great job of telling a story that appeals to their subscriber's emotions. It doesn't really matter whether everyone who reads this email has a dad who loves baseball or fishing. They're sure to be reminded of what their father IS passionate about, and they'll be inspired to find him the perfect gift.

DEAN & DELUCA, 6/7--A Hot Dog at the ballgame beats roast beef at the Ritz.

DEAN & DELUCA, 6/12--All men are equal before fish.

DO be a broken record.

Be honest: how long did it take you to actually purchase a Father's Day gift? Did you put it off a few times before you finally clicked "Complete Order"? If my inbox is any indication, we could all use a little motivation. I noticed retailers sending up to 4 or 5 emails dedicated to Father's Day, each touch upping the urgency. Special consideration was given to last-minute shoppers, with shipping messages taking center stage. The takeaway: don't give up on us, Dad! We'll get you a gift--eventually.

Godiva Chocolatier, 6/11--Last Day! FREE Shipping + Our Top Picks for Every Dad

UncommonGoods, 6/13--The Father's Day Express

DON'T forget the rest of the family.

Not every retailer has a dad-centric inventory. So what? Repurpose your Father's Day send to appeal to anyone in the mood to shop. Moosejaw takes this idea for a snarky spin in this "Not Just for Dads" email. We've all seen retailers prompt shoppers to shop for themselves while they're buying holiday gifts; it looks like this tactic is expanding to other shopping holidays, too.

Moosejaw, 6/3--Father's Day Isn't All About Dads | Finally

Now it's your turn: Which emails have you been enthralled (or appalled) by this Father's Day?

Warm Welcome Emails

noreply@blogger.com (Lyla Reinero) — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 18:53:00 +0000

Hello, everyone!

My name's Raleigh and while Lyla's out on maternity leave, I'll be sharing trends and observations from my time in the digital marketing space, and I'd love to hear from you, too. I’ll be posting about once a week on retail email trends, offering my insights, tips and best practices.

I've been out on maternity leave myself for a few months, and in that time, most of my email subscriptions have lapsed. I'm not proud of it. (But I am proud of you retailers for managing your lists. Nice work.) The upside of this is that when I took over this blog, I had the pleasure of signing up for my favorite email programs all over again. And I gotta say, y'alls welcomes are looking gooooood.

When you're writing welcome emails, there's a basic recipe that always works. It goes, "Thanks for signing up! We'll send you this stuff at this time, but for now, you should start shopping. BUTTON." Add a nice lifestyle image and you've got a workhorse welcome that sets nice expectations and is a lovely introduction to your brand. But just because something works, doesn't mean you shouldn't tool around with it a little bit. That's why I was so pleased to see some fresh takes on the standard Welcome when I revived my poor neglected inbox. Today’s welcomes feel warmer and more personal than ever before. And they’re making it look effortless.

Design Within Reach, 5/28 -- Welcome to Design Within Reach

Check out the open, breezy feel of this Design Within Reach welcome. I feel like I could walk right into this room and have coffee. By keeping the copy minimal and the images juicy, they're catching my interest and getting me excited for what's to come.

Athleta, 5/28 -- Welcome to the Team!

Ditto this nice one from Athleta. A little inspirational copy is all you need to get immersed in their world. Bonus points for putting a new spin on the well-loved "here's what you can expect from our emails" spiel.

Modcloth.com, 5/28 -- Five ways to join in the Modcloth fun!

Finally, this Modcloth email goes against trend and applies their trademark adorable style to this Welcome, which is bursting with cute details. It may not be as streamlined as the Design Within Reach or Athleta emails, but it does a fantastic job of illustrating the features of their website. Whoever created this gem fit not two, not three, but five ways to engage without crowding or coming off as pushy. That's no small feat.

Has anyone out there experienced a particularly warm welcome lately? Share it with the group! And for some smart tips on getting personal with your customers, check out Maeghan Ouimet’s fantastic post on the New School Marketing Blog.

Introducing Raleigh Briggs

noreply@blogger.com (Lyla Reinero) — Thu, 30 May 2013 17:23:00 +0000

Greetings Readers,

Tomorrow I begin maternity leave, and couldn’t be happier to let you know that Raleigh Briggs will be taking the reins of the Retail Email Blog beginning next week.

Raleigh is a Responsys Creative Services veteran and brings considerable copywriting experience to the Retail Email Blog. She has worked with brands including REI, Yahoo!, See’s Candies, Tablespoon.com, Safeway and Make a Wish Foundation.

Please join me in welcoming Raleigh, and I hope you are looking forward to reading her posts as much as I am!

All the Best,
Lyla Reinero

AM Inbox: First Mention of Cyber Monday (!?)

noreply@blogger.com (Lyla Reinero) — Tue, 21 May 2013 05:50:00 +0000

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, 5/20 -- We’re Halfway There… Cyber Monday Deals!
While a quick perusal through the Subjectivity Scanner below will show that many retailers are getting an early start on Memorial Day promotions, OfficeMax is getting a REALLY early start on Cyber Monday! This email's subject line helps it stand out as unique from the others in my inbox, by using Cyber Monday Deals as the intro. The countdown clock imbedded into the email helps to increase the sense of urgency for the prospective purchaser.

LOFT used a similar tactic by using Cyber Monday in their email send on Mar. 31. Check out my post here.

SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Crate and Barrel, 5/20 -- Sun drenched. Shade ready.
ModCloth.com, 5/20 -- 3 fresh app features -- how 'Pinterest'-ing!
Anthropologie, 5/20 -- This with That: mastering monochrome.
Petco, 5/20 -- Get the jump on summer deals! Up to 40% off pet essentials!
katespade.com, 5/20 -- the options are endless
Ross-Simons, 5/20 -- HUGE Clearance Sale: Memorial Day Event!
Express, 5/20 -- ☠ Rock the rebel look
Pottery Barn Kids, 5/20 -- Make a splash! Up to 40% off inflatable pools, sprinklers and more
Walmart, 5/20 -- Huge, huge, really HUGE ROLLBACKS – while supplies last
Williams-Sonoma, 5/20 -- Everything You Need to Eat Outside
The Home Depot, 5/19 -- Memorial Day Savings Starts Early
Tiny Prints, 5/19 -- Sneak Peek at Our Memorial Day Sale

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AM Inbox: First Mention of Dad's day + a Do and a Don't for Subject Line Personalization

noreply@blogger.com (Lyla Reinero) — Fri, 17 May 2013 06:25:00 +0000

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

Snapfish, 5/15 -- 5 must-haves for Dad | Print sale | Free shipping +30% off books and more
With Mother's Day just behind us, and Memorial Day and Graduations just ahead, there is no dearth of occasions for email marketers to promote right now. This email from Snapfish is the first sighting for The Retail Email Blog for Father's Day promotions this season.

LOFT, 5/15 -- Lyla, You're the first to know…
This email from LOFT is a nice example of a "Do" for subject line personalization. It leads with the subscriber's name, and is further enticing with the ellipsis. Another nice touch is the segmentation of the locale dynamically populated in the pre-banner.

The Home Depot, 5/15 -- Colma: You Don't Want to Miss This Week's Ad
And here is the "Don't"... This subject line from Home Depot is personalized by the subscriber's preferred store location. Unfortunately, it reads a bit awkwardly, as if the store location is a salutation or form of address. I would recommend rewording the subject line to clarify that Colma is the store location being featured, such as You Don't Want to Miss This Week's Ad for Our Colma Store.

On a positive note, I applaud Home Depot for their delivery of a weekly flier via email (thinks of the trees saved!). The main body of the email shows a scaled down covered shot of the flyer, which has text too small to read, but clicking on the call-to-action takes the viewer to an online version of the flyer, which is nicely proportioned, and easy to read.

SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Snapfish, 5/16 -- 50% off site-wide | 3 great print deals
Crate and Barrel, 5/16 -- We love this table + Free furniture delivery.
Coldwater Creek, 5/16 -- Magic Hours Sale In Store & Online...
Anthropologie, 5/16 -- Traveling? Take note.
Petco, 5/16 -- Final day to save 20% sitewide!
west elm, 5/16 -- 5-Day Furniture Flash Sale: 20% off your faves...
J.Crew, 5/16 -- 9, 8, 7, 6...
CB2, 5/16 -- up to 50% off planters. contain your excitement.
The Home Depot, 5/16 -- Psst, Memorial Day Savings Start Today!
Walmart, 5/16 -- ☼ Pools from $99.97? Get OUT for family summer fun.
TOMS, 5/16 -- Exclusive summer plaids: get checked out!
The Children's Place, 5/15 -- Don't Miss Out! 30% Off Everything Ends Tonight!
LOFT, 5/15 -- Lyla, You're the first to know...
The Crutchfield Team, 5/15 -- Our best gear. Our best prices.
west elm MARKET, 5/15 -- Get fired up (20% off + free shipping)

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AM Inbox: Introducing Deal of the Hour

noreply@blogger.com (Lyla Reinero) — Tue, 14 May 2013 05:17:00 +0000

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

Coach Factory Online, 5/10 -- Now $79: Deal #1 at the Deal of the Hour Event!
Move over Deal of the Day… Coach Factory Online has started rolling out Deal of the Hour campaigns. A surefire way to keep the serious shopaholic engaged, Coach is offering twelve deals with special pricing, with a new deal every hour, on the hour. In order to avoid flooding their subscriber's inboxes with a dozen emails in one day, Coach sends the emails for a third of the deals: #1, #4, #7, and #10. Ordinarily, four email in one day from a single retailer would constitute over-saturation in my book, but I think it works in this case. Enough to keep the sense of urgency going, but not so much as to be obnoxious.

SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
fredflare.com, 5/13 -- Just charge it
The Container Store, 5/13 -- Our Travel Buyer's 5 secrets to a great trip
Mark and Graham, 5/13 -- Free shipping on all gifts for the graduate
Spiegel, 5/13 -- Work It! Extra 30% OFF New Workweek Styles
Harry & David, 5/13 -- Shop Now And Save Up To 50%
BabiesRUs, 5/13 -- Want to Save on Top Brands? It’s Your Lucky Day!
LOFT, 5/13 -- NEW arrivals: Summer kind of wonderful
Walmart, 5/13 -- Special Buys? ✓ Clearance? ✓ More cash in your wallet? ✓
Anthropologie, 5/12 -- A breeze of a blouse.
west elm, 5/12 -- Just pick the place...
J.Crew , 5/12 -- Beauty and the beach (and shop our sale, in stores & online)
ModCloth.com, 5/12 -- Everyone's buzzing about... 1920s-inspired fashion!
Lowes Home Improvement, 5/12 -- Final Day? We Prefer Grand Finale.
Harry & David, 5/10 -- Save Up To 50% In Our Spring Fling Event!

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BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked

AM Inbox: Great Cross Promotions for The Great Gatsby

noreply@blogger.com (Lyla Reinero) — Fri, 10 May 2013 06:08:00 +0000

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

katespade.com, 5/9 -- have you met our great gatsby clutch?
This email sent by katespade.com is perfectly timed to coincide with tomorrow's release of The Great Gatsby. Other than the timeliness of the email, there doesn't appear to be any relationship to the movie. The featured product is of a classic book clutch. A click to the email takes the subscriber to a landing page where The Great Gatsby is one of 6 classic novels featured in the clutch collection. However, much like Kate Spade products, the classics never go out of style.

Tiffany & Co., 5/2 -- The Jewels of The Great Gatsby
Every once in a while, a retail email completely sucks me in, and this one from Tiffany & Co. is a prime example of such, as I was inspired to click on every link in the main body: 1) The collection of Gatsby inspired jewelry. 2) The video that details the collaboration between Tiffany & Co. and the costume designer and production team of The Great Gatsby, and 3) The Pinterest Page.

Tiffany & Co. has got to be the brand most ideally suited for product placement for The Great Gatsby movie. I'm fairly certain I'll be dreaming of jewels and fabulous Art Deco parties all night…

SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
The Home Depot, 5/9 -- Up to $150 OFF—Special Buys
Anthropologie, 5/9 -- Dresses for here, there...
Tiffany & Co., 5/9 -- Tiffany Gifts for Mom Under $500
Coach Factory Onlin, 5/9 -- Perfect Picks for Summer | 12 Exclusive Deals: Tomorrow!
Spiegel, 5/9 -- Unforgettable Styles Now on Sale
Bluefly, 5/9 -- Happy Feet for All! Shoe Sale Up to 70% Off
Hallmark Gold Crown, 5/9 -- Only 3 days left to save on sweet gifts for Mom. Coupon inside.
Cabela's, 5/9 -- Time is almost up!
Harry & David, 5/9 -- 20% Off + Last Chance To Send Treats For Mother's Day!
Foot Locker, 5/8 -- Approved Styles You Need to be Seen In.
Wayfair, 5/8 -- ✿New styles in full bloom.
Bluefly, 5/7 -- Almost Over: Extra 10-50% off Every Mother-Lovin' Thing

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BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked

AM Inbox: Fresh & Easy… Just Like the Name Says

noreply@blogger.com (Lyla Reinero) — Tue, 07 May 2013 05:03:00 +0000

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

Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market Inc., 5/6 -- Extra savings on chicken breasts when you use your Made for Me coupons!
Fresh & Easy has one of the better customer rewards programs I have encountered. Unlike some grocery retailers, their Made for Me coupons are genuinely tailored towards the user (not merely configured with whichever products might be on promotional special that week). Indeed, I have previously purchased every product featured in this email, and Fresh & Easy is subtly reminding me that I haven't been using my coupons. In my haste, on a recent shopping trip to my local store, I forgot to scan the coupons from my F&E app. This reminder email uses data to dynamically populate the subject line and body copy with an item of which I could have received savings. It's an added bonus that this email looks almost as good with the images disabled, as it does with them turned on.

SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
United News & Deals, 5/6 -- ✈ Book your weekend getaway and go
Snapfish, 5/6 -- Last chance! FREE overnight shipping for Mom's Day | 3 print deals!
Virgin America, 5/6 -- Mother's Day Offer: Earn 15 Elevate points per $1 spent with FTD.
The Container Store, 5/6 -- Now arriving...Our Go Organized Travel Sale!
Anthropologie, 5/6 -- Work it: why we love a blazer.
Target.com, 5/6 -- 20% off your $99 purchase + head-turning work outfits.
Ross-Simons, 5/6 - 30% Off + Free Shipping Upgrades for Mother's Day
Walmart, 5/6 -- Going fast – Special Buys on great gadgets moms love
ProFlowers, 5/6 -- Save 60% and send Mom ♥
CHEFS, 5/6 -- What makes Vitamix special?
BabiesRUs, 5/6 -- It’s Our Fun in the Sun Event! Online Only
Williams-Sonoma, 5/6 -- Make Her Morning, 20% off Select Cuisinart Coffee Makers - In Stores & Online
1-800-FLOWERS.COM, 5/6 -- Free Roses, Free Vase & Free Chocolates for Mom!
TOMS, 5/6 -- How we wear our TOMS this spring + free shipping on all orders through May 8
ivid Seats, 5/6 -- She's always been your #1 fan...
Ross-Simons, 5/5 -- Dear Mom, this year I got you a fabulous...
Gayle, J.Crew, 5/5 -- A shorts story

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AM Inbox: Cross-Brand Promotional Emails for Mother's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Lyla Reinero) — Fri, 03 May 2013 06:57:00 +0000

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

AAA, 5/2 -- Save 40% on Mother’s Day Flowers at FTD
Just about everybody is sending out promotional emails for Mother'sDay… even AAA! This cross-brand email campaign partnering with FTD is a smart move on AAA's part... A much better selling point for the occasion than roadside assistance. :)

Anthropologie, 5/2 -- Blooms For Mom, Courtesy of Terrain
Unlike AAA, Anthropologie carries its own products that will likely be well-received as Mother's day gifts. Like AAA, they have chosen to send a cross-brand email partnering with a retailer that showcases flowers, in this case, with Terrain, a sister brand within the Urban Outfitters family.

Apple, 5/1 -- All the gifts that will make Mom's day.
Apple pretty much sets the benchmark for email creative. In my experience, every designer aspires to create like Apple, and every client (wether they are retail, B2B or other) cites Apple as an example of what they want their email campaigns to resemble.

While Apple has plenty of its own products promoted for this Mother'sDay email, it also features several other gorgeous products from the likes of Kate Spade, Michael Kors, Nike and even Lady Gaga. (Husband, if you are reading this… yes, I am dropping subtle hints.)

SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
1-800-FLOWERS.COM, 5/2 -- SAVE 40% on Our Best Selling Rose & Lily Bouquet for Mom!
One Step Ahead, 5/2 -- Save up to 50% on Top Mother's Day Gifts
The Home Depot, 5/2 -- Fire Up Big Savings
J.Crew, 5/2 -- May, our way: 6 things to see this month at jcrew.com (plus, a must-see sale)
Hayneedle.com, 5/2 -- Introducing Gift Registries: WIN a $10,000 Dream Registry Giveaway! ... Dream. Shop. Celebrate.
Walmart, 5/2 -- Wanna be Mom’s favorite? Great Mother’s Day Gifts for less.
LOFT, 5/2 -- Show some leg...
ModCloth.com, 5/1 -- These just in!
Zipcar, 5/2 -- Who could resist a surprise? Not us. And Mom can't either.
Snapfish, 5/1 -- FREE 2-day shipping + 20% off gifts for Mom | Print Sale!
The Container Store, 5/1 -- Wrapped with Love
Crate and Barrel, 5/1 -- 9 gifts Mom is sure to love.
fredflare.com, 5/1 -- New... Accessories in aisle 6
atespade.com, 5/1 -- pretty presents for mom (at every price)
Williams-Sonoma Home, 5/1 -- Gift Ideas for Mom
Bed Bath & Beyond, 4/30 -- Act Now! Your 20% offer is waiting. Make her breakfast. Make her day.

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AM Inbox: The Mystery of Mystery Deal Emails

noreply@blogger.com (Lyla Reinero) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 06:28:00 +0000

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 Children's Place, 4/29 -- Free Shipping + Mystery Savings! Check out this deal before it disappears!
For me the mystery of Mystery Deal emails is Why does anybody send them? Every time I get one, I find myself asking lots of questions… How is it determined who will receive which potential offer? Pure lottery? Previous purchase history? Buy more, save more?

This Children's Place email sent today requires the purchaser to enter a promo code upon check-out in order to reveal the deal. Personally, I would feel disappointed if I committed the time to load up my shopping cart, to then only receive one of the lower savings percentages. I would again be left wondering... if my luck were better (or I had purchased more, or were a more frequent customer) might I have received 50% off?? Also, The Children's Place sent this offer three times today, which is very risky. The heavy frequency could definitely annoy some subscribers, possibly causing them to unsubscribe, or worse yet, report as spam.

1-800-FLOWERS.COM, 4/3 -- What will your Mystery Savings be?
A slightly different approach to the Mystery Deal email taken by 1-800-FLOWERS.COM in this Apr. 3 campaign, is to reveal the offer immediately upon a click to the email. I'll give points for the execution and creative use of the animated spinning wheel, but I still have questions of how the offer is determined. My deal is the Free Shipping/No Service Charge (somewhat disappointing, seeing the potential 25% off on the spinning wheel). I tried everything to see if I might be able to get a better deal: clicking different places on the email, forwarding the email to myself (and my husband), and finally viewing the email as a webpage, and removing the tracking info from the URL. No luck for me… still the same deal!

SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Crate and Barrel, 4/29 -- Chop chop. Up to 45% off Wusthof Gourmet knives.
J.Crew, 4/29 -- Hello, fabulous sale. In stores & online, 25% off your purchase.
ModCloth.com, 4/29 -- Seeing ★★★★★s?
The Container Store, 4/29 -- We'll let you in on a little secret...
Anthropologie, 4/29 -- A month of warmth and water.
west elm, 4/29 -- Throw in a throw (20% off)
The Home Depot, 4/29 -- Pros Can Help You Get It Done
fredflare.com, 4/29 -- It's here... Mother's Day gift guide!
See's Candies, 4/29 -- Still Looking for Something Sweet for Mother’s Day?
Coldwater Creek, 4/29 -- 6 Hours Only: Extra 50-70% off in Outlet! Wait not, want not.

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BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked

AM Inbox: Sometimes, It's the Little Things That Count

noreply@blogger.com (Lyla Reinero) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 05:58:00 +0000

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

Amazon.com Customer Service, 4/25 -- Your TV Pass Episode Delivery
I am a TV minimalist, but Mad Men is a must watch show for me, and per recommendation of a co-worker, I recently tried Amazon Instant Video for viewing the latest season. After some recent viewing frustrations with iTunes (my usual TV episode source), I was very willing to give AIV a shot. My initial impression of the streaming quality has been that there is room for improvement, but I am pleased by this email sent by Amazon. I was not even aware of the issue that delivery of my episode was delayed, but I appreciate Amazon's proactive measure to issue a credit nonetheless.

Tiny Prints, 4/25 -- An Exclusive Gift for You! (Thanks for Everything)
No Tiny Prints… thank you! This email offer of $20 off my next order is pretty sweet. What really stands out are these two sentences rarely seen in the footer text (fine print): There is no minimum purchase required for this promotion. This offer may be combined with other offers.

Anthropologie, 4/25 -- Hemlines unfurled | 20% off: bottoms up!
Anthropologie's emails are almost always a delight to open, and this one is no exception. The mini-animation in the pre-banner showing the upside-down pants, shorts and skirts illustrates and compliments the subject line. The placement of the animation is perfect, so as to be noticeable immediately when viewing. Additionally, with a mere three rotating frames, the animation is not overly flashy or obnoxious, and keeps the email's file size minimal.

To view the animation, click here.

SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
LOFT, 4/25 -- Tonight Only: $50 Off When You Spend $100
NORDSTROM, 4,25 -- Find Dress-Love at First Sight for Under $150
The Children's Place, 4/25 -- 25% Off EVERYTHING (we really mean everything...no exclusions)!
Sephora Beauty Insider, 4/25 -- Pick your gift!
Coldwater Creek, 4/25 -- An Extra 60% off Everything in Outlet!
west elm, 4/25 -- We ♥ moms (and sales)
Walmart, 4/25 -- Hit the deck – save on patio furniture, grills & more
Ballard Designs, 4/25 -- All New Items for Summer - Get them while they're hot!
Tea Collection, 4/25 -- Shop Local and Travel With Tea
ProFlowers, 4/25 -- To Mom, With ♥
Groupon, 4/25 -- Yo' Momma's So Great, She Gets Her Own Day
LOFT, 4/25 -- Splish, splash! The Vacation Shop is here!
The Crutchfield Team, 4/25 -- Price Drops we thought you'd want to hear about
ModCloth.com, 4/24 -- Meet your new 'boss' wardrobe & the winners of our BFF Contest!
Hayneedle.com, 4/24 -- The neighbors will be talking ... about the fabulous finds in your backyard!

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AM Inbox: Happy Earth Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Lyla Reinero) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 05:38:00 +0000

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

Rejuvenation, 4/22 -- Reduce, Recycle, REUSE! Save 25% on restored antiques & vintage items
This year, many retailers merely paid lip service to Earth Day by using it as an occasion to send promotional emails, while others employed tactics that were more environment-conscience: promoting eco-friendly products or items that help you reduce your consumption and waste, etc. This email from Rejuvenation is unique in its offer of 25% off all restored antique, vintage and salvage items. Now that's Old School recycling!

FLOR, 4/20 -- Learn how you can help
FLOR made no direct mention of Earth Day in their Apr. 20 email send, however, the main message is definitely green: FLOR squares are recyclable! A click on the email takes the viewer to FLOR's Return & Recycle Program webpage with steps detailing the simple process. The best part is FLOR pays the shipping. :)

SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Express, 4/22 -- The Moonlight Sale starts at MIDNIGHT!
Crate and Barrel, 4/22 -- Naturally beautiful.
west elm, 4/22 -- Today only! 20% off for Earth Day...
Cultivate.com, 4/22 -- Countertalk: 10 Easy Ways to Go Green in the Kitchen (Really!)
See's Candies, 4/22 -- Something for Every Mom to Love
Harry & David, 4/22 -- Send Your ♥ With A Yummy Treat Just For Mom And Save 20%
Pottery Barn Kids, 4/22 -- ★ FREE SHIPPING on your entire order! ★
The Children's Place, 4/22 -- Happy Earth Day! Wow, Up to 70% Off Clearance Blowout + FREE SHIPPING!
Petco, 4/22 -- Happy Earth Day! Shop & save on eco-friendly products!
Tiny Prints, 4/21 -- Need Party Inspiration? Take a Peek Inside...
Apple, 4/21 -- iPad. For all Mom does, all year long.
Crate and Barrel, 4/21 -- Eco-friendly outdoor + Our Spring Sale: up to 50% off
ModCloth.com, 4/21 -- Fancy our fine frocks?
ProFlowers Early Bird Discounts, 4/20 -- Treat Mom like a ★ with bouquets from $23.99!
J.Crew, 4/20 -- An Italian love affair (plus, an irresistible sale)
Abercrombie & Fitch, 4/20 -- Start the weekend off right and take 20% off your purchase!
west elm MARKET, 4/19 -- Weed, seed, plant + prune (20% off)
CB2, 4/19 -- 15% off our Earth Day specials. 4 days only.
The Container Store, 4/19 -- Let's talk TRASH...
The Home Depot, 4/19 -- Spring’s best Trends, Tips and Projects
Pottery Barn Kids, 4/19 -- Earth Day Savings! SAVE 20% on reusable food storage and up to 30% on lunch bags
TOMS, 4/19 -- Check out sustainable, animal-friendly Earthwise Classics in new colors
Williams-Sonoma, 4/18 -- Celebrate Earth Day + Free Shipping on Agrarian Products

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AM Inbox: Standout Header and Footer

noreply@blogger.com (Lyla Reinero) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 05:23:00 +0000

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

ModCloth.com, 4/18 -- Something new to 'app'-reciate!
From its inception, Modcloth.com has been at the front of the pack when it comes to social media, and has marketing down to a science for each specific platform. They clearly know their target audience, so it was no surprise to get this email announcing the launch of their mobile app, which gives its users the ability to save items, check-out faster, and receive notifications. I have yet to take the app for a spin, but based on their excellent track record with social engagement, I am looking forward to that first test ride.

One other random item of note -- I love that the footer text contains this:
"OMG - cuddle buddies!" Go ahead, and click... each email campaign links to a different adorable animal snapshot, making it worthwhile to subscribe for that reason alone!

SeatGeek, 4/8 -- Win the Ultimate NASCAR Experience from FanVision
This email from SeatGeek stands out for a couple of reasons: 1) it is a nice example of mobile optimization, and 2) the unique copy in the preheader to encourage browser viewing, "email not looking beautiful?"

My only recommendations to the email team at SeatGeek: 1) there is empty white space that could be better utilized in the lower banner on the right side, and 2) the copyright date is long overdue for an update!

SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
The Container Store, 4/18 -- ORDER UP! Got a taste for organization?
Crate and Barrel, 4/18 -- Utility made beautiful: Introducing Clean Slate.
FLOR, 4/18 -- Where do you live? See what's trending
Tiny Prints, 4/19 -- Hats Off to New Grads
katespade.com, 4/18 -- talk about good jeans...
Williams-Sonoma, 4/18 -- Celebrate Earth Day + Free Shipping on Agrarian Products
Petco, 4/18 -- Outdoor fun is in season ☼ Save up to 40%!
Snapfish, 4/17 -- 55% off our finest Mother's Day gifts | Print sale extended!
Anthropologie, 4/17 -- Five ways to work it.
See's Candies, 4/17 -- Give deserving teachers your chocolaty thanks
Ballard Designs, 4/17 -- 10 Great Reasons to Catch Up With Us
Bed Bath & Beyond, 4/16 - Pin to Win Sweepstakes + Don't forget! Your 20% offer is waiting.

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BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked

AM Inbox: Happy Hour

noreply@blogger.com (Lyla Reinero) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 04:28:00 +0000

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

west elm, 4/11 -- This drink has your name on it, from Mark and Graham…
Like members many of the Williams-Sonoma family of brands, west elm has sent an email promoting the newest addition to the clan: Mark and Graham. The header and footer have west elm branding, but the primary content is styled a la Mark and Graham. Sister brand cross-promotional emails can be a great way to grow your list -- as long as the execution is done correctly. A company with multiple brands shouldn't automatically extend permission from one brand to another, as it would be presumptuous to think that customers from one brand will automatically love the other brand(s). This email from west elm represents a better approach: a single email blast with a clear call-to-action to sign up directly for Mark and Graham emails.

Crate and Barrel, 4/10 -- Last call: 20% off Stock the Bar Essentials ends today.
Crate & Barrel shows that they have their emails well designed for mobile optimization. The font, buttons, and product shots are all generously sized, and the copy is short and sweet.

J.Crew, 4/11 -- Free shipping on $100+ (plus, our special sale, in stores & online)
I like how the visual and copy sync with one another in this email from J.Crew. The imagery of the scissors cutting open fabric to reveal additional call-to-actions is a unique and subtle approach that grabs the attention of the viewer without the need to use product shots or animation. My only recommended improvement to this email would be to supply the promo code in systems text. Doing so ensures that it can be easily applied by customers via copy-and-paste.

SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Target.com, 4/11 -- Like us, pin us, follow us & go mobile
Anthropologie, 4/11 -- You, to the nines.
The Home Depot, 4/11 -- Your Patio Your Way
Ballard Designs, 4/11 -- Add Curb Appeal with Planters!
The Children's Place, 4/11 -- Top Trends! See our hot list of must-have styles!
buybuy BABY, 4/10 -- Swings, Bouncers and Gyms - oh my!
The Container Store, 4/10 -- Drive In: a garage you can actually park in.
ProFlowers, 4/10 -- 40% off just for you ♥ , ProFlowers
Hayneedle.com, 4/20 -- Sweet seats! Shop and save on customer favorite chairs and more.
Express, 4/10 -- Cute Couple: Jackets and shorts pair up for a hot mix
TOMS, 4/10 -- Styles that are sustainable just like our giving

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BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked

AM Inbox: Some Stand Out Subject Lines in the Inbox

noreply@blogger.com (Lyla Reinero) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 05:00:00 +0000

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

Bed Bath & Beyond, 4/8 -- Listen to your garden grow.
Listen to your garden grow? The subject line of this email from BBB was nonsensical/intriguing enough to get me to click open. The hero shot is of an electric tiller, presumably a device that would make some noise when in operation. Marketing a loud piece of gardening equipment is not an angle I would have created, but it somehow works… I previously had no idea that Bed, Bath & Beyond even carried gardening equipment, but thanks to this unique email, I now know!

Mattel Shop, 4/8 -- Barbie Moving Sale! Up to 50% off + Free Shipping on Barbie orders of $50+
This is a refreshingly fun subject line from Mattel. As the email tells us, "Time to clean out the dream closet. Barbie is moving from Malibu". I think this could have been a great opportunity for Mattel to really run with the creative idea… Perhaps incorporating a little story on their website about where Barbie is moving to? Does she have an exciting new career opportunity? While I think Mattel does a nice job overall with their email program, they could benefit from a couple of updates to their templates: 1) add a preheader link to view the email with images, and 2) fix the rendering issue that is causing the the secondary product headline to break when viewed in Gmail.

SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
ModCloth.com, 4/8 -- Got a formal event? Get a fantastic frock!
The Land of Nod, 4/8 -- Why should walls get all the décor?
The Container Store, 4/8 -- Ever wonder why we have so many hangers?
katespade.com, 4/8 let's do lunch
Apple, 4/8 -- Meet the most advanced iMac yet.
fredflare.com, 4/8 -- SALE... up to 75%
Target.com, 4/8 -- Soooo big Baby Sale! Save 20% on ALL Graco.
See's Candies, 4/8 -- Your taste buds will tango
ToysRUs, 4/8 -- New Deals to Make You Smile! Online Only Savings Inside
LOFT, 4/8 -- Cue spring fever! Fresh blouses, now $35
BabiesRUs, 4/8 -- Hey, Mom…You’ll Love This Sale! Online Only
Bloomingdale's, 4/7 -- Friends & Family--Last Day. Shop Now.
west elm MARKET, 4/7 -- A must-sea...
Coldwater Creek, 4/6 -- Hello Sunshine! New Arrivals, New Must-Haves + 25% Off!
The Container Store, 4/5 -- ☂ Just in time for April Showers...
Mark and Graham, 4/5 -- Making Silver Even More Precious
Anthropologie, 4/5 -- Our top top + free shipping!
Williams-Sonoma Home, 4/5 -- Get Floored! 20% Off All Rugs
Hayneedle.com, 4/5 -- $100 off your order + easy breezy ways to revive the patio.

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BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked

AM Inbox: A Sweet & Simple Survey and First Sighting of Mother's Day Promotions

noreply@blogger.com (Lyla Reinero) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 03:38:00 +0000

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, 4/3 -- Find The Perfect Gifts To Treat All The Moms In Your Life And Save 20%
Harry & David wins the prize for sending the first retail email mentioning Mother's Day this season.

Zales, 4/4 -- Let Mom Shine: Save Up to 60% Off Storewide!
Peoples Jewellers, 4/4 -- Let Mom Shine! Up To 50% Off Storewide
Zales and Peoples Jewellers (sister brand to Zales) followed with the silver today.

Joyus, 4/4 -- We have 1 question for you...
I receive a lot of survey request emails. I normally respond and complete them, more to gain a marketing research perspective than any other reason. However, in doing so, I often feel either irritated by the time-suck and/or uncomfortable with the personal questions asked, such as age and income (even more annoying when these questioned are "required"). In comparison, this survey email from Joyus is a delight: just one question!

SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
The Home Depot, 4/4 -- We Started Without You
Sephora Beauty Insider, 4/4 -- Reward yourself!
Crate and Barrel, 4/4 -- Our favorite sale of the year starts now. Cheers!
Warby Parker, 4/4 -- A fresh crop of summer frames
Bed Bath & Beyond, 4/4 -- Whooosh!
1-800-FLOWERS.COM, 4/4 -- What will your Mystery Savings be?
FLOR, 4/3 -- New colors bring calming tones to a best-selling style
LOFT, 4/3 -- Starts now! EVERYTHING is 50% off!
The Container Store, 4/3 -- Drumroll, please...

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BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked

AM Inbox: No Fooling… Another Great Email From LOFT

noreply@blogger.com (Lyla Reinero) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 02:38:00 +0000

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

LOFT, 3/31 -- Cyber Monday got a spring makeover!

This is one of the more creative approaches to an email that I've seen in the inbox in a while: 1) The subject line references Cyber Monday. On Easter. 2) The preheader uses very "youth speak" language. 3) Adorable use of animation with Easter Bunny hopping across the pre-banner! And, 4) The primary message shows just a peek off the offer (which happens to be 50% off AND free shipping. Not too shabby.)

Click here to view the full animation.

SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Sephora Beauty Insider, 4/1 -- Fake it!
Tiny Prints, 4/1 -- See What's New and Notable for Spring!
Coldwater Creek, 4/1 -- A today-only surprise! (No fooling)
fredflare.com, 4/1 -- No Foolin'… 25% OFF EXTENDED!
See's Candies, 4/1 -- Find hidden delights from See's
LOFT, 4/1 -- Hello, (Cyber) Spring! 50% off EVERYTHING & Free shipping
Estée Lauder Online, 4/1 -- No fooling: skincare that works. (2 free serums with purchase.)
Snapfish, 4/1 -- No fooling, print 100, 300, or 900 prints – all on sale
The Children's Place, 4/1 -- Happy April Fools' Day - FREE SHIPPING On All Orders - Today Only!
Target.com, 3/31 -- No joke: Save $10 on your clothing purchase. Today only!

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BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked

The Retail Email Blog Taking Vacation

noreply@blogger.com (Lyla Reinero) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 23:21:00 +0000

Greetings Readers,

The Retail Email Blog will be taking vacation next week 3/25 - 3/29, and resume regular posting on Monday 4/1.

Thanks and best,
Lyla

AM Inbox: Membership has its privileges

noreply@blogger.com (Lyla Reinero) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 22:40:00 +0000

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

Abercrombie & Fitch, 3/19 -- Members get exclusive free downloads of the hottest tracks!
While the primary reason many subscribers sign up for retail emails is to receive promotional offers, it is desirable to show customer appreciation with the occasional email that may be about something other than the latest sale. This email from A&F offers a nice enticement with free downloads for their members.

Williams-Sonoma, 3/21 -- Explore Our New Agrarian eCatalog + Enjoy Free Shipping!
Williams-Sonoma sent this email announcing the launch of their eCatalog, along with a free shipping offer, which should be a nice incentive to start browsing! The delivery of this email is synced up with that of the hard-copy catalogue, which I received in yesterday's mail.

SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
RitzCamera.com, 3/21 -- Everybunny Loves A Deal! Specials on Nikon, Canon, Olympus & More
Sephora Beauty Insider, 3/21 -- HOT
Spiegel, 3/21 -- New Markdowns - Jump-Start Spring
Bluefly, 3/21 -- Prices STOMPED! Shoe Blowout Ends Tonight
YOOXNEWS, 3/21 -- Hello, spring: An EXTRA 15% off
Coldwater Creek, 3/21 -- New! Beautiful Spring Dresses + Buy 1 Get 1 50% off New Looks
Tablet, 3/21 -- You Deserve Better
J.Crew, 3/21 -- Hello, sunshine! Enjoy 30% off every purchase, in stores & online. Plus, free shipping.
Solestruck, 3/20 -- We've Got Major Spring Fever.
ModCloth.com, 3/20 -- Girl, you know it's new (& restocked, too)!
Rejuvenation, 3/20 -- Easy Spring kitchen update
Tiffany & Co., 3/20 -- Charmed by Tiffany
The Container Store, 3/20 -- Spring is here...and so is NEW elfa!
Pottery Barn, 3/20 -- 100s of new items to fall in ♥ with this Summer!
fredflare.com, 3/20 -- No Shades of Gray... Black + White
See's Candies, 3/20 -- A carton of eggs has never been so adorable
Anthropologie, 3/20 -- AM/PM perfect.
Pottery Barn Kids, 3/20 -- We ♥ spring savings! Up to 75% off furniture, bedding, toys and more!
Petco, 3/20 -- Spring has Sprung with 25% off Sitewide - TODAY ONLY!
The Company Store, 3/20 -- Make your bathroom your oasis!
Yelp - San Francisco, 3/20 -- Fromage To Eternity
UrbanSitter, 3/19 -- Hop to it! Easter Season Has Arrived.
Express, 3/19 -- Functional Femme: Military chic hits the streets

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BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked

AM Inbox: A New Service from eBay, and a New Surprise from ModCloth

noreply@blogger.com (Lyla Reinero) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 01:54:00 +0000

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

eBay, 3/18 -- New--we sell your items. You get cash.
Oh, eBay!… What took you so long?! The new "Sell it Forward" service announced by eBay in this email would have been perfect for me last year… when I moved. With that said, I know it's not all about me, and I do anticipate that this new service will be a very valuable feature to many of eBay's customers and users. Speaking from personal experience, one of the things that most often prevents me from selling stuff on eBay is the time commitment that it takes. On another note, I like the updated template that eBay is using for its email. Best practices for mobile optimization have been taken into consideration: 1) The email width is only 540 pixels wide. 2) The copy points are brief and concise. 3) The "Sign up now" button is enlarged, for easier click-ability.

To learn more design tactics for mobile optimized emails, check out the Responsys Mobile Email Guide.

ModCloth.com, 3/18 -- A surprise? In here? That won't last long?!
In seasons past, The Retail Email Blog has observed peak frequency of Mystery Deal emails being sent around St. Patrick's day. A subject line with a surprise or mystery can be a fantastic enticement to open the email, but retailers should use caution not to frustrate their customers. The "deal" should be revealed within a click or two (who wants to take the effort to load up a shopping cart, only to find their savings are merely 10%?). This email from ModCloth presents a new twist on the surprise… the surprise being in the product received, not the savings amount.

SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Michael Kors, 3/19 -- A Shore Thing
Target.com, 3/18 -- Save 30% on fave toys with coupon.
Ace Hardware, 3/18 -- We wanted you to be the first to know.....
The Container Store, 3/18 -- Review and Win $750!
Anthropologie, 3/18 -- The sweet sound of fresh cuts: snip, snip, snip!
katespade.com, 3/18 -- we’re reaching new heights…
west elm, 3/18 -- Gone in a flash (25% off furniture)
fredflare.com, 3/18 -- The Doctor's In Da House…
Sephora, 3/18 -- Take your pick
Zales, 3/17 -- Sell Your Gold For Cash & Receive a Free $50 Coupon!
J.Crew , 3/17 -- Need-it-now nautical
Apple, 3/16 -- How will you love it? Let us count the ways.
1-800-FLOWERS.COM, 3/16 -- Be rewarded for sending smiles - Join Fresh Rewards today!
The Container Store, 3/15 -- Messy to marvelous in a snap!
Walmart, 3/15 -- Smart peeps are saving on Easter – shop your local ad now

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BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked

AM Inbox: Happy Pi-Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Lyla Reinero) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 00:04:00 +0000

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 Land of Nod, 3/14 -- T.G.I. Pi Day!
This "Pi Day" email from The Land of Nod stood out in my inbox today (and was also forwarded by a reader of The Retail Email Blog). Gotta love the fun marketing angle and clever copy.

SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Sephora, 3/14 -- It's back...
RalphLauren.com, 3/14 -- You're In Luck: Shipping's On Us
west elm MARKET, 3/14 -- Guess what we got...
One Step Ahead, 3/14 -- How 'bout Something New for Lunch?
Tiny Prints, 3/14 -- Three Steps to a Fresh, Spring Home
Joyus, 3/14 -- Chanel Inspired iPhone Bags
J.Crew, 3/14 -- Spring must-haves: 6 colors to wear right now
LOFT, 3/14 -- Every Girl Needs: A bright, stripe cardigan
Lowe's Home Improvement, 3/14 -- It's a Jungle out There
The Children's Place, 3/14 -- ♣ Lucky You! Extra 25% Off Everything + Earn PLACE Cash!
Walmart, 3/13 -- Everything Easter, everyday low prices. Join the peeps saving big on groceries, toys & more.
Rejuvenation, 3/13 -- Beautify your bath
Target.com, 3/13 -- Stylin' kids & BOGO 50% off kids' shoes.
Crate and Barrel, 3/13 -- Puppy&Love
fredflare.com, 3/13 -- Give It The GREEN LIGHT
ProFlowers, 3/13 -- ☞ Early Easter deals... now hatching! 56% off
Ross-Simons, 3/13 -- How will you spend your $25 gift coupon?
Hayneedle.com, 3/13 -- Save your green: up to 40% OFF backyard essentials. Bask away!
Snapfish, 3/13 -- 50% off books and collage gifts | 500 prints for $45 | Egg-cellent savings!
Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market Inc., 3/12 -- Cheers to St. Patrick's Day deals, plus special coupons.
Zipcar, 3/12 -- Lyla, cheers to safe driving on St. Patty's Day.
UrbanSitter, 3/12 -- Spring Break Helpers for your Lucky Charms!
Anthropologie, 3/12 -- Now serving: 15% off dinnerware, limited time only.
GE Appliances, 3/12 -- Change Your Clock? Change Your Water Filter. Free Shipping through 3/20
katespade.com, 3/12 -- words to live by….
Hayneedle.com, 3/12 -- Hay Day extra: Spring Overstock Sale - up to 65% off + a suite of sweet deals ... while supplies last.
LOFT, 3/12 -- You told us so ... shop our customer faves!
Petco, 3/12 -- Tell Us Why You Are a Great One & Win up to $50,000!
The Land of Nod, 3/12 -- Say hello to a few of our friends.

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BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked

AM Inbox: Daylight Savings Time and Time for Savings

noreply@blogger.com (Lyla Reinero) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 00:04:00 +0000

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

LOFT, 3/8 -- Amazing style knows no time zone...
LOFT sent this email to announce their program launch of International Shipping. It was a standout in my inbox, as it features many elements that a well-executed email should: 1) contains a nicely written and complementing subject line and headline, 2) primary content appears above the fold, and 3) animation that brings attention to the announcement. Plus, the offer of free international shipping to roll out the new program is pretty sweet. Click here, to see the email with animation.

As a quick perusal through the Subjectivity Scanner below will indicate, many retailers used Daylight Savings Time offers in their email campaigns over the weekend.
SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Mark and Graham, 3/11 -- A few of our customer's favorite {leather} things - now back in stock in select colors!
The Home Depot, 3/11 -- Pros Can Help You Get It Done
Spiegel, 3/11 -- Terrific Tops: Director's Spring Favs
Coach, 3/11 -- The Best Getaways Start at Coach
Abercrombie & fitch, 3/11 -- You can win the Spring Break Packing List!
jcpenney, 3/11 -- Spring Break! Where Are You Going?
CB2, 3/11 -- be floored: 15% off our favorite rugs.
Target.comm, 3/11 -- Introducing Threshold. Classic & modern looks for your home.
Ross-Simons, 3/11 -- $25 Gift Coupon with Purchase...Lucky You!
Anthropologie, 3/11 -- Happy tees ahead.
Express, 3/11 -- Fit & Flare: Spring Dresses are 40% off!
Toys"R"Us, 3/11 -- Sneak a Peek! NEW Online Only Deals Inside
Joyus, 3/10 -- Fold Your Laundry Faster & Neater
Crate and Barrel, 3/10 -- New outdoor is in.
One Step Ahead, 3/10 -- Spring Ahead: Teaching Kids to Tell and Track Time
Pottery Barn, 3/10 -- Spring forward… into savings! In stores & online
Petco, 3/10 -- More Daylight, More Savings! Up to 40% Off + Free Shipping!
The Children's Place, 3/10 -- ☼ Spring Ahead with BIG Savings - Extra 25% Off Everything + Earn PLACE Cash and Get Free Shipping on All Dressy Items!
The Company Store, 3/10 -- Daylight Savings | Spring Forward with this great offer!
west elm MARKET, 3/9 -- Your kitchen toolkit: 20% off + free shipping…
Coldwater Creek, 3/9 -- IN STORES: The fun starts TODAY! 35% OFF this weekend only
J.Crew, 3/9 -- Get a bit of color
The Land of Nod, 3/9 -- An ocean of décor ideas.
Southwest In A Nutshell, 3/9 -- It’s Your Lucky Day! We’ve Got New Service, Great Offers, Chances To Win & More!
Anthropologie, 3/9 -- The little layer that could.
LOFT, 3/8 -- Mark your calendars for a (very) good day
Ace Hardware, 3/8 -- Free Paint Saturday-Tomorrow only!
Bluefly, 3/11 -- Get Your Blowout On!
katespade.com, 3/8 -- the perks of being a wildflower...
fredflare.com, 3/8 -- Daylight $avings... 35% OFF!

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BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked

AM Inbox: Retailers Who Do the Right Thing

noreply@blogger.com (Lyla Reinero) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 00:55:00 +0000

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

TOMS, 3/7 -- April 16, 2013: Leave Your Footprint
TOMS shoes, pioneer of the Buy One, Give One business model, sent this email to announce their annual "One Day Without Shoes" campaign. This event is an effort to raise awareness about the many challenges that children living in poverty worldwide face because they do not have shoes. I ♥ TOMS! Few other retailers take social consciousness to such a high level…

Warby Parker, 3/6 -- Pairs nicely with spreadsheets
… and Warby Parker is one of those few "others." Buy a Pair, Give a Pair is one of the minimal links in their website navigation. In this email (as always), Warby Parker infuses the subject line with a good dose of humor. And what can I say? I've always had a thing for geeks.

Both TOMS and Warby Parker deserve a round of applause for incorporating philanthropy as a primary part of their business models. It feels nice to do something good for somebody in need – and even nicer when do-gooding is part of a retail experience!

SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
One Step Ahead, 3/7 -- Better Swimming Skills Start Here!
Tablet, 3/7 -- Work Hard / Play Hard
Anthropologie, 3/7 -- Rejuvenation, room by room.
west elm, 3/7 -- It's all going your way (for free)
1-800-FLOWERS.COM, 3/7 -- March into Spring, SAVE $15 Sitewide!
The Crutchfield Team, 3/6 -- Our best gear. Our best prices.
ModCloth.com, 3/6 -- Green garb, a new stylebook, & vintage wedding wear? Wow!
Foot Locker, 3/6 -- Go Bold and Make it Happen!
Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market Inc., 3/6 -- Take our quick survey and earn 200 points!
Rejuvenation, 3/6 -- Hardware that stands the test of time
Zipcar, 3/6 -- Lunch is on us, Lyla.
The Container Store, 3/6 -- You won't find these anywhere else
Target.com, 3/6 -- Refresh and save big on furniture + free gift cards.
katespade.com, 3/6 -- new arrivals + we love bold blooms
Crate and Barrel, 3/6 -- See color in a new light.
fredflare.com, 3/6 -- Hey Girl... Ryan Gosling at fredflare.com
Walmart, 3/6 -- Score with winning prices on game day essentials: big screen TVs, grills & more
Pottery Barn, 3/6 -- 4 days left to save 15% - our thanks to you…
J.Crew, 3/6 -- Are you spring ready? Shop our sunny-day sale, in stores & online.
Saples, 3/6--A coupon and the steal of the week!
Coach, 3/5 -- The Bag That Works For You
jcpenney, 3/5 -- Perfect Pairs For The Entire Family
YOOXNEWS, 3/5--Going, going, almost gone…
Toys"R"Us, 3/5 -- You've been selected. Exclusive invite inside.
Tiny Prints, 3/5 -- So What Do You Think? Let Us Know
Anthropologie, 3/5 -- Now blooming: our Charlie Trousers.
Bluefly, 3/5 -- Heels Yeah! Every Shoe on SALE
Zales, 3/5 -- Private Sale Starts Now: Up To 40% Off 24 Styles!
west elm, 3/5 -- It's a win-win (a giveaway + 15% off)
Ross-Simons, 3/5 -- The WOW factor: Clearance Earrings. Save Big.
ModCloth.com, 3/4 -- Spring break into beach party-ready pieces!

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BROWSE... Archive / Post Categories / Selling Seasons / Topics Covered / Retailers Tracked

Alert: Introducing the Responsys New School Marketing Blog 2.0!

noreply@blogger.com (Lyla Reinero) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 21:31:00 +0000

Greetings Readers :)

Responsys is pleased to announce the re-launch of the New School Marketing Blog! Same expert knowledge and insight… new pretty package.

Whatever your marketing needs may be, let Responsys be your go to source. Check out the NEW New School Marketing Blog and join in the conversation!
http://www.responsys.com/blogs/nsm/

AM Inbox: Story Time

noreply@blogger.com (Lyla Reinero) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 02:22:00 +0000

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 Land of Nod, 3/3 -- The story of our stories.
I was super excited to get this email from The Land of Nod, because I was expecting to click through and have a similar experience to that of their sister brand, Crate&Barrel. I wrote a fairly glowing review of the Crate&Barrel Creative Marketing program here, for which they received The Retail Email Blog's first Email Gold Star Award. The Land of Nod still has a little work to do in order to match my Crate&Barrel experience, however. This email's clear focus is on the "stories", however clicking on the email does not take the viewer to a section on the website that features the stories, nor was it easy to navigate there on my own.

Anthropologie, 3/2 -- March is here: new stories, new looks.
Anthropologie's email campaigns have consistently been among the favorites of the Responsys Creative Services Team. This email has an effective subject line, which entices the viewer to click though to a landing page featuring a travel video, new arrivals, Pinterest images, and "looks to love". To see more, check out this post from The New School Marketing blog showcasing Anthropologie's effective use of cross channel marketing. Also, keep a look out to see Anthropologie be featured as a future Retail Email blog Email Gold Star Award recipient…

Williams-Sonoma, 3/2 -- Browse. Shop. Ship It Home!
As I blogged in last Friday's Email Gold Star Award post, Williams-Sonoma is already the highest ranking retailer for online shopping experiences, according to a study by The E-tailing Group Inc. With in-store free shipping, they are stepping up their game another notch! To me, this is a pretty nice new feature that they are rolling out, and I think they could have given it a little more fanfare announcing it in this email.

SUBJECTIVITY SCANNER: Select noteworthy subject lines
Anthropologie, 3/4 -- Make the most of March with a maxi.
Gojee, 3/4 -- Gojee Heels | Art For Your Feet
Spiegel, 3/4 -- Our Spring 2013 Collection is Here!
Bluefly, 3/4 -- Spin It Like You Mean It! Your Grand Prize Awaits (but not for long!)
Foot Locker, 3/4 -- New Online Markdowns with Free Shipping - Check it Out!
fredflare.com, 3/4 -- Good as Gold... All NEW Jewelry
Williams-Sonoma Home, 3/4 -- CUSTOM Made in the USA
Express, 3/4 -- Urban Paradise: Be the first to see the March campaign video
Toys"R"Us, 3/4 -- Save More, Play More! “R” Newest Deals are Waiting for You!
LOFT, 3/4 -- It's spring :)
Sephora Beauty Insider, 3/3 -- The Color of the Year...
Tiffany & Co., 3/3 -- Only from Tiffany
Wayfair, 3/3 -- Up to 70% OFF | Oriental rugs, bathroom storage, side tables, sofas, diaper bags, and more
Lowe's Home Improvement, 3/3 -- Savings Worth Sharing. This Week's Special Values.
Gojee, 3/3 -- Gojee Jewelry | Danger Is My Middle Name
Estée Lauder Online, 3/3 -- Final hours: Fatigue Fighter Kit, yours free with purchase.
west elm, 3/3 -- Sunshine + raincoats...
Williams-Sonoma, 3/3 -- Just in Time For Spring, Backyard Beekeeping
west elm MARKET, 3/2 -- We're pulling the plug...
Ross-Simons, 3/2 -- Golden Opportunities End Tomorrow...
Spiegel, 3/2 -- Wild! BOGO 1/2 OFF Site-Wide
J.Crew, 3/2 -- The wonderful world of cashmere...
TOMS, 3/2 -- Spring brights or classic black? Take your pick
ModCloth.com, 3/2 -- Shop fresh! Shop fast!
Cooking.com, 3/2 -- Free Shipping on Our Barnyard Animals!
LOFT, 3/1 -- 3 short stories (just for you)
jcpenney, 3/2 -- Save Now! Thousands Of Items On Clearance
Crate and Barrel, 3/1 -- Bee excited: Our new March Teapot is here.
Mark and Graham, 3/1 -- Bridal Tastemakers Top Picks
The Container Store, 2/28 -- Made in the USA with American ingenuity

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