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Retail Email Blog
Category Archive: Merchandizing
March 15, 2010
Check Boxes, Shipping Boxes


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From: net-a-porter.com
Subject Line: What's new for you on Monday
Date: Monday, March 15, 2010 9:34 AM

In November, I shared my hesitations about NET-A-PORTER's designer preference-driven emails. I had been auto-signed up for Burberry designer updates because I purchased a Burberry ring, and was feeling relatively over-informed about Burberry products. Since then, I invested some serious time in selecting my true and varied preferences in NAP's robust preference center. Now, NET-A-PORTER is sending me some seriously relevant emails, and is making some serious cash off yours truly.

Basically, NAP sends me email messages so spot-on, it's like a personal shopper set up a dressing room just for me, filled with stuff I'm dying to try on. Not only do I open these emails, but I enable images, then wait for them all to download (all 2,660 pixels of them, in this case.)

No email comes too frequently and no email is too long if it's totally relevant to the recipient. In this case, it was the A.P.C. a-line denim skirt that got me.

Sidebar regarding shipping boxes: NET-A-PORTER's are beautiful, but Intermix's seem to be scented. An incredibly pleasant scent emerges when you open the box. Ah, package magic!


October 2, 2009
Missing the Opportunity


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From: Restoration Hardware
Subject Line: Introducing the Mayfair Secretary Trunk
Date: Wenedsday, September 16, 2009

From: Restoration Hardware
Subject Line: Introducing the Oviedo Chaise
Date: Wenedsday, September 30, 2009




I found out from reading the apartment therapy blog that Restoration Hardware has recently gone through a major "overhaul" and according to the blog, RH has "Roared Back". I'm sure that the marketing dept for RH must be happy to be receiving such praise from well-respected design blogs, however IMHO, I must say that I think internally, they are missing a giant opportunity here! This is the perfect time to be unrestrained in terms of your email campaigns, and go ahead and toot your own horn! Tell us why you are new and exciting! Create a little fanfare! Even their website shows no indication that there's anything special happening - not even on the "Letter From Our CEO" link (another wasted opportunity - instead of telling us anything about the changes, it's some boring musings about a Thomas Edison quote).

Restoration Hardware has some very compelling new products that they have been featuring in their emails lately, such as the Mayfair Secretary Trunk and Oviedo Chaise. To me, the new products are very unique, but the emails are still kinda blah.

In short, I never would have known about the RH transformation, had I not been found out about it independently. To see how I have have done things differently, check out my blog post from yesterday about Ann Taylor's most excellent email campaign introducing "The New Ann"... See, it is possible to appear classy, yet give yourself a little pat on the back at the same time.  ;)
September 23, 2009
These Boots are Made for Walking


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From: Saks Fifth Avenue
Subject Line: Boots, Boots,
and more Boots
Date: September 19
From: Piperlime
Subject Line: The season's
"it" boot + the top 10 fall trends
Date: September 15
From: Nordstrom
Subject Line: Hot Boots Under $100 | Last Chance for Triple Rewards Points (Details Inside)
Date: September 19



The Saks subject line pretty much sums it up: Boots, Boots, and more Boots. About this time every year, my inbox is inundated with the must-have boots of the season. Just check out these three emails I received in the last week. Hands down, my favorite is the Saks email. It's the only one that gives me a full-on view of the breadth of their boot collection. And I really like the fact that they kept it pure, without a secondary message for this one.

Piperlime always has great copy and photography, so I kinda wish they'd shown more of an assortment for this email. Instead, they focused on the IT style of the season: the over-the-knee boot. I'm sure they'll showcase more boots in the weeks to come, but it'd be a shopper's dream come true to see all those pretty boots in one email. The secondary message is good in theory, but the execution is a little confusing. The landing page is really cool, so I wish they'd turned this message into a dedicated email and done it a bit more justice.

I rarely get excited about Nordstrom emails, and this one is no exception. It doesn't feel fresh and exciting to me. It feels like a department store email. And that's a bummer. The boots themselves are cool, but they feel like the product shot feels dark and dreary. Maybe it's rich in print, but not so much here. The secondary stories are buzz-worthy, but again, they fall flat in execution. They don't inspire me to click through. I want them to inspire me. But they just don't.

So, who wins the battle of the boots this year? For me, it's all about Piperlime. I have 5 pairs waiting in my shopping cart. Time to check out, folks.
July 29, 2009
Spend Money to Make Money


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From: David's Bridal (co-brand with Shutterfly)
Subject Line: Congratulations! Our Gift to You
Date: Tuesday, July 21, 2009

From: Disney Movie Rewards
Subject Line: Amy, Happy Birthday! 25 Bonus Points Inside
Date: Thursday, June 18, 2009

From: Starbucks.com
Subject Line: Let Us Treat You To a Free Pastry
Date: Monday, July 20, 2009

A sure way to drive people to your website: offer an incentive!
Here are 3 emails that offered me a free gift, no strings attached!

Four reasons why giving something for free can make you money:

1. Great for Customer Loyalty
I wouldn't consider unsubscribing knowing I might have another gift coming in the future. I'll also hesitate to leave an email unread per chance I may be missing another great deal.

2. Helps to Grow Your Subscriber List
Immediately after getting my gift and seeing it wasn't a scam, I was enticed to encourage others to sign up so they can get their free gift (which I did, of course - who wouldn't want a free movie?!)

3. Provides Cross Promotion Opportunities
Along the way to getting my free gift, there is the opportunity to cross promote other products and/or get me accustomed to browsing the website.

4. Get People Hooked
Give me a sample of your product, I may just find that I can't live without it!

March 16, 2009
Recession Marketing


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From: Sephora
Subject Line: Do It Yourself - and save!
Date: March 3, 2009

Just like a lot of folks out there, I'm making calculated choices about where I spend my cash these days. So how can marketers reach a gal like me who's holding tight to her credit card? Give me a reason to spend money so that I save money. Case in point, this super fun email from Sephora. I scrolled the whole way down and purchased a couple of things off this DIY list. They even highlight the salon price for each service and compare it to the Sephora DIY price. Very clever, very timely, very creative. IMHO, this is the perfect example of how marketing to the masses via recession-minded tactics can come off smart, not sneaky.


November 14, 2008
The warmest zzz's


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From: Anthropologie
Subject Line: The warmest zzz's
Date: Friday, November 14, 2008

In keeping with our "senses" theme from this week's Email Insider, I feel like I can almost reach out and touch the textures featured in this Anthropologie email... and I'd like to. Reach out, touch them, wrap myself up in them and disappear into the weekend. After a long and rainy week, it's all about some warm zzz's. Have a cozy, restful two days!


November 6, 2008
Isn't it ironic? Or not.


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From: Abercrombie
Subject Line: winter coats to keep you warm.
Date: October 30, 2008

From: Abercrombie
Subject Line: layer-up in classic style.
Date: November 6, 2008

I'm having a little trouble figuring out Abercrombie's latest email campaign. Maybe someone can help me sort it out.

The first email shown here has the subject line: winter coats to keep you warm. But, ummm, the email features a plaid flannel shirt. I guess it would be ironic if the guy happened to be naked or something, but he's not. So it just looks odd. Although, the links do make sense: Boys Outerwear and Girls Outerwear. At first, I thought it was just a production error, like maybe the wrong file was sent or something, until I received the second email and I realized they're trying to be ironic.

The second email's subject line is layer-up in classic style., which uses a hyphen incorrectly, but that's not really the issue, so I'll move on. The hero image features a guy with no shirt on, albeit he does have a short-sleeve tee draped over his shoulder. So, what exactly is he layering here? I guess it's ironic, but does it really sell the clothes? Maybe on a huge billboard it does, but in email when the whole objective is to get people to click through, does it work? The thing that's too bad is that the link to Boys Knits goes to some cool long-sleeve knit pullovers, tshirts, etc. IMHO, it would have been good to show at least a few products to tell the story and spark someone's interest enough to click the links. The way it is now, you really have to be a die-hard Abercrombie fan to be interested enough to click through.

It's election week: Let's put it out for a vote. Check out the two emails and share your thoughts. But remember this: It's like rain on your wedding day, a free ride when you've already paid, and having 10,000 spoons when all you need is knife. That's ironic, don't you think?


September 30, 2008
Battle of the Boots


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From: Bloomingdale's
Subject Line: Rock With Motorcycle Boots + Free Shipping.
Date: September 20, 2008

From: Piperlime
Subject Line: Rock out! Biker boots and bags are in.
Date: September 30, 2008

Trend alert! Looks like all you rocker chicks and wannabe biker babes can rejoice in this season's biggest trend. Within a little over a week, I received these two emails from Piperlime and Bloomingdale's. I think Bloomingdale's showed a killer breadth of assortment, but Piperlime nailed the copy and showed off the handbags to complete your look. They also had a strong secondary shoe message for the shoe gal who's a little more Mad Men vs. Rock of Love. Bloomingdale's, on the other hand, went with Children's Clothing as their secondary. Hmmmm. Seems like a missed opportunity there. It's a tough call, but I think I'm going to have to go with Piperlime for overall execution. Rock on.


July 9, 2008
Side Stripes


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From: Barneys New York
Subject Line: YA Touch of STRIPE from Miu Miu and Philip Crangi
Date: Wednesday, July 9, 2008

I realize this isn't supposed to be a fashion blog, but I was compelled enough by this shoes/earrings combination to thow up a post :). They are subtly lovely together.

Have a great day!


July 8, 2008
Ephemeral Benefits


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From: Starbucks.com
Subject Line: Starbucks Card rewards are waiting for you
Date: Tuesday, July 1, 2008

From: Amazon.com
Date: Depends on Prime Sign-up Date

Notably difficult to depict are the ephemeral benefits that come with products like gift cards and membership subscriptions. Starbucks does a lovely job with this mail promoting their souped-up Rewards Card. The simple three-column structure, illustrative photography and concise text communicate the new rewards clean and clear. Starbucks' big challenge with email, of course, is tracking effectiveness, as emails drive customers to retail locations rather than trackable URLs.

Speaking of ephemeral benefits, Amazon.com also does a lovely job outlaying the perks of Prime membership here. Have you tried the program? I checked it out and got addicted to ordering stuff like shampoo.
December 14, 2007
Blue Beauties


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From: Saks Fifth Avenue
Subject Line: Christian Louboutin Spring & Exclusive Video
Date: Friday, December 7, 2007

Please box and ship directly to Lisa F. Harmon of Smith-Harmon Inc., as soon as possible.


October 11, 2007
UGG-ly


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From: NORDSTROM
Subject Line: FREE SHIPPING on UGG Australia Boots (Details Inside) | Save 50%: Further Reductions Online
Date: Thursday, October 11, 2007

The obvious problem here being that no one wears UGGs anymore.


April 3, 2007
Smart Sectional


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From: west elm
Subject Line: easy living with the Walton Sectional
Date: Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Here, west elm deals strategically with a high pricepoint item that's difficult to push via email: the sectional. They pulled out the double-combo: (1) free delivery (which is pratically a must-do at the moment for the furniture category) and (2) furniture diagrams, which engage the customer immediately in the process of selecting a configuration and envisioning it in their own home.

But of course, despite all the smart thinking here, when it still doesn't work, we've got the catch-all sale promo, which, for this campaign, will undoubtedly generate the most sales by a landslide.
December 3, 2006
How To


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This season, apparel retailers have struggled with how to acquaint customers with a bevy of new and novel styles including skinny jeans and winter shorts, as well as trapeze tops, dresses and coats. As the leaves collected in enormous piles in the yard, "How To" EDM campaigns collected in my email inbox. Banana Republic produced a number of these "How To" campaigns, and I think they did it well. They provided quick, digestable tips (avoiding the temptation to write paragraph-upon-paragraph that no one will read), which, combined with illustrative photos, made casual, work and evening trends easy and accessible.

I feel like Banana's fashions are rebounding a bit after several suck-out seasons. I bought something there for the first time in ages this month - a "wool military caplet." It wasn't inspired by the "How To" campaigns, so I can't attest to their effectiveness, but I rather like the sweater.

On an unrelated note: is anyone else sick of these two models? I'm sure they're nice girls, but I'm tired of seeing them in every campaign. I see these gals more often than I see my actual friends and family...Although perhaps that says something more about my at-the-computer:away-from-the-computer ratio than it does about Banana Republic's model variety.

From: BananaRepublic.com
Subject Line: Fall's best new silhouettes are here...
Date: Tuesday, September 19, 2006

From: BananaRepublic.com
Subject Line: How to wear the season's chic new layers
Date: Tuesday, October 10, 2006

From: BananaRepublic.com
Subject Line: Defining your work style + the classic pump
Date: Tuesday, October 24, 2006

From: BananaRepublic.com
Subject Line: Dress the part(y): petite going-out looks for every occasion + evening shoes..
Date: Tuesday, November 7, 2006





November 18, 2006
All Cut Up


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From: CHEFS
Subject Line: New V-Pro Mandoline Speeds Holiday Cooking
Date: Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Here, CHEFS does a great job illustrating the many uses of the V-Pro Mandoline. The slice, dice and cut thumbnail shots provide nine great reasons to spend $169.99 on what would otherwise be (to me, anyway) a nondescript metal kitchen thing.
June 26, 2006
Let's Get Packing


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From: Ann Taylor
Subject Line: Your Summer Checklist, plus a Special Online Offer
Date: Tuesday, June 20, 2006

From: J.Crew
Subject Line: J.Crew at the beach
Date: Thursday, June 22, 2006

Here, Ann Taylor and J.Crew push summer wardrobes. While I'm charmed by Ann Taylor's aspirational environmental photography and checklist graphical treatment, J.Crew's silhouetted product imagery is more effective in conveying the idea of immediate convenience, virtually packing our beach bag with coordinating pieces. However, I was disappointed by J.Crew on click-through; I'd hoped to see all of these products listed on one multi-buy landing page, but instead was taken to the women's shop category, forced to search around for myself. While J.Crew took the time to carefully lay out our summer wardrobe in this EDM campaign, they did not go so far as to actually group the featured products in one location on their website, breaking the implied promise of a packed bag.


From: Lands' End
Subject Line: Off to Summer Camp
Date: Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Lands' End Summer Camp campaign is brilliant in it's relevance and usefulness. Here, rather than just pushing summer product, they offer a detailed Camp Packing Checklist. Lands' End provides something of value to the customer free of charge, while at the same time becoming a partner in the packing process, no doubt influencing customers to purchase all that extra underwear from them.
June 19, 2006
A Question of Perspective


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From: The Land of Nod
Subject Line: Introducing Furniture Color Previews
Date: Thursday, June 15, 2006

The dynamic color swap is a great innovation in ecommerce, and I applaud Land of Nod for implementing a Furniture Preview Tool. Also, although it's a little jerky, they make great use of the rotating GIF here to illustrate this new functionality. However, this email suffers from a Land-of-Nod-centric perspective. Rather than touting their own amazing functionality, the copy should focus on how this functionality serves the customer. The text should highlight how easy and fun the customer's furniture shopping experience will be, not how impressed they'll be with the Land of Nod. Remember who you're selling to!

To view the animation, click here.
May 17, 2006
Promoting a Complex Product


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From: Lands' End
Subject Line: Now improved: Summer's most versatile shoe
Date: Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Three cheers for Land's End! While they usually deliver schizophrenic multimessage campaigns, here they've presented us with an intelligent, focused message. Technically complex products are difficult to address via email. To promote their new-and-improved sport shoe, Land's End employs a clear headline and price callout, a large product image, plus five bulleted boxes touting it's most notable features. This particular layout of information serves as a great guideline for any bells-and-whistles product email promotion - be it a sport shoe, mp3 player or stroller.
May 15, 2006
A Simple Equation / Special Offer Stipulations


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From: J.Crew
Subject Line: Two Days Only: Shipping is free
Date: Monday, May 15, 2006

Here, J.Crew follows a straightforward formula to deliver what I would bet was a very successful campaign. We can strategize all day long, but sometimes the simplest message is the best: a practical, affordable product (under $20), + free shipping = certain success.

A recommendation: be clear about special offer stipulations. In this campaign, putting "free shipping" in the subject line leads us to believe that the featured tanks are free ship. We don't realize that free shipping only applies to orders over $150 unless we read the submessage copy. (We'd have to buy about 10 tanks to qualify!) I would bet this particular arrangement of information lead to a number of abandoned shopping carts, plus several calls to customer service.
April 25, 2006
Curate Your Closet


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From: UrbanOutfitters.com
Subject Line: What's the shape of things?
Date: Tuesday, April 25, 2006

From: FreePeople.com
Subject Line: Piece Together Your Look with Knit Dresses
Date: Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Here, sister brands Urban Outfitters and Free People follow the same DIY Paradigm. Capitalizing on the "I want to build my own individual style" sentiment so prevalent these days (We're all so individual in our individuality, aren't we?), these campaigns feature entire outfits and their separate components, inspiring shoppers to "build their own" unique ensembles. This is a convenient paradigm for both parties: shoppers curate their closets from a selection of mix and match styles; retailers rake it in on the many products necessary to achieve these "unique" layered looks.

Which execution is more successful? While the Free People line drawings might be artistically rewarding, I'd bet the more robust product selection shown in the Urban Outfitters message is more financially rewarding.
April 17, 2006
Engaging Shoppers


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From: Pottery Barn
Subject Line: The newest additions to our Chesapeake Collection are here.
Date: Monday, April 17, 2006

Here, Pottery Barn does a really nice job of addressing and engaging a specific audience: active shoppers. Building upon the introductory Outdoor Furniture message they sent on April 3, they speak directly to customers who already own a piece, offering new styles and colors. Showing the cushion swatches is particularly effective: it engages the customer in a design consideration, taking them one step closer to product purchase.
March 23, 2006
Necessity is the Mother of Invention


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From: Keds
Subject Line: keds.com: COOL IS BUZZ ON NEW AND CLASSIC STYLES
Date: Thursday, March 23, 2006

Let's face it: Keds haven't been cool since like 1990. Or maybe I only thought they were cool in 1990 since I was - like - 10. Regardless, Keds only recently began a campaign to regain their cool by employing as their face the negligably cool Mishca Barton. This email, featuring the "COOL BUZZ" appears to be a piece of that effort. While I find the creative execution messy and unprofessional (Umm... was this done in PowerPoint!?), the idea behind it is smart and something you just don't see in EDMs. We all know the power of product placement. Why shouldn't Gap, then, add little "Featured in XYZ Magazine" dot-whacks to their product imagery? Or why wouldn't Pottery Barn feature their "Outdoor Furniture, as seen in Real Simple"? Is it legally difficult to get permission to make these mentions, or is it just that no one's thought of it? Except Keds. Necessity is the mother of invention.


March 13, 2006
A Tough Fit


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From: J.Crew
Subject Line: If the pants fit, wear them.
Date: Monday, March 13, 2006

Pants are probably one of the most difficult items to purchase online, so we appreciate J.Crew's attempt to break their selection down by fit. Unfortunately, the pants depicted in the photography employed look almost identical to one another (particularly the "City" and "Favorite" fits), and J.Crew offers no advice as to which fit best flatters a particular body type. So while the intention here is good, the execution is not as strong as it could be.

Eagle Eye Note: There's an extra white pixel on the lower right-hand corner of this email, between the Original Fit image and copy. Blam!
February 27, 2006
Suit Smackdown


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From: Burberry
Subject Line: Invitation to Men's Made-To-Order Clothing Event at Burberry
Date: Monday, February 27, 2006

From: Barneys New York
Subject Line: Men's made to measure clothing
Date: Sunday, February 26, 2006

We've got ANOTHER double-message today - Burberry and Barney's sent out Men's Made-To-Measure messages within 24 hours of one another. This is getting uncanny! I wonder whether this dup has anything to do with Tom Ford's announcement of his own new Made-To-Measure collection.

While the bright colors and stitching element in the Barney's campaign are cute, I find the Burberry treatment most effective: it's refined, classy, and more relevant for the older, monied customer who is more interested in "THE PERFECT FIT" than "THE ULTIMATE HIGH".

On a separate note, it looks like Burberry has fixed their HTML footer misalignment issue. Thank you!
January 31, 2006
$5 a Day


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From: Crate and Barrel
Subject Line: The most amazing little cappuccino maker
Date: Tuesday, January 31, 2006

This is just the smartest little EDM! For those of us who "run on" caffeine, "Pays for itself in just 18 cappuccinos" makes an extremely convincing argument! Way to rock the "buy to save" argument, CB. Now I only wonder how they taste...
January 17, 2006
Show me more!


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From: Anthropologie.com
Subject Line: Brighten your day.
Date: Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Another cute subject line from Anthropologie! Once again, this message is "undermerchandized". I think they could have shown us a few more images here. Why not make the message wider and show us two or three more product shots?
January 10, 2006
Make Your Hoodies Work Harder for You


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From: FreePeople.com
Subject Line: Keep out the chill with Free People's hoodies
Date: Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Like sister brands Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie, Free People uses a "handmade" look in their email and online creative. UO successfully employs the collage technique to feature a number of products and promotional messages within each EDM, however Free People consistently features only one image and one message. They'd see a much higher click-through if they featured, for instance, images of several hoodies, as well as menu navigation items (at least "shop" and "sale"), and possibly a submessage or two for folks who aren't interested in sweatshirts. Make your messages work harder for you!
January 5, 2006
Mmmm! But...


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From: Starbucks.com
Subject Line: Find out what makes Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce Latte so comforting
Date: Thursday, January 5, 2006

It really does look delicious. Problem is, I actually have to leave my desk and go to Starbucks to get it! Since we can't gratify ourselves instantly, I'm curious about the number of lattes this email sells. I see two opportunities for improvement.
1) Make it an exclusive email subscriber coupon that can be printed out and brought to a store for a free Cinnamon Dolce Latte.
2) Sell the Latte Maker and Cinnamon Mix online and include a "How to Make your Own" recipe.
December 8, 2005
Let Me Count the Ways


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From: holdeverything
Subject Line: web exclusive: 5 days only, free shipping on book-cloth
Date: Thursday, December 8, 2005

Tasked with merchandizing a decidedly "not hot" gift at holiday time (How many folks even know what book-cloth is?), holdeverything did something really smart that you don't see too often in email campaigns: they bulleted the technical virtues of the product. Real product info, topped with a free shipping promo - what a great solution to a tough sell.
December 7, 2005
Super Single Product-Family Promo


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From: holdeverything
Subject Line: 5 days only - 20% off select leather jewelry boxes
Date: Wednesday, December 7, 2005

This is a beautiful, smart single product-family promo. One of this EDM's most fun features was not captured in the screenshot featured here: the pink jewelry armoire animates from closed to open. I didn't even KNOW I wanted a jewerly box until I saw this.
October 18, 2005
Exquisite Texture


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From: Ann Taylor
Subject Line: Fall Sale Continues Plus a New Classic: Herringbone
Date: Tuesday, October 18, 2005

Appropriate for an email promoting "exquisite texture", Ann Taylor zooms in on the Herringbone fabric, bringing us closer to the in-store, tactile shopping experience.
October 1, 2005
Introducing iPod nano.


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From: Apple
Subject Line: Introducing iPod nano.
Date: Monday, October 3, 2005

This is a great execution of a single-product promo. Apple features the nano at multiple angles, in both colors offered, lists it's technical virtues, AND offers us free shipping and engraving. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the product is "so hot right now."
August 15, 2005
Less Effective


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From: gap.com
Subject Line: Save on Fall Styles With These Great Deals
Date: Monday, August 15, 2005

This message would have been more effective if it called out a top percentage off, then listed flat categories rather than adding product names in text next to them. Who cares about dress shirts or Ts you can't see? If you're going to call out a product, I want to SEE it.

Must-Have


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From: J. Crew
Subject Line: Editor's Favorite and Free Shipping
Date: Monday, August 15, 2005

This is one of the single MOST compelling one-product promo EDMs I've seen all year. The copy, combined with the multiple detail shots, really makes us feel like these are "the most incredible jeans." And with just a few hundred pairs available, how could we not buy them immediately? Way to amp up the urgency.
May 24, 2005
Bags Packed


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From: J. Crew
Subject Line: Planning a quick getaway?
Date: Tuesday, May 24, 2005

Brilliant! Pack his suitcase (and thereby his shopping cart) for him! This is a great way to sell mix and match items as a set.
A general note about J. Crew EDMs: They're about 200 pixels wider than best practices recommend, requiring us to scroll to the right in order to see the entire design. Recommendation: cut the width down to 600 pixels. 640 max.
March 31, 2005
Minimalist Messages


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From: Burberry
Subject Line: Signature Burberry iPod cases now available
Date: Thursday, March 31, 2005

I love how a luxury brand like Burberry can get away with such minimalist messages.
March 24, 2005
Show, Don't Tell


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From: babygap.com
Subject Line: New Summer Outfits & Free Shipping
Date: Tuesday, March 24, 2005

While I love the textured treatment and the old-fashioned photo corners, this comes down to a case of "show, don't tell." Rather than wasting precious real estate on descriptive copy no one will read, show images of the tropical-print tops and sporty shorts. Even though I think the photo corners are cute, if I don't see a product I like (and I don't like the bathing suit), I'm not gonna click through.
January 15, 2005
In the Details


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From: Ann Taylor
Subject Line: Spring is in the details...
Date: Tuesday, January 25, 2005

Here, Ann Taylor does a nice job of introducing new spring product. The close-ups show us what makes these items different from last year's. The sweet pink treatment suits the merchandise, and the "Click and see" button is a nice, strong call to action.
One suggestion: add product names and prices to the product imagery.
August 18, 2004
Pure Simplicity


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From: west elm
Subject Line: Get inspired by our new design favorites!
Date: Wednesday, August 18, 2004

This EDM does a great job of showcasing color and texture. The large, close-up crops give us a good look at the product details.
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