From: Crate & Barrel
Subject Line: Now manage your Gift Registry with fun, new Visual Cart
Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2009

I find Crate & Barrel very inspiring when it comes to new design ideas and features. I have to give them props on this new feature they have added to their website. In a nutshell, when you add items to your cart, they appear in a row at the bottom of the browser at all times as you continue to browse the website.

I do, however, have to say that I didn't love the email announcing this feature. I felt it was too text heavy and that that the images weren't the best representation of where the feature will appear in the browser. I had to go to the website and try adding something to my cart in order to understand the process (which maybe isn't terrible because they got a "click", but I doubt every user would take the same initiative).

I would suggest keeping the copy short and simple: one paragraph. I would also show one image of the entire browser window with a "zoom-in" box on the new feature.