From: Company Kids
Subject Line: Shhh! A secret offer just for you - up to 40% Off!
Date: Thursday, May 27, 2010

Maybe I've been looking at Retail Emails too long, and perhaps I've gotten a little jaded, but I really can't help but wonder if the "random discount" is a great marketing strategy. It doesn't make any sense to me. First of all, why be secretive about a deal? Has the Company Store not heard about FTAF? I was enticed to click open the email by the second part of the subject line "...up to 40% Off!", but I know I would be disappointed if I only got 10% off my purchase.

And how do they determine the discount? Is it actually just "Buy More Save More", but with the dollar amounts in disguise, or does the person buying a couple of wash clothes have just as good a chance of hitting the 40% Off jackpot as the crazed pregnant lady who is nesting and feels compelled to buy new sheets and towels for her entire family? (I can poke fun - I've been there!)

Whatever the case may be, I have seen "Mystery Deal" emails before, so my guess is that they must have some relative success. Does anyone have inside information about this topic that they would care to share?